Topic: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

In view of the occasion, I'd like to bring up the topic of Freddie's bows again.

Last days I realized a draw weight increase of 33% (from 30# to 40#) is a but too much for me.
As an excuse, I bought the 40# KTB with a mediterranean shooting style in mind originally.
But 40# is my target, and I plan to do a 5# increment to 35# in the next time.

But which bow ?
Different FreddieArchery products are available here in Europe, and actually they dominate the KTB bow style market here.
The Kaya bows are phased out as I realized now. Only a few draw weights are still available of the KTB and the Windfighter.
A dealer told me so explicitly on request - they are gone soon.

So the "White Feather" line and the "Nomad" line remain.
But what are the differences ?
As an example, the "Carbon Forever" looks almost exactly as the "Nomad KTB", except being about 15..20% cheaper.
The Nomad bow has actual yarn windings at the grip and the string bridges, the Carbon Forever only embossed/colored plastic tape.
Is there a difference in performance or durability ?

In another forum, I found the statement that the Kaya/Nomad KTB performs better than the Windfighter, but the latter is supposedly just a "naked" version of the Kaya KTB.

This leaves me a bit confused.
Can anybody shed some light on this issue ?


Well, and then, there is the Segye from Alibow as an alternative.
But I hesitate because of the hassles with customs, and the peculiar grip.

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

If I'm right, Freddie used to be with Kaya then later branched off to establish Freddie Archery, so they are really not that far apart. Again if I'm right, Nomad KTB is more or less identical to Kaya KTB. White Feather is made by HMG (현무궁) in Korea then exported outside Korea by Freddie Archery. And Windfighter & Firefox are naked versions of Kaya KTB, or at least according to the product description in Kaya Archery website.

As for the performance, I can't really tell you as I used only Windfighter, and Firefox very briefly.

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

As said, the situation here in Europe is somehow confusing.
Remaining stockpiles of Kaya products are obviously sold off. And as usual, the interesting draw weight are out  sad

Comparing pictures in web shops, I noticed a very strong similarity between Nomad bows and White Feather bows. Thus I guess the bowyer is the same. Just what makes up the price difference is not obvious to me.

White Feather is made by HMG (현무궁) in Korea then exported outside Korea by Freddie Archery.

HMG standing for Hyundai Motor Group ?
Would be strange, but Korea is home to many conglomerates.

To add to the confusion - I checked Freddie's website, and the intersection with the European product choice is quite small.
Just the Nomad KTB and the Black Shadow.

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4 (edited by RolldyLee 2017-09-29 02:39:37)

Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

Haha no, it's Hyun Mu Gung (Korean is not the best language to be Romanized). Although if Hyundai Motor were to make KTBs, KTA would be little more popular in Korea.

Far as I know, Freddie Archery does not manufacture a bow on its own. It rather orders bows from other bowyers, then exports them. SMG and Taeguk, two other Korean bowyers on Freddie Archery's website, retain their brand names, and I don't know why though. Kaya and HMG seem to have done a good job mass producing their products.

Do people who buy KTB practice thumb draw? Also, in your opinion, what do you think people like about KTB?

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

Haha no, it's Hyun Mu Gung (Korean is not the best language to be Romanized). Although if Hyundai Motor were to make KTBs, KTA would be little more popular in Korea.

Probably true. Hyundai was the first "thing" that came up when searching for HMG. Hyun Mu Gung as well ...
As European with no personal relations to Asia, I have no knowledge of East Asian ideographs - unfortunately.

I have the strong suspicion that "White Feather" is a brand created in collusion with European distributors, to serve the European/western market. Nothing wrong with that.
The WF bows I've seen/own feature no Korean ideographs anywhere, in contrast to the Windfighter and the Kaya KTB.


Do people who buy KTB practice thumb draw? Also, in your opinion, what do you think people like about KTB?

Good question.
Yes, they do. Me and other persons I communicate with via other (non-english) fora practice thumb draw with KTBs.
With "KTB" as generalization for Traditional Korean Bow.

