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Late October is a great time to be a bowhunter. The bucks are chasing, and new bows seem to drop every week. One of them recently showed up on my front porch. (I’m still working on getting a buck to do that.) This one is a 35-inch featherweight from Xpedition, and on paper, its long axle-to-axle length and low mass weight make it a strong pick for anyone who wants one bow for both targets and the whitetail woods. I spent the last two weeks shooting the new Xpedition Nexlite 35 to find out if it lives up to that promise.
Xpedition NexLite 35 Specs and Features
Key Features
- Axle to Axle: 35 inches
- Brace Height: 6.375 inches
- Draw Lengths: 25-32 inches
- Weight: 3.95 pounds
- Draw Weights: 50, 60, 65, and 70 pounds
- MSRP: $1,700
Magnite Riser Material
A typical 35-inch bow weighs 4.6 to 4.9 pounds. The NexLite 35 weighs 3.95 pounds. That weight savings comes from the Magnite riser material, which is a nanocomposite alloy that’s about 30 percent lighter than 6061 aluminum. Xpedition says it’s also stronger and absorbs vibration better than aluminum and carbon.
Accessory Mounting
Low-profile arrow rest and sight mounting are now standard on premium and even budget compound bows. You’ll find Integrate rest mounting and a machined Picatinny sight mount on the NexLite 35. Xpedition also offers its XLOK accessories, such as a low-profile quiver and a bow stand.
Tuning System
The NexLite 35 uses the Tip-Shift tuning system. It’s a simple shimming system that doesn’t require a bow press. All you need is an Allen wrench to swap the shims and move your cams.
Testing the NexLite 35 on the Range
Before I fired my first shot from the NexLite 35, I was impressed with how light it is for a 35-inch bow. It’s only 4.9 pounds fully rigged with an XLOK stabilizer, Axcel Armortech sight, XLOK bow stand, and QAD arrow rest. Its low mass weight gives you the flexibility to run it as a lightweight hunting bow or rig it with long stabilizers for TAC and 3D competitions.
I paper tuned the NexLite without any drama. I didn’t need to use the Tip-Shift tuning system, but I did use it during the 2026 bow test. It’s a fantastically simple system. All you need to do is remove a screw with an Allen wrench and replace the spacer with the one that will fix your issue. The spacers have one, two, or three dots on them. The number of dots you install should always add up to four. I like that the Tip-Shift is a rigid system, so you don’t run the risk of an adjustment screw walking or accidentally moving a cam too far.
The NexLite 35’s draw cycle is smooth, but you can tell the cams were built for speed. The bow hits its peak weight early, evens out, and then there’s a final effort right before the valley. To me, it feels similar to drawing a Mathews Lift. The wall is solid with no give, and the valley is relatively short. If you come off the stops, the bow will let you know you’re creeping. But I found it very easy to keep the stops pinned, and the bow felt exceptionally comfortable and stable at full draw. It’s easy to drop the pin on the target and keep it there. At the shot, there is minimal vibration, which is impressive considering the bow’s low weight.
I quickly got used to the draw cycle while sighting in. Then I stepped back to 50 yards for accuracy testing and —— buddy, this bow is a shooter. I shot five five-shot groups at 50 yards that averaged 3.19 inches.
For the speed test, I shot a 430-grain arrow with the bow set at 61.2 pounds and a 31.5-inch draw length. The four-shot average was 281.6 fps. That’s pretty fast for a 35-inch bow.
Where It Can Improve
The NexLite has nearly all the features you’d expect in a modern flagship bow, but there are three features I’d like to see added.
- An interchangeable grip system that allows you to choose from different grip shapes and angles.
- A mod that creates a softer transition into the valley and a deeper valley — naturally at the cost of some speed.
- Draw length adjustment in 0.25-inch increments.
Final Thoughts
If you’re in the market for a long axle-to-axle bow, the NexLite 35 is definitely worth trying out at your local shop. It’s a top contender because its low mass weight makes it versatile as a combination target and hunting bow. It also has good performance, an easy-to-use tuning system, and high accuracy potential. I also really appreciate the NexLite 35’s build quality. It’s beautifully finished and masterfully machined — the type of workmanship I love to see in a premium bow.