Gear Review: Navis Freebird Black Crows Skis
Value Rating: 8
Durability Rating: 9
Overall Rating: 9
Location of Test: Mt. Hood!!
Duration: 1 day
Product Name: Navis Freebird
Product Brand: Black Crows
Best Use: All mountain and backcountry skiing
Sizes:
169 cm, 179 cm, 185 cm
133mm tip, 102 underfoot, 118 tail
19m turn radius
The Full Review:
Given all the hype surrounding Black Crows over the last few seasons, I figured it was about time for me to actually ride a pair. While the Atris is the ski that has won Black Crows so much press, the Navis Freebird we have in our demo fleet is mounted with a G3 Ion binding, so I thought I'd take them out touring.
In the shop, I've always been impressed with the way the Navis flexes. While it's soft and poppy in the tip and tail, they remain fairly stiff underfoot, which I felt would give the ski good holding power while maintaining a playful feeling. I love the look of the camber/rocker profile of the ski, as it has just a slight amount of camber which quickly leads to a mellow rocker.
Going uphill, the skis felt stable and nimble, and I definitely noticed how light they were. While I love going uphill with a lightweight ski, I only go uphill to come back down. When descending, I want a ski that will ride well and charge through anything, which usually means a heavier ski. So, I reserved my excitement about the Navis Freebird until my descent was completed.
Of course, once I began to ride the foot of fresh powder that had fallen throughout the day (Mt. Hood powder in October??!), my excitement grew. These skis popped in and out of turns, responded to my every maneuver, and charger in exactly the way I would hope and expect them too.
The long and short of it is, this is ski I now want in my quiver, BADLY. They'd make an excellent ski for anyone looking to shred on something a little more playful and stout than your typical ultra-light backcountry ski (which absolutely has a place in your quiver, by the way).
The Good
So much fun, skis incredibly well for a ski of this weight
The Bad:
I now want to spend more money on ski equipment
The Bottom Line:
Stop by the shop and demo these things!
The Full Review:
Given all the hype surrounding Black Crows over the last few seasons, I figured it was about time for me to actually ride a pair. While the Atris is the ski that has won Black Crows so much press, the Navis Freebird we have in our demo fleet is mounted with a G3 Ion binding, so I thought I'd take them out touring.
In the shop, I've always been impressed with the way the Navis flexes. While it's soft and poppy in the tip and tail, they remain fairly stiff underfoot, which I felt would give the ski good holding power while maintaining a playful feeling. I love the look of the camber/rocker profile of the ski, as it has just a slight amount of camber which quickly leads to a mellow rocker.
Going uphill, the skis felt stable and nimble, and I definitely noticed how light they were. While I love going uphill with a lightweight ski, I only go uphill to come back down. When descending, I want a ski that will ride well and charge through anything, which usually means a heavier ski. So, I reserved my excitement about the Navis Freebird until my descent was completed.
Of course, once I began to ride the foot of fresh powder that had fallen throughout the day (Mt. Hood powder in October??!), my excitement grew. These skis popped in and out of turns, responded to my every maneuver, and charger in exactly the way I would hope and expect them too.
The long and short of it is, this is ski I now want in my quiver, BADLY. They'd make an excellent ski for anyone looking to shred on something a little more playful and stout than your typical ultra-light backcountry ski (which absolutely has a place in your quiver, by the way).
The Good
So much fun, skis incredibly well for a ski of this weight
The Bad:
I now want to spend more money on ski equipment
The Bottom Line:
Stop by the shop and demo these things!