PSE is staking its claim as the king of carbon for 2027 with the Odin. It’s an ultralight, smooth-drawing, fast-shooting and forgiving compound bow that will be equally at home in the Eastern whitetail woods or the open prairies and mountains of the West. After shooting it indoors and out from 20 to 60 yards, I found a bow that makes accuracy come surprisingly easy.
- Western bowhunting and hunters who prefer a lightweight, stable bow
- Total Archery Challenge and other long-distance 3D events
- The $1,999 MSRP is substantial, and completing every possible cam-tuning adjustment requires access to a bow press and PSE’s additional EZ.220 spacers.
From Mach to Odin: More Than a Name Change
PSE has earned plenty of acclaim for its Mach series of carbon compound bows over the past few years. Those bows have been super popular, and the Odin continues that trend with a new axle-to-axle length, redesigned riser, upgraded hardware and an additional tuning system at the limb pockets.
Where we previously saw the Mach 30, Mach 33 and Mach 35—with each number referring to the bow’s axle-to-axle length—the Odin settles into a new 34-inch platform. That puts it in a prime position for bowhunters across North America, while slightly favoring shooters who prefer a longer bow for better stability.
The Odin’s carbon riser has more angles than the curved Mach risers, but there’s no mistaking it for anything other than a PSE. According to the company, the riser is engineered in-house and handcrafted in Tucson, Arizona. PSE also says the redesigned structure is 10% stiffer, with an enhanced internal core that reduces vibration.
A 34-Inch Bow That Refuses to Feel Heavy
PSE lists the Odin at 3.8 pounds. The bow I tested weighed exactly 4 pounds, which is still incredibly light for a 34-inch bow.
One of the main reasons people choose carbon over aluminum is weight. Some carbon bows pile on enough metal components that the advantage starts to disappear. PSE doesn’t do that. Its carbon bows remain among the lightest flagship models available, leaving the shooter room to add a sight, rest, quiver and stabilization without creating a boat anchor.
Carbon also feels substantially warmer in the hand during cold-weather hunts. Because the Odin’s grip is formed directly into the riser, there’s no separate grip material sitting between your hand and the carbon.
As someone who has shot PSE carbon bows for the past several years, I was also pleasantly surprised to see stainless steel hardware on the Odin. Previous hardware could begin showing rust after exposure to moisture—even dense humidity. That shouldn’t be an issue here.
The fit and finish on my test bow were excellent. I found no visible flaws when I removed it from the box, and I saw no obvious wear during testing.
The FDS Cam Brings the Heat Without the Fight
The Odin is powered by the FDS cam system PSE introduced with its previous generation of bows. Its distinctive egg shape helps produce an advertised IBO speed of 340 fps.
My test bow shot a precisely-built 350-grain Easton 5.0 arrow at 335.5 fps through a Garmin Xero C1 chronograph. That’s a few feet per second below the advertised rating, but it’s still screaming fast.
More importantly, the FDS cam feels better to me on this 34-inch platform than it did on the shorter Mach 33. The extra axle-to-axle length smooths out the draw cycle. The bow rolls over nicely, settles into a comfortable valley and doesn’t feel as aggressive at full draw as many speed bows.
The rotating module adjusts draw length in half-inch increments, while four draw-stop positions provide 70, 75, 80 or 85 percent letoff. PSE also flattened the draw-stop contact surface. Previous stops had small rubber cylinders that softened the wall slightly; the new design produces a rock-solid back wall.
At the shot, you’ll feel a thump. That’s characteristic of many lightweight carbon bows, while a well-damped aluminum bow can produce almost no detectable hand shock. The Odin’s thump isn’t harsh. It’s simply enough feedback to remind you that you’re shooting a lightweight carbon bow.
Two Tuning Systems—and One Important Caveat
PSE retains its EZ.220 cam tuning system on the Odin. Each cam uses two snap-in spacers, one on either side. The spacers have different individual thicknesses, but each matched pair totals 0.220 inch to maintain consistent spacing between the limb tips.
The clip-on spacers let you move the cams left or right without removing the axles. You still need to put the bow in a press and take some tension off the string and cables, but the adjustment is faster than a traditional axle-and-spacer swap.
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The Odin adds another EZ.220-based tuning system at the Limb Vise pockets. Moving the limb pockets provides another way to correct arrow flight and dial in the tune. Those pocket adjustments don’t require a bow press.
I like shim-based tuning because nothing can drift once it’s set. However, I can’t ignore the fact that several competing bows are easier to adjust, don’t require a press and don’t require an aftermarket spacer kit to access the full range of adjustments. If you’re unfamiliar with working on compound bows, this is a job best handled by an archery pro shop.
From the Box to a Bullet Hole
I started this review with a brand-new PSE Odin in the box. After inspecting it for flaws and finding none, I began setting it up to my specifications.
The cam module rotated easily to my 30-inch draw length. The bow pulled 72 pounds out of the box, so I backed each limb bolt out half a turn to reach 70 pounds. I then placed the bow on my draw board and checked the cam timing. It was spot-on, and no adjustment was necessary.
