Best Crossbow For Women – reviewed by Strongnia
Crossbows have been on the rise in popularity (especially when it comes to hunting) for the past few years now and there are now many more women who are hunting with crossbows. Whether that’s due to a surge in hunting and cleaning your own food, popular tv shows like The Walking Dead, Arrow, Game of Thrones, Once Upon a time, and Vikings, “Prepper Fever” continuing to grow, or you’re just on the hunt for your newest crossbow setup… you’re not alone in your interest!
The world of crossbows is vast and can be anything that you want to make it, and consequently there are many different types of crossbow. If you’re a farmer, someone that lives off the land, or you’re into hunting then you’re aware of the power that you can harness with the proper crossbow. If you’re just looking for a more old fashion feel to your archery lessons, wanting to channel your inner character from your favorite show, or preparing for the day when electronics are no more and you need a weapon with range to protect you from whatever danger may be lurking, there’s a lot to consider!
The best part of crossbow ownership is the thrill of learning, the feel of the bow in the hand, and of course the bragging rights once you’ve mastered those tricky shots. I, too, was like you, and on the brink of purchasing my first crossbow some time ago. I was amazed by all of the choices, not just color, but quality, material, and reason for purchasing different types of crossbows. Once I had mine, it seemed as though everyone was asking my opinion.
Since then, I’ve been offering my top picks to friends and family (and anyone that happens to ask), so I finally decided to write it down and just direct everyone to this piece. This particular guide is focused on the best crossbows for women, as opposed to our more general guide on the best crossbows. Before we jump right in, I do want to highlight some key words as I want you to know what to be looking for when looking for the right crossbow for you!
Glossary Of Terms
Stirrup: This is a piece (often made of metal) on the front of the crossbow to place your foot while cocking your crossbow.
Bowstring: This is a string that makes a connection from the arms (or limbs) of the crossbow. The purpose of the bowstring is to create the forward energy of the arrow once released (by first creating a pull-back tension).
Cock: To cock a crossbow means to pull the string back and into a firing position. The cocking of a crossbow should be done only when empty, as cocking a crossbow with an arrow can quickly lead to shooting yourself with a mere slip of the finger!
Draw Weight: The amount of force you must exert to properly cock your crossbow into place while loading.
Rail: The area on the bow where the arrow sits. This is also where the bowstring will slide over as the arrow is fired.
Trigger: This is the small piece that holds your bowstring in place once it’s been cocked properly. Disengaging this piece will release the bowstring, and send the arrow propelling forward.
Arrow: Ammo that’s placed within the crossbow, and fired at the desired target.
Bolt: Another type of ammo that is usually shorter than the standard arrow. A bolt is something that was once used for indoor target practice but has since been replaced with the standard arrow.
Lube Wax: A type of wax that is recommended to be applied to the strings of your crossbow often, to keep the crossbow in fully operational condition.
Kinetic Energy: The amount of force placed on the arrow via the bowstring cock that determines at what rate of speed and force the arrow will come out of the rail.
FPS: Literally translates into feet per second and is a unit of measure of the crossbow’s ability to launch an arrow.
Quiver: This is what you use to hold your arrows and other ammo.
Scope: This is a magnifier that can sit on the body of your crossbow, allowing you to see more precisely at higher distances than you can with your naked eye, improving your aim.
Dry Fire: The act of firing your crossbow with ammo that isn’t properly weighted for your build. This is extremely dangerous to you and can damage your crossbow irreparably.
Nock: This is the piece at the back of the arrow that rests on the string.
Picatinny Rail: If you read this far, you noticed already what a ‘Rail’ is. The Picatinny rail is an additional rail that allows you to mount any accessories to your crossbow body for quick retrieval.
With that quick lesson out of the way, let’s move onto these powerful builds! I’ll give you the top 5 crossbows that I have come across, why they’ve made the cut and their price point. Get your eyes ready, and your arm steady, because we’re diving in! If you’d like to learn more before taking a look through our reviews, then check out our beginners guide to bowhunting.
