2021 Black Crows Atris

Among Black Crows' "Big Mountain" series, the Atris is arguably the most versatile ski, and probably the easiest to ski, too. The Anima and Nocta are much wider, powder-specific tools. The Corvus a stiffer, heavier, hard-charger. As Julien Regnier says, if you have no idea what conditions or terrain you're going to be skiing, but have to choose a ski, it might as well be the Atris! I suppose we'll add that that's probably only true if you know you're seeking out un-groomed, soft snow terrain rather than just groomers. What we're getting at is that the Atris is a well-rounded ski. At 108 mm underfoot, it has plenty of float. Tip and tail rocker give it a maneuverable, playful feel, while camber underfoot provides responsiveness. It carves more easily than a ski like the Corvus, and comes alive at slower speeds. It's a fun, playful ski in general, although it can also handle high speeds and some aggressive skiing thanks to the poplar wood core and extended 20 m turn radius. The Atris is all about achieving a balance between stability and maneuverability, and we think Black Crows has done a great job of that.

Jeff Neagle really enjoyed skiing the 184.2 cm length and started his feedback by simply saying that "there's a lot to like about the Atris. I could see myself skiing this regularly, especially if I lived out west or somewhere like Chamonix where this ski was born. It's strong enough that I don't feel held back, but I also feel like it's a ski I could throw some tricks on in the backcountry. Good directional performance, but definitely capable of spinning, landing switch, buttering, and more, and all of it in deep snow." Jeff's feedback was reflected in his scores: 5 out of 5 for flotation, quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, and overall impression. "Easy to release the tail edge when you want to, which gives it a very intuitive feel. Just did what I wanted it to do without that much effort on my end, which I enjoy in a ski this wide.

Josh Wolfgang also tested the 184.2 cm length and had a similar reaction to the Atris. He described it as "a very playful ski." Josh didn't have the opportunity to get it into deep snow conditions, which is one of the Atris' favorite places to be, but he found the ski's willingness to play and maneuver quite enjoyable. "It's all about playing on the side of the trail on these and hitting little kickers." Matt McGinnis skied the same length as Josh and Jeff and just drew a line down the 4 column in our criteria scores. A 4 is a high score, and consistent scores like that tell the story of a well-rounded ski, which was the intention of the Atris from the get-go. "Overall, these skis were super fun, powerful, and trustworthy for a ski this wide. They're stable at speed and easy to shut down when needed. As such, they're great for reverting to and skiing switch." While they're not necessarily marketed as a freestyle backcountry ski, they will absolutely work. Need evidence? Head on over to Black Crows' website and you'll see some video footage of skiers landing switch in powder, although it does look like those skiers have moved the mount point forward a little bit. "I'd say these skis are ideal for those wanting a wide, stable, playful platform with a moderate flex pattern. Overall, I'm very impressed."

It's not surprising the Atris is one of Black Crows' most popular skis. We've had it on the feet of numerous testers over the past couple seasons and no one has had anything bad to say about it. It's not too demanding, it's fun and playful, yet it still feels stable when you need it to. It's not the big-mountain charger of the Corvus, but it's more well-rounded and we think a wider audience of skiers would enjoy owning a pair. Now get out there and go slay some powder!