How long should my longbow be if I'm 5'3"?

Question

Ok, I am 12 years old and into archery. how tall should a longbow be for someone my height? I can pull at least 35 pounds of draw weight.

Answer 1

It's more about your wingspan rather than your height.  Draw length is the determining factor of how long a bow should be.  One rule of thumb for draw length is to take your wingspan from finger tips to finger tips and divide that by 2.5.  This will get you close enough.

But usually you can go for a bow that is approximately your height.  I'm 5'8" and I use a 70" recurve.  It's more comfortable for me to shoot since I have a 31" drawlength.  On the other hand I have a friend who is 6' and shooting a 56" recurve, he hunts, so he likes the bow short so it doesn't get tangled in the bushes.

Answer 2

I prefer a longer bow . I feel they draw smoother than a shorter bow.

There are exceptions to every rule.

I would say no shorter than 60"

I am 5'11 and both of my longbows are 64"