With Christmas just a few weeks away you may be hoping for an archery bow instead of a gift bow under your tree. At the National Indoors we asked the experts what to buy for a competitive archer this Christmas.
Whether you're after a budget buy, stocking filler or you're top of Santa's nice list, there's options to suit every pocket in our traders' top picks.
Company: Reign Bowstrings
Budget buy: Get like Rudolph with a red nose button on the range this Christmas. With versions for compound and recurve and two sizes per pack plus a plethora of colours, Simon Scott from Reign Bowstrings recommends this for his budget buy.
Stocking filler: For an item that will fit in a stocking, Simon says their top seller is the BCY 8125 string. Available in 29 colours which can be mixed and matched to create hundreds of different combinations, the string is perfect for a recurve archer looking to replace their string or just pack a spare for competitions. Prices vary but most come in at under £30.
Main present: For a top present, Simon says the Bloodline B99 string set is the best choice for a compound archer. The custom made string set is made to measure to your bow again will a full range of colours and customisation based on bow manufacturer and model. Prices range from £95 to £200 depending on your options.
Company: Merlin Archery
Budget buy: Ben Jones, from Merlin Archery, suggests Mybo Slick Sticks Arrow Lube as the perfect budget buy. At only £5 it would suit a club secret Santa. As the name suggests, the product is applied to arrows to make them easier to pull out of the target. A great addition to an archer's competition kit bag.
Stocking filler: The Mybo horizon launcher is a high quality, robust adjustable arrow rest. At £69 it's the mid-price option on our list and it would definitely fit in a stocking.
Main present: If money was no object, then Ben would recommend their flagship product, the Mybow revolution compound bow. At £1,195 it's definitely a main present if you're feeling especially generous and it would be the perfect choice for a competitive archer.
Company: Xsight Sport
Budget buy: Jack Harris, from Xsight Sport, says for a budget buy he would recommend their shooting shirt which sells for £29.99. It makes a change from the Christmas jumper and would probably be more welcomed by the archer in your life.
Stocking filler: Xsight sport sell lenses for a variety of target sports including archery. The lenses come in a variety of colours and can be swapped on the frames quickly, perfect for shooting in changeable British weather. There are also lenses for indoors which boost colour contrasts to make target faces stand out. For a budget buy Jack recommends the two lens starter set which sells for £89.99 (show discount available).
Main present: If you're looking for something special then the five lens outdoor or target contrast sets would fit the bill. Both retail for £169.99 (show special price £139.99). There's also a custom option and new add on lenses in fire ruby and ice emerald for an archer who already has one of the kits. For glasses wearers there is also a prescription insert which can be bought separately.
Company: Wales Archery
Budget buy: Wales Archery have budget buys all wrapped up with grip tape available in a range of colours for £15. The tape can be cut to suit any bow style making it a truly universal gift.
Stocking filler: Adam Lewis, from Wales Archery, suggests another bargain item for our stocking filler. A limbsaver arrow puller, again in a variety of colours, costs just £8.65.
Main present: If you're topping the nice list as well as the leader board then you might want to put the Hoyt Xceed 25inch riser in Arizona gold on your list. It costs £810 but Adam says for that you are getting something that will last for the rest of your archery career.
Company: The Archery Company
Budget buy: The prize for cheapest budget buy goes to Tony Weston, from the Archery Company, who recommends mini target faces for those watching the pennies. Ideal for 10-yard practice and available in a range of formats, sets of 5 can be bought for £2.50 or 10 for £5 at the show or individually for just 25p online.
Stocking filler: We didn't set a budget for our stocking filler, the only caveat being it must fit into a stocking. This next suggestion would definitely fit into a stocking, just watch you don't drop it on your foot! Tungsten weights are approximately twice as heavy as stainless steel (3.33oz per weight) meaning you can add weight to your bow while keeping things compact. The DS Archery Tungsten weights sell for £34 or £96 for a pack of three. They can be mixed and matched with other weights in the range so you can match your set up exactly to your needs.
