2022 Black Crows Corvus Freebird

Pink, poised, and powerful, the Black Crows Corvus Freebird is an amazing choice for a high-energy skier who likes to do a bit of everything. From in-bounds resort skiing to backcountry jaunts to the highest peaks, the Corvus Freebird is a strong and stable ski that you can rely on day in and day out. As a more directional ski in the Freebird line, the Corvus Free likes to be used at higher speeds and on more rugged terrain. You’ll be pretty stoked that you’re on a Corvus Freebird when you find yourself atop some craggy mountain in the middle of nowhere, just as you’ll love and appreciate the ski when you get first chair in the morning on a powder day. There’s little to no limit as to what these skis can do, so whether you pair them with an alpine specific, hybrid touring, or a light weight tech binding, you’re going to get what you need in the sport of skiing out of the Black Crows Corvus Freebird.

At 109 mm underfoot, we’re not dealing with some skinny touring ski here, but rather a beefy freeride ski that just so happens to be on the lighter side due to the construction. The poplar wood core is combined with fiberglass and carbon stringers to get the best-possible strength to weight ratio, and it works quite well in this case. They also add titanal binding plate underfoot which is great for keeping the hybrid bindings in place, increasing the confidence level of skiers who are starting to push their limits, and that’s all good to us. Long, classic camber is found underfoot with extended sidecut to increase the edge contact with the snow. This results in a very smooth feeling when you’re in a carved turn and the edges are engaged.

Marcus Shakun skied the 183 and noted that while it skis true to size, he’d likely prefer the 188, but still had a good time on the shorter ski. Stability got top-billing for Marcus, with a score of 5 out of 5. Flotation, torsional stiffness, edge hold, versatility, and overall impression all got 4’s with 3’s dotting the rest of his card. Pretty high overall scores for sure from Marcus, showing the high-end of the ski and his general agreement with it. “Powerful in Pink Powering through the spring corn or in search of morning pow here’s your touring tool. The platform underfoot allows the is ski to be stable as you power through the snow conditions. It does have a bit of a wider turn preference, but doesn’t shy away from dipping in to shorter turns as you dig it in. Not always a characteristic you find in wider touring skis. Some of the lightness in construction and width probably allows for that softer-ish shovel. Still pretty stiff to plow its way through. for that adv backcountry touring guy looking for something a bit wider at 107 underfoot. Maybe a bit more average out west. not necessarily choice for everyday resort ski, but could see this with a lighter more balanced skier.” Skier input seems to have a lot to do with the overall performance of this ski, and it makes a lot of sense, especially since it falls into the category of the touring application, but still has quite a bit of beef to it.

Skiers looking for that versatile tourer in a wider shape will love the stiffness of the mid-foot to the tail of the Black Crows Corvus Freebird. While a bit more flexible in the shovel, and with that early taper for flotation, these skis can haul through the fresh, they still have that stiff overall feeling to them, making it a blast for a variety of conditions and terrain. Advanced and expert skiers will likely find a lot to like about the Corvus Freebird, with versatility abound.