Best Compound Bows For Women in 2020

The Best Compound Bows For Women

Last updated on August 3, 2020 by Briley Hearrin

Premium Pick

Diamond by Bowtech Carbon Knockout

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Diamond by Bowtech Edge SB-1

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Quest by G5 Storm

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If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re either a female archer that wants to try her hand at archery or a man that wants to get a woman involved. Either situation can be a little daunting, and it can be very confusing to know what gear you need to start shooting, or what you should buy for someone else. Luckily, we’ve been there, and we’re here to help!

Compound Bows for Women Comparison

PRODUCT SPEED OUR RATING PRICE BUY ONLINE

Diamond Edge SB-1 320 FPS $$ check on amazon check on cabela's

Diamond Carbon Knockout 320 FPS $$$ check on amazon check on cabela's

Quest Storm 290 FPS $ check on cabela's

PSE Discovery Cajun N/A $$ check on cabela's

Genesis Bow (Original) N/A $ check on amazon check on cabela's

Before we start, a word of advice: If you’re trying to get someone else involved in archery, the best thing to do is take them to a range or shop and try some bows out to see what they like. If nothing else, you’ll be able to figure out important information like their draw length and eye dominance. They’ll learn the basics like the parts of the bow and safety. After you’ve done that, it’ll be much easier to understand the different available bows and make an informed choice.

In this article, we’ll be detailing what we think are the best compound bows for women, to help get you on the right track when shopping for yourself or someone else.

Best Overall

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1. The Best Compound Bow for Women: Diamond by Bowtech Edge SB-1

Out of all the bows we reviewed, the Diamond Edge was the best combination of features and quality at a great price. Diamond Archery (and their parent company, Bowtech Archery) make quality compound bows used by bowhunters and target archers of all levels. The draw length and weight adjustment range on the Diamond Archery Edge is unheard of, being able to go from a 7 to 70-pound draw weight and a 15 to 30-inch draw length. It has an arrow speed of 320 FPS—fast as many of the most expensive bows. It will fit anyone, making it perfect for archers that are still growing. You can change the settings on the bow as they grow instead of buying a whole new bow. The adjustments are super simple, so you can spend more time shooting and less time endlessly messing with your bow. With a 32-inch axle-to-axle length, its size makes it a perfect hunting bow, as it won’t get caught in your blind or treestand. The downside to its compact size is that you may find it too small to shoot comfortably if you have a longer draw length. Another disadvantage is the lack of color options; it only comes in camouflage and purple camouflage. Solid color options would be nice, but the camouflage finishes they offer look like the finish you’d find on a much more expensive bow. Like several other bows on this list, it comes in a package with accessories so you can shoot without having to pick out and purchase other accessories. The Diamond Archery Edge package comes with a 3-pin bow sight, arrow rest, bow-mounted quiver, 5-inch hunting stabilizer, peep sight, BCY D-loop, and wrist sling. A release and a set of arrows are all you’ll need to get up and running. Overall, the Diamond Edge would be a fantastic beginner compound bow for either hunting or target archery. Key Specs

Speed: 320 FPS
Axle to Axle Length: 32″
Draw Length: 15″-30″
Draw Weight: 7-70 lbs.

Value Pick

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2. The Best Value Compound Bow for Women: Quest by G5 Storm

If you’re looking for a great compound bow at a lower price point, the Quest Storm is a perfect choice. Quest is a hunting bow manufacturer owned by G5 Outdoors, a company that produces broadheads, sights, drop-away arrow rests, quivers, and Prime bows.

It has many of the features seen in the other bows we reviewed while coming in at a price that will leave money for a decent set of arrows. The grip on the Quest Storm is slimmer than average, making it fit like a glove for archers with smaller hands. It also features a lower draw weight range (30 to 60 pounds), so you can start light and work on technique without worrying about getting too tired to continue shooting.

When shooting, The Quest Storm feels great; it is very comfortable to draw and holds very well. This bow also comes with an accessory package that will help get you ready to shoot faster. It includes a bow-mounted quiver, bow sight with a light, full containment arrow rest, wrist sling, and a rubber stabilizer. The included sight is especially nice; it has a light so you can see your pins in any condition and adjusts without needing any tools. You’ll still need to buy a release and some arrows. Also, head to a pro shop and have them tie on a d-loop for you.

One downside to this bow is that it is not as easy to adjust as comparable models, and it doesn’t have as large of an adjustment range on draw length or weight. The lack of adjustment won’t be a problem for most archers, but if your draw length falls outside of its adjustment range (or you’re getting it for an archer that’s still growing), you’ll want to consider other bows. Overall, it will make a perfect beginner compound bow for those that want to get into archery without breaking the bank.

