Powder goals to function solely the perfect services. In case you purchase one thing by way of one in all our hyperlinks, we could earn a fee.
There’s just a few skis available on the market immediately which have gained a sure notoriety, maybe even cult standing. They’re the type of skis you see in each liftline, or at each backcountry trailhead: skis like Atomic’s numerous Bent Chetlers, Salomon’s QST line, or blackcrows Navis Freebirds (the inexperienced touring skis you’ve seen actually in every single place). For 2025, blackcrows didn’t change a factor in regards to the Navis Freebird, save for updating the topsheet for a limited-edition run as a part of their Ghost Resorts assortment. Name me a nasty gear editor, however I had truly by no means skied the inexperienced skis till this season. For no matter cause, regardless of understanding about them and watching many mates love them, they’d at all times considerably flown beneath the radar for me. Boy, was I lacking out.
The not-new Navis Freebird is a ski that’s objective constructed for ski touring in massive mountains. It’s not likely a powder ski, it’s not likely a light-weight uphill-focused ski, and it’s not a backcountry freestyle ski. Maybe we must always name it a backcountry all-mountain ski, as a result of that’s actually what it’s. It’s meant to ski up and down mountains, in actually any situations. Truly, let’s simply name it an journey snowboarding ski.
blackcrows Navis Freebrid Specs
Measurement skied: 185cmLengths obtainable: 167cm, 173cm, 179cm, 185cmSidecut: 138mm – 102mm – 118mmRadius: 19m (@185cm)Profile: rocker, camber, rockerWeight: 1625g (@185cm)
Form, Flex and Building:
From a design standpoint, the blackcrows Navis Freebird is definitely fairly unexciting. With a directional form, comparatively flat tail, and no bizarre sidecut or rocker stuff happening, it appears to be like like a plain ol’ ski. The shovel has an inexpensive quantity of taper paired with a great quantity of low-rise tip rocker, earlier than narrowing to a 102mm waist. Out again, the tail is kind of flat, squared off, and encompasses a quick taper and a teeny little bit of tail rocker.
Flex-wise, I’d classify the Navis Freebird as medium-stiff. Name it a 6/10. The tip and tail are just a little softer than the underfoot part, however the ski flexes very roundly, with none peaky factors.
Inside, the paulownia/poplar core can be nothing revolutionary (most trendy touring skis function one thing related). The ski options some carbon stringers and a titanal plate underfoot for binding retention, however the building is generally geared in direction of conserving the load low whereas nonetheless providing damp, predictable efficiency.
Photograph: Lily Ritter
On-Snow Efficiency:
For testing, I mounted my tester pair of 185cm blackcrows Navis Freebirds with the particular version blackcrows-branded ATK Raider 13 EVO touring bindings. These are a barely lighter model of the Freeraider 15 EVO bindings I’ve used on different touring skis this yr that skip the freeride spacer and provide barely decrease launch values. I’ve taken these skis all around the globe, pairing them with Tecnica Zero G Tour Execs, climbing and driving couloirs and big-mountain traces within the Tetons, to ski touring across the fjords of Norway for every week.
Probably the most speedy factor that stands out in regards to the Navis Freebird is how straightforward it’s to ski. It presents the type of experience high quality that’s completely surprise-free. They’re very quiet, however not so damp you may’t really feel the snow–there’s simply sufficient suspension to take the sting off bizarre and variable snow situations you would possibly discover within the backcountry. As a comparatively light-weight touring ski, the very composed and predictable experience high quality is a bit stunning–they ski downhill as if they’re much heavier.
Associated: blackcrows Releases ’25-26 Ghost Resort Assortment With New Navis Freebird Skis
To me, stability and composure are actually necessary traits for a ski I’d wish to take into technical, steep terrain. There’s completely no room for weirdness (like sudden chatter, edges that skitter away underfoot, or unexpectedly grabby suggestions and tails) once I’m trusting my edges in an uncovered couloir in agency snow. The Navis Freebird is freed from all of these sorts of surprises. The balanced swing weight of the ski make hop turns a breeze, and the lengthy camber traces actually assist the sides chunk into agency snow to sluggish you down and management your trajectory.
It’s not all nearly steep snowboarding on these, although. In mellower, cruisy terrain (the overwhelming majority of what you truly find yourself snowboarding when journey touring within the excessive mountains), and in deep backcountry powder, the Navis Freebird is energetic, poppy and playful sufficient to make low-angle noodling actually enjoyable. On a day of traversing numerous peaks above Norway’s Romsdal Fjord, I completely loved all the pieces from steep hop turns to cruisy sundown arcs via the wide-open treeless valleys again right down to the automobile.
On the uphill, the 1650-ish gram weight isn’t the lightest, however the tradeoff you get for ski high quality is properly value the additional grams. Pair it with a light-weight binding just like the ATK (and even one thing lighter like an ATK Kuluar 12 or a Dynafit Superlite 150), and also you received’t be slowed down even on the largest days.
How does the blackcrows Navis Freebird examine?
In comparison with different journey touring skis available on the market, the Navis Freebird appears to be like fairly much like the bunch, particularly the 4FRNT Nevar, the Faction La Machine 3, and one other tester favourite, the Salomon QST 106 Echo.
The newest journey touring ski I examined was 4FRNT’s new Nevar. The Nevar suggestions the scales at a heavier 1800ish grams, and encompasses a for much longer flip radius and extra pronounced rocker traces (regardless of the addition of camber). Consequently, essentially the most noticeable distinction is how a lot simpler the Navis Freebird is to ski, notably in unpredictable snow. The Nevar requires a extra conventional, highly effective strategy and responds properly to being pushed via the entrance of your boot, whereas the Navis will be pushed as onerous as you need, however doesn’t require it. One plus for the Nevar is the 4-Lock pores and skin attachment system–which is one thing each ski must have.
In comparison with the Faction La Machine 3, the Navis Freebird wins by way of efficiency on agency, uneven and variable snow, however is heavier and a bit extra tiring to ski. The Factions are a bit lighter and provide some additional float and surfiness in deep pow.
Lastly, the Salomon QST 106 Echo is maybe essentially the most related ski by way of supposed use: quiver-of-one ski touring. In case you’re searching for a every day driver touring ski, you may’t go mistaken with both of those selections. The Echo wins barely by way of deep snow efficiency with a bit extra float due to the larger shovel, however the Navis Freebird edges it out by way of stability and management on agency snow.
Associated: Evaluate: 4FRNT Nevar Skis | All the pieces You Want To Know
What sort of skier is the blackcrows Navis Freebird finest for?
I stated this in my overview of the 4FRNT Nevar, however there’s quite a lot of discuss having the suitable quiver of skis to your residence vary, particularly for those who’re fortunate sufficient to ski sufficient occasions a yr to be choosy about situations. The blackcrows Navis Freebird is a real quiver-killer, and can make nearly any backcountry skier pleased, regardless of your capacity degree, intentions, or snowboarding type.
Except I’m touring to go ski greater than a foot of chilly, dry powder, I’d be completely pleased snowboarding these day by day of the winter. It’s the ski I’ll be grabbing once I’m heading into the excessive peaks for some human-powered journey snowboarding and know that I’ll face all types of situations: good, dangerous, and ugly.
