PSE Odin Sub 30 Review: Speed, Tuning & Shooting Impressions

Why are you paying flagship money for a bow and then dealing with rusted hardware? That's one of those little things that has always driven me crazy, especially on a hunting bow that is going to spend time in rain, humidity, cold weather and everything else we put them through.

With the PSE Odin Sub 30, PSE addressed that with stainless hardware, but that's only part of what changed. This is the compact replacement for the Mach 30 platform, it gets PSE's FDS cam, the new Limb Vise tuning system, and a 29 1/2-inch axle-to-axle frame built around hunters who want a very maneuverable bow.

We set one up, tuned it, shot it at multiple draw lengths and put different arrow weights through the chronograph. There is a lot I like about this bow, but there are also a couple things you need to understand before deciding whether a bow this short is right for you.

Watch: PSE Odin Sub 30 Review & Speed Test

What Is the PSE Odin Sub 30?

The Odin Sub 30 is PSE's compact flagship hunting platform. The name tells you exactly what they're going after: this thing measures under 30 inches axle to axle.

PSE moved away from the Mach 30 with this platform, and when you put the Odin in your hand the first thing you notice is just how little it is. For somebody hunting primarily out of tree stands, saddles or ground blinds, that's the attraction.

But being short doesn't automatically make a bow better for whitetail hunting. You've still got to look at string angle, how the bow reacts to input from your bow hand, how it holds and whether the draw-length range actually fits you. We'll get into all of that.

If you want to see the rest of the current lineup, you can also browse our PSE Archery collection.

PSE Odin Sub 30 Specs & Our Test Setup

Here's the configuration we're working with in this review. One thing I want to separate is published bow specifications from measurements we took on our actual setup.

The draw-length range is worth paying attention to. It starts all the way down at 24 1/2 inches and tops out at 30. That opens the bow up to a pretty broad group of shorter-draw shooters, but if you're over a 30-inch draw, this isn't your platform.

The FDS cam carries forward, and I'm glad it does. You get the rotating module for draw-length adjustment, adjustable let-off, a Picatinny sight mount and rear riser integration for compatible rests.

Stainless Hardware Is a Small Change That Matters

Rust on bow hardware drives me crazy. If you're a whitetail hunter, your bow is going to see humidity, rain, temperature swings and wet rides in and out of the woods. On a premium hunting bow, corrosion resistance shouldn't feel like an afterthought.

PSE went to stainless hardware on the Odin platform. Stainless isn't literally immune to corrosion under every possible condition, but it's considerably more resistant to rust than conventional untreated steel hardware. For a hunting bow, I think that's a worthwhile change.

There's also a redesigned limb-pocket area, and that leads into what I think is the more interesting change: the Limb Vise tuning system.

How the PSE Limb Vise Tuning System Works

This was the piece PSE was missing. They already had the EZ.220 spacer system for moving the cam, but they didn't have a true secondary pressless adjustment at the limb pocket. Now they do.

Macro Adjustment in the Rear, Fine Adjustment in the Front

The way I look at this system is pretty simple. Use the rear EZ.220 system to make the larger cam-position adjustment, and then use the Limb Vise system at the limb pocket to fine-tune the result.

For a larger correction at the cam, you're still taking tension off the bow and changing the spacer arrangement. Once you're close, the Limb Vise gives you another way to make a smaller adjustment without chasing everything around with the rest.

At the front, you loosen the hardware, change the spacer configuration and then tighten the system back down so the mechanism actually loads against the limb and changes its position in the pocket.

How My Odin Sub 30 Ended Up Tuned

Here's the exact configuration that worked on the bow we tested.

That combination worked extremely well on this particular bow. It tuned cleanly and shot lights out afterward.

That doesn't mean you should automatically copy those spacer positions on your bow. Every setup can be a little different. I'm giving you the numbers because they're useful as a real example of how the system worked for us, not as a universal tuning recipe.

How the PSE Odin Sub 30 Shoots

Specs and tuning systems are one thing. What matters after that is how the bow actually feels at full draw and through the shot.

Draw Cycle and Back Wall

The FDS cam feels excellent on this bow. The draw cycle is smooth and controlled, and you come into a nice solid back wall. If you've shot the FDS platform already, none of that is going to surprise you.

The Valley Is the Part I'd Pay Attention To

Here's where I'll be straight with you. On the bow we tested, the valley felt a touch shallower and less forgiving than some previous PSE models, even at 85% let-off.

I checked timing and made sure the bow was in spec. That's simply how this particular platform felt to me.

If you're somebody who likes to creep forward at full draw or you're thinking about running the 80%, 75% or 70% setting, I'd shoot one first. The lower you go on let-off, the more holding weight you're going to have and the more you're going to need to stay engaged against the wall.

String Angle

At a 29-inch draw length, the string angle is noticeably steep. There's no way around the geometry of a sub-30-inch bow.

For me personally, I like to get my nose onto the string. On this bow I have to dip my head into it a little more than I would on a longer axle-to-axle platform. If your anchor doesn't rely on that nose-to-string contact, it may not bother you nearly as much.

