What Are The Different Types Of Compound Bows?

Austin Murphy

About the Author: Austin Murphy is a skilled hunter with a passion for archery. With 17+ years of experience, he possesses extensive knowledge of various archery equipment, including the compound bow, recurve bow, and crossbow. His expertise in these accessories allows him to pursue his love for archery while honing his hunting skills with precision and finesse. As participant in NFAA and ASA competitions, Austin own around 8 Recurve Bows, 6 Compound Bows, and 2 Crossbows.

If you are wondering about the type of Compound Bows, then below is the complete guide that I have discussed. These types of bows are marked with specific systems, Specifications, designs, styles, and features. Moreover, compound bows are globally used by hunters or individuals, for training, shooting targets, and hunting purposes.

A compound bow is a type of modern bow that consists of a levering system, a system of pulleys and cables, for bending the limbs back. Compound bows are often used for hunting and target shooting purposes. The best thing about a compound bow is it requires less of your energy because of the levering system it uses. When you draw a bow, there is less resistance, so Compound bows are easy to control as compared to longbows and recurve bows, this is why they provide more accuracy in each shot.

Types of Compound Bows

In the offline and online marketplaces, different kinds of Archery bows or types of compound bows are manufactured by different companies and brands. The compound bows are equipped and marked with a variety of different features, specifications, and designs. Below are the Type of compound bows providing different advantages and  disadvantages;

Read More: How to Tune a Compound Bow

Single Cam Compound Bow

A single cam compound bow is a type of compound bow that is marked with a single power cam to feature the bow limbs and produce kinetic energy to propel the arrow. This power cam is attached to the lower bow limb, while the upper bow limb hosts the idler wheel. The single cam compound bow is composed of a simple design that is easy to use and provides easier maintenance.

Advantages of Single Cam Compound Bows

• These types of compound bows are marked with high precision, making them very accurate.
• Although compound bows are a little loud, single cam compound bows generate less tension and are quiet compared to other types.
• These compound bows do not require high maintenance and have fewer synchronization problems which make them easy to install.
• Single-cam compound bows are easy-to-use, providing smooth, reliable, simple, and accurate attributes.

Disadvantages of Single Cam Compound Bows

• These single cam compound bows have the least power in all types of bows. Although it is powerful, it has less power compared to other types of bows.
• The single cam compound bow has arrow nock travel issues due to an unbalanced level of pressure which causes precision issues.
• This bow has less power than other bows so it has less shooting power and less shooting speed than other types of food.

Double Cam Compound Bow

The Double Cam Compound Bow works on a double-cam mechanism, which means it has two cams that are working together in a single bow configuration. The cams can be circular or elliptical but they both have to be the same for proper working. These double-cam compound bows can produce more draw weight and shooting power alongside higher speed and better precision than a single cam bow.

Read More: How to Adjust the Draw Weight on a Compound Bow

Advantages of Double cam Compound bows

• Double Cam Compound Bow has faster shooting speed and can shoot faster than a  compound bow. 
• These types of bows have great precision and leveled nock arrow travel due to the two cams working in harmony and producing balance and level nock arrow travel.
• These types of bows have more draw weight and can provide a powerful shooting experience. 

Disadvantages of Double Cam Compound bows

• These types of bows have an unsynchronized design which results in unbalanced cams.
• These types of bows have stretching issues because of the independent working of both cams.
• The unbalance in the cams produces uneven stretching and can cause arrow nock travel issues and affects the precision of the arrows.
• Double Cam Compound Bows are very loud that produce a great amount of noise compared to other types of compound bows.

Hybrid Compound Bow

Hybrid Compound Bows are an advanced version of the Double Compound Bow with advanced double-cam synchronization as a result, both the cams are automatically synchronized and they work properly. In addition to that these bows are easy to tune and require less maintenance over a long period. These types of bows have greater precision and control because this type contains one power cam and one control cam.

Advantages of Hybrid Compound bows

• The Hybrid Compound Bows are much more precise and have better control than a double-cam compound bow.
• These types of bows produce very little noise while shooting and are much quieter than single and double-cam compound bows.
• These bows have very less synchronization issues and provide stable and precise arrow nock travel.
• These Hybrid Compound Bows have more power and speed than a double compound bow.

Disadvantages of Hybrid Compound bows

• Hybrid Compound Bows are stated to be maintenance free but these types of bows need very much maintenance.
• These types of bows require proper orientation initially and have to be set up initially for the best performance.
• After this maintenance, the bow still needs string and other normal bow maintenance for proper working.

Read More: How Long Does a Compound Bow Last?

Binary Compound Bow

The binary compound Bow is a further development of a hybrid compound bow. This fourth type of compound bow has two cams that are dependent on each other and are attached by cables. The upper cam has a cable that is attached to the lower cam and the lower cam has a cable attached to the upper cam, thus forming a dynamic system that is different from any other type of compound bow.

Advantages of Binary cam Compound bows

• This type of compound bow works on a developed mechanism and technology which makes it different and better than any other type of compound bow.
• The Binary Cam Compound Bow has a very high precision rate than any other type of bow.
• These types of bows have a higher speed and better accuracy alongside more draw weight for faster shooting.
• This type of bow has a self-balancing feature and reduces any arrow nock travel issues.

Disadvantages of Double Cam Compound bows

• These types of compound bows have a highly complex design and need frequent maintenance and bow tuning after some time of usage.
• These bows have some patent issues and are not legal in many cities.
• These types of bows are sold by manufacturers by labeling them as Hybrid Compound Bows to avoid legality problems.

