There are so many different additional accessories that several different archers use to help improve their shooting. One of the accessories you might have seen used – particularly by recurve archers – is the bow wrist sling or perhaps a finger sling. If you’re eager to improve your accuracy and have become a keen archer, you will of course be wondering is a bow wrist sling necessary?
The answer will depend on the bow you use. A bow wrist sling will be more necessary for recurve archers than it will be for traditional archers. It all comes down to the way you grip your bow, too.
This is because the proper grip for recurve archers will be to hold your knuckles at a 45 degree angle, and to have your fingers relaxed, openly gripping the bow. Every time you loose an arrow, the bow will want to jump forwards with the arrow. The bow wrist sling works to catch the bow so that it doesn’t fall to the ground, potentially damaging it and all its parts.
So it could be argued that a bow wrist sling isn’t necessary. Some traditional archers, for example, wrap their fingers around the bow riser, so don’t tend to use a bow wrist sling or a finger sling. However, some of these archers might find that their shooting improves when they do use a bow wrist sling.
What does a bow wrist sling do?
A bow wrist sling will be worn around the archer’s wrist, and attached around the riser of your bow. This works to securely catch the bow as it jumps forward, allowing you to maintain the correct shooting form without worrying about your bow falling to the floor and becoming damaged.
This helps to prevent you from trying to catch the bow once you have fired. If you were to do this, this can make the bow judder, which could then affect the flight of your arrow before it’s properly left your bow. Using a bow wrist sling also works to eliminate any unnecessary bow torque or potential inconsistencies which could also affect your accuracy when you shoot.
There is also another similar piece of equipment known as a finger sling. This is attached to your thumb and forefinger, and loops around the riser of your bow. It does much the same thing as a bow wrist sling. The finger sling will give you enough slack to hold the bow properly, and it will catch the bow to save it from falling to the ground.
However, the bow wrist sling is the more popular device for achieving this. Some archers may even use both a bow wrist sling and a finger sling, but really you only need to use one of them at any time.
How do you wear a bow wrist sling?
There are two different types of bow wrist slings. The best for your shooting style will depend on whether you’re using your bow for target shooting or hunting. A bow wrist sling is typically worn around your wrist and around the riser of your bow.
Target shooting will be better suited for a bow wrist sling that loops around your wrist, but also features a finger sling style aspect in the fact it loops around your wrist and thumb, too.
Hunting will be better suited for a bow wrist sling that is actually mounted to the bow itself. This allows you to easily move your hand underneath the sling so you can quickly pick it up each time you need to shoot.
Whichever bow wrist sling you opt for, you will need to wear this loosely around your wrist. You won’t want the bow wrist sling to be too tight. It is only there to serve as a safety precaution to prevent you from dropping your bow once you’ve fired it.
How tight should a bow wrist sling be?
Your bow wrist sling should be fitted loosely around your wrist. You won’t want it to be so tight that it pulls your wrist in any one direction.
It should be loosely fitted around your wrist so that you can naturally hold your riser in the proper position. This should feature an open grip with relaxed fingers. The bow wrist sling shouldn’t be so loose that the bow can escape and potentially fall to the ground.
How do you make a wrist sling for a bow?
Some archers feel reluctant to spend money on a bow wrist sling. They prefer to try and make their own sling in an attempt to save a bit of money. The great news is that it’s fairly simple to make your own bow wrist sling. You can do so with a piece of string or cord.
You can find out how to make your very own bow wrist sling in the video below.
How do you use a finger sling for archery?
A finger sling works in a similar way to a bow wrist sling. This is typically attached to your forefinger and thumb, looping around the riser of your bow. This is because the finger sling will need to be able to catch your bow once you’ve fired it. Some archers will use both a finger sling and a bow wrist sling to ensure their bow can be caught before it hits the ground.
In summary
And there you have it! While some archers prefer not to use a bow wrist sling or a finger sling, this is actually a crucial piece of archery equipment that can help to improve your accuracy. Using a bow wrist sling will help you to improve your grip on the bow so that you’re not hampering the natural movement of the arrows.
When you grip your riser firmly or try to grab the riser each time you fire, this can negatively influence where your arrows end up. Using a bow wrist sling will give you the safety of catching your bow once you’ve fired, so you can maintain the relaxed open grip you need for better accuracy.
