The SAS Courage Recurve Bow is designed for the archer who is looking for a simple and inexpensive bow. The SAS Courage is one of the best takedown recurve bow currently available.
It is the perfect bow for beginners but intermediate and pro archers will love it as well. Being a takedown bow, it requires a little assembly when you buy it but it is also a great feature that makes it easy to transport and store. Judging from its simple make, the assembly is a piece of cake.
Although simplicity is the word that best defines the SAS Courage, it boasts of unquestionable durability, thanks to the materials used.
The Courage Takedown is one of the lightest bows in the market. A light bow is very desirable because it eliminates the chances of suffering muscle fatigue after a long period of shooting.
Another great thing about the SAS is the speed and accuracy with which it launches an arrow. Besides all these good features, the bow is made by Southland Archery Supply (SAS), a fairly new company. They have not been at it for long but they are giving the bigger companies a run for their money with outstanding products and impeccable customer care. Reviews on online retail platforms show that SAS are keen on making their customers satisfied.
Take a look at the in-depth review and make up your own mind.
Summary of The Features and Specifications
- Riser is made of hardwood
- Limbs are made of wood with fiberglass face
- Available for right-hand and left-hand orientation
- Easy to assemble (requires Allen wrench)
- Fairly silent
- Super lightweight (3 pounds)
- Riser has an ergonomic design
- Not compatible with Flemish or FastFlight strings
- No installed bushings—not eligible for accessory upgrades
- Sturdy and durable
- Rust-resistant brass screws on the riser
- Smooth finish contributes to a beautiful look
- Comes with three years manufacturer’s warranty (limited)
- Package contains a SAS Courage bow, assembly tools, arrow rest and manual
- Bow length: 60”
- Draw weight: 35-60 lbs (5 lbs increment)
- Draw length: 28”
Closer Look At The Features And Specifications
The riser of the Courage SAS is made of hardwood. The wood is solid and despite the price, it is just as durable as the more expensive brands. The limbs, on the other hand, are made of two types of wood with a fiberglass face. The fiberglass coating completes the beautiful look of the bow with a sleek matte finish. The end result of this handiwork is a gorgeous recurve bow that you can proudly show off to your friends during archery adventures.
It comes with both left-hand and right-hand risers. It is great to see manufacturers considering left-handed archers instead of making right-handed bows only for the majority. Left-handed shooters can also have a ton of fun shooting the Courage SAS. Be keen while choosing the hand orientation, though, as it can be a little confusing sometimes when making an online purchase. The right-handed riser is for archers who hold the bow with their left hand and draw the string with their right hand. The opposite goes for left-handed archers.
The Courage SAS is easy to assemble. Takedown bows can be assembled and disassembled and that is one of the reasons why people love them. The Courage comes with the necessary tools in the package and a manual. It is not a toolless bow, so do not try to assemble it without the tools or string it without a stringer tool— it is very unsafe. Assembly involves attaching the limbs to the riser and stringing the bow; that is pretty much it.
It is fairly silent. Granted, you will barely notice the noise produced by the Courage, unless you are hunting; then you might want to invest in a string silencer. Any other kind of archery can handle the noise. For a more silent bow, you will have to dish out a significant amount of money.
The Courage SAS is very light, yet ultra durable. In most cases, when something is of “high-quality” it means that it is made of heavier materials that cannot be easily destroyed. It is not common to see “super lightweight” and “ultra durable” being used to describe the same product. The Courage is both of those things—no need to sacrifice one for the other. Add to that its simple design and you have one of the best bows in its price range.
This bow does not give much room for upgrades. First, it is not compatible with Flemish and FastFlight strings. Too bad the limb tips are not reinforced to allow you the freedom to use these strings. Second, the Courage riser does not have preinstalled bushings for accessory upgrades. A professional can help you with this, but do not try to do it on your own if you do not have the skills. On the bright side, it is a takedown so the limbs can be interchanged to alter the draw weight or when they get worn out.
The Courage SAS is available in a range of draw weights. As mentioned in the introduction, this bow is ideal for shooters of all sizes and skill levels. Bigger archers with a lot of experience usually go for a higher draw weight while beginners prefer a lower one. The draw weight ranges from 35 lbs to 60 lbs in increments of 5 lbs. This is another thing you need to select carefully when buying your bow online.
The Courage archery package includes a riser, pair of limbs, bowstring, arrow rest, assembly tools and a manual. If you have been an archer for long and have all the other accessories, this package should be enough. A first-time archer might, however, have to invest in other things like a case, armguard, etc. you should not feel pressured since these are not necessities and you can do without them for a while.
