Expensive bows

[Andy Cooper]

What a great thread. My first trad bow was a Martin Hunter my wife gave me. I still have it and still shoot it. It wears some diamondback skins, so I "customized" it a tad. I love that bow, both for the way it shoots and sentimentally because my lovely bride gave it to me. It is worth more to me than many bows. The others on my rack are customs, most made for others, 3 made for me by Sixby. Kirk is building me a Sasquatch. I've sent him a hand tracing and about a dozen pictures of grips, my hand position on the bow, amount of cant, etc. We've corresponded through several dozen emails and 4 or 5 lengthy phone conversations...and my number isn't even up yet. He's already put a ton of time and thought into my bow...and I am confident that it will be exactly just right!

Would I be deprived if I was unable to afford custom bows? I don't think so. In fact, I'd probably have spent a lot more money hunting. Either way, I'd still be a trad hunter...and that is truly a blessing!

[DesertDude]

Any bow is only worth what you are willing to pay for it.....Just because a bow cost $1000+ doesen't make it any better than a $300 bow. They all cost to make, some more some less.

[Keith Langford]

No expensive bows for me, I only have 1 Blacktail Elite VL. and one Bob Lee Ultimate shipped yesterday, and one Blacktail Snakebit will be ready around July. Its only money, and ya cant take it with ya. Live while ya can. By the way, shoot whatever makes you happy, $2 or $ 2000

[Stixbowdrew]

A bow is a bow is a bow. Some are trailer queens some are works of art. Shoot what you shoot best, and put your time and effort in to making it an extension of yourself my production 66 kodiak will shoot with any custom bow made.

[daniel boon]

They are worth it to ME. I get the wood, grip, weight at my draw length, checkering, horn-antler overlays and the list goes on. Some shoot better than others,bot I'm getting WHAT I WANT.

[Rob DiStefano]

the arrow is far Far FAR more important than the bow.  most any decent stick bow will get the job done, even if it doesn't fit you like a glove.  

what most folks look for in a bow is smoothness of draw, stable/smooth/"shockless" release, good cast and arrow speed.  

bow length can easily also be a major factor, and an added aesthetic might be a take down feature for travel.  

sometimes getting all of those qualities requires a chunk of money.  but more than often it will not, if you know just what to look for and where to look.

[Andy Cooper]

Rob, perhaps we need an expensive arrow thread?!?   :D

I would say that when you do happen on a bow that fits you like that glove Rob speaks of,stick to it. I am always a bit jealous of those that are content with that one bow. I was up to 30 longbows and was always shooting just one primary bow for hunting. As I needed to adjust to aging and injury, replacing my favorite bow to one from the other hand and lighter weight was not possible, I considered getting a factory bow. However, I decided what I expected from a bow and for me the only way was to get a R/D Robertson made exactly to what I had in mind.  Thankfully, my guess was correct and the search for that one bow is over.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I figure I may as well jump in on this thread.

The way I see it, bows can be judged by their performance, by their fit/finish, and by their intangible value.

What I mean, is that some bows shoot well, some look amazing, some are special for reasons which have nothing to do with the bow itself (heirlooms/special back story/etc.)
Truly exceptional bows meet all three criterion.

Some folks only care about performance. (To my mind they miss out on a very large, beautiful chunk of life, but that is just my opinion.)

Not many people want a bow that looks pretty without performing, but the intangibles might make up for it(example: _____made this bow for me a year before________ so I will never get rid of it, even though my ______shoots better.)
If you care about performance, but appreciate art, a custom bow is the way to go. Humans in general are drawn to beauty AND performance. A good bowyer will work with you to make a bow that you might never want to sell.

I am lucky. I have a beautiful bow that performs at a very high level, and it survived a vicious car accident with me (my intangible). I consider myself fortunate to be in the position I am. There is no need for me to look for something better. I might find another bow that is as pretty, and shoots as well, but it will never have the same special feeling as the one in my possession right now.

[overbo]

I've had a slew of and shot a slew of custom bows and there has been only one custom that is so much better of bow to shoot in comparison to prduction bows I've shot.