Black Crows: Fad or Fab?

[dunfree]

how bigs the non-internet dork high end ski market?

I don't think skiings been culturally "cool" to non-skiers since the 80s.

[lrn2swim]

I say this as a European who owns PM gear and Black Crows, I also think beards are horrendous, check shirts are only for lumberjacks, and hate coffee and craft beer (tea is one's tipple). Theres not even one smidge of hipster in me.

This is the most hipster take of all. Ohhhhhh the irony.

[hercule33]

This is the most hipster take of all. Ohhhhhh the irony.

Does a European hipster even exist? If so, what does he or she look like? My money is he/she wears a MAGA hat, skis the PBR K2s while open carrying a magnum 45 and smoking a Marlboro. Definitely doesn’t ski on Black Crows.

[lrn2swim]

Does a European hipster even exist? If so, what does he or she look like? My money is he/she wears a MAGA hat, skis the PBR K2s while open carrying a magnum 45 and smoking a Marlboro. Definitely doesn’t ski on Black Crows.

*sigh*.... it is all very confusing indeed

[TahoeJ]

Does a European hipster even exist? If so, what does he or she look like?

https://www.buzzfeed.com/lukelewis/t...nter-in-london

I guess?

[SB]

one hit wonder

[Self Jupiter]

154 posts without using the word aesthetic

They seem like rad skis, looking forward to trying them some day. They started out as skis made for and by TGR-style Chamonix hardmen iirc

[mr_pretzel]

I skied some noctos the other day. Man are they surfy and fun, just drift your way around the mountain.

[3PinGrin]

Black Crows graphics are the coolest out there. You all know it. That's why this thread exists.

Their "Our Story" starts with, "We create obsessively design driven objects" before getting to "that are uncompromising in performance and identity for contemporary skiing."

Some brilliant designer saw the potential in the simple little silhouette squadron of black L's. It's been extended to a whole family of takeoffs on that theme. Extruded into 3d; outline shapes; combination shapes; solid shapes; bold colorways (yeah, I said it); super graphic bases.

Always solid colors with the logo, reinforcing the brand. The neons take us back to the 80s, but more importantly they always catch your eye. BC visually distinguished the Freebird line as bright neon and the alpine line as more sedate with highlights. They've done French colors for specialty skis. The whole package is distinct and comprehensive at the same time. They infused "black crow" into all their ad copy.

Design & marketing done well. We are all talking about them. Some of us are getting offended at how we are all taken with them.

They are also decent skis, so you can hipster along while still making the claim that you just like how they ski.

Their graphics have always seemed to be less than desirable in my mind. In fact, I think they suck (too much geometric non-artistic crap, but maybe you are being facetious?) However, I don't really give a lot of weight to graphics when choosing skis.

[waxman]

Who’s their NA distributor?

When is REI gonna pick them up (like they’ve picked up DPS)? REI will drag a smaller company down into a wormhole.

Somebody asked about durability. What’s the story? I’m not taking about touring durability. What’s their equivalent to a volkl explosive?

Which Explosiv? The original race one that skied well and lasted forever, the original wide Explosiv that skied OK and lasted forever or the craptastic Explosiv that they made too many of for CMH etc that skied like a tank but sold for 75$ new unmounted at swaps across western Canada when they dumped them?
I've carried BC for 4 years since the Canadian distributor finally stabilized after 3 or 4 different dudes tried. Never had a warranty in that time, fit and finish is as good as any thing else and better than others. See my previous post about usable shapes and dimensions.

[CascadeLuke]

Didn't read the thread but I have two pairs because I like the graphics, mostly.

What models do you have? I’ll trade you a dope ski poster + a little cash

[3PinGrin]

Didn't read the thread but I have two pairs because I like the graphics, mostly.

Do they have a repeated geometric design? So hawt!

[XXX-er]

7 pages and nobody has said anything about the little sayings on the ski ?

I think its the nocta which has the inscription " this is not a Banana "

[TahoeJ]

I do like those. French for the freebirds, English for the regular line. The latest Noctas say "I take you both home."

[schindlerpiste]

That is a good reason to buy skis. Rad, mang!

[CascadeLuke]

Current Corvus says ‘French people are trend setters’

J/k says >> French people are so rude

[XXX-er]

the rep pointed these sayings out when I sat in on a PK sesh, he said they are in-jokes that get made up and repeated during the development of the ski

[TahoeJ]

That is a good reason to buy skis. Rad, mang!

Said who? You seem to be projecting here.

[reckless toboggan]

The Nocta looks interesting. I'd like to flex or demo, but I think my Renegades already have this spot in my quiver.

Or is the Nocta (122) more like a fatter Inthayne (117)?

[bodywhomper]

Which Explosiv? The original race one that skied well and lasted forever, the original wide Explosiv that skied OK and lasted forever or the craptastic Explosiv that they made too many of for CMH etc that skied like a tank but sold for 75$ new unmounted at swaps across western Canada when they dumped them?
I've carried BC for 4 years since the Canadian distributor finally stabilized after 3 or 4 different dudes tried. Never had a warranty in that time, fit and finish is as good as any thing else and better than others. See my previous post about usable shapes and dimensions.

ha. spoken like a true shop owners/gm. i'm still that guy that can't afford to buy skis at retail even though it's been a long while since i worked at a shop. (at that time, i could barely pay rent).

getting back to durability, i probably just missed it, but i only see durability discussed in this thread in reference to using the skis for touring. i'm mostly thinking about ski core, maintaining flex profile and stiffness. to me, edge and base durability are different beasts.

[dunfree]

Interesting to contrast peoples 2018 impressions of where Black Crows came from vs. impressions in 2011 (old Schindler Piste thread)
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ht=black+crows
and in 2007
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ht=black+crows

[schindlerpiste]

Wow, that is cool. I didn’t even remember starting that thread back in 2011. Good stuff.

[::: :::]

Did you buy them?

[schindlerpiste]

No, and I have never been on a pair.

[TahoeJ]

No, and I have never been on a pair.

And yet you appear to have something of an opinion towards them? Perhaps I’m wrong but it certainly comes across that way.