Hoyt vs. Mathews 2026: I Tested All 4 Aluminum Bows

Hoyt vs Matthews is the argument that never dies, but it gets a lot more useful when you stop talking brand loyalty and start talking outcomes. We took four of the most talked-about 2026 aluminum compound bows and compared them the way most archers actually care about: how they tune, how they feel, how they aim, and what kind of real speed and accuracy you can expect with a practical hunting arrow. The matchups are simple and honest: Hoyt AX329 vs Matthews ARC 30 on the short platforms, and Hoyt AX333 vs Matthews ARC 34 on the longer platforms. 

We get into the details that change your day in the woods and on the range, including draw cycle, valley forgiveness, back wall feel, and factory grip behavior. We also dig into why the ARC series feels so shockingly light for aluminum, why the AX3 series can feel planted on target, and how let-off and valley shape can either help you hold longer at full draw or force cleaner shot discipline. If you’ve been trying to decide between a whitetail tree-stand bow and a longer “do everything” build for hunting, 3D archery, and TAC-style shoots, the short ATA vs long ATA discussion is the part you don’t want to miss. 

On the tech side, we compare Hoyt’s XTS tuning system (micro-adjustments with shim-based macro tuning) against Matthews Limb Shift (press-free left-right tuning). We also talk accessory integration, including Matthews Bridge-Lock stabilizers and sight mounting, plus what to watch for with low-profile quivers and rest clearance. Then we share our chronograph results and 30-yard grouping impressions so you can separate “fast on paper” from “easy to shoot” and “steady to aim.” 

If you’re shopping for a 2026 hunting bow, listen through, then go shoot both at a local pro shop and decide based on your hands, your draw length, and your terrain. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a buddy stuck in the Hoyt vs Matthews loop, and leave a review with what you’re shooting this year and why.

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Transcript

Hoyt Vs Matthews Debate Returns

Zakk Plocica 0:00

Hoyt vs. Matthews, uh, probably the biggest debate in archery every single year. And I just don't think 2026 is any different. Right? This year, Hoyt has the AX3 series. When we're talking aluminum bows specifically, they have the AX3 series, they've got a short bow and a longer bow, and then you've got the Matthews Arc series, a short bow and a longer bow. And I've tested all four of these bows. I've kind of put them head to head, compared them, and spent some time behind them. And uh there's some clear takeaways from them, and they're just different shooting experiences. And I kind of wanted to go through and break it down for you guys today. So that's what we're covering on the archery project, Hoyt vs. Matthews for 2026, some of the results that I've got from them. So welcome back, guys. Appreciate you guys following along. I'm your host, Zach Placea. Some of you guys know I have a company called Extreme Outfitters, one of the fastest growing archery shops and suppliers in the country. We serve archers across the nation. So if you need anything archery related, hit the website extremeoutfitters.com, use the code Archery Project and save you some money. But getting into this, right? I do a series called Bow Wars on Extreme Outfitters YouTube channel. And what this series is, is I take and I compare bows, I put them head to head and see how they compare. And the goal is not to determine a winner, right? Because I think now, 2026, 2025, 2024, all the bows that are on the market are fantastic bows. But they all are different. They all offer something unique, they all offer something that is going to fit some people better than others based off goals, um, stature, build, specs, all of that. So different things to see. And that's the whole purpose of the Bow War series, not to determine who's best, which one is better, which one I like best, but just to provide you guys with some data that I see based off our testing. Right? I try to do it as unbiased as possible. Obviously, there's going to be some biases because I'm doing it for me, but the goal is just to provide good information for you guys. So that's what the Bow Wars series is. If you're interested in any of them, I've got a lot of different. They drop every Sunday, I think for the most part at 4 p.m. And it's just head-to-head tests of all the different bows. And that's why you'll know if you've ever been to my shop, Extreme Outfitters, why we carry all of the brands, because I'm a believer in all of the brands, and that each brand is it. The brand offers something for somebody. So we're not a one-trick pony shop. We offer, we carry all of the brands. I'm not a fanboy of just one particular brand. I think everybody makes awesome products from accessories to the Bows themselves, from mid-price point to flagship,

What Bow Wars Tries To Prove

Zakk Plocica 2:30

entry level. They all have something unique. So that's kind of what I do with the Bow Series. I compare all of them, not just flagships, but even some of your mid-price point stuff as well. Um, getting into this, Hoyt vs. Matthews, right? I think like those are two of our top manufacturers, one and two, and they are every single year. Like there's no denying that. And you know, the ARC series has accounted for a massive amount of bow sales this year. Like the ARC has been incredibly popular. And we know Mike Matthews guys like bleed for it. Like it's a cult following. And I think Matthews has done a fantastic job with what they do in building that. And they have every right to have that because they've just built a very good product every year. And they're very innovative and they do just a fantastic job from the lifestyle that they portray to the customer service to the products they present. They just absolutely crush it. They make phenomenal products. So that's kind of why I get the Matthews guys who just follow it. And I mean, that's the customer you want, right? Customer for life that just believes in you and is willing to go to war for you. And Matthews has that. Hoyt has done a fantastic job this year, especially. I think we've just seen an uptick in Hoyt sales. Um, and if you know Hoyt, Hoyt is built on durability, reliability, and they've got a new tuning technology that they came out with this year that I think is absolutely fantastic. And um, when we would talk about a bow that is just built for the hunt, like Hoit bow is it. Like it's incredibly durable. Like, if you look back to some of the videos we did, I took a um, it's actually on the other side over there. I think it's an RX8, and we ran it over with my 3500 dually, and then we put a sight back on it and we shot it, and it shot fantastically. Like Hoits are built for it, man. If you want reliability, like that bow is built for it, especially their carving bows. You I wouldn't encourage you to do it, but we ran it over with a truck, it's still shot, it's sitting there still in one piece. It's got some cracks in it, but it still bangs. It's it's incredible. Hoyt is just an incredibly well-built machine, and they do just a very good job with uh the designs and the shootability of their bows in particular. And I'll tell you, the aluminum bows, um, as far as like accuracy goes, they absolutely pound.

