The Black Crows Atris is part of their Freeride Range and is designed to be a playful, versatile ski. Black Crows describes it as being stable, quick edging, with a progressive flex. It relies on a poplar wood core, uses tip and tail rocker, and what Black Crows medium classic camber underfoot. Slightly less early taper in the Atris compared to some Black Crows models, which gives it an extended sidecut, helping to boost edge grip in any application. It’s 108 mm at its waist and that “slightly extended” sidecut features a 20 m turn radius, which is consistent across all available lengths in the Atris. We love Black Crows’ description that the Atris can be a “stylish door-opener to the world of big mountain skiing,” but we expect it would also be a lot of fun on the feet of an already-accomplished big mountain athlete.
Matt McGinnis was “very impressed” after he finished testing the 184.2 cm length Atris. That’s something you’re going to notice with Black Crows; their length breakdown is more specific and it’s very unique that it goes down to the millimeter level. Matt had very consistent scores for the Atris, all 4’s out of 5 for every single category. That typically suggests a very versatile ski with an even mix of performance characteristics. “Overall, these skis were super fun. Powerful and trustworthy for a ski this wide. With a medium flex, they’re stable at speed and easy to shut down when needed.” The rocker profile is really helping with the ski’s willingness to “shut down” when you need to dump some speed. It’s easy to release the tail edge and get the ski to pivot, a quick way to slow down when things get a little out of hand. “I’d say these skis are ideal for those wanting a wide, stable platform with a moderate flex.”
Kelby Furrer had a very similar set of scores for the Atris after testing the 184.2 cm length. Again, all 4’s out of 5 from Kelby, although stability was an exception, dropping down to 3 out of 5. “This is a solid, wide body ski and all-around ripper. Felt really stable riding switch.” That’s interesting feedback from Kelby. Although stability was his lowest numerical score, he specifically mentioned its stable feel while riding switch, which to us suggests the ski has a very balanced, intuitive feel for playful skiers. Kelby did think it required at least a certain ability level, commenting that it is “definitely an advanced ski.”
Josh Wolfgang was most impressed by the ski’s playful nature after testing that same 184.2 cm length. Stability and edge grip were the lowest scores from Josh, with flotation, quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, forgiveness, and overall impression all earning 4 out of 5 as the highest scores. Josh thought it was a “very playful ski.” He mentioned for him, it “didn’t want to carve on-piste,” rather that it’s “all about playing on the sides of the trail on these and hitting little kickers.” That’s a good recommendation from Josh. If you’re focused on carving, skis with less rocker and/or stiffer, heavier construction will be a better choice for most skiers.
If you love seeking out soft snow and adventurous zones on the mountain, you’ll love the Atris from Black Crows. Its shape and construction give it a fun, playful, versatile feel, yet it still has enough stability for some high-speed skiing and so that you know you can trust it when you’re in tricky situations in the backcountry or side-country. The fact that the shortest available length is 178.3 cm is a nod to the idea that this ski is really most appropriate for soft-snow, freeride applications.
