2027 Black Crows Serpo

Each year, we take stock of what has changed and what has stayed the same. The 2027 Black Crows Serpo has got to be one of the leaders in the clubhouse when it comes to no structural changes. We get a new graphic now and again, but it sure seems that over the years, the Serpo has stayed true while others have altered. This is high praise for a ski—to make it this long without updates to shape or construction, and it speaks volumes about the well-liked and ever-popular Serpo when it comes to trusty all-mountain skiing.

We do get some decent tech in the build, and that’s certainly helped carry the ski’s momentum over the years. Built with a poplar wood core, we get fiberglass for stiffening and response and two titanal plates underfoot. These plates keep the center part of the ski damp and powerful with good grip while the forebody and aft portion of the skis are just loaded with energy and precision. In the 180, Black Crows states a weight of 1825 g/ski, so it’s got a good power to weight ratio. Tester Jameson Halnon states that “The Serpo probably stands for Surfy Edgy Responsive Playful Orangutan. Having skied Enforcer 88s it delivered on the east coast lock into the icy turn but also had that mid 90s playfulness where you could go from a locked in sweeping turn straight to fast poppy turns. If Black Crows are in your budget and you want the One Ski To Rule Everything but Powder, this will keep you pretty happy 95% of the time in Vermont on groomers, scratched surfaces and probably everything up to 4” of fresh snow fall.”

At 93 mm underfoot, this ski is shaped to hit the middle of a lot of different applications. This is what makes it such a formidable all-mountain ski. We get decent rocker in the tips and tails to make softer snow easier, but the energy of the tail and lack of taper make a lot of sense here. The skis have a longer turn radius of 20-meters, and this allows for a huge variation in turn shape and style—something that creative all-mountain skiers can really take advantage of. Halnon continues: “This ski is going to be most fun for an advanced skiers, but an intermediate skier will be able to lock into the edges with the ability to escape a scary diving turn. You’re locked in with a quick release to snap your skis the other way. If you have a 100+ ski or just don’t like skiing powder, consider this your ski. Whether you want to carve across the entire trail, point and shoot at high speeds, pump moguls, or slash snow at your friends, you’re probably going to be happy here. It just sort of does everything well, great.”

We’re stoked to see the Serpo back for another year—we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this supremely well-rounded ski. Why mess with success, as this ski certainly checks a whole lot of boxes for a ton of skiers. It’s a great example of a ski that can do it all, while not really excelling in one particular venue.