Archery is a fantastic sport that can help kids improve their athleticism, concentration, and depth awareness. Whether you are practicing archery to hunt, or to shoot at targets, archery gets you out in the fresh air to practice a physical activity and develop real-life relationships. In an era where it’s nearly impossible to get children to put aside their phones or computer games, archery is a terrific way to help young kids realize that many wonders exist in that middle distance between themselves and the horizon. In this Banshee bow and arrow review, we’ll look at a starter kit for children interested in the great sport of archery.
Banshee Bow and Arrow Review
Banshee provides an economical bow and arrow set that offers a great introduction to archery. Our Banshee bow and arrow review found that the set consists of a compound bow with two arrows. A compound bow is a bow that uses a very rigid shaft in combination with a pulley or cam system to increase the velocity of the arrows when compared to a recurve bow. Compound bows are a great example of American ingenuity. Invented by Holless Wilbur Allen in the 1960s, the compound bow has revolutionized the sport of archery.
Product Specs
Our Banshee bow and arrow review found that the product measures 39 by 10 by 2 inches and weighs 2.20 pounds. The bow features an ambidextrous grip and a draw length of 24 to 26 inches. The bow is primarily black with a yellow grip, and the arrows have yellow fletching to make them easier to spot during retrieval. The bow has 25 pounds of draw weight which is sufficient to hit a target at a distance of 60 or 70 yards.
A 25 pound draw weight is not ideal for hunting, but be advised that the arrows leave the bow with enough velocity to be considered highly dangerous. This bow is not a toy and should be used with respect and under adult supervision.
How It Compares
For our Banshee bow and arrow review, we selected a few youth bow sets available on the market and compared their features, performance, and accessories to those of the Banshee. We evaluated the bows on their ease of use, design quality, accessories, and warranty. We also provided notes on the bows draw, release, and let off. The other youth bow sets we tested were:
Bear Archery Brave Bow Set
Genesis Original Kit
Southland Archery Supply SAS Spirit
Banshee Bow and Arrow
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Ease of Use
During our Banshee bow and arrow review, we found this product to be a simple and effective beginner’s compound bow. Although the grip is designed to be ambidextrous, the strings come aligned for right-handed use. If you want to use this bow left handed, you have to change the strings to a left-handed configuration. The process is easy enough, but it’s impractical to pass this bow back and forth from right- and left-handed people. There is a nice let off as you draw back the arrow which allows children to aim in comfort.
Design Quality
The bow features a split limb design. Always remember that it’s dangerous to dry fire a compound bow as the limbs are under extreme tension and a dry fire could cause the bow to break. Our Banshee bow and arrow review found that that the bow draws with a smooth action with a nice let off and a good release. This is a terrific bow to select as an introduction to archery.
What’s Included
The purchase includes a bow and two arrows. There are also placement slots for the arrows on the bow wire. This is a minimal set designed to get you started.
Warranty
The bow comes with a 90-day limited warranty. Note that you will void the warranty if you admit to causing damage by dry firing the bow.
Bear Archery Brave Bow Set
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The Bear Archery Brave Bow set features a youth compound bow with more of a parallel, split limb design. The bow measures 27 by 11 by 3 inches and weighs about 3 pounds. The draw weight varies between 15 and 25 pounds depending on how far the string is drawn back. The bow features a 65% draw let off that makes for a very comfortable hold weight. The set includes two Safetyglass arrows, a 1-pin sight, quiver, and armguard. This bow is designed for right-handed use only. This bow is available in six different color options, and the package even includes a temporary tattoo.
Ease of Use
The Bear compound bow is very easy to operate, and the draw let off allows for easy aiming and smooth release. The armguard is a nice addition for a beginner’s set. The 1-pin sight lets children learn how to aim. Adding a sight is a good feature, but the sight also adds complexity that might confuse a beginner.
Design Quality
The parallel split limbs make this bow very compact and powerful. Unfortunately this is a right hand only bow.
What’s Included
This set includes everything you need except a target. There is a bow, two arrows, 1-pin sight, finger rollers, armguard, quiver, and a whisker biscuit. A whisker biscuit is a device mounted on the bow that the arrow passes through when released. The whisker biscuit helps ensure the arrow is properly oriented and flies correctly, which is a great accessory for beginners.
Warranty
The bow comes with a 90-day limited warranty.
