I agree to a certain extent that most of us don't need a back-up bow and that most of us use it as an excuse to buy a new bow. I did!!!

If you are going on a paid hunt, out of state hunt, or as someone mentioned to another country then I would certainly take a back-up bow.

With all that said. Last year I didn't know that I had a lose broad head in my case. It did a number on my string and I had two wait two weeks before the shop got the correct string. Their supplier sent them the wrong string 3 times!!!!!! Now this didn't bother me too much because our season runs from August 15th to Jan. 1st, but if I were in a state that only allows a few weeks of hunting or on a trip as described above I would have been majorly pissed.