How The Four Bows Were Tested

Zakk Plocica 4:50

So I I tested the two different platforms beside each other, right? So I tested the short bows, the AX329 versus the ARC30, which, you know, in my opinion, for the white tail guys, they they're that's a perfect comparison. It's those are white tail guys dream bows, right there. Those ATA lanes, absolutely fantastic. And then I tested the longer ATA bows, the AX333 versus the ARC34, which is gonna be more for your long draw guys or the guys that want a bow that just does everything. A hybrid build, whether they're gonna hunt with it, east coast, west coast, they're gonna take it to tack, they're gonna shoot 3D. We tested both of those side by side. And I set these bows up specifically for me, right? Because that makes the most sense. I'm not gonna shoot it at 30 or 30 inches because I don't have 30-inch draw length. So I set them up for me, 28 and a half inches. Um, same rest on all of these, same sights on all of these, no stabilizers, more of a bare bow style feel. Obviously, we have to have a sight and an arrow rest for me to shoot it accurately, accurately out the distance, but there's no stabilizers on them. There were no quivers on them, none of that. Just kind of more that bare bow feel. And I used a 402-ish grain arrow out of them. So I chronographed them. Uh, we put them on the hand scale, and then I did some accuracy testing out to 30 yards, right? How consistent was the grouping at 30 yards between these different bows that we kind of put against each other? So that's everything that entails kind of in this. We got a feel, valley, grip, all of that. I've compared all of that.

Short Bow Specs That Matter

Zakk Plocica 6:20

So when we look at the bows and we look at the specs on paper for these four different bows, we're starting with the short platforms, right? The short platforms I think are fantastic. Like that ATA length, that 29 and a half, 30 inch for like an eight for an ATA axle axle for the white tail guy, the the the tree stand hunter out of a saddle, out of a blind bows, those shorter um ATAs are just absolutely phenomenal. And I think they really nailed the mark with those ATA lengths. They're not too short and they're not too long, and they fit a wide range of draw lengths. But starting with the Matthews Arc 30, it's a 30-inch ATA platform, right? It's got a six-inch brace height. You've got draw lengths from 25 to 30 and a half inches. The thing that's so impressive about the Matthews aluminum bows is the weight. The Arc 30 is 3.99 pounds. It's a sub-four-pound aluminum compound bow. One of the lightest, it's the lightest. It's got to be the lightest aluminum bow on the market and lighter than some of your other carbon bows, magnite materials, anything in an aluminum package, incredibly lightweight. Matthews aluminum bows, it's incredible where how they've been able to shave weight and the bows still shoot as well as it does. Now, the Hoyt AX329, it's a 29 and a half inch ATA platform. You've got a 6 38 of an inch brace height, speeds up to 340 feet per second, uh, and then draw lengths 25 to 30 inches. And the bow comes in right at 4.4 pounds bare. So still a light bow. Um, just uh it is a touch heavier than the Matthews. And I didn't, I don't think I said the rating for the Arc 30. The the Arc 30 speeds up to 348 feet per second. So the Matthews Arc series, we know has been a little bit faster of bows this year. Like the speeds that they've been putting out are just they're smoking fast. Now moving on to the longer platforms. We have the

Long Bow Specs And Weight Tradeoffs

Zakk Plocica 8:10

Hoyt AX333, which is their 33-inch ATA platform, the longer aluminum bow option. It's got a six and three-eighths of an inch brace height. Again, same speed as the the um the 29, 340 feet per second. Draw lengths from 26 to 31 inches. Overall weight on this bow, bear is right at 4.75 pounds. With the sight and everything on it, I measured it at 5.6 pounds. So a little bit heavier, not heavy, uh, but I'll be honest, I think that's why the bows hold on target so well. The way the weight's distributed on Hoitbow is phenomenal. Matthews Arc 34, it's a 34-inch ATA, so it's a little bit on the longer side. It's one of the longer aluminum bows in the lineup. Uh six and a half inch brace height, so a little bit longer brace height, too, which is gonna make the bow a little bit more forgiving. You know, we know when we talk about static brace height, that little bit longer brace height does make a bow a little bit easier to shoot for people. Speeds, still fast, 343 feet per second. Draw lengths from 26.5 to 32 inches. So the Arc 34 series does go to a little bit longer draw length options, but Hoyt does have a short draw. Pull it up, make sure I'm telling you right. They have a in their aluminum lineup, they have a short draw and a long draw option. So you do have the ability to go to a 33-inch draw length on the long draw option. So they've covered everything there. So both bows really offer a lot to fit virtually anybody in their aluminum lineup series. Um, and again, I think one of the big things talking about with Matthews is just the weight shaving. It's it's incredible. Um I think the arc is, let me look at it. Matthews Arc. 4.3. Yeah, it's almost a half pound lighter than the AX333, and you know, the R30 being under four pounds, absolutely mind-blowing. So you really want lightweight. Matthews has done a really good job with it. Now, here's something that I

