10 Best Arrows For a Recurve Bow in 2023 (Review)
Find the right arrows for your recurve bow. We list them all, including carbon, aluminum, and wood arrows, so you can find the best one for you.
Being an instructor for over 20 years, I know that a good arrow can distinguish between a good shot and a misfire. Below we help you find the right arrows for your recurve bow. We list them all, including carbon, aluminum, and wood arrows, so that you can find the best one for you.
A number of factors need to be considered while choosing the right arrows for your bow. These factors include your bow’s specifications, such as the draw length and draw weight and your preferences. We have selected these ten arrows best for different specs and behaviors. We discuss each of these in detail so you can easily choose whichever suits you best.
1. Musen 30-Inch Carbon Archery Arrow – BEST OVERALL
Carbon is arguably the best spine material, especially for bows with higher draw weights. Arrows made from carbon fiber are quite stiff, which allows these arrows to counter the archer’s paradox or heavy bows. Here’s a guide on how you can measure your draw weight.
Musen Carbon Fiber Arrows are made for compound bows and high-draw-weight recurve bows. These arrows would be ideal if your bow has a draw weight between 40 to 60 pounds. However, the stiffness of these arrows is meant for this range only.
Bows have an effect called the archer’s paradox that makes your arrows vibrate as they fly. This significantly increases air drag slowing the arrows down. Higher paradox also results in high random error inaccuracy.
Archer’s paradox is countered by balancing spine stiffness and fletching size. The Musen Carbon Fiber Arrows are made to counter the paradox of arrows with 40 to 60 lbs. of draw weight. Shooting these arrows with a lower or higher draw weight will result in high paradox and hence, high inaccuracy.
These arrows come in two spine lengths: 28 inches and 30 inches. When you screw in the point, 1.3 inches are added to this length. The spine has a linear density of 13 grains per inch (GPI) with a stiffness of 500. This number represents how much the bow can bend under a certain amount of bending momentum.
These arrows have an outer diameter of 7.8. A lower outer diameter results in less air drag for arrows with the same GPI. This allows arrows to retain their speed for long distances. Less air drag also reduces offset due to wind. However, arrows with smaller diameters are easier to break.
These arrows are quite lightweight. This means that these arrows will fly faster than heavier arrows for a given draw weight. However, heavier arrows can capture more energy from the bow giving them much higher penetration power. You can use the feeling of throwing a rock vs. throwing a rubber duck to understand why this is the case. Your arm supplies constant force (equal draw weight) when you throw something. Yet, you can throw a rock much harder than a rubber duck. Here’s more information on what you might do to your bow once you use a lightweight arrow.
Lighter arrows are better when there isn’t a lot of wind around, when you want to minimize the drop, and when deep penetration is not important such as in archery competitions. For hunting, heavier arrows are better because of their greater energy and higher penetration power.
The arrows come with 100-grain stainless steel points. These points are removable, which means you can replace these points with heavier or lighter points or points with a different shape according to your preferences.
One feature that we like is that these arrows have an adjustable nock. Recurve bows and compound bows require different nock orientations. But you can rotate the nock with a coin and use these arrows with any bow.
Musen Carbon Archery Arrows have TPU 3″ vanes. Vanes serve two purposes. First, as we already discussed, vanes help counter the effect of archer’s paradox, minimize air drag and improve accuracy. Another purpose vanes serve is to rotate the arrow. Conservation of angular momentum allows rotating arrows to keep pointing in the same direction throughout the flight. Conservation of angular momentum is the same principle of physics that allows tops to stay upright when spinning. (1)
Carbon arrows are vulnerable to being cracked and shattered. We suggest not shooting the arrows at hard objects such as stone or concrete. Cracked arrows can be dangerous. Always check the arrow before shooting it.
2. ARCHERY SHARLY 31 Inch Carbon Arrows – BEST FOR PRACTICE HUNTING
![ARCHERY SHARLY [12 Pack] 31Inch Carbon Arrow Practice...](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51yNw5Xy0xL.jpg)
- 💕 Shaft diameter: 7.6mm. Arrow Shaft Length: 31inch. For...
