PSE Sicario 35 Review: The Bow PSE Needed to Build

What Is the PSE Sicario 35?

Here's the thing — PSE basically took the best parts of both platforms and landed them in the middle. The Sicario 35 is a 35-inch ATA bow with a 6-inch brace height and an IBO of around 336 fps.

For context: the Sicario 33 was running 357 fps IBO with a 5.25-inch brace height. The Mach 35 was at 327 fps with a 7-inch brace height. The Sicario 35 splits both of those right down the middle. Speed and forgiveness. Same platform, better balance.

And one thing that doesn't get talked about enough — this bow goes to 31.5 inches of draw length. The original Sicario taps out at 30. If you're a longer draw guy who wanted that Sicario feel but couldn't make it work, this is the bow they built for you.

Build and Specs

It's built on PSE's carbon platform, so we're talking right around 3.9 pounds. Light. And it runs their FDS cam system — if you've shot a PSE in the last couple years, you already know what you're getting into. Incredibly smooth through the whole draw cycle.

Let-off options go from 70%, 75%, 80%, and 85%. Plenty of options depending on what you're hunting and how you like to hold.

How Does It Actually Shoot?

I shot this thing at 70 pounds, 80% let-off, with a 435-grain arrow at 28.5 inches. Three-shot average came in at 285.2 fps.

Switched it to 85% — averaged 286.4 fps. So you pick up about a foot per second going from 80 to 85%. Not a huge difference speed-wise, but the valley opens up noticeably at 85%. You're also holding about 3 pounds less. For a hunting scenario where you might be holding on an animal for a while, that matters.

Personally, I ran it at 80% and liked the feel better. It's a little more positive at full draw. But if I'm strapping this thing on a tree stand in November, I'm probably flipping it to 85%.

The draw cycle is fantastic — no hump, no dump, smooth beginning to end. The back wall is solid. The FDS cam has been consistent across every PSE I've shot this year, and this one is no different.

Post-shot feel — there is a little bit of jump to it. It's a carbon bow with a 6-inch brace height, so that's expected. Throw a stabilizer setup on it and that goes away. Nothing that should concern you.

The String Angle

Here's one of my favorite things about moving to longer ATA platforms — the string angle. I used to be a shorter bow guy, man. But this year I've been shooting 33s and 35s, and the string angle on these longer bows is just hard to beat.

You don't have to duck into it. Your draw length just settles in naturally. Everything lines up better. The bow is more consistent, more forgiving, and honestly easier to shoot well. I don't think we give up as much going to these longer bows as people think. A couple inches — it's really not a big deal out in the field.

Who Is This Bow For?

This is a real question worth thinking through before you pull the trigger.

If you want maximum speed — go Sicario 33. That's still the speed bow in the lineup. Fastest, most aggressive, built for the guys who want to chase numbers.

If you want maximum forgiveness and have a shorter draw length — Mach 35 or something like it. The 7-inch brace height is hard to beat for shootability.

If you're somewhere in the middle — especially if you've got a draw length over 30 inches — the Sicario 35 is going to be a legit option. You're still shooting mid-280s out of a 35-inch ATA platform with a 6-inch brace height. That's a hunting rig. That's a setup you can shoot all season, compete with, and actually trust.

This bow is going to be a banger for a lot of people this year. There's a big chunk of archers who wanted the Sicario 33 but just couldn't make the specs work for them — and this is the bow that fixes that problem.

Bottom Line

PSE didn't need to build this bow. The Sicario 33 and Mach 35 were already solid. But they did build it, and it fills a real gap in the lineup.

If the Sicario 33 was just a little too aggressive, or if you've been on a Mach 35 and want a little more pop out of it — this is the one. The Sicario 35 is smooth, fast enough, forgiving enough, and built for the guys who need a longer draw option in a performance platform.