There are few guarantees in life, but it’s pretty much a guarantee that if you ask what bow to get for starting in traditional archery, someone will recommend the Samick Sage. For the money, this bow performs with a smooth draw, decent arrow speed, and accuracy that will surprise even experienced archers.
The Samick Sage is a classic recurve bow with an excellent cost-to-performance ratio. The price and design of the Samick Sage make it great for both bow hunting and recreational archery.
- Length: 62″
- Weight: 3.5 lbs
- Draw Length: 29″
- Draw Weight: 20 – 60 lbs
This is the bow for you if you’re in the market for a great budget bow that can take you from novice to experienced archer.
Who should be Interested in the Samick Sage?
If you are an experienced archer, you may be a bit too spoiled for such a budget bow, but with a price point of around $120.00, this bow knocks the socks off any other bow in its price range and several costing significantly more. You won’t find it better if you are newer to archery or just need a budget option to get out in the woods and target shoot or hunt.
- SIZE – the Samick Sage Recurve bow is 62” long, 28” draw length, and choose your draw weight...
- INCLUDES: Riser - 2 Fiberglass laminated limbs - 14 Strands dacron bowstring – Stick on arrow rest...
- HAND ORIENTATION - Right Handed - Hold the bow with your LEFT hand and pull the string with your...
- FEATURES - Pre-installed threaded Brass Bushings for various attachments and upgrades, such as,...
- ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED - risers are designed with lightweight Maple wood, and a comfortable...
Features
To get the numbers out of the way, the Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow is a 62” bow with a maximum draw length of 29” and is available in draw weights from 25 to 60 pounds. You can expect good performance from the Samick Sage Takedown at draw lengths as low as 24”, but you may want to get a bow around 5 pounds heavier in draw weight to get the best performance.
All of the normal attachment points for modern bows can be found on the Sage, with attachment points for sights, quivers, and a forward stabilizer if you choose to use them. This means you can also use this bow for bowfishing with a standard bow-mounted reel.
The bow’s limbs are also removable, making transporting the bow easier. Removal is toolless using knob-headed screws. Additional Samick Sage Bow limbs in different lengths and draw weights are available.
Pros
Though this is considered a ‘starter bow’ for traditional archery, it hardly feels that way. The Samick Sage Takedown is reasonably fast and very accurate. Arrow speeds are in the 170fps range in a bow pulling 45 lbs.
The Bear Grizzly Recurve Bow is another great option for a survival bow.
The Samick Sage Takedown is plenty accurate and can be expected to put arrows in a post-it note at 40 yards with some practice. Shooting this against several higher-priced and custom bows, accuracy was enough to keep up with the big boys.
The fact that the Samick Sage Takedown has removable limbs is a great feature. You can fit this bow in a large backpack; since it only weighs 3.5 lbs, you won’t feel overburdened. Even better, with the ability to buy extra limbs at about 50 bucks a set, you really get some versatility—light limbs for practice, heavier for hunting. You can even get shorter limbs so your kids can practice too.
Many lower-end bows suffer from comfort issues, especially in handle shape. That is not the case with the Sage. The bow is well-balanced, comfortable, and easy to hold and shoot. Hand fatigue can be an issue when handles are too small or too large, but the Samick hit the “Goldilocks Zone.”
There are plenty of better offerings on the market, but that is to be expected in a market that goes well into the thousands. There are not a lot of offerings of this quality anywhere close to the hundred-dollar point. In value for money, this is about as good as it gets.
Cons
If you have shot a lot of bows, you will first notice that the Samick Sage has a decent bit of hand shock and is a little loud. There is an audible smacking sound and a string buzz. String silencers help with the buzz, but the smack is there to stay.
Saying that a bow “stacks” means it suddenly gets harder to pull at some point in its draw. This can happen for a variety of reasons. The Samick Sage Takedown has a decent stack, but it’s just at the very end of the draw. This is not likely to be much of an issue unless you are shooting a bow right at the range of your physical limits.
The Samick Sage is a little larger and heavier than similar bows. Though only a matter of a couple of inches and a few ounces, it is worth noting. Part of this is the steel inserts for the takedown screws.
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Conclusion
Though not the best archer, I can put arrows in 2” targets at 40 yards. Maybe not consistently, but at least regularly. I don’t think I have ever been as pleasantly surprised by the purchase as I was with the Samick Sage. The bow is accurate, fast, and easy to shoot with very little strain. Best of all, the Sage is such a low cost for such quality!
I cannot recommend the Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow enough. After getting the first one for my nephew, I had to have one. This tool could be used to feed a family or have some fun without breaking the bank. Go out and get one; you will be satisfied!
If you have a draw length longer than 29” check out the Spyder XL Takedown Recurve Bow.
You can’t go wrong with the Samick Sage Takedown Bow!