You might be interested in: Explore the top brands known for producing high-quality compound bows in our article on Best Compound Bow Brands.

Benefits of Using Compound Bows

Each type of compound bow is equipped or marked with its attributes. Below I have enlisted the Benefits of using compound bows;

Increased Accuracy

Most hunters are equipped with a specific set of skills, and they use different kinds of bows that need more effort while drawing a bow. Instead, a compound bow uses cams and pulleys to generate more power. You can hold the arrow to your aim without getting tired as long as you want while shooting. If you are using the compound bow for improving concentration level then it is a great bow for accuracy and is best for learners.

Read More: How Long Does a Compound Bow Last?

Adjustable Draw Weight and Length

Draw weight refers to, before firing, how much force you require for pulling the bow strings back into their position. You can generate more power with more draw weight, which stores more energy in the bowstrings for more speed and energy before you fire. Measure your draw length in a local shop or at home. Most bow hunters use a release aid for shooting which adds an inch or half an inch to its length, which means you will need a shorter draw length.

Let-Off and Reduced Fatigue

Let off is the difference between a full draw and how much maximum weight is required at a full draw, or how much weight you are holding. You will choose it to a large extent which is a personal preference, as if your let-off is less it means you can hold less weight and can hold it for a long time. Before the entries shooting with a bow in young clubs was not acceptable with 65 pounds but now even 80 pounds are acceptable.

You might be interested in: Find out the age requirements for purchasing a compound bow in our article on Age Requirements for Compound Bow Purchase.

Versatility and Accessories

When we talk about compound bows, these bows are known for their power, accuracy, durability, vibrant Designs, and classic features. However, compound bows are also well-known for their versatility, providing strength, performance, and better control over shots. These bows also come with different accessories from Arrows to different installing accessories.

Less Affected by Weather Conditions

We know that different types of bow are used in outdoor environments like hunting or shooting grounds. Just like other bows, compound bows are designed to uphold and control harsh weather conditions. These bows are less affected by the changing weather conditions, as these are manufactured with high-quality materials, and are built with High-end Construction, providing them better compatibility and a long-lasting life.

Read More: Choosing the Perfect Bow: How to Choose a Compound Bow Like a Pro

What Should You Consider When Selecting A Compound Bow?

Finding or selecting a compound bow can be frustrating, as there are many types of compound bows, all equipping different features and designs. Choosing the perfect one for your requirement is complicated and time taking, so below, I have explained the things you should consider when selecting a compound bow.

Eye Aiming

This simply means while aiming or shooting your brain is dependent upon one eye more than the other which means with this eye you can see more clearly than the other. Your accuracy depends upon the clarity of the eye. The dominant eye is always on the side of the hand you are shooting from, for example, if you shoot with the right hand then your dominant eye is the right side eye.

Weight

The plan of using your bow depends upon its weight, for a beginner archer a very good bow is a lightweight bow because it is easy to handle. This bow is also useful if you are shooting with treestand or through the woods making long treks. A Light bow, because of more vibration, makes more sound or noise.

Draw length

Draw length determines, before firing, how long you need to draw a bow. This is an important factor for shooting accurately and correctly. You can easily measure the draw length in a nearby shop or it is much easier to do it at home too. Draw weight should be neither too long nor too short because it can create problems, which include trouble aiming, improper posture, and inaccurate shooting.

Purpose You are Using for

In the field of Archery, bows are used for a variety of different purposes. The usage of a compound bow depends on the user or owner’s preference and can be implemented in various fields. These bows are mostly used in hunting grounds to hunt different animals, used in target shooting, or any other field training.

Accuracy

Every hunter wants an accurate bow, bow accuracy is natural to think about. You can discuss accuracy in riflery because in benchrest you can put a rifle. With a hooter shooter, you can test the bows( it is a machine that fires a bow with perfect consistency). Bow accuracy is not something necessary but your accuracy with a bowie is necessary.

Speed

Speed is a very important factor while hunting depending upon what you are hunting. Without appropriate speed, you will not be able to hunt professionally the way you planned for. Modern bows shoot 350 feet per second. Speed translates to kinetic energy, bows that shoot with heavy arrows at a fast speed provide greater penetration potential. Fast arrows shoot more flatter which adds downrange accuracy to it.

Noise

Noise is an important factor and depends upon what you are hunting for. Ideally, the bow is perfect when it does not make much noise, especially when you are aiming at a deer. A quiet bow for a new hunter is too good for handling because with a fast bow and heavy draw weight it goes hand in hand.

Arrow type

There is a wide range of Arrows that are manufactured by companies or Archery brands. These arrows are marked with different specs, sizes, and shapes, which are paired with a specific Compound bow. Different Arrows are used with a compound bow for different uses and purposes. However, some custom arrows are only designed for a specific compound bow and can be only combined with that bow for usage.

Read More: Untwisting the Myth: How Many Twists Are in a Compound Bow String?

FAQs

Ending Note on Types Of Compound Bows

The World of Archery and Hunting is a devastating field or Hobby. Individuals from Around the globe use different types of compound bows for a variety of different purposes. These types of Compound bows are not only expensive but also require a burden of knowledge to find and match the perfect compound bow for your consideration. Above I have discussed the main points of compound bows, the types of compound bows, their benefits, and the things to consider before choosing the perfect compound bow of your choice.

To conclude this informative guide, I would suggest that readers always consider a compound bow that matches their skills and fits perfectly for the purpose they are using these compound bows. After going through the above guide, the readers would be able to select the perfect compound bow for their requirement, which would not only provide them with Value for Money but will also boost their Archery experience.