XTS Vs Limb Shift Tuning

Zakk Plocica 10:05

think both boats have done exceptionally well. And we're talking about the tuning side of things. So Hoyt introduced the XTS tuning system this year. So that is for the micro tuning side of things. You still have to account for the macro tuning, right? Macro tuning is going to still require you to shim the Hoyt bow. It's not bad. You get the best of both worlds. We know when we put a shim in there, it's not going anywhere. It's set, it's fixed, it's not gonna move. So when you go to set up the Hoit bows, you still have to get rid of if it your inches, if your tear is over an inch, you need to shim the bow. And then from there, that's where you utilize the XTS tuning system to adjust for those micro tuning that you need to do, whether it's bear shaft, it's just paper tuning, it's broadhead tuning. You can do it all within that XTS tuning system. So, and the thing about that made the XTS tuning system, I think, shine some light on to me, just how effective and efficient it is is the 2026 Aero Ballistic Setting. You guys hear me reference this all the time and all of them. I'm just such a fan of the work that James Yates and Easton and everybody did. Is they use the AX333 specifically for that testing because of the XTS tuning system. It let them retune that bow for every single arrow configuration, which was retune it hundreds of times, effectively and efficiently. So the XTS tuning system clearly works. It's very fast, it's very efficient. It made tuning the bows for that ballistic study very simple. And obviously, if you're shooting hundreds of arrows and you got to retune that often that much, which they did for every FOC change, every arrow change, everything, they had to retune these bows. The XTS system clearly worked well. And the thing you know about Hoyt is when we talk about the durability side, the XTS system would not be introduced into the product. It would have not come to um production if it didn't withstand their 1500 dry fire test. So that's one of the things about Hoyt is the durability side. Everything that comes to production or to market has got to withstand the actual durability testing that they put them through, which is critical for Hoyt. They're not going to sacrifice anything to bring it to production if it doesn't stand up or hold up to their standard. They've set a standard, they're not going to deviate from it, they're going to stay above that standard, which uh to me is is impressive that they've been able to do this and still have a bow that's as durable as it is with all the features that it's offer. So kudos to them on that. Um, like I said, durability, 1500 dry fire testing before coming to market, absolutely impressive. Hoyt crushes it when we talk about the durability side of things. There's not a more durable bow on the market. Like there's there's just not. And then we've got the HBX Gen 4 cam on the Hoyt bows, right? The thing I like about this cam is just how smooth the cam really is and just how efficient it is. It's it provides a great draw cycle, I think personally. But the big story with it is the quarter-inch draw length adjustments. That was to me something that I think the more I've shot, the more I shoot, the more draw length really matters. And obviously, we can manipulate draw length in different ways, right? But when you can just quarter length uh adjustments within the actual draw mod itself, it's it's nice. You can really fine-tune the fit and feel to you. And then again, even at the higher pound, just the HBX Gen 4 cam is incredibly smooth. Now they have the AX90. To me, it's it's stout. I mean, it's they're stiff and then they're smooth. It's still smooth, but it is stiff. So HB the AX90, when you go from like an 80-pound bow to 90, it's not even a joke. Like it's night and day different. So Hoyt's done a really good job with their tuning tech and some of the features that they've got integrated into the system. Now, Matthews, limbshift technology. Full tuning, no press required, right? You got to shim the bow with um in Hoyt with the Hoyt bows. You've got to take and press it, push the shims in. What it is what it is. It's a little labor-intensive. It does require you to bust the axles out, but it works. Matthews does not require a press, right? You can do all of the tuning within that bow with the limbshift technology using an Allen key. It's very, very nice. And it's so far, everything we've seen, it works extremely well and it is extremely fast. Been reliable. People have questions it. What's the durability like with it? We have not seen anything fail with them yet. No limb issues, none of it. So the Matthews limbshift technology is awesome, in my opinion, as well. Both great tuning systems, but the Matthews limb shift technology is just so easy. Like we see a massive um shift in the tuning tech for all these bows, right? A lot of it is allowing people to do these, you know, tune these bows without a press. So you, if you don't have all of that, you can do it at your house, you know, easily. You have a sheet of paper, build your paper tuner, shoot it through there. And as long as you've got everything set up, you can do a lot of the tuning without having to do use a press or a drawboard. Obviously, you can't time it, but like left and right tears with this XTS tuning system or this limp shift technology makes it easy. So at-home tuning with all these new bows is absolutely a real reality for um most people. And it's a big deal for the average guy. I mean, let's be real, not everybody needs to tune their own bows. That's why shops are so important, right? Especially if you've got a good shop, you can take it to it. Because if you don't do it a lot, you can still screw it up. But guys that spend all the time building their own bows, assembling their bows, tuning their own bows, it does make it nice to where you don't got to stop what you're doing every time, put it in a press, change out a shim system, start all over again. You know, you just you adjust an Allen key or with the XTS tuning system, adjust an Allen key. It's it's super awesome. I love it. It makes, especially as like if you own a shop or you work on bows, the output is so much greater and so much more efficient for us, for the guys behind the counter, because you can tune the bows much more efficiently by okay, we got a tear, let's account for it right here. Twist an Allen key, good to go.

