LevelBowAdaptive sport equipment

Our bow and adaptive rigs

A session needs a bow light enough for anyone to draw and an adaptive rig that fits each archer. We set both up carefully. Then we write the setup down so it can be repeated.
LevelBow P1 in actionYouTube ↗

LevelBow P1: PVC pipe, under $50.

P1 is our first PVC bow. It’s ½ in Schedule 40 PVC pipe. We heat the tips, bend them into a recurve, and a nylon string holds the bend. It draws 6 to 7 lb, depending on the archer’s draw length.

It’s for archers with a physical or cognitive disability, or limited strength, who need something lighter than a standard beginner bow. It’s fun to use, and it’s good practice too.

We tested P1 and our three VI rigs for draw weight and accessibility, measured each one, and compared them with the bows in our table for safety, durability and efficiency. We only list numbers we’ve measured.LevelBow is sport equipment. We make no medical or therapy claims.

Build your own P1

Draw weight
6–7 lb
Cost to build
Under $50
Weight
390 g
Length
64 in
Draw length
24–31 in
Material
½ in Schedule 40 PVC pipe
String
Nylon
Shape
Recurve

Under $50

To build a P1

$200+

An adult-size 12 lb beginner bow

How we got to P1

Why we built it the way we did.

  1. What we needed

    A bow under 12 lb, for archers with a physical or cognitive disability or limited strength. An adult-size 12 lb beginner bow costs $200 or more.

  2. What we compared

    Homemade stick bows, recurves, longbows, a Japanese bow and a fibreglass bow. They’re all in the table below. Our homemade stick bows were too fragile and could break, and they only drew to 20 in. P1 needed a 24 to 31 in draw.

  3. Why PVC

    It’s cheap, and it’s light. P1 weighs 390 g, a little under the lightest other bow we weighed (420 g). Heat softens the pipe, so we can bend it with a heat gun.

  4. Why a recurve

    We bent the tips into a recurve to keep the pipe from snapping. A recurve should also send more of each draw into the arrow. We checked efficiency against the other bows in our table, but we haven’t measured the energy directly.

  5. What we got

    A bow that draws 6 to 7 lb, depending on draw length, and costs under $50 to build, with a free guide so anyone can make one. Next, we’re planning P2: a 20 lb version for adults new to archery.

Where P1 sits

Draw weight in pounds. We wanted P1 under 12 lb.

P1 draws 6 to 7 lb, depending on draw length, under our 12 lb ceiling. P2 is planned at 20 lb. The other bows we compared draw from 6 to 25 lb. The full list is in the table below.

The bows we compared

Bows we compared before choosing PVC, with type, estimated cost, draw weight, weight and length.
BowTypeEst. costDraw weightWeightLength
Homemade stick bow AStick bow$26 lb–34 in
Homemade stick bow BStick bow$2010 lb500 g54 in
Sarmat Archery HankyuJapanese$250–420 g71 in
GeologicRecurve$7020 lb420 g–
Rolan Snake IIRecurve$10022 lb610 g50 in
Mountain Archery SymphonyLongbow$50025 lb640 g68 in
Mountain Archery SniperLongbow$50025 lb640 g68 in
LevelBow P1Recurve (PVC pipe)Under $506–7 lb390 g64 in
Bear Archery CrusaderFibreglass$10010–20 lb–51 in
Galaxy CrescentRecurve$361.6014 lb1,333 g68 in

Costs are estimates. A dash means we didn’t record it. The Bear Archery Crusader is a youth-size bow.

What the research says, and what it doesn’t

A bow shouldn’t ask for more strength, coordination or focus than the skill you’re learning. That’s the idea behind P1. Here’s what published research backs up, and what it doesn’t yet.

  • Supported

    Adapted equipment helps people take part in para archery.

    World Archery allows adapted releases, stools and wheelchairs so competition is fair. Archery Canada classifies para archers by range of movement, flexibility, strength and balance.[4][5]

  • Supported

    Coordination and thinking skills affect each other.

    A review of 100 studies on developmental coordination disorder found the biggest gaps in motor learning and in combining thinking with movement.[1]

  • Some evidence

    Sensory processing affects whether people take part.

    A review of 7 studies linked sensory processing to everyday participation for autistic children. The studies were medium to low quality, and the authors call for better ones.[2]

  • Supported

    Adapted, technology-based activities can help people with developmental disabilities be more active.

    A review of 16 studies with 604 people found digital tools improved physical activity and fitness.[3]

  • Our hypothesis

    Lowering the physical load makes archery easier to take part in.

