What Are Single Cam vs Dual Cam Bows?

Bow and arrow use has really evolved throughout the centuries. Being one of the primary weapons in war before, it has been relegated long ago to uses involving leisurely hunting and archery after the development of more lethal weapons such as rifles and guns.

Nowadays, there are many enthusiasts who prefer bow hunting over rifle hunting, considering the fact that bow hunting is more primitive and more exciting than rifle hunting. To some enthusiasts, it gives them a sense of primal power that they can never really get out of the use of a rifle as a weapon of hunting.

There are many forms of bows; however, if you are a bow hunting enthusiast, you are definitely cognizant of the two primary choices when it comes to bows, and these two choices are single cam vs dual cam bows.

The mechanics of how a bow works is not a complicated system. In most forms of bows, the essential mount of the bow contains the sights, quivers, stabilizers, and limbs. This mount is commonly called risers.

The limb is either mounted with a cam or a wheel, and the cam usually differs in design from one form of bow to another. The cam can be used to store energy to propel the arrow, and this process of storing energy on the cam is called bow eccentrics. There are different types of bow eccentrics and the two popular types of bow eccentrics are those of the single cam and the dual cam.

There are always questions as to which is better to use between single cam and dual cam bows. Although the argument is not that important, the answers, however, to the abovementioned questions lie in the understanding of the disparities between the single cam and the dual cam bows.

Single Cam Bows

Single cam bows have single cam or wheel on their limbs. This single cam is located at one of the limbs of the bow. The mechanism as to how the single cam works is similar to the way a dual cam bow works. However, here are some of the pros and cons regarding the use of the single cam over the dual cam.

Advantages of using the single cam:

• It doesn’t easily go out of tune: You need not worry about more often of any change in the flight of your arrow; hence, your arrow will not go astray. This also means that it is easier to keep in tune.
• The single cam bow is quieter than that of the dual cam: This means that if you are going to engage in bow hunting, you got a better chance of not disturbing or alerting your target after you have let go of your arrow. This also means that you got a better chance of hitting your target after unleashing the arrow.
• It is more precise: Since the single cam bow doesn’t easily go out of tune, you can definitely expect that you can have a more precise aim at your target than that of the dual cam.

Disadvantages of Single Cam Bows:

• Single cams bows are a bit slower than those of dual cam bows: This means that if you want a more aggressive draw, you will surely find it more effortful than using a dual cam bow.

Dual Cam Bows

It is tempting to say that the dual cam bows have plenty of advantages over single cam bows. Dual cam bows definitely continue to improve making it almost maintenance free. Moreover, it is almost the same as the single cam bows. Since the evolution of the hybrid and binary cams, the seeming disadvantages of dual cam have been greatly diminished.

• Advantages of Dual Cam bows: It is very fast: Since it has a level nock travel, it can give your arrow a smooth straight and level flight. Since there are two cams that work together to provide energy to your draw, you can surely create a stronger draw that provides a faster flight for your arrow.
• Low Maintenance: The hybrid and binary cam systems almost eliminate the maintenance required for the dual cam bow
• Shorter Strings Required: Since you are using two cams, you need less stretch and untwist. This means that you will definitely have a peep sight that is definitely more anchored.

Disadvantages of Dual Cam:

• Noisier than single cam: This means that the let off is less smooth than that of the single cam. It likewise produces more sound than that of the single cam.

Conclusion about single cam vs dual cam bows:

The single cam vs dual cam debate has been widely discussed by bow hunters all throughout the world. Some bowhunters prefer the single cam over the dual cam, while others prefer the dual cam over the single cam. Yet, in the last analysis, these two types of bows are almost equal in appeal and versatility. There may be disparities between the two but everything boils down to the archer’s preference.