Bridge-Lock Accessories And Mod Choices

Zakk Plocica 16:07

Now, Matthews, I think where Matthews really shines is their bridge lock system. It's like an ecosystem when we talk about accessories for Matthews, right? They have got to have the best accessory integrations in the game, right? From their sights that integrate directly into the riser to their stabilizers that integrate directly into the riser, their low profile quivers, like everything is so streamlined and adjustable. It's such a low profile look and feel. And then we talk about just how lightweight the bows already are. It's they've done a killer job with their bridge lock system. The cool thing about the bridge lock stabilizers is the ability to integrate them into the riser. So if you buy a 15-inch bar, you can move that bar in or out. And you know, you don't have to use the full 15 inches um extended. You can suck it up into the riser. You can move it out, you can move it exactly where it is to change the way that bow balances and holds for you. So it's a really great system with a lot of customization and adjustability in it for you and your style of shooting. I absolutely love it. I'm a fan of it, but it's a premium. So you got to keep that in mind. But I noticed a lot of our Matthews guys don't have a problem spending money on that. And I don't blame them, man. It's a killer system, especially once you spend time with it and get it set up. You know, one thing to note though, with their low profile quivers is you need to make sure that your arrow rest integrates into the riser so that it works with your bow. Because if it doesn't, if it's a side-mounted um arrow rest, you can run into some clearance issues. So just keep that in mind if you're parting your bow out. Uh, the other thing I'm a big fan of with the Matthews bows is their mod system, right? Kind of a pain for a shop. We have hundreds, thousands of mods for these things, right? Because every mod changes the draw length and the draw weight, but it's also awesome because whenever we get these bows in, we get one bow and we can change the draw length and the draw weight with the change of a mod. So the switchweight mod technology is fantastic. Now, one thing to note this year, they have an SWX mod, which is their standard mod, and then they have an SWXZ mod. So it's almost like a speed performance mod versus a smoother, more comfort style mod. The SWX mod is gonna provide the most performance out of the boat. We talk about the most speed, but with that, there is a little bit stiffer of a draw cycle, a little bit shorter of a valley with it. With the XWX Z mod, I think this has been the mod of the year for Matthews. We've seen most people go into the Z mod because the draw cycle's smoother, the valley's a little bit more forgiving, and you only lose four to six feet per second, which in the big scheme of things, Matthews is probably some of the fastest bows on the market within their direct competitors. And when you go to the SWX Z mod, you're just in line with all the other speeds of the other bows. So you don't really lose a lot. And you can shoot a higher poundage more uh more comfortably, I think, with the SWX Z mod. So if you haven't had a chance to shoot them side by side, comparing SWX and SWSWX Z, more performance with the SWX, smoother, more forgiving draw cycle and valley with the SWX Z, but you do lose a little bit of speed. Okay, we've got that out of the way.

Draw Cycle And Valley Differences

Zakk Plocica 19:15

Now we're getting into the actual feel of the bow, right? We'll talk about we talk about the draw cycle, the valley, the back wall, the grip, the post shot feel. These are all um not deal breakers, but they're critical thing, critical things to assess whenever you are testing bows, right? Because everybody has a different feel that they're trying to achieve or that they're after. And some people like one way, some people like another. Like, for example, draw cycle or valley or the way the bow holds or the post shot feel. I mean, everyone's kind of got their opinions. This is kind of what I got out of the bows whenever I shot all of them, right? So starting with the Matthews, the Matthews draw cycle is incredibly smooth. I'm not saying it's not stiff, it is a little bit stiffer, but it is incredibly smooth from the beginning to the end, right? It is a consistent bell curve, it does not build and dump like some bows do, especially when we talk about the SWX mod. It doesn't build up and then drop off into uh the back half of the draw cycle. It doesn't do that at all. It is so smooth and it just consistent and then you hit the back wall, right? And I think that's where some of the speed comes from because it is a little bit stiffer than some of the other bows, it's still very manageable. Um but it's it's smooth. That's the thing I like about it. It doesn't go, it doesn't stack, it doesn't start super heavy at front and it stack and drop off. Like that's to me, I don't enjoy that. Some people do, but I don't. I love how it gradually builds, right? And I think the um the arc 34 builds a little bit more than the arc 30 for whatever reason, based off how it felt to me. But it was a very good consistent draw cycle, like stiff but consistent. Now the Hoyt draw cycle I think is a good bit smoother. Like it's just feels a little bit easier to draw than the Matthews bow. The HBX Gen 4 cam just does a really good job of making a draw cycle incredibly easy to just to draw, just very smooth. Um the HBX Gen 4 cam, I think, is is is just fantastic. So there is a difference in draw cycle, I think, on the two bows. Hoyt bow is smoother, it's a little bit easier, I think. Matthews is a little bit more consistent, but it is a little bit stiffer. Now, after the draw cycle, obviously we get into the valley. This is, I think, where the real difference was between these bows, like really noticeable. So the Hoyt Valley is incredibly forgiving, right? It's almost too forgiving to it to an extent, but it's not. It's not too forgiving, but it's almost there, right? You can relax a little bit more on the Hoyt bow than you can the Matthews, right? Which I think as a bow hunter, right, if you're in those scenarios, for a lot of people, being able to hold the bow longer, hold less weight on the draw, the the back half of the draw cycle, right? And we're talking about at 85% on both of these bows. So obviously we can change the let-off options. We can go to 80% on the Matthews. We could go to, I think, 75%, 80% or 85% on the Hoyt. These bows were all shot at 85%. The Hoyt was just a much more forgiving valley than the actual Matthews was. And like I said, you can just relax a little bit more. It's easier to stay at full draw longer because you hold a little bit less weight, even though they're both at 85%. Now, the Matthews, on the other hand, the valley on it is just very, very short. It's much less forgiving. It's very shallow. Uh, and if you do relax on the Matthews bow, the bow will run away from you. Like you cannot relax on this bow, which is not a bad thing, right? For a lot of people, including myself, the more I have to stay in that and I don't relax, the more I'm in that shot, right? Which I think actually makes you a little bit better shooter. If you talk about any of your target archery guys or any guys that are really good, proficient at shooting, they hold a little bit more weight on the back half. The valley is a little bit less forgiving, so that they stay in that shot, they keep that tension on there, they don't relax, um, and they just have a better shot. So, not bad. There's pros and cons to each, and it really comes down to the individual and what is best for you. But there is a big difference in the valley and the feel of the valley. Like I said, Matthews, much less forgiving. You need to um a warning for you with the Matthews bow is if whenever you draw this bow, like sometimes you want to rip back through that bow, if you hit that back wall, it's very easy to hit it and bounce off of it and run forward with it. So you need to draw that bow with some control. Same thing with Hoy. You should just always draw a bow with control. But if you're not careful with the Matthews, you go to get into it and you run into that back wall, it's very easy to run into it, relax a little bit, and bounce and slingshot you forward, which isn't a good look. You know, I did it, I did it in some of our videos. So don't worry, it's out there. It happens. But also, too, with the that little bit shorter valley on the Matthews, you need to make sure you are holding on to your release because we've had we've seen it, and it's happened on all bows, but we've seen it some on the Matthews bow because it's a little bit more aggressive feeling, and a little bit less forgiving valley. That release gets hits, ripped out of your hand if you're not careful. It'll slingshot it to the rise or destroy your cable guard, your arrow rest. You just need to be conscious of what you're doing, essentially is what I'm saying. It's none of this is bad, it's just shooter-induced errors, people that aren't paying attention to what they're doing. So these are just things to be mindful of. So Hoitbow just feels a little bit more forgiving with draw cycle and valley. Matthews, a little stiffer, a little more aggressive, a little shorter, less forgiving Valley. Mindful of it. Now, like I said, both of these bows were shot at 85%. Both bows had 85% mods installed, 85% SWX mod on the Matthews Arc series. The draw mod for the Hoyt bow was set at 85%. So consistently, it seemed like the Matthews measured a little bit below 85%. So like 82, 83, 84% um let off. So it seemed like in in particular, the Arc 30, you were just constantly holding more weight. And yes, the bows were in time, everything was in tune, the bows were set up as they should be. And obviously, there can be deviations within the hand scale, right? So there could be a little bit of error on the hand scale, but compared to all of them across all of these different bows, it seemed like the let off was a little bit lower, even at 85% with the Matthews bows, right? It was consistently below that 85%. It was 82, 84-ish percent. So it's you were holding it what seemed like a little bit more weight on the back half. Again, not bad. Everyone's different in what they like. Now the Hoyt, in particular, the AX329, constantly had more let off. And it was measured like I was getting it between like 87 and 89% and um consistently across the HOI bow. So it seemed like a little bit more. And you know, I it it I was like, maybe there's something wrong with my handscale. And I tested it over and over again. I made sure the bows were in in time, and everything was good. It just seemed like there was a little bit more let off, even at the acclaimed 85% for the HOI bows. Again, not bad. You have the ability to adjust the let off with the number, which can change the holding weight. So it's an easy fix, but just saying what I saw on the hand scale versus what would the percentage was set on the mod, it seemed like it was a little bit greater than 85%. So that might explain why the valley on the HOI bow felt so much more forgiving because you're holding a little bit less weight, right? You could relax a little bit more, and why the valley on the Matthews just seems so short, right? To where you just couldn't relax. So that's the data from the hand scale. That's not me making it up based off feel. That's just what the hand scale told me. So that's what I'm telling you guys. So don't shoot the messenger, my friends. Um, but obviously all that is manipulable, uh, or you can manipulate all that. I'm manipulable, I don't know if that's the right word. You can manipulate that based off the the timing of the bow, the mod that you decide to use, and uh how you set it up. So things that can be changed. This is just from me putting in the factory mod, making sure the bow is in time, the cams roll over in sync at 85%. That's what the numbers were giving me. So, which explains a little bit shorter valley, the little bit less forgiving valley on the Matthews, and a little bit more forgiving bow or valley on the Hoyt. Now, the back wall on both of these bows, phenomenal, rock solid on all four bows, zero sponge on these things. And I like that. I like that little bit more of a solid back wall, right? I don't like really any sponge. I like to be able to get into it and pull into it and it just not give. And it feels like the Hoyt and the Matthews are pretty equivalent in that. They both just have a very solid feel. Once you get locked in at full draw, the back wall on both the bows, I think, is fantastic on them. Um, I have zero complaints on either of them as far as the back wall feel of them.