Main present: Archers love a bit of tech so for people looking to step up their training the X8 Training Aid from Mantis Archery ticks a lot of tech boxes. Measure how steady you are on the shooting line, how you hold the bow and shoot so you can perfect your sequencing. At £145 it's a good price for the main item under the tree this year.
Company: Ten Zone Targets
Budget buy: We thought we were asking for the impossible with a budget buy suggestion from a target company but Steve Olding had the perfect suggestion. A pile driver removes piles quickly and easily without resorting to a hammer and chisel and knocking chunks out of your target. At £36.99 its affordable and the ideal gift for an archer that has the added benefit of keeping your club work party happy too!
Stocking filler: We've had to be a bit creative here but we think you'd just about get this next suggestion into a stocking albeit one worn by a giant. For £14.50 you can buy a section of replacement foam for a target. At least no one will guess the present when its wrapped up!
Main present: For our main present you may have to clear some space under the tree. The TZ90 SPT target and stand sells for £146.50, just maybe stick a bow on it (the decorative kind) instead of using up all your wrapping paper…
Company: Fine Designs
Budget buy: Fine Designs print custom made hoodies and t-shirts for sports events. You can pick up a t-shirt with a small logo for £20 and let people know you were at the National Indoors.
Stocking filler: For a stocking filler you can order a technical t-shirt for £25 and customise your top with a list of all competitors on the back, medals or even rhinestones with add on items ranging from £2-6.
Main present: For your main present you can go for an electric-coloured hoodie for £45. You'll definitely standout on the shooting line while also keeping warm.
All tops can be printed at the show or ordered online after the weekend.
Company: The Archers Nest
Budget buy: Just a stone's throw (or an arrow's flight?) from Archery GB's headquarters, the Archers Nest in Newport definitely has the most fun suggestion for our budget buy. Ryan Jeavons, from the Archers Nest, recommends a monster pouch for £24 (£27 online). The perfect place to store your finger tag or release aid, the pouch clips onto a quiver or belt and comes in a range of fun designs.
Stocking filler: For a stocking filler Ryan suggests a clip on arrow towel for £9. Featuring a target design and made from fast drying material, it would be the perfect item to add to your competition kit bag.
Main present: For your main gift this Christmas, Ryan suggests the Win&Win ATF-X. The recurve riser is Â"fantastic” for junior or senior archers and sells for £500.10. As a bonus suggestion, the Archers Nest has an archery simulator for an archery experience with a difference. Vouchers cost £15 with no age limit and the challenge of shooting moving and spinning targets, ideal for those looking to give experiences instead of items this Christmas.
Company: T.R.U Ball Archery / Axcel Sights and Scopes
Budget buy: T.R.U Ball Archery / Axcel Sights and Scopes are based in the US but their products can be purchased in the UK through a number of archery retailers. For a budget buy we recommend 25th anniversary target pins priced at $6.50.
Stocking filler: For a stocking filler you can't go wrong with a cap for helping you to keep cool and shaded on the shooting line. The T.R.U Ball hat is available in a range of colours for $14.99.
Main present: The Axcel Contour Pro Finger Tab was designed with archery legend Brady Ellison. Available from the Archery Company for £89.99, it features an adjustable palm plate extension for the best fit in your hand.
Archery for children
What about an archery present for young children? If you're an archer with kids they may not be ready for pointy arrows yet but Clickers has the perfect safe option for the younger archer.
The Arrows kit is a well-established soft archery kit which is scaled for 5-11-year-olds. Up to now the company has sold school and home edition kits with targets but at the National Indoors they launched Â"wheelie bin archery”. The kit comes with a bow, three arrows and an instruction card but instead of a target it comes with a target sticker that can be attached to a wheelie bin. The kit is priced at a budget conscious £39 with two different target faces to choose from when you order. Turn your garden or driveway into a range and also make your bin easy to spot!
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