The very top of the line, in the market RIGHT NOW crossbows for women:
Wicked Ridge Lady Ranger Crossbow Package
How about we start off our list of the best crossbows for women with this gorgeous Wicked Ridge Lady Ranger Crossbow Package by TenPoint Crossbows?
Who says you can’t add some femininity to your powerful crossbow? This fully featured Lady Ranger Crossbow not only comes with a great setup, but the attention to detail is superb. Featuring a black body with camo-speckled flip-floppy pink/purple design allows you to be rigid, tough, and show some of your inner glam, which makes it perfect for female hunters! With a patented ACU-52 integrated self-retracting cock system, cocking is a breeze. This boasts a 150-pound draw weight, light enough for unassisted cocking, and powerful enough to pack a punch with anything it crosses. Additional features include:
* 300 FPS with 70 FP of Kinetic Energy – giving you the needed power to hunt your whitetail deer with ease.
* Lightweight 5.9-pound body (without accessories) – making this a go-to for hunting or hiking situations, where you don’t want to add large loads of extra weight onto you, to conserve energy.
* 3x multi-line scope allowing you perfect sight, which is a necessity when practicing anything with a crossbow.
* ‘Acra-Angle’ forever be gone the finger-pinch of manually cocking your crossbow!
* Overall length: 33.9”
* Axle to Axle width: 22.6” (uncocked) 19.9” (cocked)
BONUS:
* 3-Arrow instant detach quiver
* 3 Pack of 18″ 350-grain carbon arrows
What we like about this crossbow
I’m in love with this one because it allows me to have that little flash of pink, making it a little more feminine which is great for women, but it also gives me the power and quality I expect from any crossbow, allowing me to properly perform either my kill or my play.
This first one comes in at a price point of under $500.00. They’ve taken into account the frame of the female to use this, and have spent time designing the build to ensure this won’t cause you grief on a cock-back. All in all, it’s a great women’s crossbow.
Barnett Recruit Terrain Crossbow
Next up is a more technical ‘Get the job done’ looking body, introducing the Recruit Terrain Crossbow by Barnett.
If you’ve spent time aside from this searching for crossbows, chances are very high that you ran into Barnett. Barnett has been a proud distributor of often sought out Crossbows since the ‘60s! Looking to create a powerful, strong, rough-and-tumble crossbow, Barnett has
spent years and years forming their very specially designed bows for your use and liking. Barnett Recruit Terrain features a flashy black and silver design on the body, weighing in at 6.4 pounds. That’s not where it ends though!
* 330 FPS
* Kinetic Energy: 91.9lbs!
* Draw Weight: 140lbs
* Anti-Dry-Fire trigger system helping to ensure you only shoot when you have an arrow loaded, creating no additional stress to the body, or crossbow overall.
* Bristle Brush Retainer giving proper tension on a correctly loaded arrow
* Metal injection Mold allowing a one-piece setup that’s less likely to have large stress points with normal use.
* Single-bolt assembly
* Trigger technology supplying a 3lb zero-creep release for sure-fire instances
* ⅞ inch Picatinny rails perfect for setting up your scope, or other accessories. You can have peace of mind knowing this is a sturdy setup!
* Anti-vibration foot Stirrup
* Overall length: 34.25”
* Axle to Axle length: 18.25” (uncocked) 16.125” (cocked)
What we like about this crossbow
This well built, ready to rumble setup is one steal of a deal coming in at under 250 dollars to get you right out the door, right back into nature, and enjoying your quiet time while getting to know this crossbow. The setup really doesn’t leave a lot to be desired and this is a great crossbow for women. Its sturdy construction feels great in your hand and will have your friends questioning how you actually managed to get away with such sturdy design at such a great price.
Barnett 78128 WhiteTail Hunter II
Honestly, Barnett is so good at crossbows, I had to include them twice, with the 78128 WhiteTail Hunter, coming in just slightly above the last Barnett price point, but adding some great little features. This is a fully-featured, high Kinetic, standard weight crossbow perfect for a woman who is serious about her crossbow. A nice black-and-camo design for the body makes this perfect for fall hunting, allowing you to hide in with the brush and the dying nature in your surrounding area, this just looks powerful – and it doesn’t let you down!