Key Specs

Speed: 290 FPS
Axle to Axle Length: 31″
Draw Length: 23″-27.5″
Draw Weight: 30-60 lbs.

Premium Pick

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3. The Best Premium Compound Bow for Women: Diamond by Bowtech Carbon Knockout

If you’ve been shooting for a while already, or are willing to spend a little more money to get the absolute best, look no further than the Diamond Archery Carbon Knockout. Diamond Archery (and their parent company Bowtech) has been manufacturing carbon bows for a few years. They keep getting better with every new model. The Carbon Knockout is a bow for women, made by women. And it’s a pleasure to shoot. It is incredibly easy to tune, has a great arrow speed of 320 FPS, and stays in tune once you get it set.

As the name implies, the Carbon Knockout is carbon instead of the standard aluminum. It’s very lightweight and durable, so you don’t have to worry about getting tired after a long day of shooting. As a bonus, the carbon grip won’t get cold, so it’s always comfortable to shoot during chilly mornings in the woods.

The Diamond Archery Carbon Knockout also comes with an accessory package, and the included accessories are higher quality than what you’d typically get in bow packages. It includes a bow-mounted quiver, brush arrow rest, 6-inch hunting stabilizer, carbon fiber peep sight, d-loop, and wrist sling. The Carbon Knockout comes set with the accessories installed to have you (mostly) sighted in at 20 yards, saving you even more setup and tuning time.

The only downside to this bow is the price. If you’re a beginner female archer, you’ll want to make sure archery is a hobby you enjoy before you spend this much money on a bow. Once you’re ready to commit, the Carbon Knockout will be a fantastic investment in your archery career.

Key Specs

Speed: 320 FPS
Axle to Axle Length: 30″
Draw Length: 22.5″-27″
Draw Weight: 30-50 lbs.

Bowfishing

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4. The Best Bowfishing Bow for Women: PSE Discovery Cajun Bowfishing Bow

Bowfishing is growing in popularity with women every year, and if you want to get involved, you’ll need a bow that will set you up for success. Bowfishing bows are different from your average compound bow. They usually have no let-off, are shot with your fingers, and use a special reel attached directly to your bow and a fiberglass fishing arrow.

If you’re looking to get into bowfishing, look no further than the PSE Discovery Cajun bowfishing package. PSE (which stands for Precision Shooting Equipment), is one of the largest manufacturers of archery equipment and has been in business since 1970.

The Cajun comes with everything you need to start bowfishing at an awesome price. The package includes the bowfishing reel and line, an arrow rest, and a complete bowfishing arrow with a safety stop and slide. Unlike most bow packages, you won’t need to buy anything else to complete your bow. The Cajun will accept all standard bow accessories if you want to add on anything else. The bowfishing reel that comes with the Cajun is excellent.

It’s much more user-friendly than the more traditional-looking fishing reels that come on other bowfishing setups. The bottle design means the line will get tangled much less often.

If you’re used to shooting a normal compound bow, a bowfishing bow like the Cajun may feel strange to shoot before you get used to it. Unlike other compound bows, it has no let off, so the draw weight will stay the same throughout your shot. It also has no set draw length, so you won’t be able to set your draw length and pull until you hit a wall. Both of these features make the bow shoot better for bowfishing, as you don’t have time to draw and aim a shot, but will feel strange to new bowfishers until you get used to shooting it.

Key Specs

Speed: N/A
Axle to Axle Length: 31.5″
Draw Length: 0″-30″
Draw Weight: 27-40 lbs.

Recreational

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5. The Best Recreational Bow for Women: Genesis Bow (Original)

You’ll notice that the Genesis Bow is much different than all the other bows we reviewed for this article. It’s not powerful enough to hunt with, there’s no let off, and it doesn’t even come with a bow sight.

But, if you want a cheaper bow to learn with and shoot with your friends or family, the Genesis Bow is perfect. The draw weight is light enough that even kids can pull it back, and it has a unique design that allows anyone to shoot it without having to set a draw length. Also, you’ll never need to use a bow press to do anything on the Genesis, even to change the bow string.

Like the other bows we reviewed, the Genesis comes with a “ready to shoot” accessory kit. The kit includes an installed arrow rest and nocking point, an arm guard, quiver, and five aluminum arrows. You won’t need to buy any extra accessories to shoot, and the bow is so easy to adjust that you won’t need to take it to a shop to get anything set up.

There are a few downsides to the Genesis bow. If you want a bow that you can hunt with, this isn’t it. The Genesis has nowhere near enough poundage to be legal to hunt with, so you will want to consider a dedicated hunting bow instead.

