Freeride backcountry skis
Product 2027
Woman, Man
The Black Crows Orb Freebird was evaluated in the 170 cm length. Its bright yellow graphic makes it effortless to spot in deep powder—and equally ideal for locating should a ski get buried in a slide.
It immediately stands out with Black Crows’ signature logo cut-out in the tip, paired with an elastomer tail protector shaped to match the chevron logo—a visually striking touch. The steel edge is exceptionally thin to shed every possible gram; after three tunes, the edge is virtually gone. As expected for this category, the edge does not wrap around the tip.Clearly, the brand went all-in on weight savings, and durability takes a hit as a result.
The Black Crows Orb Freebird is lightweight—extremely light, in fact, relative to its length and footprint. Tipping the scale with a 91 mm waist, it makes breaking trail on the ascent a genuine pleasure. You barely feel it underfoot, allowing you to cover serious mountain distance without fatigue. Our test pair was mounted with tech bindings. In powder and softened spring snow, its generous width carries it over terrain chatter and crud. The icing on the cake: the Black Crows Orb Freebird offers instant pivoting—it is even distinctly oversteering, requiring subtle pressure control as you initiate turns.
On hard snow, driving the Black Crows Orb Freebird doesn’t necessarily demand flawless technique; adding a bit of physical input and downward pressure helps engage the edge. However, overall edge hold remains elusive—a characteristic likely tied to its lightweight construction and limited torsional rigidity. It represents a clear trade-off between waist width, ultra-light build, and downhill skiability; you simply can’t push it beyond its intended envelope.
The Black Crows Orb Freebird is exceptionally fun in short-radius, sluff-management drifting turns. It allows you to thread through tight choke points and maneuver smoothly through deep snow. However, aggressive skiers who drive hard into their turns will quickly hit the outer limits of the ski’s performance, particularly on hardpack.
Carved, high-angle turns are clearly not its forte. It hooks into the arc, holds briefly, and then releases. Driving a consistent carved arc requires a delicate balance of smooth yet firm pressure control, precise angulation, and dynamic vertical weight shifts—a tricky proposition on this chassis.
We paired it with 130-flex boots to maintain precise control and flex the ski properly. Straight-line stability proves excellent: the Black Crows Orb Freebird tracks true without washing out. The tip chatters slightly up front, but nothing overly bothersome. It demands a strictly centered stance: drive too far forward or lean back, and performance suffers. The sweet spot is right over the center of the ski.
Highly efficient on the skin track thanks to its strict weight budget. A wide yet featherlight ski that excels on the uphill,though hampered by limited edge bite on hard snow.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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