* 350 FPS for a quick release and hit action
* 150-pound draw weight giving ease of use, and enough power to make contact, and cause damage on your prey.
* All stainless steel components, to stay up to the rough play, keeping everything in tip-top shape for trip after trip after trip.
* 3 LB zero creep release, as noted in the previously listed Barnett bow – for precision shots.
* Nock sensor and ADF to rid you of the dreaded dry-fires
* Kinetic energy of 103 FT LBS!
* Overall length: 34.25”
* Axle to Axle: 18.25” (uncocked), 16.125” (cocked)
And did I mention what’s included?
* 4×32 scope
* Rope cocking device
* Lightweight Quiver
* 2 twenty inch head-hunter arrows
* Lube wax
What we like about this crossbow
At less than $300, combined with the history and quality of Barnett – as well as the included goodies, this is a jaw-dropping deal if you’re serious about what you want to do. I can’t tell you how many individuals I run into that have this setup, not only do they have the setup, but they tend to be the ones that can’t stop talking about them. Barnett really knows their way around a crossbow, and it shows – ladies will love this one.
What’s up next, you ask?
PSE Fange Series Compound Crossbow Package
Well, that would be the drool-worthy Compound Crossbow package by PSE Fang Series. Now, this is a heavy-duty lookin’ crossbow. If you’re looking for that rugged look, tough feel in the hand, with a robust and ready to fight crossbow, this might just be for you. How do we even unpackage what comes with this one, without just jumping directly into the features and what’s included? Here we go:
* 330 FPS action
* 5.8 pounds making this a lightweight body
* 97 FT Kinetic Energy for a quick-snappy fire trigger!
* Draw weight between 145 and 165 pounds in easy to pull tension
* Overall length: 32”
* Axle to Axle: 19 ½”
This thing is jam-packed with even more when you check out the included items. Inside the package, aside from this massive crossbow, you’ll also receive:
* String Stops
* Soft Coat Trigger Grip
* Rail Lube
* Foot Stirrup
* 4×32 MR Scope
* Anti-dry Fire
* Cocking Rope
* 3 twenty inch carbon bolts
* 5-bolt quiver
* Limb Dampers
What we like about this crossbow
Now, of course, this kind of setup with all the included extras won’t come cheap. Add to that the attention to detail that goes into each body make, the price tag sitting at under $300 seems like an accidental price. Anywhere else, you’d see the same setup at a much higher buy-in rate. This is sure to turn heads, but it’s guaranteed to get your shot on-point, and help you bring home your own trophy. This crossbow is a top pick for any women hunters.
SA Sports Fever Crossbow Package 543
Possibly the best choice for that budget-minded female hunter, this crossbow is a little lower than the previous reviews, but it’s still a solid construction, giving you a good bang for your buck without breaking the bank. The Fever Crossbow is a non-flashy production brought to you from SA Sports. Featuring a classic camo body, complete with ambidextrous safety shooting – just in case you’re a little queasy about using one hand over the other, you may do better once you have a chance to fully test it out with both hands! Other great features of this one include:
* 240 FPS
* Draw Weight: 175lbs
* Adjustable Weaver Scope mount giving you full reign of where to look at, and what to do in the next few minutes of spotting something.
* Large boot style foot stirrup for those wider feet, or heavier footwear in the colder months
* 4×32 Multi-range scope for a clearer, more precise view
* Quick detach quiver great when you have to think quick before you miss a shot
* Empire Side-Mount Quiver Bracket and Claw Mount making sure you’re never without ammo.
* 3 Red Dot Multi-Range perfect to help you see in low lighting, or tough viewing conditions
* Replacement Fever String
* Compression fiberglass recurve limb
* 175lbs Replacement Limb
* Limb Tip Pair
* 20″ Carbon Bolts 6pk
* Overall Length: 31”
* Axle to Axle: 10.25” (cocked)
What we like about this crossbow
All of this, and this package comes in under 200 USD. This is a great quality piece, perfect for experimenting, taking down your first kill, or stealing this from your spouse for a while, then deciding you want your own!
