I'm getting back into shooting my recurve but really want a new bow. I have a 31.5" draw and I had a bowyer recently tell me that long draws require a composite bow and that I should shy away from bamboo components. What are your thoughts?

Yes...that makes sense...if you buy the fact that all of the old English longbow warriors had shorter draws

DDave

Methinks a different bowyer should be used.

Guy

Thanks. I should have mentioned earlier that I'm interested in a 60-62" recurve. I mostly deer hunt from stands but my current 58" is rough on my draw hand.

With your long draw length a wood recurve would be in trouble.
For a,self bow the old formula was 2 times,draw plus 10.
Meaning a 73 inch bow.
There are plenty of guys building them shorter but I wouldn't go shorter than 68 inches with,a,short handle.
At 31.5 inch draw even a 60 inch glass bow is short for most designs.

As far as a non-glass bow I think your out of luck, like Macbow says, your up around 70+".

With a draw like that I would get a hold of JavaMan Archery, his bows work real well with long draws, they are glassed bows. He can get you in a 60-62" bow easily.

Eric

QuoteOriginally posted by gables:
Thanks. I should have mentioned earlier that I'm interested in a 60-62" recurve. I mostly deer hunt from stands but my current 58" is rough on my draw hand.

This information does change things considerably. Self bows for a long draw need to be long. That bend needs more material to spread things out.

Guy

Many thanks guys. This helps me weed down my selection.

I have a long draw and shoot a Palmer 64" Classic.  No worries with it!