Compound Bow String Guide

There are a few important considerations you should look at when choosing the ideal string for your compound bow. From the type of bow string to the length and number of strands, everything matters. Explore our compound bow string guide to learn more about what the expert Staff Shooters at 60X Custom Strings have to say about choosing a replacement string.

Types of Strings

There are two major types of bow strings you can get for your compound bow. You can choose between custom strings and stock bow strings. What are the differences between the two, and which is better for your needs? Find the answers below in our compound bow string guide.

Custom Strings

These strings are ones that are specially designed to meet the demanding preferences of professional archers. For more accuracy and better performance, custom strings are the right choice. Other benefits of custom strings include:

• Better bow stability
• Increased accuracy
• More durability
• Customized colors

A few of the downsides associated with custom strings include:

• Custom strings could invalidate your bow’s warranty
• More expensive

Stock Strings

Stock strings are the ones that come preinstalled when you first buy your bow. These are mass produced and don’t usually have any special features. Quality can vary wildly depending on the brand of bow you purchase. Because strings make a huge difference to your performance, stock strings may not be the ones for you. Some of the pros of stock strings include:

• Easy to replace
• Great brands offer quality strings

There are a few cons for stock strings in our compound bow string guide including:

• Poor quality
• Undermine accuracy and performance
• Wear out quickly
• Require constant tuning

For the casual archer, stock bow strings are fine, but if you’re a competitive archer or a hunter, you want top quality strings for your bow.

Length

When choosing the length for your string, you must consider the riser length, idler wheel diameter, Cam circumference, and the shape of the limbs. If you’re a first time compound bow buyer, the manufacturer offers their own specification recommendations.

Strands

The number of strands affects the speed of an arrow. A lower number of strands generally delivers higher speeds, but it may result in vibrations and problems tuning your bow. The number of strands is also recommended based on your bow weight. Here are some of our compound bow string guide’s strand vs draw weight comparisons:

• 40 LBS | 12 Strands
• 50 LBS | 14 Strands
• 65 LBS | 16 strands
• 70 LBS | 18 strands

If you’re adamant about choosing a lower strand count for your string, consider getting string silencers or dampeners as add ons.

Material

Generally, compound bow strings are made from synthetic materials. Some of the most popular and durable materials include:

• 8190 | Ideal for Hunters
• Dyneema | High Tech Application
• 452x | Affordable Dyneema Blend
• Ultra-Cam | For Hot Weather Shooting

What We Think

While the quality of your bow may be important, we believe your bow strings are even more important. Your bow is useless without the strings, and if you don’t make the right choice, your strings could be responsible for bad performance or even compound bow string derailment at a crucial moment.

With all the information from this compound bow string guide, you’re now better equipped to buy great strings for your bow. Shop 60X Custom Strings to find high quality products.