This is exactly why axle-to-axle length by itself shouldn't determine which hunting bow you buy. Compact is great until the geometry starts fighting your anchor.

Grip, Torque and Post-Shot Feel

The grip has the squared-off, relatively flat profile we've gotten used to on PSE bows. I'd personally add a little grip tape, although the charcoal finish on this one already has enough texture that it doesn't feel slick.

Because this is such a short platform, I found it a little more sensitive to what I was doing with my bow hand. I had to put a little pressure into the riser to keep everything lined up the way I wanted.

That doesn't mean the bow is difficult to shoot. It's simply one of the trade-offs of making the platform this compact.

At the shot, it was quiet and dead in the hand with just a touch of feedback. Nothing crazy.

PSE Odin Sub 30 Speed Test

Now let's get into the actual numbers.

Our bow was pulling 69.5 pounds. All of the speeds below are three-shot averages.

At the 30-inch draw setting, I ran both a 350-grain arrow and a 440-grain hunting arrow. Then we kept the 440-grain arrow and shortened the draw length to see what kind of real-world hunting speed the bow maintained for shorter-draw archers.

That 344.4 fps number at roughly 70 pounds and 30 inches tells you there's plenty of performance here.

The number I think is even more interesting is the short-draw result. At 24 1/2 inches, the bow was still pushing a 440-grain hunting arrow at 251 fps. For a shorter-draw whitetail hunter who wants to shoot a legitimate hunting-arrow setup instead of chasing speed with an extremely light arrow, that's useful performance.

Who Should Shoot the PSE Odin Sub 30?

If you're a whitetail hunter working out of a tree stand, saddle or blind and you put a premium on maneuverability, the Odin Sub 30 makes a ton of sense.

The platform gets especially interesting for shorter-draw archers because you're not taking a full-size bow and trying to make it work at the bottom end of its adjustment range. This platform goes all the way down to 24 1/2 inches.

Where people get this wrong is assuming that because most whitetail shots are relatively close, the shortest bow is automatically the best bow. It isn't.

You're still better off shooting the platform that gives you the best anchor, the most repeatable execution and the most confidence. For some people that's going to be the Odin Sub 30. Somebody else may shoot considerably better with a 33- or 34-inch bow.

How Does It Compare to the Mach 30?

The Mach 30 is the natural comparison because that's the compact carbon PSE platform the Odin is stepping in for.

The big changes that stand out immediately are the new platform, stainless hardware and the addition of Limb Vise tuning. The FDS cam concept itself is familiar if you've already spent time behind the previous Mach 30 FDS.

We're going to put the Odin and Mach 30 head to head rather than trying to declare a winner based on specs alone. That's where we'll be able to look at actual draw cycle, holding characteristics, speed, accuracy and shooting feel on the same day.

For another look at the previous compact FDS platform, read our PSE Mach 30 FDS vs Hoyt RX10 Bow Wars comparison.

PSE Odin Sub 30 FAQ

How long is the PSE Odin Sub 30?

The Odin Sub 30 measures approximately 29 1/2 inches axle to axle, putting it squarely in the ultra-compact hunting-bow category.

What draw lengths does the Odin Sub 30 fit?

The configuration reviewed here covers approximately 24 1/2 through 30 inches of draw length with the FDS rotating module.

How fast is the PSE Odin Sub 30?

Our test bow averaged 344.4 fps with a 350-grain arrow at a 30-inch draw setting and approximately 69.5 pounds. With a 440-grain arrow, it averaged 308.5 fps at 30 inches and 286.5 fps at 28 inches.

Does the Odin Sub 30 require a bow press to tune?

Not for every tuning adjustment. The Limb Vise system gives you a pressless fine-tuning option at the limb pocket. Larger cam-position changes through the rear spacer system can still require unloading the bow.

Is the Odin Sub 30 a good whitetail bow?

For the right shooter, yes. Its compact size makes it easy to maneuver in stands, saddles and blinds. The trade-off is a steeper string angle and potentially greater sensitivity to shooter input than a longer bow, so fit and shooting preference still matter.

Bottom Line

The PSE Odin Sub 30 does exactly what a compact flagship hunting bow should do. It's small, fast, maneuverable and easy to work with from a tuning standpoint.

The stainless hardware is a welcome durability improvement. The Limb Vise system gives PSE the additional tuning adjustment I wanted to see. And based on our chronograph testing, there's plenty of performance here even when you move away from an ultra-light speed-test arrow and into a normal hunting-arrow setup.

The one thing I'd want you to pay attention to is fit. The valley on our bow wasn't quite as forgiving as some previous platforms, and the short axle-to-axle length gives you a steeper string angle and makes shooter input matter a little more.

That's not a knock on the bow. That's the trade-off you're making to get a hunting platform this compact.

If you're a 29-inch-and-under draw whitetail hunter looking for something extremely maneuverable, this one absolutely deserves to be shot.

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