The two questions that budding archers ask right away after their very first lesson are: “How much is a bow?” and “Where can I purchase one from?” We generally recommend that any budding archer waits about six months before buying their first bow, but more often than not our advice goes unheeded. Therefore, we are going to answer these questions for you below.
Where is the Best Place to Purchase a Bow?
There are many places where you can purchase a bow from - the likes of eBay and Amazon are full of secondhand bows as well as beginner kits. Now, although you might be able to find yourself a bargain, a lot of new archers will not know what their draw length is, the required poundage, or how the bow fits together properly. If you do not have an expert handy, then it is very easy to purchase a dud.
Therefore, if you are buying your very first bow, we believe that is best if you purchase it straight from an archery shop. Nowadays, most these shops will have their own websites, but if you are purchasing your first bow, it would be better for you to take a trip to their brick and mortar shop. The shop assistant at the store will measure you up and ask about your budget. You should make sure you have a few hours spare as most shops have an archery range where you can try out the bows that interest you.
Recommended Stores
There are a few great archery shops in Greater London such as Perris and Quicks. There is also Aim4Sport located in Bedforshire and Clickers, which can be found near Norwich. There are plenty of other great archery stores scattered around the United Kingdom. Some specialise in particular types of bows, but the majority will have a variety of types of bows and equipment.
How Much Should You Aim to Spend?
You can get a reasonable bow, like the training ones you find at an archery club, for around £60. However, if you go into a shop and build your own bow, then you are going to have to pay a little bit more. We would suggest that you set aside a budget of somewhere between £150-350, which includes money for a bag, arrows, and some other small accessories like a sight.
Obviously, you are free to spend as much money as you like, but please keep in mind that the modern recurve bows are modular, meaning that you can spread the cost out over a period of time. For instance, cheaper bow limbs can later be swapped out for more expensive and better limbs later on, and there is a good chance that you will not want a v-bar and clicker setup right away.
Source: https://www.2020archery.co.uk/blog/buying-your-first-bow-part-1/