Outdoor Life 2026 Bow of the Year — Full Breakdown & My Take

Outdoor Life dropped their 2026 Bow of the Year results — and I'm breaking down every single bit of it. The Elite Varos came out on top, beating out the Matthews ARC 34, Hoyt AX3 33, Darton Tri-Tech 33, PSE Sicario, Bowtech Alliance 30, and Expedition Nexlite 33. And honestly? When you look at the grouping data, it's hard to argue with. In this episode I go through: • The full scoring breakdown for all 7 bows across Features, Back Wall, Draw Cycle, Grip, and Post-Shot Feel • The accuracy results — 45-shot averages at 50 yards across 3 days of shooting • Why I expected the ARC 34 or DART to take it — and what changed my mind • Where I agree and disagree with the scores • How to actually use a test like this to pick the right bow for YOUR application • Why ATA length matters more than speed when it comes to shootability Great test by PJ Riley and the Outdoor Life crew. No money involved, no bias — just real shooting over multiple days with real results. Timestamps: 00:00 — Elite & DART: no bow press tuning systems 01:52 — Speed results across all 7 bows 02:21 — My pre-test predictions and why I was surprised 04:01 — How to use bow of the year results when buying 06:39 — Why speed isn't the differentiator anymore 09:07 — ARC 34 demand and why I expected it to win 10:58 — How the Varos won — the half inch that made the difference 11:00 — Full score recap: all 7 bows 18:56 — Final accuracy results 20:53 — ATA length and shootability Gear mentioned in this episode: • Elite Varos • Matthews ARC 34 (Z-Mods) • Hoyt AX333 (XDS Tuning System) • DART Tri-Tech 33 • PSE Sicario (FDS Cam / EZ220 Shim System) • Bowtech Alliance 30 (Deadlock Tuning / GripLock) • Expedition Nexlite 33 • Prime Divide 33 All bows available at Extreme Outfitters → https://extremeoutfitters.com Use code ARCHERYPROJECT for 10% off your order. Subscribe for weekly archery and bowhunting content:    / @thearcheryproject   Follow us: Instagram: @thearcheryproject_ TikTok: @thearcheryproject