Brand spanking new for the 2024 season, the Black Crows Draco Freebird is the only twin-tip ski in the Freebird touring series. Intended for seeking fresh snow and powder, this touring twin tip is all about finding and having fun. Highly maneuverable and unrelenting in terms of performance, the Draco Freebird has many great qualities that make it stand out in the plethora of backcountry freeride skis. The addition of the Draco rounds out the Freebird line since there has not been a ski with this width and shape previously. We expect to see a lot of these skis on the slopes in the coming seasons because of their high performance and high-quality construction.

The Draco Freebird utilizes a construction that is common with most of the Freebird skis. A poplar and paulownia wood core is reinforced with fiberglass and carbon stringers that run the length of the ski. Poplar and paulownia give the ski energy and responsiveness, with the paulownia keeping the weight down as it is less dense than poplar. The fiberglass and carbon stringers add longitudinal stiffness as well as dampening properties to add edge grip and stability over variable snow while keeping weight to a minimum. At the 181.5cm length, the Draco Freebird weighs4100 grams, resulting in it not being the lightest freeride touring ski. However, lightweight touring bindings are the likely companion which makes their overall weight much more justifiable and sensible. The 4100 gram mark makes sense for a ski like this because with skis of this width, it is hard to sustain a high level of performance without sacrificing weight. But the Draco finds a happy medium between uphill and downhill performance.

As previously stated, the Draco Freebird is the only twin-tip touring ski in the Black Crows catalog putting it right in the backcountry freeride category. With 15% rocker in the tips and tails, there is extensive maneuverability and agility to be had. Smooth turn initiation and release in all snow conditions makes it a versatile choice for soft snow seekers. With camber making up the rest of the profile, energy and edge grip is seamlessly incorporated into the Draco. Both attributes are needed for a backcountry freeride ski that can handle any and all situations. The sidecut of this ski rounds out the Freebird series by falling directly between the Corvus Freebird and Navis Freebird in terms of dimensions. 139mm in the tips, 111mm in the waist, and 126mm in the tails make the Draco extremely versatile for a broad range of snow conditions and applications. Applications like powder hunting, ski mountaineering, sidecountry missions, and perhaps some resort powder skiing. The sidecut at the 181.5cm length generates a turning radius of 21 meters, which is right in line with most skis of its width and application.

The brand new 2024 Black Crows Draco Freebird perfectly rounds out the already legendary Freebird line in effortless fashion. If you are looking for backcountry touring ski, there is likely a Freebird for you. Out of the Freebirds, the Draco is the one for you if you are looking for a backcountry powder ski that does not sacrifice performance for weight. Although not the lightest, the 4100 gram weight is not that discerning given the Draco’s powder application and likely lightweight binding companion. There are not many other 111mmwaisted touring skis with the level of performance found in this unique ski. If you are an advanced to expert level backcountry freeride skier who is seeking a wide, high performing, backcountry powder ski, the all-new Draco Freebird is one that should not be overlooked.