- 💕 Arrow Vane: Fletching with 3pcs yellow camo 5'' real...
- 💕 Shaft Material: Carbon. Lightweight carbon shafts allow...
The Archery Sharly Carbon Arrows have an outer spine diameter of 7.6mm. For the same material, arrows with a larger outer diameter have a greater linear density and hence, greater total mass. However, you can’t rely on outer diameter alone to calculate an arrow’s mass since it also depends on other factors. Arrows are hollow inside, and the inner diameter is just as important in determining how much material there is.
Other things being equal, an arrow with a smaller spine diameter will experience smaller air drag resulting in lower offset due to wind. This will also guarantee the arrow retains its speed and energy and doesn’t lose it to air drag. The key here is “other things being equal” since an arrow with a smaller diameter may also have a smaller linear density, making it lightweight, which would counter any improvement in terms of air drag made by the smaller diameter.
A 7.6mm diameter might seem only insignificantly smaller than 7.8mm, but even this small difference can result in 5 percent less force of air resistance.
The arrow has a shaft length of 31 inches. Shaft length does not have much of an effect on air drag. However, the increased length of longer arrows might lower the flight speed, resulting in a greater drop. The shaft length has a greater impact on the spine rating, and as you can imagine, longer arrows are easier to bend than smaller arrows. Bows with higher draw weights use stiffer arrows than bows with lower draw weights.
This is because of the way bows counter archer’s paradox. Arrows must bend a certain amount during release to successfully remove any mid-flight vibration. The fletching perfectly straightens the arrow when they touch the bow. A bow with a higher draw weight will apply more bending force to an arrow than a lower draw weight. Hence, arrows made for high draw weights need to be stiffer than arrows made for lower draw weights. The Archery Sharly Carbon Arrows are rated for draw weights of 35 to 50 lbs. (2)
The Archery Sharly Carbon Arrows have Camo 5″ vanes made from real feathers. Real feathers have microstructures that help stabilize the arrow flight. They may, however, increase air drag. These vanes are fixed on the arrow and are guaranteed not to become loose or come off after long-term use.
The material, as the name suggests, is carbon fiber. This allows these arrows to be extremely lightweight while still maintaining their strength. Light arrows also have a much higher speed and experience lower drops. These arrows are perfect for beginners who want to improve their aim without worrying about dropping simultaneously.
The arrow point is made of steel and weighs 100 grains. These arrow points are replicable, and you can use any arrowhead of your choice. Note that using a heavier or lighter arrowhead will impact the draw weight rating of the arrows. We suggest using arrowheads weighing nearly 100 grains to avoid any unintended complications. These arrows’ tips and shafts are connected tightly to ensure frictionless flight. Some arrows have points that get loose with time resulting in increased drag. That’s not the case with the Archery Sharly Carbon Arrows.
The Archery Sharly Carbon Arrows have a wide range of uses. They’re perfect for target practice, archery competitions, and hunting. These arrows can also be used for longbows, traditional bows, recurve bows, and low-weight compound bows.
3. Huntingdoor 30″ Archery Carbon Target Arrow – BEST ADJUSTABLE NOCK
- Arrows Length: 30 inches; Diameter: 7.9mm; Weight: 36g/Pcs;...
- Huntingdoor Carbon Arrows, the shaft made of high quality...
- Durable smooth carbon shaft, good straightness, improved...
Huntingdon 30″ Archery Carbon Target Arrows are designed to minimize drop. These arrows have a weight of 36g, allowing them to fly faster and experience lower drops.
These arrows have an outer diameter of 7.9mm and an inner diameter of 6.2mm. This means that the shaft is composed of a 1.7mm shell and is hollow inside. This design increases the stiffness of the arrows while also increasing flight speed.
The Huntingdoor 30″ Archery Carbon Target Arrows have a spine of 550-600. The number being high means that these arrows have a low stiffness. The arrows are rated for recurve and compound bows with draw weights between 35 and 55 lbs.
