Mathews ARC 34 vs Bear Alaskan Pro: Is the Flagship Worth It?

The Contenders: What You're Actually Getting

Mathews ARC 34 — The 2026 Flagship

The Mathews ARC 34 is Mathews' 2026 premium flagship — a 34-inch axle-to-axle platform built on their new SWXZ cam system with two mod options. You want maximum speed? Go with the SWX mod. Want a smoother draw cycle and a more forgiving valley? Go with the SWXZ mod — and honestly, that's what we've seen the vast majority of guys gravitating toward this year. You barely sacrifice any speed, and what you gain in feel is real.

Brace height is 6.5 inches, draw length covers 26.5" to 32", and IVO is rated up to 343 fps. Mathews' limb shift technology means you don't need a bow press to tune this bow — every adjustment happens right within the platform. Add in their bridge lock ecosystem for sights and stabilizers, and you've got a fully integrated setup that competitors can't match. For an aluminum bow, it's also one of the lightest on the market. Browse the full Mathews archery lineup at Extreme Outfitters.

Bear Alaskan Pro — The Mid-Range Benchmark

The Bear Alaskan Pro is probably the most-requested mid-price-point bow we've seen in 2026. It's a 33-inch ATA platform, 6.25-inch brace height, 339 fps IVO, and fits draw lengths from 25.5" to 30.5". Bear has owned this category for a while, and this bow is exactly why.

The biggest difference from the ARC 34 is tuning — you have to press and shim this bow to move the cam. Not a dealbreaker, just slower. It ships as a ready-to-hunt package: whisker biscuit rest, fixed 5-pin sight, and a stubby stabilizer right out of the box. Bear has also added an integrated rest mount on the rear and a Pic mount on the front, so upgrading to premium accessories later is a zero-hassle proposition. See the full Bear archery lineup at Extreme Outfitters.

Draw Cycle, Valley, and Post-Shot Feel

This is where you actually start to feel the price difference.

Bear Alaskan Pro: Draw Cycle

We ran the Alaskan Pro at 28.5 inches, 70 pounds, 85% let-off. It pulled 67 pounds on the scale with 7.4 pounds of holding weight — actual let-off came out to about 88.9%. The draw cycle is smooth for most of the pull, but it rolls over and dumps into the back wall on the back half. It's noticeable. My honest recommendation: run this thing at 80% rather than 85%. You'll hold a little more weight, but the overall feel improves.

The valley is very forgiving — almost too forgiving at 85%. You nearly have to force the bow down to let it go. As a bowhunter, not necessarily a bad thing — you can hold at full draw longer. Post-shot feel is honestly impressive for a mid-price-point bow. There's a touch of feedback, but it's minor. Quiet, soft shot, and the performance is well above what you'd expect at this price tier.

Mathews ARC 34: Draw Cycle

The ARC 34 pulled 68.5 pounds at 28.5 inches with 8.8 pounds of holding weight — roughly 87.1% let-off. The draw curve is more consistent from beginning to end. Barely any dump. It rolls into the back wall smoothly without that abrupt transition you feel on the Alaskan Pro.

The valley is shorter and less forgiving — but that's a tradeoff, not a flaw. Easier to let the bow down, but if you relax at full draw even slightly, it can run away from you. The SWXZ mod fixes that — you get a noticeably better valley without giving up much speed, and that's exactly what we've seen most people opting for this year.

Back wall? Solid. The Alaskan Pro has a little sponge to it when you hit the wall. The ARC 34 is just there — firm, consistent, doesn't move. Post-shot feel is in a different class altogether: zero vibration, dead quiet. When you pick it up after shooting the Alaskan Pro, the contrast is obvious.

One note on the grip: the Mathews has a tendency to roll a little — the most common complaint we hear on their bows. Good news is you've got options: Taper, Contour, Engage grip, or the UltraView B-Real grip. Easy fix, and Mathews makes it simple to dial in for your hand.

Speed: How Close Are They Really?

Both bows tested at 28.5 inches, approximately 68–70 pounds, 85% let-off, shooting a 400-grain arrow.

Bear Alaskan Pro: 289.4 fps (3-shot average) — shot with a whisker biscuit rest

Mathews ARC 34: 292 fps (3-shot average) — shot with a drop-away rest

A whisker biscuit is known to rob a foot or two per second over a drop-away. Account for that, and these bows are running virtually identical speeds. The Alaskan Pro — at a mid-price-point — is putting up flagship-level numbers through the chronograph. That's not nothing. Bear has done something impressive here.

Accuracy at 30 Yards

Both bows grouped well at 30 yards. The ARC 34 shot a bit cleaner. The Alaskan Pro showed some float — I'd throw a longer stabilizer on it if I were setting one up for hunting, and that would likely tighten things up. There was one flyer in the Alaskan Pro group, but that was shooter-induced, not the bow. The bow itself is repeatable and consistent when it goes off right.

The ARC 34 just holds on target better. A longer ATA and a taller brace height add up to more built-in forgiveness in the platform, and you feel it downrange. Even without a full accessory setup, this bow was pounding arrows into the same hole consistently.

One Surprise: They Weigh the Same

Both bows came in at 5.2 pounds fully set up with accessories. The ARC 34 has an inch more axle-to-axle than the Alaskan Pro and still matches it pound for pound. For an aluminum bow, that's genuinely impressive engineering on Mathews' part.

Bottom Line

Here's the honest answer: it depends on who you are.

If you're new to archery, or you're a casual bowhunter who doesn't shoot year-round and doesn't want to overinvest — get the Alaskan Pro. You're getting a bow that shoots nearly as fast as the flagship, feels great in the hand, and comes with everything you need to hunt out of the box. Bear has seriously nailed this price point.

If you're a serious bowhunter, you shoot all year, and you want a bow you'll be running for the next decade — step up to the ARC 34. The draw cycle is better, the post-shot feel is in another league, tuning is easier, and the back wall is more solid. The Mathews ecosystem of accessories is best in class. This bow will outlast and out-perform most setups out there.

Both bows are two of our top sellers for a reason. If you're still on the fence, come in or give us a call — we'll put both of them in your hands and help you make the call. Real people answer the phones Monday through Saturday out of Jacksonville, NC, and everything ordered before 2 PM ships same day. Use code EXTREME for 10% off and get free shipping on orders over $99.