2026 Black Crows Camox On Snow Ski Review

For years, the Black Crows Camox has done a great job at representing the upscale wood core twin tip division in the mid to upper 90’s category. While we often noted that the Camox functioned a bit better in an all-mountain format rather than a park-specific one, there was no denying the twin tip’s adherence to fun and creativity. Camox had uncommonly good grip and rebound, mainly due to the camber and the shape. There was nothing crazy about the construction, just a poplar core and fiberglass laminates, but Crows have always exceeded performance expectations due to the shaping and profiling principles. While much of that continues for the new 2026 Camox, Black Crows also took a step forward in the build, adding more ash wood in the central portion of the ski to elevate the smoothness and power. Overall, these new skis rip, with a high speed limit when asked and short-turn versatility when needed.

At a Glance:

2026 Black Crows Camox Skis

When it comes to construction, we get additions and power due to an ash insert in the middle of the ski to complement the otherwise full poplar core. Ash is used mainly in race and other high-end skis as a denser, more stable wood that can power skis at higher speeds. This plays against the lighter and more reactive poplar in the front and back of the ski to pair mobility and stability. Still relying mainly on the poplar and fiberglass, these skis are energetic and agile in the tips and tails and rock-solid in the middle. For an all-terrain twin tip, this is a very good thing. It does bump the weight a bit, with the 182 coming in at just under 2000 g/ski. It’s about 100 grams heftier than the outgoing version, mainly due to the input of ash. For flex, these have always been on the stiffer side of the twin tip spectrum, and that continues for 2026, but it’s more of an even, progressive, and predictable bend that allows for variations and deviations. That said, when you open it up and let it run, there’s minimal chatter. Black Crows still lists this ski as having a semi-cap construction, and we see more of that in the tips and tails with a thinner profile, but overall, there’s a lot of sidewall in these skis.

In addition to the differences in build, we also see some refinements in shaping and profile, most notably the smoothing of the shovel taper. It used to have more of a spoony/spatula look to it, but now it’s a lot rounder. This lengthens the effective edge a bit and creates a smoother feel with more consistent contact on the snow. I’d say it reduces the bouncy flotation of the older ski and replaces it with a more cutting-like character. While the ski feels like it’s more comfortable in longer turns, it actually has a slightly shorter turn radius than before. We now get an 18-meter arc versus the longer 20-meter radius with measurements of 135/97/122 in the 182. Overall, it feels like the smoother tape shape lends to more aggressive turning and power while the older ski felt like it wanted to be more poppy and bouncier. This is also due to the flatter camber and longer rocker in the new ski. While there’s certainly still a good amount of camber relative to modern freeride skis, the profile is stretched out and not as dramatic as has been the case in the past. This, again, leads to a smoother overall feel. With a mount point of –6 cm from center, this still falls in the directional category but has enough splay in the tails to be considered a twin tip. If you go forward of the mount point to create more balance and park acumen, feel free, but this ski is very happy in a directional all-mountain format.

On smooth snow, these skis low-key rock. They are unassuming, until you get them up to speed and then they really start to light it up. This Camox does a fantastic job of smoothing out terrain and making everything more fun. I tried skiing it like the older Camox on groomers, with more mid-range turns and speed, and it did fine, but I could definitely tell that it was looking for more. While not as peppy or bouncy as the older one, this new Camox wants to run. You can manipulate it to make short swing turns and quick skids, and it’s easy to throw sideways if you wish, but the biggest benefits are in longer more drawn-out carves, and that’s something I didn’t expect in an on-trail and groomer format. This is the ash coming to life paired with the flatter and smoother overall profile. Edge grip is good, not great, but for a non-metal ski, what can you really expect. Ice and hard pack performance are not race-like but that’s not the point of new Camox. Anything slightly softer than cement is quite joyous. It doesn’t feel hooky or grabby, it goes where pointed and actually feels a lot like the new Salomon QST 100 in this regard, just more powerful.

When you move into more adventurous terrain, the Camox makes a lot of sense—it's a swervy and playful ski that takes a bit of work but delivers promising rewards. It floats as well as a 97 mm ski could—it's not a standout in flotation nor does it dive and sink. We skied it on a powder day and loved it in the trees and more technical zones. This ski delivers confidence when needed and doesn’t fold when pushed. It’s very supportive for aggressive skiers but on the other hand, it’s a bit demanding for those looking for light and playful. Something like the Elan Playmaker 101 would serve as a foil here, opposing the Camox’s strength and power with supreme agility and smeariness with lower effort. It all depends on how much work you’re looking to put into the ski and the according performance that you get out of it. Similar to how the ski performs on groomers in long turns and at high speeds, Camox does quite well in crud and chop if you let it go. These skis motor over and through variable conditions and terrain with a lot of sophistication, especially if you let the weight and the shape of the ski do most of the work. While the QST 100 will want to steer and turn more, the Camox is happier to cruise. It’s fine in the bumps—totally predictable but somewhat inefficient. The weight and the stiffness can be a lot for less experienced mogul skiers, but stronger operators will have no issues here. We took the skis in some rugged terrain, and that matched the nature of the Camox quite well. As for park and freestyle use, buyer beware—these skis are indeed more directional, so don’t expect Rossignol Sender Free 100-like slopestyle balance unless you move the mount point forward at least 4cm, but then you’ll be ahead of the height of camber and eliminating the stronger all-mountain performance of the ski. While a twin tip, this feels less freestyle and more freeride.

Black Crows skis generally punch above their expected level, mainly due to innovative shaping policies, and this new Camox is a good example of that. In addition, the boosted build also factors in, creating a sturdier overall feel and a stronger character. It’s not that they give up playfulness, but they do have a less bouncy feel to them, and I suppose many skiers will put that under that playful umbrella. For most skiers, these new models feel harder charging and smoother and more predictable overall. This move allows them to keep up with more powerful all-mountain skis without giving up their twin tip and creative personality. Skis with twin tip shapes are a lot of fun and when you add an ash insert and a lively turn style, they get amplified. This is the new direction of the Camox, and we’re here for it.