From Black Crows:
102mm dedicated to adventure.
Striking a balance between fatness and skiability, with alpine style and front progressive rocker – the navis freebird is shaped for both far-off quests and everyday missions.
$799.95
The Black Crows Navis Freebird have quickly become one of the most beloved backcountry and all-around skis.
Coming from the Chamonix, France based Black Crows ski company, the Navis is made to play in the big mountains while also not weighing you down and ruining a day out in the mountains.
When I went to buy a new setup at Bentgate Mountaineering in Golden, Colorado I was between the Corvus and the Navis.
In speaking with a rep at Bentgate, he asked me about my skiing style.
Now, I grew up on the ice of Virginia’s Appalachians and learned to appreciate the ice while skiing freestyle and then racing skiercross for a bit. I really started skiing powder when living near Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland and then again once moving to San Francisco and skiing in Tahoe.
Now that we live in Colorado, powder is more the norm than not. But, I still enjoy playing around on the mountain, popping over little cliffs and taking some drops, and I enjoy getting some air when I can.
The gentleman helping me out at Bentgate told me:
“The Navis is the Corvus’s more playful brother.”
Boy has he been right.
The same playful float in powder and control on hardpack, but with an even lighter core that’s primed to climb The 2018 Navis Freebird from Black Crows is the touring-friendly version of their popular Navis ski. It shares the same waist, sidecut and profile as the regular ski, but introduces a Paulownia-charged lightweight core, reinforced with carbon fibre, that sheds about 500g from the pair. Free yourself for the climb The Navis itself is the widest ski in Black Crows’ All-Terrain range, so the Freebird offers the same sweet mix of soft snow float and hardpack performance, in a package that’s a little kinder on those legs after a long day of earning your turns. Ready for anything A lovely progressive front rocker helps to keep those tips up and smash through crud, while the long underfoot camber delivers power to plenty of the edge, making the Navis supremely grippy on wind-scoured slopes and hardpack. There’s a slight early rise rocker at play in the tail, but it’s certainly a lot more present than some of BC’s other skis, delivering a more alpine feel that will suit the traditionalist. A reliable ride that lasts Open her up and the combination of camber underfoot, paulownia/poplar core and 19m sidecut radius provides a lively ride that’s plenty stable at speed. The hybrid semi-cap topsheet with ABS sidewall protects against dings or chips from hidden gremlins lurking in the deep, while the tempered steel edges are thicker usual for dramatically increased durability and deflection. Why compromise? The Navis Freebird is a solid choice for touring-focused skiers who want a directional freeride ski that’s super capable across the whole mountain and doesn’t sacrifice downhill performance.
Pair them with the: G3 Ion 12
From Black Crows:
102mm dedicated to adventure.
Striking a balance between fatness and skiability, with alpine style and front progressive rocker – the navis freebird is shaped for both far-off quests and everyday missions.
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