Lastly, Southland Archery Supply backs the amazing Courage SAS with a three-year limited warranty. This beats the one-year warranty you get with most bows. The warranty covers repair or replacement of damaged or defective products.
Why You Should Buy The SAS Courage 60” Recurve Bow
It is inexpensive. You will not find many bows in this price range; and if you do, they probably will not be as good. Somehow, Southland Archery found a way to make a high-quality bow and still price it fairly. If you are a beginner and you just want to try your hand at archery (or maybe you are just an archer who does not have much money to spend on a bow), the Courage is one of the best budget bows you will be able to find.
It is lightweight and portable. The Courage weighs only three pounds and is a takedown. This means you can carry it anywhere. If you have a case (you can easily find one on Amazon) that is approved for airlines you can bring it along when going on vacations. The weight makes it suitable for young shooters who cannot handle heavy bows. It is also great when you are shooting for long hours. It will save you from the discomfort of fatigue.
It is available in a range of draw weights. Whether you are a beginner, an experienced archer, big or petite, you will find a bow of your ideal draw weight. All you need to do is select the draw weight, and wait for your package to arrive. Moreover, you can experiment with different draw weights by interchanging the limbs.
The Courage caters for both right-handed and left-handed shooters and the riser is ergonomically designed. Comfort is important and it has an effect on your accuracy. This bow feels right in your hand and is very fun to use.
Assembly is easy. Having a takedown bow is amazing but not when assembly and disassembly is a headache. The tools are provided together with a step by step manual. Use the Allen wrench to attach the limbs to the riser with the bolts then string your bow using a stringer. Can it get any easier? You can even do it without the manual. You will especially love it if you have to disassemble your bow for storage each time.
There is a package option that includes a case and other accessories. The first great thing about this premium package is that it is affordable—given its contents. In the package is a bow case, recurve bow, finger tab, leather armguard, bow stringer and even a paper target.
Finally, you should buy the Courage because the three-year warranty assures you of quality. Most bows (including the more expensive ones) come with a one-year warranty. Southland Archery’s readiness to offer a three-year warranty just goes to prove that you are getting a high-quality piece, worth every buck you will spend.
The Downside
The SAS Courage does not allow for upgrades. The limb tips are not reinforced which means you cannot use premium strings such as FastFlight and Flemish. In most cases, the bowstrings that come with bows are standard but not the best. Some archers prefer to have the options of upgrading the string—something that the Courage does not offer. It also does not have pre-installed bushings. These bushings allow for accessory upgrades like a sight, stabilizer, etc. If this is important to you, you can have a skilled person help you upgrade it.
You need tools for assembly. The takedown feature would be even more awesome if you could just snap in the limbs to the riser in a second without the tools and bolts. Unfortunately, that is not possible with the Courage and almost all other takedown bows. Although this is not so bad, you risk losing the bolts when traveling and if you forget the Allen wrench, you might not be able to do any shooting.
The Courage is only available in one size, 60”. The bow length affects the draw length (how far back you can pull the string) in that, a shorter bow length means a shorter draw length. A good number of archers will not have a problem with 60”. However, shooters with a longer draw length might have to look for another bow. You might want to try shooting with a 60” bow and see if you will be comfortable with the Courage.
Customer Feedback
Manufacturers say the best things about their products and mostly highlight only the outstanding features. But there are people who never lie— customers. Everyone likes to hear from other users before making a decision to get an idea of what the product is really like. This is what archers have to say about the SAS Courage.
A big percentage of customers gave this bow four-star and five-star reviews. They say that it is very easy to assemble. Newbie archers did not struggle and the manual is helpful. The Courage looks and feels nice. The simple design and matte finish make it a gorgeous piece of art. The weight is commendable. One shooter who has had a shoulder issue finds this bow great and it does not strain the shoulder like heavier bows.
The Courage shoots well. Users have talked about some vibration; it is not completely quiet. However, it is nothing annoying. In case you are hunting and want total silence, you can get a silencer.
A few users have given this bow a poor rating. Gathering from their comments, they might have received faulty packages. One did not find a bowstring in the package while others got faulty limbs. Since this only happened to a few customers, it could be an honest mistake from the manufacturer or seller.
Our verdict
The SAS Courage 60” is a fantastic bow; there is no question about that. It has a simple and beautiful design that appeals to the eye.
Although it is inexpensive, its quality matches that of the more expensive bows. Users have confirmed that it is very easy to assemble. It also shoots amazingly.
The Courage is perfect for every archer. Beginners will appreciate the price and ease of use while experienced archers will love it as a backup bow.