PSE Odin 34 Review: Tuning, Speed & First Impressions

Watch: PSE Odin 34 First Impressions & Speed Test

Want to see the bow before getting into the full breakdown? Here's our first hands-on look at the Odin 34, including the features, draw cycle and chronograph testing discussed below.

What Is the PSE Odin 34?

The Odin 34 takes the place of the Mach 33 in the PSE carbon lineup. Instead of staying with the 33-inch platform, PSE stretched it to 34 inches axle to axle and redesigned the riser around the new bow.

That extra inch isn't a dramatic change on paper, but once you get behind the bow you notice what the longer platform does for string angle and overall feel. You get a little more bow without moving into something that feels oversized for hunting.

It's still built around the lightweight carbon platform and FDS cam system we've already spent a lot of time shooting. If you want to see the rest of the current lineup, you can browse our PSE Archery collection.

PSE Addressed the Hardware Problem

Here's one of the changes that mattered to me immediately. Hardware corrosion has been one of the complaints we've heard from PSE owners, especially from people who actually hunt with their bows in wet and humid conditions.

The Odin 34 comes with upgraded hardware intended to address that problem. On the black bow we tested, it also looks substantially better.

Long-term corrosion resistance is something we'll have to judge after these bows have spent more time in the field, so I'm not going to tell you a brand-new bow can never develop rust. But PSE clearly addressed one of the things customers had been asking them to improve.

PSE Odin 34 Specs & Shop Measurements

These are the specifications and measurements we were working with on the bow in the shop. Where we're talking about a measured number rather than a published specification, I've called that out.

One thing I like here is the draw-length coverage. Going from 26 inches all the way to 31½ inches puts the Odin 34 in front of a lot of different shooters, including the longer-draw guys who simply can't fit into some of the shorter performance bows.

All of those draw lengths live on the rotating module, which also makes life easier when we're setting bows up in the shop. You still have the Picatinny sight mount up front and integrated rest mounting in the rear.

The New PSE Limb Vise Tuning System

This is probably the biggest functional change on the Odin 34.

PSE still gives you the EZ.220 shim system at the cam, but now there's another adjustment point at the limb pocket. PSE calls the new system Limb Vise, and after working with it on this bow, I think this is the feature bow techs are going to spend the most time talking about.

Four Shim Combinations — Always 220

PSE added a new 110/110 option. That gives you 60/160, 80/140, 100/120 and 110/110 combinations.

The thing you have to understand with the system is that the two sides always need to total 220. That's true at the rear cam and at the Limb Vise adjustment in the pocket.

Rear Adjustment for the Big Move

You still need a bow press when you're changing the rear cam shims. That's where I would make the larger correction if I've got a significant paper tear that needs to come out.

Pressless Fine Tuning at the Limb Pocket

Once you've handled the bigger correction, the front adjustment gives you a way to make the finer move without putting the bow back in the press.

Loosen the screws enough for the pocket to move, rotate the shims down, and use the included tool to change the combination. From what we've seen so far, you're working with roughly an eighth of an inch of adjustment depending on the bow.

That's the part I like. You're not replacing the main cam-shimming system. You're adding another adjustment point that lets you finish the tune much faster.

Two Things You Can't Skip

What Happened on Our Bow

Here's where the shop experience matters.

On some of PSE's longer bows, we've ended up all the way at a 60/160 combination and basically run out of additional shim movement before having to start working with the yokes.

On this Odin 34, I ended up with an 80/140 combination in the rear and 100/120 in the Limb Vise. With an FMJ cut to 29 inches, the bow put a bullet hole through paper.

More importantly, there was still adjustment left. That's what impressed me. I wasn't sitting at the end of the available tuning range just trying to get the bow clean through paper.

How the PSE Odin 34 Shoots

Specs and tuning systems matter, but none of that tells you whether you're actually going to enjoy shooting the bow. Here's what stood out once I started putting arrows through it.

Draw Cycle

It's smooth. I'd actually call it a touch smoother than what we're used to from the Mach 33, and I think some of that comes from the longer platform.

The FDS is still one of my favorite cams we've shot. At 29 inches and 85% let-off, there isn't a big hump through the draw cycle followed by a hard dump into the back wall. The transition stays controlled.

The back wall is solid. There's enough valley that it's comfortable to hold, but you can't completely fall asleep against the wall either. I also found it easy to let down.

Grip

If you've shot the other recent PSE carbon bows, the grip is going to feel familiar.