Genesis Original Kit
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The Genesis is a simple and attractive bow that is available in both a left-handed and a right-handed option. The bow is available in twelve different colors. The Genesis is the official bow of the National Archery in Schools Program (NASP). The bow features a machined 6061-T6 aluminum riser and a cam and idler wheel construction. The Genesis has an unlimited draw length so your child will not outgrow it. The draw weight goes from 10 to 20 pounds. The limbs are composite with a split limb design. The Genesis is made in the USA.
Ease of Use
This is a very nice, durable bow that comes ready to shoot right out of the box with no necessary adjustments. The draw action is easy, and the release is smooth with no recoil, noise or vibrations. However, although this is a compound bow it is designed to not have any let off, so the hold weight is the maximum draw weight.
Design Quality
Although this is a youth bow, the aluminum riser is the quality of what you’d find on adult equipment. This bow is lightweight, strong, and built to last. The unlimited draw length is a great feature for anyone with young children because it means your children cannot outgrow this bow. The maximum 20 pound draw weight is sufficient for target shooting. This is a high-quality, intuitive bow that is easy to use and maintain.
What’s Included
The set includes the bow, belt tube quiver, adjustable arm guard, five aluminum arrows, 3/16 inch hex wrench, and an owner’s manual.
Warranty
The Genesis comes with a non-transferable one-year warranty for the original owner.
Southland Archery Supply SAS Spirit
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The Southland Archery Supply SAS Spirit 62 inch bow is an attractive recurve bow. A recurve is easier to maintain than a compound bow, but it doesn’t have the advantages of draw let off which is found on most compound bows. This bow has a wooden riser and fiberglass limbs. The riser is made from chuglam, gmelina, arborea, and beech wood with a laminated finish. This bow is recommended for shooters taller than 5 feet 4 inches and is right handed only. This is a complete set that includes everything you need to take the bow out of the box and begin shooting.
Ease of Use
Choosing a recurve bow over a compound bow is like choosing a vinyl record over a compact disc. Some people prefer the feel and release of a recurve to a compound, but the arrow velocity will be slower. There is no let off, so the hold weight is the same as the maximum draw weight. The limbs are more flexible than you find on a compound, so the bow will be less efficient. You will also have to learn how to string this bow before shooting. The set includes a bow stringer as part of the purchase.
Design Quality
This bow comes with a draw weight of 16-34 pounds, the draw weight increases the further you pull back the arrow. You can also order heavier limbs to increase the draw weight. This is a nice recurve bow, with a simple design. A recurve does not have the technological advantages of a compound bow.
What’s Included
The kit includes a 62 inch spirit bow, a very nice recurve bow bag, two stick on arrow rests, one finger tab, an arm guard, string, bow stringer, and a paper target.
Warranty
The Southland Archery Supply Spirit 62 inch bow is covered by a three-year warranty from the manufacturer.
Conclusion
Archery is a lifetime sport that is less dangerous than shooting and can serve as a fun activity to help parents and children to spend valuable time together. In an era where more and more children are sedentary and glued to their screens all day, archery can be a great motivator to get kids outside and perform a physical activity. Archery is a great sport that takes only a moment to learn but requires a lifetime to master. Any of the youth bow sets we examined for our Banshee bow and arrow review would be a good choice for getting a child started with archery.
Expensive
The Genesis was the most expensive set that we tested for our review. Although the Genesis is a very well-constructed bow, it might represent too much of an investment for a child who is interested in archery but has not yet committed to practicing the sport. The Genesis features a long-lasting, durable construction and an unlimited draw length that ensures the child will be able to use the bow for a long time. However, the lack of let off is not ideal for a beginner. The Genesis will probably be the second or third bow you buy once your child shows that he or she really loves archery.
Budget
The Southland Archery Supply Spirit 62 inch recurve bow is an interesting option. The recurve represents another age of archery, and some youth archery enthusiasts might be interested in shooting with this historically relevant design. Although it’s not as expensive as the Genesis, the Spirit 62 inch is also an expensive bow.
The Banshee
Our Banshee Bow and arrow review found that the Banshee is a very economical compound bow. The starter kit does not include any accessories, which allows the manufacturer to offer a purchase that is less than half of any other youth kit we tested. The Banshee is a high performing bow, and it represents a great opportunity to let your child experiment with archery at an affordable budget to you. The Banshee has an ambidextrous grip and can be strung to accommodate left-handed shooters. If you’re looking for a fun, versatile, and economical youth bow, the Banshee is a fantastic choice.