2027 Black Crows Sato

Comfort and approachability are the two key words when describing the 2027 Black Crows Sato. This ski returns unchanged for this year, bringing with it the same footprint, build, and design. At 88 mm underfoot, this is an all-mountain ski that’s very comfortable in an on-piste situation. It prefers slightly softer snow, but a skilled skier can get plenty of grip and performance if it gets firm, too. It’s impressive just how well the ski can enter and exit a turn with a smooth and silent character. It has high-end vibes for sure, even if the engineering and technology are somewhat basic. A thicker wood core does wonders for the planted and solid feel of any ski, and that’s especially true in Sato.

Built with a poplar wood core and fiberglass laminates, there’s no secret sauce to the Sato, other than core thickness. We’ve found, though, that this is incredibly important in generating stiffness and snow feel. In the 179, the longest length for better or worse, the ski sits on the scale at 1825 g/ski. For an 88, this is a good place to be—hefty enough but not overpowering. Tester Jake Webber states: “This ski felt approachable. I’d recommend the ski on softer groomed terrain. The solid wood core without metal or carbon offers some edge grip and rigidity without requiring too much power to drive the ski.”

As with most Black Crows skis, the shape and profile takes more of a center stage in terms of performance and application. Sato is an 88, so it’s meant to be all-mountain. It’s also on the approachable side, so it helps that it has a 17-meter turn radius. There’s decent rocker, but not too much, and good camber underfoot to promote energy and rebound. It’s just an easy ski to like. Bob St.Pierre says that “The Sato is one of the most intuitive skis I've ever been on. It just turns so cleanly and so properly with such minimal input. Even in the 179, the longest length, this ski has a lot of stability to go along with great energy. It just makes me feel like I'm a better skier. At 88 mm underfoot, the Sato is an all-mountain ski with a bit of a groomer lean. It's got some tail rocker but is primarily a directional groomer ski that can also be used in a versatile format as long as the snow is somewhat packed. Sato has a big range here in terms of ability. You don't have to be a highly skilled or aggressive skier to have an absolute blast on this ski. It's easy to turn but is also amenable to being pushed pretty hard if needed. If there's a more comfortable ski out there in the world, I'm not sure what it is.”

If you gave this to every skier on the world, I bet that 99% would come back with positive feedback. It’s not going to win any races, freeride competitions, or mogul events, but it’s certainly going to make a lot of skiers smile and help them progress with satisfaction. I can’t think of another 88 that I’d rather ski literally every day of the year.