The thing you have to understand is that you've got to be consistent with it. When a shooter's grip position starts changing, I've seen that show up as weird or inconsistent tears through paper.

Personally, I like the bare-riser grip. It's repeatable for me and doesn't create noticeable hand torque. I would still add a little grip tape because I prefer something tackier when my hands are wet or sweaty.

Noise & Vibration

The Odin 34 is quiet and fairly dead after the shot. There's a small amount of feedback through the bow, which is something I've noticed across the extremely light PSE carbon platforms, but it's minimal.

Once you start setting the bow up with the stabilizer configuration you're actually going to shoot, I don't think most people are going to have an issue with it.

String Angle

This is one of the places where the 34-inch platform makes sense.

At my 29-inch test setting, the string angle is excellent. I'm not having to drop or push my head into the string to find my anchor. For hunters who prefer a little longer ATA platform, that's one of the biggest reasons I'd look at this bow.

PSE Odin 34 Chronograph Speeds

Now to the numbers everybody wants to see.

These are three-shot averages from our bow in the shop. The setup was around the 70-pound range, and the bow registered approximately 72 pounds during our testing. These are our measured chronograph results, not advertised speed claims from PSE.

The 540-grain arrow gives you a useful look at what happens across the draw-length range without changing the projectile every time. You can see just how much speed the longer draw lengths start adding.

At the other end, the 350-grain test shows what the bow will do with a substantially lighter arrow at a 30-inch draw. I would treat 335.4 fps as exactly what it is: the number we got from our particular bow and test setup, not an attempt to certify an official IBO rating.

I also took the bow all the way out to 31½ inches. It's stout getting there and it's a lot of draw cycle simply because you're pulling the bow that far, but I could still get it back. The fact that this 34-inch platform accommodates that draw length is going to matter to longer-draw shooters.

Who Should Look at the Odin 34?

For me, the Odin 34 makes the most sense for somebody who likes what PSE has been doing with the FDS platform but wants a longer hunting bow.

That doesn't mean it's automatically the right bow for everybody. Grip, draw cycle, valley and holding characteristics are still personal. If somebody comes into the shop trying to choose a flagship bow, I'm still going to tell them to shoot the bows instead of deciding from a specification sheet.

PSE Odin 34 FAQ

Is the PSE Odin 34 the replacement for the Mach 33?

Yes. The Odin 34 moves PSE's longer carbon FDS platform from the previous 33-inch configuration to a 34-inch axle-to-axle bow with a redesigned riser and new tuning system.

Can you tune the PSE Odin 34 without a bow press?

Partially. Larger cam-shim changes at the rear still require a bow press. The new Limb Vise system at the limb pocket allows finer tuning adjustments without pressing the bow.

What draw lengths does the Odin 34 cover?

The draw-length range on the bow we tested runs from 26 to 31½ inches using the rotating FDS module.

How fast is the PSE Odin 34?

In our test, a 540-grain arrow averaged 265.6 fps at a 29-inch draw and 290.4 fps at 31½ inches. A 350-grain arrow at a 30-inch draw averaged 335.4 fps. Those are three-shot averages from our bow and should be treated as real-world test results rather than an advertised IBO rating.

How does the FDS cam draw?

On our Odin 34, the FDS cam produced a smooth, controlled draw cycle without a pronounced hump and dump into the back wall. At 85% let-off the valley was comfortable, although you still need to maintain some pressure against the wall.

Does the Odin 34 use PSE's EZ.220 shim system?

Yes. The Odin 34 retains EZ.220 cam shimming and adds the Limb Vise system at the limb pocket for another level of tuning adjustment.

Bottom Line

The Odin 34 addresses several things I wanted to see PSE improve without getting away from what already worked.

You still have the lightweight carbon platform. You still have the FDS cam. But now you've got a 34-inch bow with an excellent string angle, upgraded hardware and a much more flexible tuning system.

The Limb Vise is probably the biggest story for me. We were able to make our larger move at the cam, fine-tune from the limb pocket and put a 29-inch FMJ through paper with a bullet hole while still having adjustment available.

Add the draw-length range and the speed numbers we saw, and I think PSE has built a very interesting option for hunters who want a longer carbon platform.

But like I say with every flagship bow: don't buy it because of one number. Shoot it. Pay attention to the draw cycle, grip, valley, string angle and how the bow actually holds for you. That's ultimately what should make the decision.

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