During my time with archery, barebow archery as a discipline has gone through a dramatic journey on its own. Barebow was initially seen as a strange discipline. Many Olympic style archers would ask barebow archers why they would go the lengths of acquiring Olympic recurve bow but not put a sight or other mechanical aids on it? Why do we have nearly all the parts of an Olympic bow but intentionally handicap ourselves?
Traditional or instinctive archers may scoff at the use of stringwalking or other aiming techniques instead of being a traditional purist. If you don’t want to use a sight then why not aim instinctively?
In the past few years, barebow archery has transformed from the red-headed stepchild of archery to possibly the most accessible and popular style of shooting. There’s quite a few reasons to explain the growing appeal of barebow archery.
Skill vs. Gear
Barebow recurve bows require very little beyond the basic recurve bow. The lack of sights, stabilizers and clickers may appeal to archers who wish for a simplified or budget conscious setup. Without mechanical aids such as a sight or stabilizers, more skill is required to achieve consistency and accuracy. Barebow archery depends almost entirely on an archer’s skill, making it a rewarding and challenging discipline.
On the other hand, barebow recurve does allow archers more customizable options over traditional archery as many barebow archers shoot with ILF risers and limbs. This allows the archer to select from various brands and specifications to build their barebow. Since the ILF system is shared with Olympic archers, barebow archers can tap into the active resale market to buy or sell recurve risers, limbs or other permitted accessories.
Elusive Perfection
I once attended a competition with a fellow barebow archer. She lamented that she couldn’t keep up with the other archers on her bale. They drilled the center of the target, arrow after arrow. She then mentioned that they were sighted recurve and compound shooters. I responded with an obligatory, “Well, duh.” Her comparison was the same as a bicyclist not being able to keep up in a motorcycle race.
Without sights or other mechanical assistance, perfect barebow scores are extremely rare in practice and nearly impossible in high-pressure competitions. While perfection is the expectation in elite sighted-classes of archery, it is out of reach for even the best barebow archers. In barebow archery, you cannot achieve perfection. It is always out of reach and it’s incredibly freeing. Without perfection, the window for success is much wider. You don’t fear imperfection because perfection was never a promise or expectation. Instead, you focus on embracing the challenge and imperfection is part of the journey. Is there any easier way to get high scores? Yes, but just as we might take a lovely bike ride through the countryside instead of racing our motorcycle to the finish line, it’s the journey not the destination.
Community
Another huge draw for barebow archery is the community of barebow archers. While the archery community at large is generally open-book and generous with sharing their knowledge and time, barebow archers are truly exemplary in this regard. Barebow archers share a love for this recently burgeoning class and want to see it grow. For the reason, you’ll usually find barebow archers to be fun-loving and happy to share their skills and experiences. Barebow competitions are also incredibly fun to watch. Barebow scores are filled with wild swings in points, misses and sudden upsets.
Conclusion
Barebow is a great starting point to archery for its low barrier to entry and welcoming community. Many beginning archers start out in this style but today many are staying for all the joy and challenges it brings.