When the string on a recurve or longbow is pulled back and held in position to be released, it places a great deal of pressure on the fingertips. The friction of the string during release and the pressure of drawing and holding the string can damage flesh and create calluses on the fingertips of the release hand. This is especially true for high poundage bows which require more force to draw, and also for short bows whose strings form an acute angle causing a pinching action on the fingers. To protect the release hand, a shooting glove or fingertab is commonly used. Modern shooters have cut away the unused parts of the glove leaving protection only on the three fingers that actually draw the string. Two general styles are available and the choice between them is a purely personal one. In the first only the thumb and little finger sections are cut away so there is still a leather palm and back to the glove with the finger area reinforced. The second style covers only the first two joints of the three middle fingers with stretchable elastic along the back of the hand. Whether you use a full glove, partial glove, or fingerglove be sure that it fits snugly enough not to slide around when you release, yet not so tight as to impair circulation. Various sizes are available and they differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.

The best way to choose a glove is to try it on and shoot with it a few times. Some people prefer a fingertab which is a flat piece of leather held between your fingers and the string. On the back is generally a loop to slide over one finger and/or a tab to be held between fingers to help keep the leather in position. The standard fingertab has a wide part to protect the two fingers below the arrow and a narrower section that protects the finger on the string above the arrow. There is great debate over the speed and effectiveness of gloves vs. fingertabs. You may want to try each for a while until you find which works best for you. Some gloves and fingertabs are made of hide with the hair still on it. This allows for a quicker release of the arrow as the string slides smoothly over the hair. This can be very effective in reducing release problems, however, it is also harder to grab arrows with the more slippery hair surface when you are trying to nock arrows during speed shoots.

Oriental archery mentions two other devices. Japanese archers draw the string with the inside of the thumb, so you will see people with Japanese bows shooting with a 'thumb-glove' that has been specially designed for that style of shooting. An Oriental thumbring has the same purpose. It fits snugly over the thumb and the string is held behind it before releasing. It takes practice to do it correctly and requires a well-fitting thumbring so that it doesn't fly off as you release.

All modern releases and release aids generally have cords or levers that hold the string until they are released by a trigger.

Armguards

When shooting a longbow or recurve, as the string is released, it may strike the forearm of the arm holding the bow. This sharp slap is very common for longbows and for understrung bows and may leave a serious bruise or cut on an unprotected arm. An armguard, also called a bracer, is worn to prevent injury and to help the string slide smoothly along the arm. Modern armguards generally come in either a forearm-only style or a full-arm style that also protects your upper arm. Whether you need just a single point of protection, protection for your entire lower arm, or a full-arm bracer depends on the type of bow, the bowstring, how you release, your body position, and the holding position of your bow arm. Since the bracer has a secondary use in helping to prevent your clothing from being caught in the string it may also depend on what you wear to shoot. Most bracers are, and were of leather. A modern equivalent of this that is seen occasionally is molded plastic. Whether you buy one or make one be sure that: it is of sufficient thickness to protect you; it actually does protect where you need it; and it has no edges, straps, ridges, ties, or buckles along the inside of the arm that might catch or cut your bowstring.

Quivers

Regardless of the bow you shoot, unless you have only one arrow, you need someplace to keep the others while you shoot. Tucking them into your belt is period and does work but they can get caught in your clothing. Sticking them point downward in the ground is an option but does not work well if the ground is exceptionally hard or muddy. The best solution is some form of arrow holder or quiver. Modern bows, especially compounds and recurves, may have a quiver that attaches to the bow.

The simplest form is a ground quiver. This is commonly a horizontal ring of rope, wire cable, or metal attached to a 20 inch vertical peg or spike that can be pushed into the ground. The arrows are placed in the ring with their points resting against the ground. This saves having to push your arrow points into the dirt and is a very inexpensive solution.

An arrow stand may also be used, not only for shooting but also as an arrow and/or bow rack when not shooting. There are many designs available but most are made of wood with slots or drilled holes for individual arrows. They are generally portable and can be carried onto or off of the line easily. If this is your choice be sure that the arrows can be easily drawn from their positions without bending or snagging them.