Grip Feel And Torque Control

Zakk Plocica 28:20

Now, I think here's one thing that a lot of people I think would uh that I see whenever I read or watch or kind of observe is the difference in the grips. Uh, I've always liked a Hoit grip, and I think the Hoyt grips that are on the AX3 series is absolutely fantastic. It's tacky, it's repeatable, it just feels good in the hand. It doesn't roll at all in my hand. Um, I think it's one of the best factory grips on the market. I think Hoyt absolutely crushes it with their grips. It just feels good. Matthews, on the other hand, I think from what I've seen, it's it's kind of across the board. It's one of the less liked grips for most people. It just kind of feels like it rolls or twists in your hand. But guess what? They've got a solution for it. There's a lot of different options for you. So the cool thing about Matthews is like I said, the customization that you get with the bows is is great. Um, you've got a contour grip, a taper grip, an engage uh grip, and then you've got the ultra view B reel grip, which is flatter, more squared off. So you can fix that. But from the factory with the engage grip, it seems like it's a little less liked for most people. And I'm not saying I dislike it, but um, it's not my favorite grip. It's not bad, but it just feels like it wants to roll a little bit more in my hand. I just have to be more conscious of um, and you'll notice I get questions all the time, why do I look up at the the cam, the top cam? It's just to make sure my string is tracking in line with the cam and I'm not inducing any hand torque. I do that on all the bows that I test just to see if I'm inducing any hand torque. It's a great way to check it, is by looking up at the cam, make sure the string is tracking within the cam and seeing if I've induced any hand torque. And it seems like the Matthews bow, it's a little bit easier to, it's not bad, but it's just a different feel. It feels like it kind of wants to roll in my hand a little bit. So grips, I think the Hoyt um grip is fantastic. And Matthews, you have a lot of options to fix the grip to accommodate whatever you like.