Best Crossbow For Women Buying Guide
One thing to note is of course, all of these crossbows come with their own personal manual in the box (whether it’s been noted in the above or not). The reason all of these crossbows come with their very own manual is because, while they have generally the same look to them, they have different parts that separate them from the next. I always urge everyone to really read through the manual. I’ll do it again in a bit too because it’s honestly that important!
Again, whichever your reason for your first (or maybe just your next) crossbow, you’re sure to find something that fits you perfectly in this top five. While my crossbow experience continues to grow, and I continue to visit practice areas, I continue to see these 5 setups grow considerably in numbers, and especially in use by women. They’re tried and tested. They won’t break down quickly, they’re not too heavy, they aren’t too hard to handle (and cock) when needed, they’re built for a smaller frame (or a female frame), which also means you can absolutely pass this down to your child once they’ve understood the power of the bow, and how to best use it (safety safety safety!). This doesn’t discount the men either, these bows are fully purposable for a male of any stature, it’s just built with the ease for a beginner/small frame user in mind.
I urge you to just test it out, find your favorite one, or the one that best suits your situation, your need, your feel, and test it out. See how it feels in the hand, the weight, the quick release of the trigger, the power of the arrow once flung into the air. I promise you, that you will not be disappointed!
Crossbows just give you a feeling of power that’s hard to gather from any other weapon of choice. You have the satisfaction of knowing that your power, your aim, and your eye is what sent that arrow flying, and made your mark. That’s something that can’t be taken away from you once you’ve had it!
As with all things, especially when weaponry is involved, you must practice proper safety guidelines. It would be irresponsible to gift you the knowledge of these crossbows (or any other) without explicitly requesting that you please handle these with care. Yes, they are fun, and intriguing, and exciting to own, but they also require the utmost care and handling. These are still weapons, these are regularly used in hunting, and can severely damage yourself, or anyone in your surrounding if the proper care isn’t taken. Things to always be mindful of:
1. Read your manual! While crossbows have the same general look, they can differ greatly, between the power of the drawback, the sitting of the bowstring, the proper use of the stirrup, the handling of the trigger, and more. Taking the time out to get a proper read and feel for your crossbow is the responsible owners introduction to crossbow – whether it’s your first crossbow, or your hundredth crossbow!
2. Never place your hands near the top of the rail when firing. When you consider the fact that the above crossbows are all over the 150-pound draw-weight (a draw weight that can inflict serious injury if misused), you can understand the need to keep your limbs away from the rail right before discharging the crossbow.
3. Never point the bow at anyone, even yourself.
4. Always check your local law to ensure you can carry a crossbow, and what kind of game (and location) you can use your crossbow for.
5. Do not carry a cocked crossbow while in motion. You need a steady, stable shot when hunting with any weapon, so there should never be a time where you have to be pre-loaded and moving into position.
6. If hunting above ground level (tree, treestand, platform, etc), cock your crossbow prior to climbing. Place your cocked crossbow facing down into the ground. Situate yourself into your preferred position, then slowly raise your crossbow on a pulley-system, being sure to never point it toward yourself or anyone with you.
7. Always keep your eye sharp. Confirm what it is you’re shooting at before you release your trigger. Do not fire if someone (or something you don’t intend to hit) is within close distance of your target.
8. Never Dry-fire your crossbow, as this can cause serious damage to your crossbow, and serious damage to yourself.
9. Always check your crossbow prior to cocking. Confirm that there are no weak points, cracks, or otherwise on the wingspan, the body itself, the bowstring, etc. A thoroughly reviewed unit will last longer, and free you of unintentional injury.
10. Enjoy your time out there. Enjoy the steps of practicing. Enjoy getting to know your crossbow both with firing the weapon as well as inspection and reading of the crossbow.
I’m hopeful that this will give you a more rounded idea of what’s in the market currently, what will best suit your preferences and ultimately what to look for in the best crossbows for women. It should be noted that the above crossbows met our rigid criteria on budget, quality, and durability meaning you can purchase with confidence.
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