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In this post, we’ll go over the various bow squares you can use to set up your bow. They’re simple tools, and there’s very little variation between products (the biggest difference between models is that some are in a “T” shape, and others are in an “L” shape), but no matter what type you get, they’re integral to getting your bow in shape for accuracy and consistency.
And, if you own one, you can ensure you brace height and set up your nocks, and save yourself a trip to the bow shop.
They’re a great tool for any serious (or even semi-serious!) archer, and luckily, they’re pretty simple. You buy a good one and it can last for a long time. Here are the models I consider the best bow squares.
The Easton T Bow Square
- Attaches to string above and below the nocking point
- T-shape bow square
- Color is orange
I’m kind of an Easton man, and if I’m honest with myself, while I don’t always seek out their products, for some reason, I have a lot of them.
The Easton T Bow Square is an excellent bow square with a T shape: the clips attach securely to the bow string, the markings on the side of the square are fairly visible, and the white-numbering-on-black-background stands out and is easy to read. (Or, as easy as a bow square is easy to read, because they’re all kind of hard to read!)
If you’ll notice, too—that measurement engravings start at 4 inches of brace height, which makes it a great bow square for primitive bows or Korean bows that have a very low brace height. The Saunders model (which I discuss below) has a measurement that starts at 6 inches, so that wouldn’t be a good option for a primitive bow or a Korean bow.
The most similar bow square to the Easton T, and the one that most other people buy, is…
The Saunders Forked Horn Square
- Positions nock sets accurately;5/16" rod;Marked gauge swings away
There’s one advantage the Saunders Forked Horn Square has above the Easton, and that is the decision to make the brace height measurement arm rounded, just as an arrow would be. That’s a surprisingly common sense feature that almost all other bow squares—at least as far as I’ve seen—overlook. If you’re going to measure brace height from the distance from the pivot point to the string, why not do it with something shaped like an arrow??
The square has a very firm attachment to the bow string that won’t shift, so you should be able to reliably attach nocks without the piece shifting up or down the string. It’s plastic (not metal, like most other bow squares), so you might need to be a little more gentle with it, but with a little TLC you can own this puppy for a while and never need to replace it.
If you’re not down with the T-shaped bow square, you can always check out an L-shaped bow square, such as the…
Carbon Express Pro Bow Square
- Full Length: 12 inch ruler
- Includes metal clips for secure placement
- Works on recurve and compound bows
The Carbon Express Pro Bow Square is another good option, especially if you don’t like the T-shaped bow squares (it doesn’t really matter either way—they both measure the same thing—but some people like one over the other).
This is bright red with black markings, so if you don’t have 20/20 vision, this could be a good option. I’ve always thought they should package these with miniature magnifying glasses, but that’s neither here nor there.
The only thing to be careful about with this model is that it’s a little bit delicate—it’s made of a soft aluminum, so don’t wrangle it up or store it with other tools that might get knocked around, because it could bend, and lose its functionality.
All in all, though, a very good product—among the best bow squares I’ve used, especially for an L-shaped square.
One More Square…
- Attaches to string below nocking point
- L-shape bow square
- Color is Black
There’s one last bow square I’ll throw into the mix: Easton also offers an L-Shaped Bow Square that I’ve never used (I prefer T-shaped bow squares that click to the bow string above the nock and below it), but I’d certainly give it a whirl. As I said above, I have a lot of faith in Easton, and they make great products.
I’ve got one other suggestion:
The Best Bow Tuning Kit
- Includes folding bow square
- Nocking pliers with comfortable handle grips
- 3 nocking points
If you’re new to archery and you’re trying to put together a bow, the Allen Bow Tuning Kit is a good option. It’s usually packaged with a folding bow square, a pair of nocking pliers, and three nocks for your bow string. It’s not a deluxe package, but it’s a good solid purchase for a new archer, and it’s got everything you need to string your first recurve bow.
That’s It! Those are the Squares
This is a shorter post, but that’s OK–there’s a lot about archery that’s very confusing, but bow squares are pretty straight-forward, so we can make this post short and sweet.
I’ve used each of the squares above, and I’ve also purchased the Allen bow tuning kit, and any one of those products should be a good addition to your archery treasure chest. They’re very simple tools—nothing flashy, no super-deluxe version—but they’re absolutely imperative if you want to do your own bow set-up and maintenance.
If you have any questions, please leave them below, and thanks for stopping by!
