The Best Survival Bow – Top 5 Models Reviewed!

Selecting your survival bow is an exciting purchase to make, however, when faced with a large number of crossbows to choose from, it can be very difficult to know what you are looking for and find the best survival bow for your needs.

Archery and hunting, of course, have developed and still exist as a popular pastime today. It’s a fantastic outdoor pursuit which the whole family can enjoy. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when selecting your survival bow.

The cost of the bow may also be a significant factor in your choice, and it is often the case that with bows, you do get what you pay for. Choosing a survival bow can be daunting, so I have listed my top five to help guide you as you make the difficult decision as to which bow to purchase.

5 Best Survival Bow

1. Nomad by Xpectre

The Nomad ambidextrous survival bow is an excellent choice for any archery enthusiast. It’s a compact 45 lbs bow, which is easy to set up, easy to transport, and very easy to use. The package includes three takedown arrows together with a carrying pouch, bow riser, and two-piece limbs. It’s not the most elegant-looking bow, just functional.

To assemble the bow, all that is required is to slip the riser and limbs together, string the bow, and you are ready to shoot; this process can take less than a minute. It is necessary to be aware that when stringing the bow, you need to do it away from the riser; otherwise, the metal limbs will break as soon as you use it. Please also note that if you do break the limbs as a result of stringing them incorrectly, the warranty will be invalid. The riser on this bow is very compact at just 17″, it doesn’t have a grip or comfort, so wouldn’t be the best bow for long periods of archery.

While the Nomad is a great bow that shoots very nicely, the arrow rest isn’t so great and the arrows which are supplied with the bow are weak. Still, on the whole, this bow provides excellent value for money, and those people who have experienced problems with their bow have reported that the customer support offered is very remarkable.

2. Spectre II Compact Take-Down Survival Bow and Arrow

The Spectre II is another great Bow and Arrow set. The set includes a bow available in 35, 45, and 55 draw weights, gold-tipped 30-inch warrior arrows, and a bow case. There is a strap to carry the bow, but its compact design means that it does not fit nicely in the side pocket of a backpack.

Setting the bow up is straightforward and just requires assembling the limbs by slipping them into the riser bracket. It is, however, essential to string the bow away from the riser to avoid breaking the limbs. Broken limbs as a result of stringing the bow wrong will invalidate the warranty.

However, it is worth noting that many people have complained that the limbs are of poor quality, breaking even when care is taken and the bow has been strung correctly. The riser on this bow measures 23” when broken down. So while it is compact, it is by no means the smallest or most portable bow available.

This bow is ambidextrous, working equally well in a right and left-handed stance. The arrow rest supplied with the bow isn’t the best and it is worth purchasing a better quality adhesive rest in addition to this bow.

3. SAS Tactical Survival Bow

The SAS Tactical Survival Bow is a modern premium longbow available in a variety of draw weights. The bow has a compact folding system and great arrow speeds. I think this is an excellent bow for archery and hunting. It fits into most hunting backpacks as it folds down to just 21″, weighs only 1 kg, and comes in a carry case which can double up as a quiver that’s well made too, it certainly can’t be faulted for portability.

You just can’t help but notice the high-quality craftsmanship of every aspect of this bow, which is made from the most excellent grade of aerospace materials and appears to be almost indestructible. This bow is brilliant to keep in the car, knowing that it can be set up, strung, and ready to shoot in less than two minutes.

The only downside to this bow is that it is quite expensive, the most expensive one we tested, and it doesn’t come with arrows. However, personally, I think that this bow is well worth the extra financial outlay, it will last for decades.

4. OMP Explorer 2.0 Right Hand Recurve Bow

The OMP Explorer is a versatile, intermediate-level right-hand recurve bow that was specifically developed for recreational shooting and target archery. This is a lightweight yet sturdy bow. It has a nice grip which will allow you hours of shooting without your arms getting sore. I loved the lightweight design of the bow, and think it’s a great choice for beginner and younger archers in particular.

The riser is an impressively crafted laminated construction consisting of hand-selected Oak, Walnut and Maple. There is no doubt about it, this bow is impressive to look at.

I felt that the three-piece take down design made storing and assembling the bow, particularly easy.

I wasn’t impressed with the arrow rests that came with the bow, they were pretty poor and I found that it was better to just use the bow without them, for future use, I would recommend purchasing a better quality adhesive arrow rest to go with this bow.

5. SAS Recon Folding Survival Bow

The SAS Recon Survival Bow is available in both left and right-hand draw versions. You can’t help but notice that this is a good quality bow, and is made from T6 grade aerospace aluminum. It is well-designed and looks as if it will last a very long time, withstanding years of use.

