When hunting deer or target shooting, having good strings on one’s bow is a must. The string is a vital part of the operation, and a small defect in the string, whether from use or from construction, can cause the whole apparatus to decrease in quality or to fail entirely. Fortunately, there are many companies making high-quality strings. There are a few things to look for when searching for bow strings, including a low overall weight, resistant to breakage or abrasion, resistance to moisture, and strength. There are different materials being employed in the making of bow strings, and so that is the most important thing to keep in mind when shopping, along with what style of string one desires and needs: simple, looped, or reverse-twisted. Furthermore, one can also make strings oneself, if nothing on the market matches what is being sought after.
For a quick overview of the strings, all three types should be described. The modern archer will not need some of them, but if shooting with an older weapon or making strings oneself, it may be important to know the different classifications. The first type is a simple string, which is just any type of fiber that has been made into a string through twisting it around itself. This is the first type of string that was made, most likely, as it could be made anywhere and was easy to make in the field. It is not of a very high quality, however, and can come apart with use. The second type of string is looped, which means that the entire string is a never-ending loop that is then fashion as a string. This is very strong and resistant to coming apart, as it is all the same exact fiber and wants to hold together. The third kind, reverse-twisted, consists of a lot of bundles of string that have all be twisted in one direction. They are then fitted together and twisted back in the other direction, deceasing the likelihood of unraveling.
The good thing about looking for new bow strings is that there are a ton of excellent options on the market. Winner’s Choice, Vaportrail, and Prostring all make very good strings that anyone can be happy with. They can be shot with a lot of times, with people shooting them twenty or more times a day and having them hold up very well under the conditions. There will be some natural abrasion, and this is to be expected, but all of the strings are worth paying money for and will keep one shooting for a long time. There are plenty of others out there as well, and most will not disappoint. The main thing a hunter or shooter needs to keep in mind is what material the company is using; if they use quality materials, they probably produce a quality product.
Another option is that one can have a local store make strings on demand. This will cost a little more, but one knows that the string was handcrafted and is of a high quality since it was not mass-produced. This is not necessary to have a good string, but it is a pleasant thought to know that the string is certainly one of the best. Also, it can get the hunter back into shooting much faster, as it will sometimes take less time to have a string made than to order a new string and wait for it to arrive.
Making one’s own bow string is not overly complicated, but some equipment is needed. Namely, one will need a table with posts that are set apart at the length of the finished string, a pulley system, and wax. The braiding process can be learned by reading an instructional booklet or by joining a club that specializes in making bow strings. This is certainly an option for beginners, but is probably not the best option as they may spend all of their time making strings and none of it shooting.
Whatever direction one chooses to go, it is hard to go wrong. A good strong string without too much weight behind it is ideal, and there are many to choose from. As abrasion occurs, the strings should be replaced accordingly so as not to break.