ActuallyBought &testedby me
Sanlida Royal X8 60″ One-Piece Bow
TL;DRA beautiful, quiet one-piece bow I’d buy again. But at 45 lb it was too heavy for me as a first bow: start on a lighter takedown and make the Royal X8 your second bow.
- Gorgeous wood and finish
- Quiet, even without string silencers
- Accurate enough to hit a target at 50 yards
- Arrived without a scratch
- 45 lb was too heavy for me as a beginner
- Bundled arrows were too long and badly spined
- One piece: no swapping limbs as you get stronger
- Right-hand only, per the listing
You’ve found a gorgeous wooden one-piece bow online, and you’re wondering if it should be your first. 🤔 I bought this exact bow, the Sanlida Royal X8, in July 2024 at 45 lb, and my answer is: make it your second bow, not your first.
Start on a lighter takedown to learn your form, and the Royal X8 becomes a bow you love for years instead of one you fight for months. 😊
Sanlida Royal X8 specs: why a one-piece wood bow pulled me in
Honestly? It looked good and the price was right. It’s a 60-inch one-piece traditional bow with a laminated wood riser and maple-and-fiberglass limbs, and the wood is really nice in person.
I liked that it wasn’t a takedown, which is funny, because at the time I didn’t even know what a takedown was. A one-piece bow doesn’t come apart, so you can’t swap in heavier limbs later. That matters more than I knew.
The listing sells it from 30 to 60 lb in 5 lb steps, rated at a 28″ draw. It’s right-hand only: you hold the bow in your left hand and draw with your right.
One-piece traditional
60″
30–60 lb @ 28″
7–8″
Right only
Limited lifetime, per the listing
45 lb, since July 2024
Photo coming: The whole bow, strung, lying on a plain background
Sanlida Royal X8
Sanlida Archery 60" Royal X8 One-Piece Bow Traditional Wooden Hunting Bow Handmade Hunting Bow and Arrows Kit for Adults & Traditional Archers, RH Only (40lbs, Dark Wood)
by sanlida
Affiliate link: I may earn a commission, at no cost to you.
Key features
- 60″ one-piece bow, right-handed; this listing is 40 lb
- Sold from 30 to 60 lb at a 28″ draw, in 5 lb steps
- One piece: no limbs to swap later, so pick a weight you can draw now
- Kit: bag, 56″ Flemish string, stringer, glove, arm guard, 6 carbon arrows
Specs
- Hand
- Right
- Brand
- sanlida
- Draw weight
- 40lbs
- Color
- Black
- Weight
- 1.7 pounds
The draw weight lesson: why I’d order 40 lb or lighter
I ordered it at 45 lb with no idea what that would feel like. The first time I tried to pull it, I got maybe three shots in before I was done. I wasn’t even pulling all the way to my cheek, because I didn’t know you’re supposed to.
This is not a joke: I had to go to the gym and work out. I also bought a band that goes around a door, sold for back exercises, and trained with it, and I think it helped for sure.
I don’t regret it, but I should have gone for a 40 pounder or lighter. Start that heavy and you end up fighting the bow instead of learning form.
| Spec | My Royal X8 | What I’d start a beginner on |
|---|---|---|
| Build | One-piece, 60″ | A takedown |
| Draw weight | 45 lb (the listing offers 30–60 lb) | 40 lb, or maybe at least 35 |
| Where to buy | Online | A shop, fitted properly |
| Arrows | Bundled ones: too long, flimsy, wrong spine | Arrows matched to your bow |
I think I should’ve gone for a 40 pounder, but I don’t regret my decision.
Photo coming: You at full draw at the range
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How the Royal X8 shoots: quiet and accurate out to 50 yards
It’s quiet, and that’s without any silencers on the string. For me it’s fairly accurate at 25 yards, and I’ve even shot 50 yards out and hit my targets.
My best shot with it was at 50 yards: the arrow flew way up in the air and came down right where I wanted it. I was super excited about that.
Now that I’ve moved to Washington State, I shoot it on my backyard range, and at an indoor range when it rains or gets dark. It’s been working out really great.
The bow itself is fairly accurate at 25 yards, and I’ve even shot 50 yards out and hit my targets.
Photo coming: Close-up of the grip and arrow shelf
Build quality and bundled arrows: what held up and what didn’t
The bow itself: no complaints. The wood finish was amazing out of the box, nothing was damaged, and nothing has broken since.
Per the listing, the kit comes with a bow bag, a 56″ Flemish string, a stringer, a horse-hair arrow rest, a glove, an arm guard, rabbit-hair string dampers and 6 carbon arrows. The bow is the part worth paying for.
The arrows that came with it were terrible. They were way too long and extremely flimsy, with a terrible spine, and you could see them flying left and right in the air. I stopped using them after talking to some people on the range. Plan on buying arrows matched to your draw length and draw weight.
Setup was a little intimidating: it came completely taken apart, and I had to watch YouTube videos to figure it out. I eventually got it.
Because it’s one piece, it rides in the back seat of my car just as it is. Taking a bow apart, with all that tension releasing, is a little scary to me, so I like that I never have to. A takedown packs smaller if space matters to you.
Held up
- Finish: perfect out of the box, still is
- Nothing broken since July 2024
- Quiet with no silencers
Didn’t
- Bundled arrows: too long, flimsy, wrong spine
- First setup was intimidating (YouTube helped)
- One piece: no packing it small
After getting some real arrows, I was like, I’m never going back to those again.
Photo coming: Close-up of one limb tip with the string in the groove
// FAQ
Questions about Sanlida Royal
Quick answers about the Sanlida Royal X8 60″ One-Piece Bow.
Is the Sanlida Royal X8 good for beginners?
It’s a lovely bow, but I wouldn’t make it your first one. A lighter takedown is easier to learn on, and the Royal X8 makes a really nice second bow.
What draw weight should I get for the Royal X8?
I bought 45 lb and it was too heavy for me at first. My advice: a 40 pounder, or maybe 35, just to get technique down, and one you can hold at your cheekbone for three seconds.
Are the arrows that come with it any good?
Mine weren’t: they were way too long and flimsy, with the wrong spine, and they flew left and right. Buy arrows matched to your bow and your draw.
Is the Royal X8 a takedown bow?
No. It’s a one-piece bow, so it travels fully assembled and you can’t swap in heavier limbs later.
Is there a left-handed Royal X8?
The listing says right-hand only: bow in the left hand, string in the right. Left-handed archers need a different bow.
Does the Royal X8 have sights?
No. It’s a traditional bow, so you aim by feel and build that muscle memory, which took me by surprise coming from firearms.
Who should buy the Royal X8, and who should start lighter
I love how it looks: it’s just so sleek, and I would buy it again. But I don’t think it’s the best bow for beginners, to be quite frank.
A lower-poundage takedown is the better first bow, and the Royal X8 makes a really nice second bow once your form is in place.
A lower poundage takedown bow is probably gonna be better, but this is a really nice secondary bow.
Photo coming: You holding the bow, smiling, at the range