These arrows are made from high-quality carbon fiber. The durability of these arrows has been guaranteed after many tests, and these arrows do not crack easily. This makes these arrows perfect for target practice and hunting alike. However, we wouldn’t suggest hunting a large animal with these arrows if you have a low-weight recurve bow, as these arrows might not be able to penetrate deep. We would certainly not shoot the skull with these arrows.
The Huntingdoor Archery Carbon Target Arrows are quite good at absorbing socks and do not break easily. However, we wouldn’t recommend shooting at a concrete wall.
The arrows have 100-grain points that can be unscrewed and replaced. The nock is rotatable, meaning you can use these arrows for recurve bows, longbows, and compound bows.
The fletching is made from plastic to minimize air resistance. Stability is achieved by rotating the arrow during flight, like how bullets rotate.
4. Misayar 30 Inch Fletched Carbon Arrow – BEST FIELD POINT
- Matched with 100 grain Broadhead, excellent accuracy and...
- 30 inch shaft 7.8mm Diameter come with standard 3" vanes,...
- 12 pack also includes target points, Removable Tips to...
Misyar 30 Inch Fletched Carbon Arrows are designed to maximize the accuracy of high-weight bows. These arrows have a 400 spine, making them stiffer than the previous entries. This also means that these arrows require higher draw weight to counter the archer’s paradox. The Misayar 30 Inch Fletched Carbon Arrows are rated for bows with a draw weight between 50 and 70 lbs.
The arrows come with 100-grain replicable heads. The nock is also adjustable and not fixed.
The Misayar 30 Inch Fletched Carbon Arrows are 30 inches long and 7.8mm in diameter. The arrows come with standard 3″ vanes, but you can replace these vanes if you want. 4″ vanes provide greater stability but offer more drag. 2″ vanes limit air drag but are not able to stabilize the arrow well, especially if the bow is not in tune with the arrows.
The high speed of these arrows makes them perfect for target practice. Since these arrows are for high-weight bows, you can also use the Misayar 30 Inch Fletched Carbon Arrows for hunting.
5. Dostyle Turkey Feather Carbon Arrow – BEST ARROW SPINE
- High Strength Casting Aluminum Riser
- Carefully Polished Finish Riser
- Strong Fiberglass Limb Made of Maple
Doyle Turkey Feather Carbon Arrows are 30-inch long arrows with a spine of 400. Another way to measure how much an arrow bends is straightness. These arrows have a straightness of +/-0.012, which is quite average. The Doyle Turkey Feather Carbon arrows are meant for traditional and recurve bows with a draw weight between 45 to 59 lbs.
These arrows are particularly aesthetic. They’re made of carbon, but they have a wood camo color.
The fletching on these arrows is made of turkey feathers and is 4” long. This allows these arrows excellent flight stability and increases accuracy.
The Doyle Turkey Feather Carbon arrows come with 100-grain field points, which are screwed and can be replaced.
6. Huntingdoor 6 PCS Turkey Feather Wooden – BEST HIGH-SPEED ARROW
- Length:31".Shaft diameter: 5/16''.Package included:6 pcs...
- Huntingdoor wooden arrows,standard hunting and target...
- High quality wooden shaft with 5" medieval real turkey...
The Huntingdoor 6 PCS Turkey Feather Wooden arrows are made from wood, which makes these arrows much less expensive than carbon fiber arrows.
These arrows have a length of 31 inches (not including the point) and an outer diameter of 7.93mm. Such a high diameter may offer up to 10 percent higher air resistance. (3)
The Huntingdoor 6 PCS Turkey Feather Wooden arrows are designed for bows with draw weights of 40 to 60 lbs. Being lightweight makes these arrows precise in drop, as they fly quite fast. These arrows are perfect for longbows, as well as recurve bows.
The shaft is made of high-quality wood, not breaking as easily as you’d expect. The arrows also come with 5″ fletching from turkey feathers for excellent stability.
