The compound bow is the product of technological enhancements to the traditional bows to make it easier for a person to use for recreational hunting and competitive sport. They have been ergonomically designed and have the benefit of being lighter in weight than rifles. However, there may still be some downsides to compound bows. Let us, therefore, take a look at and compare their advantages and disadvantages.
 
Advantages of Compound Bows
 
The best advantage provided by compound bows is the let-off. This is the reduction in the force that the archer has to apply to the draw string as the maximum draw length is reached. This provides the archer with more time to aim because he will need less power to keep the bow fully drawn. Let-off is made possible by the design of the cams or pulleys. Once they have reached the maximum point, the least amount of force is now required to keep the limbs bent. Thus, the let-off permits the archer to have a better aim at the target with a much higher maximum draw weight when compared to the recurve or long bow.
 
Compound bows also have draw stops that are provided by blocks that are covered with rubber. These draw stops ensure that the amount of force that is transferred to the arrow is the same for every shot. They also make sure that the archer can have a consistent anchor point. All of these characteristics provide for better accuracy.
 
Another advantage offered by compound bows is the fact that the distance, velocity and accuracy are not adversely affected by humidity and temperature. Bows constructed from natural materials are easily affected by humidity and temperature.
 
Another benefit that could be derived from compound bows is that the cams or pulleys are designed to directly regulate the acceleration of the arrow. Thus, there is a soft cam and a hard cam, and there are graduations in between. Those who are novices may want to use bows with soft cams for a more gentle release of the arrow. As they gain in expertise, they can shift to the harder cams to increase arrow speed.
 
There is also an advantage provided for users of compound bows in archery tournaments. This is the only category where participants are allowed to have a magnifying sight.
 
Compound bows are also provided with a mechanical release device that is attached to the draw string close to the point where the arrow is placed. With this device, the archer will only need to increase the tension a bit or squeeze a trigger to make a shot. This system ensures better accuracy compared to the application of the fingers.
 
Another advantage of compound bows is that they are provided with dampers and stabilizers. These devices minimize the movement of the bow as the arrow is released, thereby providing more accuracy.
 
Disadvantage of Compound Bows
 
There appears to be only one disadvantage of compound bows although some hunters still prefer the traditional bows claiming that they could aim and shoot faster with them. The one downside of compound bows is that they are generally lighter than the traditional bows. This means that they are more prone to movement errors by the archer at full draw.