Archery Gear: Arm Guards, Tabs, Quivers, Targets and More

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Every archer’s kit grows the same way. First a borrowed bow at a club class and a loaner arm guard with a cracked buckle. Then your own finger tab that fits just right, a quiver on your hip, a stand so your bow isn’t lying in the grass, and eventually a target in the garage so you can shoot a few ends after dinner. This is our archery gear list for everything around the bow: arm guards, finger tabs and gloves, chest guards, quivers, targets and target faces, bow stands, cases, range finders, the bands archers use for strength work, and the recovery gear for long days on the line.

About the bow and arrows: we don’t recommend or sell bows, arrows or bow parts here, on purpose. Get them fitted at a pro shop or through a club coach, who can measure your draw length, match the draw weight to your strength and pick arrows of the right length and stiffness for your bow. A badly matched bow or arrow is a safety problem and a sore-shoulder problem, not just a scoring one.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw on Amazon in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

Our top picks

Arm guards

An arm guard protects the inside of your bow arm from the string, which happens most while you’re learning or when a sleeve gets in the way. In a survey of 62 German and European championship archers, the few acute injuries reported were mostly bruises on the arm, mainly from equipment failure. Pick a guard that covers the forearm and stays put. The SAS 8″ Armguard is a vented, one-size guard with three quick buckles, a good first guard. The Bohning Slip-On Armguard slides on like a sleeve, with no straps, and many archers like its low profile under a jacket.

Finger tabs and gloves

Recurve and barebow archers draw with their fingers, and fingers take a beating: in a study of US emergency-room records, fingers were the most common place archers were hurt, and the authors suggested finger tabs and gloves. A tab is a flat leather pad between your fingers and the string; many Olympic-style recurve archers use one. A glove covers three fingers and is common with traditional bows and with beginners. The SAS Barebow finger tab has double-layer leather and an adjustable ledge (a ledge under the jaw helps you anchor in the same place every shot) and works for right or left hands. The Bear Archery 3-finger glove is full grain leather with a Velcro wrist strap, and the KESHES glove comes in sizes small enough for youth. NASP allows basic tabs and gloves (no metal or rigid plastic) in its tournaments. Compound archers usually use a mechanical release, which is fitted with the bow at the pro shop.

Chest guards

A chest guard holds clothing (and, for some archers, the chest) flat so the string doesn’t catch on the way forward. It’s especially useful in cold weather with a jacket. The Easton Diamond Chest Guard is a popular target pick, sold in several sizes for right-handed archers (stock was low when we checked), and an adjustable nylon mesh chest guard is a budget option for beginners.

Quivers

Target archers mostly use a hip quiver on a belt; NASP and many school ranges use floor or ground quivers in front of the line. Tubes keep arrows separated so the fletching doesn’t get crushed. The Easton Flipside 3-Tube Hip Quiver has a reversible pocket for right- or left-handed archers, a belt clip and a slot for a bow square.

Targets and target faces

• Bag targets are light and cheap for field points: the Morrell Double Duty has carry handles and a replaceable cover (about $80).
• Layered foam targets stop arrows by friction and make pulling easy: the BLOCK Classic shoots from two sides (about $78).
• Self-healing foam cubes last a long time: the Rinehart 18-1 has 18 sides to shoot at (about $162).
• Official faces: practicing on the real face helps. Indoors, everyone shoots a 40 cm face at 18 m, like the Maple Leaf FITA 40 cm (official World Archery face, 100 pack); outdoors, recurve and barebow shoot a 122 cm face and compound an 80 cm face, both available as DuraMesh FITA faces.

Whatever the target, set it up with a safe backstop and a clear zone behind and beside it, check that it’s rated for your bow, and practice only under the same rules you’d follow at a range (see archery rules).

Bow stands and cases

A bow stand holds a recurve upright between ends instead of on the ground, which protects the sight and limbs, and a padded case protects the whole kit on the way to the range. Like the bow itself, choose these at your pro shop or club, where staff can match the stand and case to your bow; take its measurements with you.

Range finders for field and 3D practice

In field and 3D archery many targets are at unmarked distances, so judging distance is a skill. Note the rule: in World Archery field and 3D competitions, range finders and other distance-measuring aids are not allowed. Archers use them in practice instead, to check their guesses and to set up practice targets at known distances. The Vortex Ranger 1800 shows an angle-compensated distance for uphill and downhill shots (it was out of stock on Amazon when we checked). Check the rules for your own event before you pack one.

Strength and posture trainers

The drawing shoulder is where archers get hurt most. In a survey of 396 archers, the drawing shoulder was the most common injury site (28.2%). Strength work helps: in university archers, a 12-week program built around the lower trapezius improved simulated competition scores and shoulder strength. A simple THERABAND beginner kit covers band pull-aparts, rows and “bow trainer” drills in your shooting posture, and the resistance band guide compares more options. Ask a coach or physical therapist to check your form. See archery training for the full plan.

Recovery gear

After a 72-arrow round, the upper back, shoulders and forearms are what feel it. Many archers keep a Theragun Mini in the range bag (see best massage guns) or roll the upper back on a TriggerPoint GRID foam roller, and bring a big bottle like the Nalgene 32 oz to outdoor tournaments. These are for comfort, not treatment; shoulder pain that keeps coming back needs a sports medicine doctor or physical therapist. More on archery recovery and in our recovery tools guide.

How to choose archery gear

• Bow first, at a shop: your bowstyle (recurve, compound, barebow) decides the tab or release, the quiver and the case.
• Handedness matters: tabs, chest guards and some quivers are made for right- or left-handed archers; “right-handed” means you draw with your right hand.
• Fit beats features: a tab that fits your fingers and a guard that stays put matter more than the brand.
• Check the rules: NASP limits accessories (no release aids, basic tabs only), and World Archery bans range finders in field and 3D competition.
• Inspect often: elite archers’ acute injuries came mostly from equipment failure, so check gear before and after every session.

Back to the archery hub, or see youth archery for kids’ gear and tournament day for what to pack.

Archery gear questions

What archery gear does a beginner need?

For a class, usually nothing: the club provides the bow and arrows. Buy an arm guard and a finger tab or glove first. When you’re ready for your own bow and arrows, get fitted at a pro shop or through your club.

Finger tab or glove: which is better?

Many Olympic-style recurve archers use a tab: it’s thin, and many have a ledge that helps you anchor in the same place every shot. Gloves are common with traditional bows and many beginners. Try both at your club if you can.

Why don’t you recommend bows and arrows?

Because they need to be fitted. Draw length, draw weight and arrow spine have to match the archer, and a mismatch can be unsafe and hard on the shoulder. A pro shop or club coach can set you up properly.

Can I use a range finder in 3D archery?

Not in World Archery field or 3D competitions: range finders and other distance aids are banned. Many archers use one in practice to train their eye. Check your own event’s rules.

What size target face should I practice on?

Indoors, a 40 cm face at 18 meters for every division. Outdoors, a 122 cm face for recurve and barebow and an 80 cm face for compound, at the distance for your age class.