Real Chronograph Speed Numbers

Zakk Plocica 30:14

Now, the speed testing side of things, right? The chronograph results for all of these bows. You know, starting with the short bows, both of these bows, when I put them on the scale, they were both between 67 and 68 pounds. So I shot the Arc 30 with the SWX mod, right? So they're more of their standard, the the bow, the mod that's going to give you the most performance. I had a three-shot average of 302.8 feet per second. There was a little bit of a fluke there. We had one that was a little bit faster. So I think realistically, like if we were to do a five-shot group, this was based off a three-shot arrow average. You're you're looking at 299 to 300 feet per second is standard. 28 and a half inches, 68-ish pounds, 400 grain arrow. Um, this bow is absolutely smoking fast. A consistent 300 feet per second, I think, is realistically what you're going to expect with that particular setup. Now, if you go with the SWXZ mod, you're going to lose about five to six feet per second, still smoking fast. Now, the AX329, I had an average three shot group of 294.2 feet per second, but again, I had one that just registered faster than the others. Um, so realistically, you're about 291 to 292 feet per second. So there's a almost a 10 foot per second difference between the AX329 and the ARC 30 with the standard mod. So when you go to the SWXZ mod, I still think you're going to be a little bit faster than the AX29, um, but much closer to that 291, 292 feet per second from the AX29 with the SWXZ mod. So kind of something to consider. Uh both bows, I think, are putting up fantastic speeds. I mean, that's there's no denying there. Yes, the ARC30, though, the ARC series in general just seems to be faster, especially on the short bows. Like it's the speeds are just phenomenal. Um, but the speeds on majority of all the bows now are really good, but the arc really leads when we talk about speed, especially in that arc 30. So now on to the longer ATA bows, right? The a the AX333, um, we had an average of like right around 294, 295 feet per second of speed, which I again it's in line with the AX29, which is impressive. Your short bows are typically a good bit faster. Uh AX29, AX33 are pretty much on par with each other at that 29 um 4 feet per second. Though the long bow is actually a little bit faster than the AX329 for whatever reason. Same IBOs, but the the poundage was about one pound heavier. Maybe that's what changed that. I don't know, but they're very close. So that the AX333 averaged right around 294, not 295 feet per second. So again, very, very good. Great speeds at 28 and a half inches with that 400 grain arrow. Now the ARC34 with the standard SWX mod, it averaged um again 294.7 feet per second. So it's dead even between the AX333 and the ARC34 with the standard mod. They were on par with each other, very consistent. Uh, and all three shots for each of those was consistent. So those are rough numbers that you're looking at. All the bows are putting up such good speeds, man. Now, like I said, I think the ARC30, though, there is that speed outlier in the group. Um, it's just the SWX mod on that arc 30 just pounds, man. It puts up incredible speeds. Uh, and but if you do, when we talk about the draw cycle and stuff, because the art, the arc series, the Matthews Bows are a little bit stiffer, we've seen a lot of people gravitate towards that SWX Z mod, which just makes the draw cycle that much better, in my opinion, and the valley feel better. It's not quite as short, it's much more forgiving going to that SWXZ mod. And I think that's why there's so many people that have gravitated towards it. Um, and then it still keeps your speeds right in line with all the other bows. So, you know, the SWXZ mod, I mean, to me, that's a no-brainer for me personally. Now, if you're somebody that wants the most performance, you want the most speed out of the bow, go with the SWX mod, man. Um, it's not unmanageable, it is just a touch stiffer with a little less forgiving value. Keep that in mind when you're making your your purchase. And if you want to try the different mods, I have all the different mods for sale. Um, hit extremeoutfitters.com, use the code ArcheryProject. Try all the different mods between the SWX mod or the SWX Z mod. It's very easy to interchange them yourself. And then same thing with those mods, you can change all the different poundages, try whatever you want. So there you go. Um, now the accuracy side of things,

30-Yard Groups And Target Hold

Zakk Plocica 34:47

right? Now, this is not definitive, right? This is me. We're talking about a mediocre shooter at best behind these bows, shooting 30 yards with typically like a five or six um arrow average, just to see how they group. I'm looking for more of a consistency behind these. How do the bows shoot for me? Obviously, some of you guys are much better shooters than me. So your groups are going to be much better. Maybe you shoot one bow better than the other. It's all dependent on the individual. This is off my testing and kind of what I've gotten. If you want to see the actual groups, go to Extreme Outfitters YouTube channel, go to the Bow Wars playlist and look at the videos there. There's tons of different videos. Um you can observe them all and see and kind of get an idea based on all of these. But it was the AX329 versus the ARC30, which is going to be dropping. Um, if it hasn't dropped yet, it'll be dropping in the very near future. And then the ARC34 versus the AX333, all head to head. You can see my actual groupings there. And I will say both bows shot um phenomenally. Like both bows are bangers when we talk about shooting, especially for a mediocre guy. They just shoot really, really well. But when we talk about 30 yards, why 30 yards? That's what I got on my indoor range, and I can consistently shoot it. And I think it's honestly a really great um distance for comparison when we talk about like the white tail guys, specifically like the shorter bows, because majority of our white tail hunters are within 35, 40 yards at most. And I think that's a real world sweet spot. But starting with the Arc 30, um, good group. Arrows touching, like just a really, really group held on on target, I think exceptionally well for how light the bow is. Um, and I think also, too, with it, like when you look at the Matthews bows, the risers are a little bit longer. The layer, um, the limbs are a little bit more parallel. And with that longer riser, I feel like the the shorter uh aluminum bows from Matthews don't feel quite as much like a short bow because the risers are so long, if that makes sense. I may be way off, but that's kind of what it feels like to me. But the Arc 30 man, it shot exceptionally well. Um, you just need to be caught conscious of whenever you're in your shot process, not to relax on that bow because the valley is so short. And when you're drawing it, make sure you come to full draw, you don't bounce off the back wall. But from there, the the short bow shot exceptionally well, and the group was, I think, really, really good. Now, when I compared it to the AX329, the Hoit bow just absolutely held on target very, very well. Like the Matthews is a little bit lighter, feels like it floats a little bit more, but the hoit being a little bit heavier, it felt like a boat anchor on target. Like once I put that pin on target, it just felt like it didn't really move. There wasn't much wasn't as much pin float in the hoit bow versus the arc 30, right? It just once the pin comes in and settles, it just holds on target and it's very, very repeatable. Um, so I think the the group on the AX329 was a touch tighter than the ARC 30. Um, and like I said, it's all shooter-based, right? So that was my experience with it. Both of them shot exceptionally well, but the Hoit bow just seemed to settle and hold on target just a touch better for me. When we go into uh same thing, when we go when we look at the long ATA bows, right? The AX333 versus the Arc 34. The the AX333, again, it was just it was like once it got on target, it just held on target. Um even without stabilizers, just as the bow was, it just absolutely aims phenomenally. Like it is incredibly incredible. And I and I think that has to do with that little bit heavier overall weight of the bow, um, plus the longer ATA working together. It just it's the way the the weights distributed on the Hoyt risers, it just feels like it just once you get on target, it doesn't move, it settles and it's there. I don't feel like I'm fighting to get it up the pin on target, it just holds where I want it to very, very easily. Um the R34, same thing. It had a really good group. Uh the the string angle on the the longer bows, I think, is is makes shooting them a little bit easier. That longer ATA makes the bows, bows hold on target even easier. And then we take into account longer brace heights. The bows are just much more forgiving than the short bows. So shooting out the distance, the long bow, I think, is the is is is easier for most people. R34 shot fantastic as well. Um it you could go either way. You could flip a coin on either of these bows, man. Uh Hoyt versus Matthews, both shot well, but the Hoyt bows just held a little bit better on target for me personally. And I think once, you know, but once you start introducing stabilizers to these things, you could go either way, man. Both bows are gonna just absolutely hold like rocks on target, especially the longer bows.