Some shoot mediterranean - I started shooting 3-finger style with my first Kaya KTB as well.
But I was never satisfied with any "mediterranean" anchor points, and my short draw.
And trying the style the bow is designed for was just the logical conclusion.
However, there are very few (or no) instructors for any East Asian style available here (Austria/Germany).
I'm the only one in my club shooting horsebow, let alone thumb draw or Korean style ...
The came running when I was drawing with a raised bow ...

What do I think why people like KTB ?
KTB is mainly presented by Freddies bows here.
They are inexpensive, sturdy and durable (usually), and very fast.
Their performance (arrow speed by draw weight /arrow weight) is comparable the mid-range recurve bows.
My 40# Kaya KTB was casting 400grain arrows at about 200fps - with a significantly shorter draw than 31".
But mainly the price.
For the same money, you get a cheap fiberglass horsebow that shakes your teeth out, or a mediocre longbow.
This is longbow country here, good one's start at a price of two Freddie bows.

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

Just curious, where do you buy the Freddie bows?

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

At archery dealers here in the region (usually about 500km perimeter for me).
For Korean archery stuff they are just distributors, so it doesn't really matter where - it is the same product.
Many dealers even leave the label from the main European importer on the package, JVD in the Netherlands.
Curiously, many bows at Freddies Korean page are almost twice as expensive as here.

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

ragnar wrote:

Curiously, many bows at Freddies Korean page are almost twice as expensive as here.

Yeah I noticed that. Maybe Freddie Archery is intentionally encouraging people to purchase from other retailers.

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

Either that, or perhaps a tax issue.

Coincidentally, VW cars are considerably more expensive in Germany (the place of final assembly), than elsewhere.
Management and dealers cite "image" reasons, price is supposed to represent "value".
I am more of a pragmatic person, and car trouble statistics speak a slightly different language.

Coming back to bows, I value durability and performance over "image" and adornments here, too.
With White Feather bows being relatively new, there are not much longtime experiences, so I have to stick with the reputation of the manufacturer ...

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

Do you think there's a room in European market for higher end Korean bows?

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

Uhhh, .... perhaps.
I see several Europeans posting Youtube videos shooting traditional Korean bows, even higher end one's.
And I know of such archers from fora here.
They apparently imported their bows themselves, directly from Korea.
And honestly, the higher end Korean bows are not soooo expensive, compared to high end recurves and longbows.
The price level I've seen is about 1000 Euro/USD, give or take 100.
I think the irregular shape of a recurve bow grip with several laminate layers, usually as a takedown design, is driving up this costs.
Together with high taxes and wage costs here, of course.
Just check out "Border Archery Ltd." for a taste of hig-end recurves and prices.

But IMHO the market for such bows would be small.
There is no real incentive for new archers to go Korean style here in Europe.
No clubs teaching this style, and no support for competitions.

Very few competitions feature a separate horsebow class, this is the most one can expect.
Next weekend I compete in one about 100 miles away, with 7 of the 200 starters registered for this horsebow class.
This bow class is shared with Turkish, Hungarian and similar style archers, even mediterranean.
Winning is secondary for me, I just want to make contact with other similar-minded archers - even if it's the neighboring country ...

Shooting ranges here usually feature the FITA distances only, with 90m (100 yard) max.
As mentioned before, if I draw Korean style (arrow at an upward angle), people come running with safety concerns ...
I switched to a inchworm (Gao Ying) style draw.

But this is my personal opinion, and impressions gathered discussing with other archers via fora.

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Re: FreddieArchery - which bow ...

Just for information.
I tried to order a Nomad KTB from a local dealer, but got a negative feedback.
The ordered draw weight (35#) was not available, and would not be in the foreseeable future.
So I switched to a White Feathers bow again.
And up to now, I don't regret it.
Albeit just 5# more, it casts my relatively heavy bamboo arrows (500gn) with sufficient power to reach all 3D distances without much arcing.

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