If you’re just starting out in archery or looking for a reliable backup bow, Southwest Archery has two excellent options that fit the bill. The Spyder and Tigershark offer different features and advantages, making it challenging to choose between them.
In this article, we’ll break down these bows’ similarities, differences and help you make an informed decision.
Quick Comparison:
| Features | Southwest Archery Spyder | Southwest Archery Tigershark |
|---|---|---|
| Draw Weight | 45 pounds | Adjustable |
| Length | 62-inch or 64-inch | Adjustable |
| Riser | Polished and ergonomic | Threaded inserts for accessories |
| Limbs Attachment | Hex Wrench | Traditional Screws |
| Accessory Inclusions | Arrow Rest, Dacron string | Arrow Rest, Dacron string |
| Design Aesthetic | Modern & Stylish | Striking Finish |
| Customizability | Multiple Draw Weights | Stringers to improve limb compatibility, brace height adjustment |
| Price | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
Overview of the Southwest Archery Spyder
The Southwest Archery Spyder (link to Amazon) is a recurve bow that comes in 62-inch and 64-inch models. It’s an entry-level bow designed for beginners with a 45-pound draw weight. Compared to other entry-level bows, the Spyder offers more versatility with its design.
The Kit
When you purchase the Southwest Archery Bow kit, it includes a riser, set of limbs (45 pounds), Dacron string, and stick-on arrow rest. The bow’s unique limb attachment system uses a hex wrench which provides secure attachment points and boosts performance.
Design Features
The Spyder has excellent finishes on its polished risers that give it a sleek look alongside being very comfortable and ergonomic. Its lightweight structure makes it easier to carry around while aiming at targets or hunting game animals.
The fully assembled Spyder is compact, allowing you to fit it in a backpack or carrying case with ease. The bow offers a comfortable grip, which helps your accuracy and control when firing arrows.
The Southwest Archery Tigershark
The Southwest Archery Tigershark Takedown Recurve Bow (link to Amazon) is another bow kit suitable for both beginners and experienced archers. It has a breathtaking design with top-quality limbs that provide smooth draws for steady shooting performance.
The Kit
Like the Spyder, the Tigershark comes with an arrow rest and Dacron string. It’s also worth noting that while the kit includes everything you need to get started right away, some of the accessories like the arrow rest may need upgrading for optimal performance.
Design Features
One of the Tigershark’s notable features is its threaded inserts located on both sides of its riser make it easier to attach accessory upgrades like quivers or stabilizers. However, tuning these hard-to-reach threads may require extra assistance from an experienced archer.
Another unique feature is its beautiful aesthetic finish with excellent craftsmanship evident at first glance. Its lightweight construction provides an easy-to-handle grip even in wet or sweaty conditions.
Similarities between Spyder and Tigershark
Both bows are exceptional starting points for beginners due to their ease of use and reliability. The Spyder (link to a review) and Tigershark (link to a review) draw weights are adjustable with a smooth and consistent pull which makes them perfect for novice archers to make quick progress towards their archery goals.
Additionally, these bows possess sufficient energy to support hunting as well as target practice without being too cumbersome for the user during extended use.
The standout features from both bows include their lightweight construction that allows for easier transport even over long expeditions, and the stick-on arrow rests included in each kit that help enhance precision shooting.
Differences between Spyder vs Tigershark
Although both bows offer impressive designs, they come with different features that might influence a buyer’s decision based on individual preferences or intended use cases.
Design
When it comes to design, both the Southwest Archery Spyder and Tigershark have beautiful finishes that create an appealing aesthetic for archers of all levels. However, these bows have subtle design features that set them apart.
The Spyder’s smaller grip size can be an issue if you have large hands. Your fingers may not comfortably wrap around the handle and could potentially impact your accuracy when shooting arrows.
That being said, if you’re someone with smaller hands or a female archer, this may work to your advantage.
On the other hand, the Tigershark has smooth riser sections with threaded inserts on both sides. The threading means that any accessories like quivers or stabilizers can be attached much more easily without requiring extra tools or expertise.
These small differences in design ultimately come down to personal preference and intended use cases. If you need a bow that’s easy to customize, then the Tigershark is a solid choice.
Alternatively, if comfort during use is your priority over adaptability when using accessories or attachments – then the Spyder might be more fitting.
Performance
As far as performance is concerned, the Tigershark and Spyder have unique attributes that set them apart. For instance, while the Tigershark is an excellent bow with a smooth draw, it may require some tweaking to enhance its accuracy levels.
To get the most out of your Tigershark Takedown Recurve Bow’s performance at relatively advanced stages or hunting situations, you will need to tune some aspects of this gear.
You may consider switching up brace height thicknesses or upgrading limb compatibility using stringers for better results. That extra work has its benefits though because when tuned correctly, you’ll be able to shoot more arrow types and attain a higher degree of precision than what the Spyder model can offer out-of-the-box.
On the contrary, the Southwest Archery Spyder boasts of a unique limb attachment system secured with a hex wrench that makes it more reliable and secure when shooting arrows.
This feature means users don’t need to worry about limbs coming loose during target practice or taking down game.
It also provides a very short learning threshold enabling novice archers to quickly learn how constructively arrays are composed from these parts with their interlocking mechanism.
Price Point
While price is always an important consideration when making a purchase, it shouldn’t be the ultimate deciding factor. When looking at the Spyder and Tigershark bows’ pricing, you’ll notice that the Spyder comes in slightly cheaper than its tiger-themed counterpart.
It’s easy to get swept up by affordability, but remember, cost does not equate to quality or value in most cases. You might lose out on significant features with lower-priced products compared to their higher-priced equivalents with more accessory compatibility options and lightweight handling.
In this case, the difference between what you pay for and what you get (in terms of performance and quality) is largely based on your choice of feature preference.
The Tigershark comes with some customizability options ensuring everyone can shoot effectively similar to top-tier models while the Spyder stands out through its uncomplicated usability.
Therefore when buying a recurve bow for target practice or hunting, make sure to carefully scrutinize feedback and product reviews from other archery enthusiasts for each model before settling on any decision.
This ensures that you are getting real value for your money while also prioritizing essential features that suit your needs at an accessible budget-friendly price point.
Conclusion – Which is Better?
In summary, both bows are excellent options that deliver reliable performance when shooting arrows. The Spyder is an amazing entry-level recurve bow that offers easy customization and ergonomic grip design perfect for beginners.
On the other hand, the Tigershark Takedown Recurve Bow has more versatile features like threaded inserts for attaching accessories and a breathtaking design suitable for both beginners and professional archers.
While it requires extra tuning efforts to optimize its operation to higher accuracy levels than the Spyder model would need.
Making your decision ultimately depends on your specific needs and intended use cases, such as hunting or target practice.
Whichever option you choose between Southwest Archery Spyder vs Tigershark bows will surely produce long-lasting enjoyable experiences while honing and improving your archery skills.