The bow does indeed go to 26" - my boy draws it to that, but I am a little vertically challenged and 24" is as long as I can stretch. The handle is a working handle, just beginning to move at 24". Biggest problem is laurel, one of the best bow woods in my opinion, does not react to heat treating - it will not bend even with an hour in steam, and if you can persuade it to move a little, the bend falls straight back out after a couple of arrows.