Thanks for the good word men--I try!

Undecided, can you tell us more about yourself? What poundage you are comfortable with, what your approximate draw length is, etc.? Your draw length will have a big effect--you don't want to go too long as you will loose performance without gaining much if anything, but you don't want to go too short as the bow may stack and be picky. What is short and what is long can vary with different styles of bows.

E-bay or classifieds can be a good place to find a good used bow if you know enough to ask the right questions. You still stand a chance of getting a dud, but you can greatly reduce those chances. If you use e-bay, check the seller's profile. Some folks pretty much make a business of selling there, and some may specialize in bows. Others may not have a clue, just selling something they found at a yard sale.

Black Widow makes a dang good recurve, but I couldn't say that it would be "the" one for you, no more than I could say my favorite (Chek-Mate) would. For some folks they are the best, and some folks don't care for them at all. I'd try a few, along with some other bows, before taking that step. Even if you do like them, you won't know yet what style, length, poundage, etc. is best for you.

Martin probably makes the best over the counter bow on the market, but their prices are as much or more than some custom bows, and in my experience they don't take too well to a longer than average draw length.


There is a lot to consider, and a lot of opinions to wade through. If you can, attend some shoots and try out some bows to get a better idea. If you have a shop that caters to trad shooters, that much better. It will be trial and error for a while, but that's just part of the fun!

Chad