I installed a QAD MX-2 rest and positioned it so the center of my 4mm arrow sat 13/16 inch from the riser. I also added an Axcel Driver sight and a 12-inch Shrewd Trak stabilizer.
My first shot through paper produced a nock-left tear. I changed the spacers at both limb pockets to move the pockets left, then changed the cam spacers to move the cams in the same direction. After those adjustments, the Odin shot a perfect bullet hole through paper.
I’m comfortable working with these systems, so tuning was fast and straightforward for me. It could be intimidating for a less experienced archer. If you’re not comfortable setting up a new bow, take advantage of the expertise at your local pro shop.
The 20-Yard Forgiveness Test
Once the bow was tuned, I sighted it in at 20 yards and spent time shooting a standard 40-centimeter Vegas target face.
That target gives me a good sense of a bow’s forgiveness. I know my form isn’t exactly the same on every shot, but if I can consistently keep my arrows inside the 10-ring, the bow is doing its part.
When my 20-yard pin was inside—or at least touching—the 10-ring while shooting the Odin, my arrows hit the 10-ring. I could feel myself making small mistakes with my bow hand without seeing those mistakes move the arrow’s point of impact.
I can’t ask much more from a hunting bow.
Stretching the Odin to 60 Yards
Next, I headed outside to see what the Odin could do at distance. I can shoot out to 60 yards at my house, so I started at 30 and backed up in 10-yard increments, dialing the sight at each range.
The Odin immediately impressed me with how solidly it held on target using only the 12-inch stabilizer. I didn’t have to load the bow with weight to calm it down.
I’m not looking for absolutely zero pin movement. Instead, I want a quiet sight picture with slow, consistent movement I can predict. With the Odin, the sight pin parked where I wanted it, and the arrows hit right behind it.
Once I had the sight dialed at 60 yards, I shot six arrows at my elk target. All six weren’t touching, but several were, and I could wrap one hand around the entire group. It was a solid performance.
More important than the group size was the ease of producing it. I can tell when I have to work hard to shoot a tight group and when I don’t. The Odin produced tight groups without much effort: Draw, anchor, settle the pin and release. The arrows packed in.
Is the PSE Odin Worth $1,999?
There’s no getting around the price. At $1,999, the Odin sits squarely in premium flagship territory. Carbon bows are expensive, and the Odin is neither the least nor the most expensive model in its class.
It also won’t retain anything close to its original price on the used market. That depreciation makes the initial investment harder to swallow for archers who trade bows frequently.
What you get for the money is excellent build quality, an American-made carbon riser, light weight, serious speed and a platform that shoots well without requiring a pile of stabilizer weight.
The Verdict: The Carbon Crown Fits
If you like carbon bows, the PSE Odin is a home run.
It’s pricey, but it’s an excellent bow that can serve nearly any bowhunter. At 34 inches axle to axle, it’s long and stable enough for Western elk, mule deer and antelope hunting without becoming unwieldy in the Eastern whitetail woods. It’s also a great fit for long-distance 3D events such as the Total Archery Challenge.
The exception is anyone who strongly prefers a short, highly maneuverable bow. If you want a sub-30-inch platform, the 29.5-inch PSE Odin Sub-30 is the better option.
Fast, accurate, lightweight and easy to shoot—those are the hallmarks of a great hunting bow. The PSE Odin checks every box.
- Exceptionally light for a stable, 34-inch hunting bow
- Carbon grip feels warmer than aluminum in cold conditions
- Versatile enough for Eastern whitetails, Western big game and long-distance 3D shooting
- Smooth draw cycle, firm back wall and strong real-world speed
- Stainless hardware and press-free limb-pocket tuning improve on earlier PSE designs
- $1,999 is a substantial investment, with steep expected depreciation
- Full cam tuning still requires a bow press and additional EZ.220 spacers
- Tested By
- P.J. Reilly
- Test Type
- Indoor and outdoor shooting from 20 to 60 yards
- Arrows Fired
- Many dozens
- Setup Performed By
- P.J. Reilly
- Bow Setup
- 70-pound draw weight, 30-inch draw length, 85% letoff
- Test Arrow
- Easton Axis 4mm Long Range, 300 spine, 100-grain TopHat field point, 452-grain total arrow weight
- Speed Test Arrow
- Easton 5.0, 300 spine, precisely 350 grains to match IBO arrow-weight specifications
- Instrumentation
- Garmin Xero C1 chronograph, Last Chance Archery handheld bow scale
- Accessories
- Axcel Driver sight, QAD MX-2 arrow rest, Shrewd Trak 12-inch stabilizer
- Axle-to-Axle
- 34 inches
- Advertised Weight
- 3.8 pounds
- Tested Weight
- 4 pounds
- Advertised IBO Speed
- 340 fps
- Tested IBO Speed
- 335.5 fps
- Draw Length Range
- 26 to 31.5 inches
- Peak Draw Weights
- 50, 60, 70 and 80 pounds
- Brace Height
- 6 5/8 inches
- Cam System
- FDS
- Letoff
- 70%, 75%, 80% or 85%
- Finish Options
- Black, Charcoal, Kryptek Skyfall, Kuiu Verde, Mossy Oak Bottomland, Badlands Brown and Green Olive
- MSRP
- $1,999