7. Easton XX75 Jazz Aluminum Arrow – BEST FOR KIDS ARROW
- Durable and economical
- Made from 7075 alloy
- Only arrow approved for NASP competition
Aluminum arrows are popular for being lightweight and strong. The Easton XX75 Jazz Aluminum Arrows are made of aluminum which makes them long-lasting compared to wooden arrows yet less expensive than carbon fiber arrows.
The Easton XX75 Jazz Aluminum Arrows have right-wing helical offset fletching, which allows them to rotate during flight. This increases stability and hence, accuracy. The feathers are parabolic in shape, which minimizes any speed lost to air resistance.
These arrows are designed mostly for young archers and have small draw weights of around 30 lbs. However, the Easton XX75 Jazz Aluminum Arrows can be used with bows of draw weights from 15 lbs to 50 lbs.
The tips and nocks are both replaceable.
8. Huntingdoor 31 Inch Aluminum Arrows – BEST UNIQUE SAFE NOCK ADAPTER SYSTEMS
- 7075 Aerospace Alloy Material
- Aluminum arrow length: 31inch, Fletched with 4" parabolic...
- Aluminum insert installed with 100 grain replacement...
Huntingdon 31 Inch Aluminum Arrows are made from an aluminum alloy called 7075 aluminum. This material is extremely strong and lightweight, which is why it is used to make the bodies of airplanes and rockets. Aluminum-allows arrows are most common in archery competitions.
The Huntingdoor Aluminum Arrows are 31 inches long and have 4″ parabolic vanes that offer excellent stability while limiting air drag. The arrows have an outer diameter of 7.6 and an inner diameter of 6.4. This allows these arrows to be extremely lightweight and to travel fast.
The arrows come with replaceable 100-grain heads and rotatable nocks.
9. Huntingdoor Black 32″ Fiberglass Arrow – BEST FOR TARGET PRACTICE
Fiberglass arrows are the perfect option if you want durability but don’t want to spend too much on carbon fiber arrows. Because of their extremely good durability, the Huntingdoor Black 32″ Fiberglass Arrows are intended especially for target practice. However, these arrows cannot carry a lot of kinetic energy. Hence we wouldn’t suggest using these for hunting. But it would be best if you always used different arrows for practice and hunting since the former values durability, whereas the latter values penetrative power.
The Huntingdoor Black 32″ Fiberglass Arrows are designed for arrows of draw weights from 50 to 65 lbs. The arrows have an outer diameter of 7.6mm. These arrows come with nocks, fletching and points attached and are ready to shoot.
10. Chuangtong Archery 30″ Fiberglass Arrows – BEST FOR CHILDREN, WOMEN, AND BEGINNERS
- 30 inch shaft,1 white two yellow vane,suitable for draw...
- Non-Aggressive.Those fiberglass arrows are designed for...
- You can practice archery with your family or friends in the...
Chuangtong Archery 30″ Fiberglass Arrows are also made of fiberglass, which makes them extremely durable and perfect for target practice. These arrows are designed for young archers who are learning to aim. The Chuangtong Archery 30″ Fiberglass Arrows have low stiffness and are rated suitable for bow weights between 15 and 30 lbs.
The arrows come with vanes and stainless steel points attached. Out of all the arrows designed for low draw weights, the Chuangtong Archery 30″ Fiberglass Arrows are one of the most durable.
The draw weight is the most important factor you should consider while selecting the right arrows. The arrows must be meant for your bow’s draw weight, or they won’t fly very well. If you’re looking for arrows for practice, any material would be good, but fiberglass is preferred since it costs less. However, you need arrows with greater mass carrying more energy for hunting. You should also practice with your hunting arrows from time to time to get a feel of the drop due to higher arrow mass.
You might want to check out our best recurve bow guide for your reference if you buy one for yourself or gift it to a friend. Until our next review!
References
(1) angular momentum – https://www.britannica.com/science/angular-momentum
(2) bending force – https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/5/1204/pdf
(3) air resistance – https://www.universetoday.com/73315/what-is-air-resistance/
