What Does Brace Height Mean?

Bow manufacturers commonly include their bows' brace height when listing specifications. It's important for archers to understand the term so as to choose a bow that best fits their needs. Brace height is a simple measurement you can take without going to an archery shop. The measurement will help you determine the advantages and disadvantages of a long or short brace height.

  1. Definition

    • Brace height is the distance between the bowstring and the pivot point of the bow's grip, measured perpendicular to the bowstring when the bow is not drawn.

    Long Brace Height

    • A long brace height is generally considered to be 7 inches or more. A bow with a long brace height is easier to draw because you start with your hands farther apart, meaning you have less distance to pull the bowstring to reach full draw. A long brace height also means there's a shorter distance to pull before the bow "breaks." A compound bow "breaks" about halfway through the draw, at which point the cam rolls and the bow physically pulls easier. Bows with a long brace height generally shoot about 10 fps to 30 fps slower than comparable models with brace heights of less than 7 inches. Long brace height bows don't physically draw as far, because their bowstring is farther from the riser when not drawn compared to a short brace height bow. Thus, they can store less kinetic energy in the limbs. Bows with a long brace height are more forgiving of shooting flaws. The arrow spends less time on the string because of the shorter power stroke, so shooting flaws, such as torquing the riser, do not affect accuracy as much as they would with a short brace height bow.

    Short Brace Height

    • Bows with short brace heights of less than 7 inches are harder to draw because the bowstring is closer to the grip, meaning your hands start closer together. As such, you must pull the bow farther to reach full draw and you must pull it farther before it "breaks." Bows with short brace heights shoot about 10 fps to 30 fps faster than bows with long brace heights because they store more kinetic energy over the course of their longer power stroke. Shooting flaws become more magnified in short brace height bows because a longer power stroke means the arrow stays on the string longer, giving more time for bad shooting habits to influence arrow flight. Torquing the riser by gripping it too firmly and not following through after the shot are two common shooting flaws that destroy accuracy.

    Brace Height Preferences

    • Most bowhunters prefer bows with long brace heights. It's critical their shots be accurate to prevent wounding an animal. In hunting situations, when weather, tree limbs and other factors may affect a shot, the forgiveness of a long brace height can boost accuracy when shooting conditions are less than ideal. Competition shooters, by contrast, often prefer shorter brace heights. Because they practice constantly, shooting form isn't as much as a concern. Faster arrow speeds mean the arrow travels with a flatter trajectory for less guesswork when aiming at long distances.