Bow and release setup for a 7 year old

[DanColorado]

My son has been shooting an old 10lbs recurve and could use something with a little more umph (and sights). I am looking at getting him a kids compound. Does anyone have suggestions? I like the idea of the Diamond Atomic to give a lot of flexibility in the draw length and weight (without needing a bow press) but am looking for suggestions.
He has been shooting fingers. When do you move kids to a release? Also how long do you cut the arrows, seeing as they seem to grow an inch/day...
Better yet - anyone have a bow their kid grew out of that works great?

 

[nphunter]

Diamond Atomic with a tru ball sweet spot hinge with a safety is my Recommendation. My boys both shot an atomic from 5-9. They both shoot hinges at 9 and 12, truball sells some ok trigger releases but IMO those just teach bad habits.

 

[nphunter]

That’s a Hoyt Ruckus but IMO the atomics a better bow for a 7 year old.

 

[clint6760]

I just bought my 8 year old son a bear cruzer lite. 5-45 pound adjustment. Goes all the way to 27” draw length. It comes with a whisker biscuit, trophy ridge sight, and two piece quiver for $300

 

[jmez]

I like the diamond atomic. The biggest factor with a kids bow is the actual weight of the bow itself. They can't hold much mass weight out in front of them with one arm. If the bow is too heavy it will be waving around like a flag in the wind and they will be frustrated quickly.

My boys started with atomics at 5 and my 9 year old still shoots his. (He's the size of a 12 year old.).

I started both of mine with my old Scott rhino xt releases. They pick up on how to shoot a release in about 20 seconds. My release decision was based on the recommendation from a professional coach. Right or wrong I don't know, but he is adamant that kids not use a thumb or hinge.

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[Huntin wv]

My son is 7 and has been shooting a diamond atomic for 3 years. He shoots it very well. My 5 year old daughter has been shooting an atomic for a little over a year. They both shoot Scott hero releases.


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[6.5Express]

When my older boys (twins) were approaching 6 years old, I looked hard at what I felt were all of the compound options. They'd had various Walmart type bows they tried to shoot since about 3, but at 5 really started showing more interest.

I ended up getting them diamond prisms thinking they would last through growth spurt a little longer than the atomic but still offer a real shooting solution at their (then) age. They will turn 9 next week and shoot those bows almost daily with me and regularly compete in local 3d shoots with them and 4h shooting sports. I've replaced strings and cables for them this past winter and slowly upgraded a few components here and there over the last few years, but those bows shoot well and are very adjustable. One of my twins is the size of a buddy's 13 year old and his twin brother is about 25 lbs lighter and at least 6" shorter.

This past winter their younger brother (6) was ready to move up from the Walmart type bows and we got him a Mission Radik. It is an awesome little bow that offers a lot but is more expensive compared to the diamonds as it does not come with components. We had extra components (whisker biscuit, sight, etc) laying around as my other boys and wife have upgraded over the years, so those completed his bow.

I would highly recommend either of those bows dependent on budget. Releases, I haven't quite got that dialed in yet with them as they've all been using trufire youth size wrist rockets with varying degrees of success. My twins are getting thumb button next week for their birthday, but I suspect a tension release of some kind might be best to teach the proper principles.

More than anything, just let them have fun. My kids love to set up a couple targets in the yard and just fling arrow after arrow for hours. We pick up lost, broken, etc arrows at local ranges and cut them down, install new inersts if needed ( or cut from the fletched end), and re Fletch with vanes in their favorite colors. My boys enjoy the whole process.

Good luck, and let us know which route you go.

 

[Gumbo]

I was at my local shop a couple months ago and ran into one of the top-ranked target archers in the world with his boy who was maybe 6ish. The little guy was shooting a hinge and having a blast. Dad just set the little ones up at 10 yards and let them fling away and just have fun while he pounded the X on the other side of the range. I was surprised to see such a young kid with a hinge, but it made me realize that is how I will start my son and daughter too...a hinge and just let them have fun flinging away without being a helicopter Dad.

 

[Bearlodge10]

+1 for the Diamond Atomic. I agree with jmez with the critical issue being the weight of the bow itself and whether or not the child can hold it. I have two boys ages 7 and 4. Both started with a toy bow (NXT Gen) shooting suction cup arrows with fingers. My oldest then moved to an Atomic and stayed with fingers until he saw a release that he wanted. I agreed and set up the bow with peep sights etc. I wish that I had waited to do that. It is my opinion that having them shoot fingers is better than developing the bad habits of punching etc. He can shoot it very well and like stated above, it took him all of three shots to figure the release out. He has been better with trigger control since we have been working on that at the rifle range as well. My thought is to wait and have them meet a certain goal in instance, release, and accuracy before moving to a release.
To compare, I bought him a Bear Cruzer Lite last spring and it is just too heavy for him to shoot comfortably thus he still is with the atomic.
6.5 has great thoughts on arrows. We do the same thing of finding broken arrows, testing, then cuttingto the size we need. As far as length, we have kept with roughly the same as the artic arrows that came with the Atomic which are close to 22-23 inches. My boys love to refletch as well and it gives them pride and a cool factor.

 

[DanColorado]

Thanks everyone! I will look for an Atomic. The low frame weight will be important as he isn't a massive kid. Fingers have been working on his recurve so, unless I get a used one with a d loop already, I will probably just keep him on that for simplicity.

 

[MattB]

I just got a Hoyt package for my daughter, probably on the higher end for a kids bow but massive adjustability.

 

[DanZ]

I have have taught 2 of my daughters to shoot a hinge at age 6. I highly recommend that young kids either stick with fingers or a hinge -- no triggers or buttons.

I have found that a 2 finger hinge with a click is the easiest to teach kids good execution. The concept of keeping weight on finger #1 when you draw, then shift weight to #2 till it clicks, then pull with your back while you stare at the bullseye. It makes for a simple repeatable shot sequence that is not muddied up by a bunch of fingers that all want to squeeze.

Have them practice for a few days on a piece of string and it is amazing how they will pick it up.

Kids are a blank canvas and it is amazing how well they can execute when there are no bad habits to unlearn.

I would agree that the diamond bows are the way to go because of the low mass weight. Keep an eye out for a used nuclear ice -- it was the precursor to the atomic and has a machined riser -- the cam on the ice has a larger flat spot creating a little bit firmer back wall -- one of the issues with the Diamond bows is that they have cable stops and at low poundage the back wall is almost non existent. They are greatly improved by a new set of custom strings. Also, serve and crimp a few brass nock sets on the cables so that they hit the cable slide at full draw -- it really helps with the wall. Another option is to find a set of those 1990's plastic cable slide draw stops. They help quite a bit -- were made by Accra 300.

 

[gethuntin]

If your interested in a used Diamond Atomic i would sell my daughters. I just purchased a larger bow for her. Pm me if interested.

 

[camelcluch]

I bought my son the Hoyt Fireshot at 6 years old. It took a bit to get used to the weight but it had been nails. He uses the Scott hero release and has be happy.