2021 Black Crows Justis

The Justis is a brand new ski for 2021 from Black Crows. It takes the place of two skis, the Daemon and Navis, but uses design elements and construction taken from another ski, the narrower Orb. The Justis is intended to provide versatile performance for any terrain, whether it be groomed slopes at the resort or deep powder in the sidecountry or backcountry. The Daemon was a surfy, yet powerful ski. The Navis was lighter, and more responsive due to its long camber. The Justis essentially blurs the line between the two, being precise and responsive when you want it to be, but with increased playfulness, maneuverability, and edge release compared to the Navis. Black Crows is using the same poplar wood core and the same H-shaped metal laminates that we get in the Orb. In fact, the Justis and Orb have the same turn radius and a very similar shape, too, 21 m turn radius throughout every length, classic camber underfoot with tip rocker. Although the Justis differentiates itself by using some early rise in the tail, something we don't get in the Orb.

Jeff Neagle skied the 177.4 cm length in the Justis and obviously had a good time on it just judging by his scores. Scores of 5 out of 5 from Jeff for quickness/maneuverability, torsional stiffness/edge grip, and overall impression, with all other criteria receiving 4 out of 5. Those are superb scores! "Such a great addition to Black Crows' lineup. I liked the Daemon, but it was a pretty specific ski that didn't have a very big audience. A ton of people are going to like the Justis. 177 cm felt perfect to me, even though I often have a preference for 180+ lengths in skis like this. The metal provides plenty of stability and edge grip on firm snow for even really aggressive skiers, but these things felt way more nimble, maneuverable, and fun-loving than most skis that hit this level of power and stability. I got to ski it in some nice softer snow conditions, and it's buttery smooth. Tail release is easier than I expected it would be. There's not a ton of rocker back there, and I think the way they shape the tail kind of like a swallow tail helps a lot." The tail really isn't shaped like a swallow-tail, but we know what Jeff's saying. By not using a squared-off, flat tail, Black Crows allows the Justis to be more playful and less catchy in soft snow.

Phil McGrory went for the longer 183.1 cm length in his testing (the longest is 189.3 cm). Phil thought that was a good length for him, and his 5 out of 5 score for overall impression indicates he's a pretty big fan of these new skis. "The Justis is a great new addition to the Black Crows family. Both versatile and powerful for any condition. At 100 mm underfoot, it will float in deeper snow and the tip and tail rocker allow the ski to be very maneuverable, too. 3 mm camber profile gives the ski a lively and playful feel in and out of turns, something that was lacking in the Daemon. The "H" shaped titanal layers give the ski torsional stiffness and stability underfoot, while still providing some forgiveness and a lighter swing weight." Marcus Shakun skied the same 183.1 cm length and was also impressed by the combination of power and versatility. "Solid as a rock," is how Marcus started his feedback. "If you're looking for stability, this is a great ski. High speed, varying conditions, you name it, you got it. Skied it in the most varying snow conditions and watched people tumble and get tossed as I blew through it on the Justis like there was no tomorrow." Marcus did add to his feedback that it can be somewhat of a demanding ski, so maybe not the best choice for a developing intermediate. "Need to put some effort in it to get the pop and energy back."

We're really excited about the new Justis from Black Crows. We think it fits better into Black Crows' collection of skis than either the Daemon of Navis did. It has some playful, freeride inspiration, but the H-shaped metal taken from the Orb gives it a precise, responsive feel that the Daemon lacked. The Navis had some of that, but not the playfulness. It's kind of like Black Crows took what was best about both of those skis and reapplied that performance to a new ski. We had a blast testing it this season, and we're confident any advanced/expert skier who values versatility in their all-terrain, daily driver skis will be thrilled with the new Justis.