An archery quiver is a cylindrical container designed to store an archer’s arrows. You can store your arrows in a quiver that hangs on your hip, lies on your back, or is attached to a bow. The main disadvantage is that the quivers on the bow do not hold many arrows; they are quite limited in this respect. Quivers can also be attached to the bow, but the number of arrows is limited.
A quiver is a specialized backpack meant for storing arrows. Quivers are cylindrical to accommodate arrows, and most can hold about 25 of them. The purpose of a quiver is to allow the archer to fire many arrows before needing to retrieve them. Some bows have quivers attached to them.
To some archers, it may seem that limited capacity is the deciding factor in the number of arrows carried in bow quivers. Just because a quiver can carry arrows doesn’t mean they have to be hit. You may need a hip or back quiver while training because they can hold a dozen or more arrows. If the type of back quiver you’re using doesn’t hold your arrows securely, you’ll also find that if you bend over, they can fall out.
Why Archers Need Quivers
While some will say that it is easier for a professional archer to use a dorsal quiver, arrows in a bow quiver are still at hand. Seriously, the rear quiver offers quick access and the ability to carry a lot of arrows. The side/loin quivers are considered slightly easier to use than the back quivers; which makes archery upstairs a little tricky at first. Target shooters who prefer hip quivers often choose target quivers in which the arrows are angled forward with their tips down.
To grab the arrows from the target quivers, all you need to do is quickly reach you. Grabbing an arrow from a field quiver requires a short, simple movement, similar to that used with target quivers. If you are shooting a variety of arrows or numbers, target quivers are ideal. The disadvantage of field quivers is that you cannot see without looking back which arrow you are taking.
This allows the archer to see the arrows in front of him, making it easier to select one, remove it from the hip quiver, and snap it into place. Side quivers and hip quivers are worn by the archer on the hip or side, and the design provides a fairly easy way to reach arrows. Side / hip quivers are a popular choice among archers as the arrows are very accessible and at the same time fairly far apart. Between the size and direction of the arrow, hip quivers tend to grab other objects and possibly other archers in the line.
Selecting the Right Quiver
Some hunters who do not like quivers on their bows use them, and amateur archers and sportsmen use them as the thigh is a good place to hold arrows. If you want a portable quiver that detaches from your bow and carries a lot of arrows, a hip quiver or back quiver might be your best bet. When it comes to choosing a quiver, you must consider its portability, weight, detachability, and the number of arrows you want to fit in it.
Some quivers are just long bags for arrows, but if you care about your expensive set of arrows and armor, you should take a look at the pipe quiver.
More elaborate ground quivers contain arrows of a more complex and often smoother design, sometimes even with a delivery system holding the arrows to the archer so they don’t have to bend down to get them. Usually earth quivers are designed to carry multiple arrows, especially those at a distance where archers can fire as many arrows as they like. Quivers attached to an archer’s bow usually carry three to seven arrows.
For most hunters, the weight of the bow and accessories is also of great importance, so quivers (especially bow quivers) are usually designed for no more than 10-12 arrows.
How Most Quivers Are Designed
Instead of holding the bow in a cylindrical holder, quivers usually store arrows by wrapping both ends in rigid foam, leaving the main stem exposed. Bow quivers hold the arrow with the arrow handle by capturing the cap at the end of the point, which is usually filled with some sort of foamy substance, into which a sharp or wide point may be embedded. Bow quivers make the bow heavier, which can be distracting when shooting, but it can be detached and hung nearby for repair.
The archer doesn’t even use multiple quivers to hold all of his arrows for those types of quivers, just the few he could realistically shoot when aiming at an animal. The quiver essentially gives the archer access to all of his arrows in one place.
The quiver is primarily worn on the archer’s body, although some quivers may be worn on the bow or even placed on the ground, depending on the archers’ preference. The back quivers are the arrow holders of choice for traditional archers, slung diagonally across the back.
How Quivers Hold Arrows
The quivers hold the arrows by locking them in place individually with flexible grips or by simply encasing them in a tube or container hung on the back or on a belt. The right hand hip quiver hangs from the shooter’s belt near the right hip and has arrow tubes that tilt forward, making it easy to carry multiple arrows in an easily accessible location.
Some of the best side and hip quivers may also have pockets for accessories and gloves, or dividers to help sort arrows for different purposes. While there are some backpacks specifically designed to carry quivers, I’ll take the risk of saying that’s not really necessary. Target shooters are better off buying the Cannon Sports Ground Quiver, which has an extremely simple design but can be used with a set of arrows and bows.
Because some hunters prefer to shoot without a quiver, some bow-mounted quivers are designed to be easily installed and removed so that they can be removed and rested while on the move, or suspended.