2022 Black Crows Atris Birdie

We’ve marveled for a couple of years now about how Black Crows is able to eke out such different performance with (mostly) simple poplar cores. We’ve seen it with other skis like Atomic’s Bent Chetler 100, and now with a handful of the BC skis, just by shaping and rockering the skis in different ways, the poplar core is able to accomplish a lot of different things. The Black Crows Atris Birde is one of the more versatile big-mountain freeride skis we’ve seen come down the line for the ladies, and advanced and expert skiers are really going to like the playful flotation, as well as the high-end versatility that these skis deliver on a day in and day out level. As one of the most iconic of the Black Crows skis, the Atris Birdie features a 108 mm waist width, which is certainly better suited for softer snow, but the overall character of the ski is quite versatile and well-rounded. While nobody would mistake this for a carving or front side ski, it does perform quite admirably in a turn, allowing for better access to the fresh snow, whether you’re using them to just get back and forth from the lift, or even using them as a backcountry and touring option. The opportunities are endless with a ski like the Atris Birdie, and our testers definitely picked up on the smoothness and stability of these wonderful sticks.

Carly Monahan skied the 169 and found it a bit long at first, but once she found the sweet spot, she did not seem to find the length to be an issue. All 3’s and 4’s on Carly’s scorecard, with 4’s given for flotation, stability, versatility, and overall impression. These are some consistently high scores for a 108 underfoot ski, and we’re stoked to see it. Carly’s comments include a bit about the length as well as her final take on the Atris Birdie: “It took me more than a few turns to find the sweet spot, but once I did, these gave me the pop and playful feel I expected from them. Bopping off of bumps, smearing in the slush; great ski for someone who gravitates towards bigger, more open terrain and has the opportunity for plenty of soft snow (ie not the best everyday ski for an East coaster - but if you’re adding a soft snow ski to your quiver, look no further!)” It’s fair to say that an eastern-exclusive skier would need something else to complement the Atris Birdie for daily skiing, but that this ski would serve quite well as the soft-snow ski for us easterners.

Kristi Brown was also on the 169 and notes that the length was “right on, and solid.” Her scores were quite high for the Atris Birdie, with 5’s given for flotation, stability, torsional stiffness, and edge grip. All others, including versatility and overall impression, received 4’s, so like Carly, Kristy had some consistently high scores for sure. While the scores were top-end, her comments vacillate between like and love: “Love the Indie Black Crows movement. This is not my fave ski of theirs - wish could have tested others. Also, conditions not ideal for this ski. With all that said - Skiing the Atris Birdie is like having an in-depth conversation with a hippie and an engineer - a cool concoction of fun loving and balanced design that gives you peace of mind of a good ski experience.” On the longer 178, Catherine Ferguson noted that it was on the long side for her, so she’d likely be a bit happier on the 169. Regardless, Catherine had similar top marks as Kristi, with 5’s given for flotation, stability, torsional stiffness, and edge grip. Normally, a 108 wouldn’t be considered stiff from side to side, but these ladies are feeling something different, and that’s totally cool. In her time on the ski, Catherine notes that “the reps said they were a “west coast ski” but, they fit right in with the east coast as well! Definitely a strong ski which I love!!” One of my favorite words when writing about these skis is “empirical,” meaning based on experience rather than theory, and I think it applies quite well here.

If you’re in the market for a soft-snow freeride-oriented ski with a great feel to it, the Black Crows Atris Birdie does a whole lot with a fairly simple build. Thanks to the engineers and the way they build and shape the skis, the Atris Birdie is able to be more than just a 108mm underfoot powder board. It planes on top of the soft snow quite well, allowing the pilot to enjoy the ride and get back out what they put in, and that’s really what it’s all about. There’s a lot more to this ski than just the numbers and stats.