    It makes sense, but we didn’t find a study that tests it in archery, so we treat it as a hypothesis.

  • Not shown

    An ultra-light bow reduces cognitive or sensory overload.

    We didn’t find a study that tests this, so we don’t claim it.

  • Not supported

    One bow works for everyone with a disability.

    Needs vary from person to person. We fit each setup to the archer.

So we don’t claim P1 changes any outcome. We fit each setup to the person and test what helps.

Sources

  1. [1] Subara-Zukic, E., et al. (2022). Behavioral and neuroimaging research on developmental coordination disorder (DCD): a combined systematic review and meta-analysis of recent findings. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 809455. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.809455
  2. [2] Ismael, N., et al. (2018). Relationship between sensory processing and participation in daily occupations for children with autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.024075
  3. [3] Corey, J., et al. (2025, online 2024). Digital motor intervention effects on physical activity performance of individuals with developmental disabilities: a systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation. doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2024.2398148
  4. [4] World Archery. Para archery. www.worldarchery.sport/sport/disciplines/para-archery
  5. [5] Archery Canada. Para-archery classification. archerycanada.ca/our-para-program/para-archery-classification/

How we make a P1

  1. Two lengths of white PVC pipe on a table, one already bent, next to an orange heat gun, a tape measure and a marker.

    01

    The parts

    ½ in Schedule 40 PVC pipe, a heat gun, a tape measure and a marker.

  2. A founder cutting white PVC pipe with a hacksaw on a picnic table at the outdoor range, autumn trees and targets behind.

    02

    Cut it

    We cut a 68 in stick from a 10 ft pipe with a hacksaw.

  3. Two founders on the floor, one warming the end of a PVC pipe with a heat gun while the other holds it down.

    03

    Heat and bend

    The heat gun softens the ends so we can bend them into a recurve. If you try it, wear heat-resistant gloves and work somewhere with good airflow.

  4. Two people holding a bent PVC bow across a table in the clubhouse to check its curve.

    04

    Check the curve

    Then we check the shape on the table.

  5. The finished LevelBow P1, a white PVC recurve with a dark string, leaning against a target stand on the indoor range.

    05

    String it

    A 64 in nylon string holds the bend. That’s P1.

Adaptive rig · visually impaired (VI)

Aiming by feel

An adaptive rig for VI archers is a tactile sight: one small probe, bead or bar on a stand, no bigger than 2 cm. The archer touches it with the back of the bow hand to aim. We line the stand up with the foot locator, so aim and stance share one reference. A spotter sits 1 m behind the line and tells the archer where arrows land and about any safety issues. In the most-impaired class (VI1), archers wear a blindfold, so no one gains from leftover sight. Every part follows World Archery Rulebook Book 5 (Para Archery).
Adaptive rig for VI archers, demo 1YouTube ↗
Adaptive rig for VI archers, demo 2YouTube ↗

We designed and built three of these rigs by hand, and rebuilt all three after getting the foot placements wrong the first time.

Build your own rig

Adaptive rig · physically impaired

Bow supports and seated setups

For physically impaired archers, we rearrange the same parts. A floor support or cradle carries the bow. Archers can sit rather than stand. A foot locator or body reference keeps the position consistent. We fit each part to the archer and write down the setup. The archer always decides when to release.
A seated archer on a mobility scooter draws the white PVC LevelBow P1 at the range, with a wooden bow stand holding a black recurve in front. The archer’s face is blurred.
A seated archer draws P1 at The Archers of Caledon.

We don’t make fibreglass limbs

A fibreglass limb that comes apart can throw glass fibre at face height. We buy those, or have a bowyer make them to a written spec. P1 is plain PVC pipe, not layered fibreglass. Check it for cracks or white stress marks before every session, and retire it if you find any.

We never build draw-holding releases

Anything that holds the string under tension and then lets it go must be commercial and supervised, or we don’t use it.

Built to standard

Built to published standards

Our adaptations follow World Archery and USA Archery guidance.

  • World Archery, Rulebook Book 5 (Para Archery)

    The binding rules our VI adaptations are built to, tactile sights, blindfolds, foot locators and spotters. We also use World Archery’s Adaptive Equipment Resource Guide (v1.1, 2023) for interpretation.

    Open the source

  • USA Archery, Adaptive Archery Instruction Manual (2nd ed., 2018)

    A free public resource developed with Disabled Sports USA, covering adaptive equipment and teaching adaptations, a supplement to Level 1 Instructor certification.

    Open the source

Get the adaptation quick-cards