There are many styles of quivers that attach to your body. Each has advantages and disadvantages. The most common is a side quiver which generally hangs from a belt, either straight down or at an angle. These are usually easy to draw arrows from but can accidentally poke people as the archer turns. Back quivers hang across your back and are usually angled toward one shoulder to make drawing arrows easier. This quiver is nicely out of the way but the arrows have a tendency to fall out if you should lean or bend over. A leg quiver attaches to one leg by a strap near the ankle and another one near the knee. They are conveniently placed near your hand but the arrows rattle when you walk. In determining your preference, you need to consider: your length of reach, your range of easy motion from your shooting stance, and how you load your bow.

Arrow quivers may be straight sided or may taper to a narrower base since the points of arrows don't need as much room as the fletchings. The size of quiver you need depends on: the length of your arrows or bolts, and the number of arrows or bolts you generally carry. If you have a lot of arrows you may want separations or compartments in your quiver to help keep the fletching from being damaged.

Bowstringers

Longbows and recurves are generally kept unstrung and only are strung when you are planning to shoot. Although there are several methods of bending the bow in order to slide the string loop into place, using a bowstringer is one of the recommended methods to prevent twisting of the limbs of the bow. It consists of a string with a leather or rubber cup at each end which are placed over the tips of the bow. By stepping on the center of the string of the bowstringer and pulling upward on the bow, the limbs of the bow bend evenly and you can slide the unattached loop of the bowstring up into place. Make sure you get the proper stringer for your bow. One style works better on a longbow, the other styles shown are designed for a recurve.

Repair and Tuning Equipment

A variety of items are useful for repairing your arrows and bowstring. A bow square is a T-shaped device with markings of fractions of inches that hooks onto the bowstring. It is used to mark a place on the string of longbows and recurves so that the arrow can always be correctly aligned with the arrow rest. This will help ensure consistent flight. The bow square can also be used to check string height (fistmele).

Nocking pliers are used to squeeze on and pry off small metal nock points that mark where to nock your arrow on your bowstring (that you just measured with the bow square). You may also need a supply of the metal nock points to use in your pliers.

Bow wax is used to keep the bowstring protected from water and wear by keeping the fibers together. If applied regularly, rubbing it up and down all sides of the exposed strands, it can extend the life of your bowstring. Commercial bow wax is available but beeswax works just as well on Dacron strings.

An arrow taper tool is used to repoint wooden arrows that have been shortened. It will also shape the nock end to receive plastic nocks if you are making arrows from bare shafts. One version looks like and works much like a hand-held pencil sharpener. Others are motorized and more efficient but more expensive. No matter which version you have, be sure it can handle your arrow or bolt shaft diameter.

Fletching Jig

A fletching jig is a device that holds your arrow in the correct position in order to replace fletchings. The fletching is placed in a clamp, glue is applied and the clamp slid into place where a magnet holds the fletching against the arrow or bolt until the glue dries. Some jigs can only be used for three-fletch arrows, while others have limitations of angles between the feathers. When purchasing a jig, if you are not certain if the jig will do what you want, be sure to ask specific questions concerning your needs. You will also need glue that allows feathers to adhere to wood. A common trade name is 'Fletch-tite'.

You may need other glues for repair of arrows and bolts. Plastic nock replacement will involve a glue that binds plastic to wood, although 'Fletch-tite' works fine for this, too. 'Ferr-L-Tite', some other hot glue or an epoxy that joins metal to wood is nice to have handy to replace points that come off.

Most experienced archers carry spare nocking points, extra arrow points and nocks with their appropriate glues, as well as extra arrow rests with them to the range in order to make repairs quickly and get back to the important part - shooting!

Bow Sling

A bow sling is a strap that attaches to your wrist and to the bow. If you shoot with a relaxed grip, it helps keep the bow from falling too far before you can grab it after the arrow has passed.

Clothing and Jewelry

When shooting, you need to consider the clothing and jewelry you will be wearing. A very common problem is loose material in full-cut sleeves that catches and slows bowstring movement. Not only does this slow your arrow but it can cause it to deflect sideways and be a possible danger to others. In general, clothing needs to fit without constriction so that you have full range of movement. However, you will need to consider your persona's period style of clothing, the bow you are shooting, and your particular style of shooting to determine what is appropriate garb. The long string on a longbow or long recurve has more of a chance of hitting your sleeve downrange when the bowstring was released. Hair too, including bangs, mustaches and beards, can become caught in the bowstring and ripped out when the string is released.

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