This bow is reputed to be the fastest deploying compact bow on the market. Cleverly, it stores the arrows inside the riser, making it easy to store in a bugout bag.

Since this bow is designed for speedy deployment with no assembly, it is not as small as other bows that fit in small backpacks. However, quick implementation is a better feature than folding down, in my opinion. Initially, I felt that this bow was a bit over-priced. However, further investigations revealed that anyone having problems with the bow receives excellent customer service.

Survival Bow Buying Guide

Ancient and Modern Bows

Unlike most other items in our modern households, bow and their arrows have been around for thousands of years. They are an example of a tool that our early ancestors used to survive, and a good-quality bow should serve your survival needs well. Ancient bows were very strong but heavy artifacts.

Modern technology has allowed them to be designed using modern materials, this means that a modern bow made from modern materials is every bit as strong as the ancient ones. These bows are often made from fiberglass, which is stronger and lighter than the wooden bows of our forefathers.

Where to Buy

When buying a bow, it is ideal if you can go to an archery shop. This way, you can handle the bows getting advice from the staff in the shop. Archery shops are always staffed to buy people who are skilled archers, as such they can give great advice and recommend the bow that is best suited to you.

The only way to know if a bow is suited to you is to shoot it, and it is worth seeking advice when buying your bow. This will ensure that you are confident your purchase is right for you. You can also purchase bows on the internet, this is great if you know exactly what you want, as potentially you will save a fair bit of money buying this way.

Bow Length

There is a real trend for short bows these days, less than 36 inches from axle to axle. They are attractive because they are so light and easy to maneuver, but as the length of the bow decreases, it becomes much more challenging to shoot accurately. Although longer bows can be unwieldy, they are much easier to shoot.

When buying a bow, you should weigh up whether it is more important to have a light and easy to maneuver bow, or a more precise, easier to shoot one. Of course, you might choose to compromise and opt for one in the middle.

Main features of a quality compact survival bow. A good survival bow must have these essential features:

• An Effective bow length
• Be durable
• Have goad limb retentions
• Goad arrow protections
• Easy to set up

Survival Bow FAQ:

Q: Are bows dangerous?

A: This is an excellent question, bows and their arrows can be dangerous. However, by carefully following the instructions that came with the bow and by working with other archers, using a bow becomes less dangerous as time goes on.

Q: What is the riser?

A: The riser is the base from which the rest of the bow is built. Risers are made from lots of different materials, the most common are wood, metal, and carbon.

Q: What are the bow limbs?

A: The bow limbs are connected to the riser. The limbs flex when the bow is drawn, this helps to store energy which, in turn, is passed to the arrow upon release. Modern bow limbs are often constructed from fiberglass.

Q: I have purchased my bow, what other equipment will I need?

A: The other pieces of equipment that are required to be purchased for archery or hunting are an armguard, a chest guard, a quiver if not included with the bow, a bag or tackle box, a bow quiver, an arrow puller, string wax, and a finger sling.

Q: How are arrows constructed?

A: Arrows consist of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end. The arrow will have fletching and a nock at the other end. Modern arrows are usually made from carbon fiber, aluminum, fiberglass, or wood. Many experienced archers make their arrows.

Q: Why shot?

A: Shooting is great fun for you and all your family; perhaps you would enjoy competitive shooting, hunting, or maybe all three.

The history of bows and arrows is thought to date back to humans have used bows and arrows as a method of survival, for as long as they have existed. They were an essential tool for survival in the early days. Archery, it could be argued, is the oldest sport to have survived into the modern era. Ancient artifacts have been discovered, providing evidence that our ancient ancestors took part in the form of archery.

Likely, archery dates back to the Stone Age (20,000 BCE). However, the Egyptians have left us with evidence that 5,000 years ago, humans hunted and took part in wars against each other using bows and arrows.

Recurve bows tend to be easier to repair and keep maintained than compound bows, they are more reliable because they are simpler in construction and have fewer parts that can go wrong. Many enthusiasts are keen to get especially light bows, there are several excellent lightweight bows on the market.

Final Verdict

In conclusion, I think that the SAS tactical survival bow is the best survival takedown bow on the market today. It is quite an investment, as it is expensive; however, its build quality means that you can be confident that it will last for decades.

One word of warning though, this bow is not recommended for new archers who generally need lighter limbs than the ones that come with this bow. Still, if you are a serious archer, this is most definitely the bow to get.

The Nomad survival bow is the best survival bow on a budget. It’s much lighter than the SAS bow and much more suited to those starting in archery. This is a great bow and offers the best value for money for beginners and those on a tight budget, as the ancient ones. These bows are often made from fiberglass, which is stronger and lighter than the wooden bows of our forefathers.