How to Choose Arrows for a Compound Bow? | The 5-Step Selection Process

How to choose arrows for a compound bow comes down to three numbers: your draw length, your peak draw weight, and your cam type. Get those figured out first, and a manufacturer’s spine chart or digital selector does the rest. Here’s the sequence that gets you a safe, accurate arrow setup every time.

Start With Your Draw Length and Draw Weight

Your draw length is the distance from the nock groove to your anchor point at full draw. The safest way to measure for new arrows is to draw your bow fully and have a partner mark the arrow one inch forward of the arrow rest with a permanent marker. Measure from the nock groove to that mark — that’s your required arrow length.

This margin keeps the arrow on the rest through the shot and prevents a dry fire injury if the arrow slips forward. Hunting arrows get the full inch of margin as a rule; target arrows can run a bit closer. Also confirm your arrow’s nock size matches your bow’s string diameter — most compound bows use a standard.246-inch nock, but high-end strings occasionally need a different fit.

Your peak draw weight is printed on the bow’s lower limb, but measuring it with a bow scale is more reliable than trusting the label. You need both numbers — draw length and draw weight — for every spine chart or selector tool you’ll use next.

Which Arrow Spine Does Your Setup Need?

Spine measures an arrow’s resistance to bending. Higher draw weights and longer arrows need stiffer shafts, and every major arrow maker publishes a spine chart that maps draw weight against arrow length to a specific shaft code. For compound bows you also need your cam type — single cam, binary cam, or hybrid — because each cam system transfers energy differently.

Shaft weight is measured in grains per inch (GPI), and most carbon hunting shafts run between 8 and 12 GPI depending on diameter and wall thickness. Micro-diameter shafts are preferred for outdoor hunting because they penetrate deeper and deflect less in wind, while larger diameters give indoor target shooters a better chance of cutting score lines.

Digital tools make spine selection nearly foolproof. Easton’s Arrow Selector asks for bow type, draw weight, and draw length, then outputs a spine range with specific shaft recommendations. Gold Tip’s selector also adjusts for finger release versus mechanical release. Both tools are free and work from any browser.

If you already know your specs and want a shortcut to the right shaft, our tested roundup of the best compound arrows covers models that match the most common hunting and target setups across major brands.

What Total Arrow Weight Does Your Bow Need?

Total arrow weight includes the shaft, point, insert, nock, and fletching. For hunting, the standard is 6 to 8 grains per pound of draw weight. A 70-pound bow needs a finished arrow between 420 and 560 grains. Target shooters typically run 5 to 6 grains per pound for flatter trajectory and more speed, but never go below 5 GPP — arrows that are too light fly unpredictably and stress the bow.

Easton uses a numbered system; Gold Tip uses letter codes. Always read the specific manufacturer’s chart rather than guessing.

If you plan to use a heavier broadhead — say 125 grains — the arrow behaves stiffer, and you may need to step down one spine level to compensate. Always weigh the fully assembled arrow on a grain scale to confirm you’re inside your target range before you buy in bulk.

Here’s how the two main use cases compare at a glance:

FAQs

Can I use wood arrows with a compound bow?

What happens if my arrow spine is too weak or too stiff?

A spine that’s too weak allows the arrow to flex excessively in flight, causing erratic grouping and poor penetration. A spine that’s too stiff resists flexing and may cause the arrow to fly nock-left or nock-right depending on your bow’s tuning. The manufacturer’s spine chart or digital selector eliminates the guesswork.

Do I need to weigh my finished arrows?

Yes. Weighing the fully assembled arrow — shaft, point, insert, nock, and fletching — confirms you are within your target GPP range. A kitchen scale that measures grains works fine. This step catches weight mismatches early, before they affect flight consistency or bow safety.