Arrow Weight For Whitetail Vs West

Zakk Plocica 39:46

So uh and one thing interesting that I I wanted to kind of drop in the middle of this is um when we talk about the arrows, like I'm shooting 400 grain arrows out of these, and that's kind of because that's what I have. It's a good run-of-the-mill um arrow that's gets for any of the bows that I shoot at 28 and a half inches, 70-ish pounds. That weight just seems to work well. Um, I probably need to get some build some heavier arrows so we can test against it just to see and do some comparisons, speed comparisons for um efficiency, you know. But I was talking to James Yates about this, and I thought it was kind of interesting. His approach on arrow builds is like for Western hunts, he's typically like 430 to 420 to 430 grains. He does not, he's not a middle ground guy, he's one or the other. So, like when we talk about western hunting, he's looking for range forgiveness. So he wants an arrow that's got a flat trajectory. 420 to 430 grains for him is it, right? Nice flat trajectory. But he's talking about for like whitetail hunting, he's looking at angle forgiveness, right? Not trajectory forgiveness, not range forgiveness, but shot angle forgiveness. And he believes in that trajectory is not a big priority for because those shots are so close, right? Within 35, 40 yards, that trajectory is not the priority that a heavier arrow is. So he believes in a heavy arrow, 500 to 550 plus grains, which accounts for shot angle forgiveness because you get that little bit heavier arrow, it's it makes the bow a little bit quieter, uh, and the penetration becomes a little bit better for you know those marginal shots that you might um take. So for the guys that are looking at white tail builds and you're building specifically for white tail hunting, looking at that arc 30 or that um AX329, potentially because the speeds are so good on these bows, like building a heavier arrow with shot angle forgiveness in mind versus shot um or range forgiveness in mind is not a bad idea to consider. I just figured I'd throw that out there. I did a podcast for the American Bow Hunter with James Yates the other week, and uh he did a really good job of kind of explaining that. It made a lot of sense to me. So I just wanted to share with you guys.

Short ATA Or Long ATA Choice

Zakk Plocica 41:59

So now the short ATA versus the long ATA, which should you go with, right? Like that's the big question for a lot of people. Like, which one should I go with? And I think there's some different things you need to consider, and it really is based, it's application-based. Everything is application-based and it's shooter-based and it's it's preference-based. So when we talk about our short bows, those 29, 30-inch ATA bows, like that's what I would consider a short bow. They're great. They're they're like the perfect bows for if you're a dedicated white tail hunter. You're somebody that's shooting shots that are close in the tight timber. You've got a shorter draw length, maybe 28 less. It's and you your whole focus is like those tight quarters bow hunting. Like the short bows are perfect. You get its maneuverability is better. It's great for out of saddles, out of blinds, off of the ground. It's a purpose-built weapon for those close quarters um engagements, right? Close quarter shots for bow hunters, right? Guys that are shooting, I think, those closer shots. A short bow just makes a lot of sense because you're prioritizing maneuverability in those tighter, thicker timber. Now, the problem with the guys with the long draw lengths, 30, 30 and a half inches on a short 29, 30-inch bow is the string angle just becomes very shot, very sharp. So it's a little bit less forgiving, um, more torquey. Uh I just don't know that it's necessarily the move for the longer draw guys. Some guys get away from it, some of them really enjoy it. If you spend enough time behind anything, you can you can be shoot it proficiently. But if you're a long draw guy, I think it makes sense to bump up an ATA length just to have a better shooting experience. And the longer ATA bows really aren't that long. We got a couple inches at most, right? So it's not like you're really gonna sacrifice a lot of maneuverability and and whatnot. I shot a 33 all last year and I you know killed deer sitting on my butt on the ground. So I was one of the guys that believed for a long time that shorter bows were. Going to be make more sense for you know white tail hunting. And you know, for some people it does, for some people it doesn't. But those are things I would encourage you to consider application based, where you're hunting, how thick it is, and what your goals are. Now, the case for those longer bows, the longer ATA, that 33, 34, even 35-inch ATAs, is if you're building a bow to do everything, right? You're not somebody that's focused on doing just one thing. You're somebody that wants to do multiple things with one bow, right? You you bow hunt, you shoot 3D archery, you shoot indoor during the offseason, you shoot total archery events. A longer bow is gonna be a more forgiving bow. It's gonna be uh provide a little bit better shooting experience, it's gonna make you a little bit accurate out to distance easier. And it's just gonna be more forgiving overall. The string angle is gonna be better on it. So if you're somebody that wants to do all these different things in archery, I would say going with the longer ATA bow makes a lot of sense, in my opinion. Um, 33, the 35 for somebody that wants to do everything is just makes a lot of sense, even at a little bit shorter draw length. Maybe you sacrifice speed a little bit, um, but you can manipulate that with arrow weight and poundage of the bow if you have the ability to. You just I think the advantage is there when we talk about taking those long shots and being able to be on target easier, shoot those greater distances. It just makes sense to me to go with a little bit longer ATA option for some people, not everybody, right? Again, personal preference. I personally like the longer ATA bows, the more I've shot them. I've really become fond of them, um, especially at my draw length, 28 and a half inches. I can really shoot anything, but that 33 seems to be a really sweet spot. 33 to 35. Um, more gravitating towards that 33 if I'm doing a hybrid build for everything. I really like that. 33, 34, I think is fantastic. So, which bow should you choose?

