PSE Optima Heritage Review

Image	Length	Bow Weight	Draw Weight	Takedown?
PSE Optima Heritage See on Amazon.com	62"	2 lbs. How to: choose arrows, draw weight, and tune your recurve	15-35 lbs.	Yes

Pros - Excellent accuracy, great for target shooting - Interchangeable limbs allow the bow to grow with the shooter	Cons - Not enough draw weight for any serious hunting - Small sight window
Also recommended: Best PSE Bows

Compare To Other Recurves

PSE Optima Heritage Package Contents

Welcome back! This time around, we are reviewing the PSE Optima Heritage. PSE has designed the Heritage Optima recurve bow for target shooting by shooters of any size or age. Each package delivered by PSE includes the following items:

The PSE Optima Heritage bow, including riser and limbs
All required hardware to attach limbs, including one-piece stainless steel limb bolts
Bowstring

Assembling The Bow

The Optima Heritage is easy to put together, consisting only of attaching the limbs to the riser pockets and then stringing the bow. The bow does not come with a bow stringer, however, so you should invest in one if you are serious about archery.

How Powerful and Accurate is the Bow?

This bow proved to be very accurate, once I’d broken in the bow and gotten used to it. Within an hour, I was shooting 1” groupings from 25 yards, and the accuracy continued to hold up until I was shooting 3” groupings from 50 yards.

The Optima’s power depends on which configuration you use, with draw weights available in 5# increments from 15# to 35#. This flexibility allows you to increase your draw weight as you grow, working your way up to a bow with a draw weight almost high enough for hunting.

Is The Bow Suitable For Hunting?

The PSE Optima Heritage is optimal (no pun intended) for all sorts of target shooting, but its highest draw weight is still 5 pounds shy of the minimum recommended draw weight for hunters. In addition, the small sight window and low clearance prevents the use of arrows with plastic vanes or spin wings, since the spin wings come off too easily and the plastic vanes will leave marks on the bow.

Is The Bow Suitable For Beginners?

The adaptability of the PSE Heritage Optima to shooters of different sizes makes it an ideal bow for anyone just getting started in archery. Whether you are looking for a target bow for your children or for a Scout troop, the Optima will grow with them through the interchangeable limbs and risers.

The sturdy construction of the bow is also good for beginners, since the bow can drop on concrete without being damaged. Finally, the bow is very forgiving to poor shooting technique, allowing new shooters to learn their technique without becoming frustrated with the bow.

Does This Recurve Accept Accessories?

The PSE Heritage Optima does come with holes predrilled, so you can easily add accessories such as a sight, stabilizer, quiver, or Berger button. The bow does not include bushings, however, so make sure the accessory you purchase comes with all required attachment hardware.

Arrows For The PSE Heritage Optima

I have tried out several types of arrows with the PSE Heritage Optima, with good results almost all around. As stated earlier, there is a problem with low clearance in the sight window, however, so you might want to avoid spin wings or plastic vanes. I tried spin wings, and they simply did not work because the wings came off quickly. Plastic-vaned arrows worked fine with the bow, but left vane marks. If you’re a complete beginner, check out our arrow selection guide to get started.

Is This Bow Comfortable To Hold?

I prefer the more traditional wooden recurve bows, but I was surprised at how comfortable the aluminum riser of the PSE Heritage Optima is to hold. The plastic grip feels almost natural in my hand, and the light weight of the bow makes it a joy to hold and shoot for hours on end.

Materials And Durability (Riser, Limbs)

The PSE Heritage Optima has a machined aluminum riser, which comes in either red or blue. The limbs are white ash and bear the Optima logo. PSE has designed the Optima to be the most versatile of its Heritage lineup of recurves, available in two different riser sizes which each accept two different limb sizes. This variety of parts allows the bow to grow with its shooter. This variety of interchangeable parts allows the shooter to find Optimas ranging from 56” AMO length to 66”.

The integrated pockets on the riser allow adjustments, to accept different limb sizes. The one-piece stainless steel limb bolts hold nicely, and the aluminum riser has a very high-tech, durable design.

I found the PSE Heritage Optima quite sturdy with repeated use, able to withstand hours of use and the occasional drop.

What String Fits The PSE Heritage Optima?

Any string up to 35# should fit the PSE Heritage Optima. I would advise buying a new string early on, especially if you plan to shoot frequently, as the included string is a poor one and will not last very long.

Is The PSE Heritage Optima a Heavy Bow?

With its aluminum riser, the PSE Heritage Optima is very lightweight for its size. Mine weighed in at just less than 2 pounds, and felt much lighter in my hand. I probably put in 6 to 8 hours of shooting the first day I tried out the Optima, without any fatigue or soreness afterwards. PSE has done some fine work designing a quality bow with such a light weight.

How Loud Is The PSE Heritage Optima?

Out of the box, the PSE Heritage Optima is no louder than some of its more expensive cousins. The aluminum riser and the rubberized pocket washers leave little room for vibration, so the only sound I was able to hear was the soft “twang” of the bowstring.