The accessories it comes with are perfect for learning to shoot but they’re fairly basic, so you may want to upgrade them. If you’re going to add sights, stabilizers, a d-loop, and release, they will mount to the Genesis with no issues. Overall, the Genesis is perfect for archery family fun and learning to shoot without spending a ton of money. However, it won’t work for those that want to hunt.

Key Specs

Speed: N/A
Axle to Axle Length: 35.5″
Draw Length: 15″-30″
Draw Weight: 10-20 lbs.

Things to Consider

If you’re still undecided on what bow you want to get, there are some important questions to answer that will help guide you to the perfect bow. The following are the most important things we think you should keep in mind when bow shopping.

Shopping budget

Like every other purchase you make, how much money you want to spend should be your number one consideration. Despite what you may think, buying a bow doesn’t have to break the bank, and technology has come such a long way that even a budget bow will shoot good enough for most of us.

More expensive bows do have advantages, though. Premium bows will often have more options for things like draw weight, draw length, and let-off. They’ll also have a better warranty if anything goes wrong.

Besides just the bow, you’ll also have to include the price of the other things you need to be able to shoot your bow. Different bows come with various accessories, and some don’t come with anything but the bow itself. Most bows will not come with arrows, so you’ll have to buy them separately and possibly pay a pro shop to assemble them. Once you have your bow, you’ll probably want a pro shop to help you set up and tune your bow to get it shooting the best.

We’re not discussing these extra costs to scare anyone away from starting archery; it’s good to know so you can make an informed decision and get everything you need to start shooting.

What do you want to use your bow for?

What kind of shooting do you like to do? Do you want to hunt or bowfish, or does target archery sound like fun? What type of archery you want to shoot will help determine what bow you should buy. If you’re just getting into archery and aren’t sure what you’d like to do, that’s ok! The majority of the bows we reviewed will work just fine for anything you want to shoot.

If you’ve decided that hunting is what you’re more interested in, the first priority is to get a bow that will shoot at a legal hunting weight. What that legal mark is will change based on local hunting laws, but a bow that can shoot at around 45 pounds should have you covered. You’ll also want a quiet and compact bow, so animals won’t hear your shots, and you can maneuver easily through the woods.

If you’re not interested in hunting, but want to shoot target archery or shoot recreationally, you might want a different type of bow. You don’t need to worry about your bow being quiet or short, so you have more options on bows and accessories that you can buy. You’ll probably want a bow with a lighter draw weight so you can shoot it for long periods without getting tired. Other than those considerations, just about any bow will work as a target bow.

Do you want a bow that includes accessories?

As you’ve probably noticed by now, there’s more to shooting archery than a bow. You’ll need arrows, an arrow rest, a quiver, a sight, and other accessories. A lot of bows come in a package with the majority of the accessories you’ll need to start shooting. If you’re new to archery, this can be convenient since you won’t have to pick out and purchase every piece of gear you need.

Some archers may not want to purchase a package deal, though. If you’re looking to upgrade your current bow, chances are you already have accessories you like, so you can save money by skipping the package and buying the bare bow.

A newer female archer also may want to skip the package deal if they have a lot of friends that shoot. Chances are your friends will let you borrow and try different pieces of their gear before you decide what you want to purchase for your bow.

Compound Bows for Women FAQs

What’s the difference between women’s and men’s compound bows?

Compound bows explicitly designed for women will usually have a lower draw weight, shorter draw length, and a grip designed with smaller hands in mind. Anyone can shoot any bow though, just make sure you can shoot it comfortably.

What draw weight should I use?

Draw length will be different for everyone. Compound bows will have a range of draw weight adjustments, so start from the lowest setting and bump the poundage up as you feel comfortable.

Shoulder injuries are a real possibility in archery, so when in doubt, shoot a lower poundage.

What arrows do I need to get with my bow?

The ideal arrow is different for every bow, but arrow selection is beyond this article’s scope. The best thing you can do as a beginner is to take your bow to an archery shop and let them help you pick arrows based on your setup. As a bonus, they’ll also be able to tune your bow for you.

I’ve read everything, and I still don’t know which bow to pick!

Find an archery coach, range, or shop near you and shoot a few bows. Take notes of what you like and don’t like about all of them. If there’s absolutely no way you can try some bows out to help you decide, you can’t go wrong with the Genesis bow we reviewed for learning how to shoot.

Compound Bow Glossary

Let-off

The percentage amount of your bow’s draw weight that will “let off” when you pull it all the way back.

Draw Length

The measurement (in inches) of how far you can draw your bow back. Compound bows need to be set to the correct draw length.

Axle to Axle Length (ATA)

The length (in inches) between the pins that attach the cams to either side of a compound bow.

Bow Press

A machine used in bow shops to safely adjust and repair compound archery bows.

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