This is a question that I get asked regularly by numerous people wanting to get themselves a new shinny compound bow, and its a question I’m going to answer in the simplest way here.
What size compound bow you will need will all depend on what your planning to use it for, hunting? target shooting? as this can have a huge impact in the style and sized bow you will need.
Below I’ve created a general graph that can help you match up your body size with the right sized compound bow so you can have the perfect fit.
Table of Contents
Compound Bow Sizes Graph
| Draw Length (Inches) | Bow Length (inches) | Perfect For |
| 14-16 | 48 | Kid Beginner |
| 17-20 | 54 | Beginner |
| 20-22 | 58 | Teenager |
| 22-24 | 62 | Adult |
| 24-26 | 64-66 | Adult (Hunting) |
| 26-28 | 66-68 | Adult (Target) |
| 28-30 | 68-70 | Anyone 6 Foot+ |
| 30+ | 70-72 | Anyone 6 Foot+ |
Now while this is just a general graph, there are a few things to consider, such as the frame size and the amount of lb’s you can physically pull back. Obviously the larger bows are going to have heavier lb’s to pull and would not be recommended for younger people wanting to start out.
Draw Length
One of the main things to consider when choosing the size you need is draw length. Draw length is how far back the string can be pulled, the maximum length back. Naturally the bigger the draw length in inches, the longer your arms will need to be. Having a small kid trying the use a bow with a 70 inch draw length is going to be a near impossible task.
Draw Weight
Draw weight is also an important factor. This is the amount of force that is going to be required to be able to pull the bow string back as far as it can go. Most bows will come with different draw weights which is why its important to check the listing of the bow to see what its specifications are. Below I have included another general graph based on draw weight. It will also come down to what type of arrows and broadheads you may be using, as that can add weight to the overall draw weight.
| Draw Weight (lb’s) | Perfect For |
| 10-15 lb’s | smaller child |
| 15-20 lb’s | child |
| 30-40 lb’s | women and lager teenagers |
| 40-50 lb’s | stronger women & larger boys |
| 50-60 lb’s | Adult male |
| 60+ lb’s | Stronger adult males |
Conclusion
Take into account this is just a rough guide and there are obviously going to be stronger children, teenagers, women, men out there than usual, but using this guide you should be able to get a grasp of what type of compound bow you will need, what size you will need, the draw weight you will need and so on.
This will give you a huge advantage when getting into the sport as the right sized product will give you an enormous advantage over the competition and help you drastically improve you accuracy and overall skill.
If you’re unsure of exactly what specifications you may want, its always best to get something that is a little bit smaller and has less draw weight to it, as apposed to getting something that may be way to big and requires too much force to pull back. This way you can get an early grasp on how to use and operate the bow, and if you want to move up to something bigger later down the line, you can.
If you’re currently in the market and looking for the perfect compound bow for a affordable price, then check out our other articles to see what ones we recommend and which ones will be perfect for you and fast track you onto becoming a compound bow shooting master.