Final Picks And How To Decide

Zakk Plocica 45:50

Those are some of the things you need to consider. Those are some of the things that I saw with the Hoyt bows and the Matthews bows that I shot side by side with the new series. Both of them are absolutely fantastic, man. Like you can't argue either one is a stellar bow. If you listen to somebody that tells you one is better than the other, they're they're off the rocker, man. Everyone has opinions. You need to form an opinion yourself based off your needs, feel, and what works best for you. So don't take your friend's advice, go in and shoot the bows yourself, visit your local shop if you can, because these bows cannot be shipped. You need to go into your local dealer, test these bows out, and give them a shot and see which works for you. Now, when we talk about that, when we talk about like if you if you like accessory-wise and you want the ecosystem, like customization, lightest bows, um, the fastest bows where you can really manipulate the accessories to it's just an incredible ecosystem with stabilizers adjusting length, um, low profile feel. I mean, the Matthews arc is really hard to deny. Their ecosystem of accessories is phenomenal from their leg limbs to their low profile quivers to their bridge lock sights and stabilizers. They just have done a really good job of just building an accessory line that works. It's premium price, but boy, does it work if you set it up correctly. Now, if you want durability, you want something that's a little bit smoother. You want what I would say most people think is one of the best factory grips on the market in a bow that just holds on target exceptionally well without the addition of a lot of accessories. The Hoyt AX3 series is pretty undeniable. The bow just is like on target, it just holds, man. It just even with the the more forgiving valley, right? Which typically makes some people a little bit people lazy in their shot process, it still shoots exceptionally well. Like I dude, I'm talking about groups with that bow, were absolutely fantastic. So the Hoyt bow, durability and holding on target for myself is it was just really, really good. Now, when we talk about short bows, one or the other, is one better than the other. Like I say, no, I don't think so. I think it's a coin toss, man. I mean, the the X329, the R30, they both just shot really well. Same thing, literally neck and neck with the 33 and 34. It's the bottom line of this whole thing is you can't go wrong with either one. Um, and the only thing I can encourage you to do is go to your local pro shop, go to your local archery shop and test them for yourselves. Put them head-to-head for yourself. If you go to a good local archery shop, they should set them up and allow you to shoot them. Go shoot them, get a feel for both of them, check the valley, check the draw cycle, check the post shot feel, check the grip, um, and see what works best for you, what um feels best, see how they hold. You know, even if it's a short distance, just draw that bow back, hold the bow for a second. Practice letting the bow down. Um, I can assure you that the the Matthews bows let down a little bit more controlled than what the Hoytes do because the valley is a little bit less forgiving on the Matthews. Letting down the Hoyt bows, you can still control it, but you have to almost push it forward a little bit more. So, again, those are all personal things that you need to consider for yourself. So that's it, guys. That's some of my testing that I've done this year on the Hoyt and Matthews lineup, the aluminum lineup in particular. So I'd be curious to hear from you guys, your thoughts on it. Um, Hoyt versus Matthews, what bow has kind of won you over this year? Um, which one are you shooting and why? Give me some in-depth details to why you chose the one you did, not just because Matthews is better or Hoyt is better. Like that's not what we're looking for. Provide some real feedback for people, like give honest um opinions on things as to why one was better for you than the other. Because, like I said, the more information people can have, the more that they can take and they can go into their shop and they can, you know, apply that and kind of see what works for them. Um, so that's it, my friends. As always, I appreciate you guys following along, listening. Like I said, drop the comments, let me know. Hoyt vs. Matthews, what do you got? And if you need anything Archer related, if you need any of these accessories, you can get them. If you don't have a local pro shop and you need the accessories, hit their website, extremoutfitters.com. We carry all the Hoyt and Matthews accessories. We've got a new custom arrow builder where you can build one arrow, or you can build as many as you want. Extremoutfitters.com. Use the code ArcherProject, save you some money. And as always, I appreciate you guys following along. I appreciate all the support. It means a lot. Um, looking forward to this season. It's gonna be here fast. So good luck to everybody out there. And if you need anything or if you got any questions on anything, feel free to call our shop, send us emails. Um, we've got plenty of texts on staff that would be happy to answer any questions that you have on any of these bows. And if you're interested in the Bow Wars series, go to Extreme Outfitters YouTube channel, click on the Bow Wars playlist. I drop a new one almost every Sunday at 4 p.m. And we compare all of the Bows. So we got some new Bows in the lineup that are becoming out, um, new Bows to the shop that we've never had before. And, you know, we compare all of your major players, right? From your mid price point to your flagship bows, all there. Extreme Outfitters YouTube channel under the Bow Wars playlist. Check it out. Thanks, guys. We'll see you guys in the next episode of the Archery Project.