The Black Crows thread

[SoVT Joey]

Hmmmm you are the BC whisperer, keeper, aviculturist…. Would plus 1 give a touch more versatility?? Ability to get back to the lifts?

Currently in the quicker have a camox, Corvus and now these to go with a K2 marksmen and OG bentchetler.


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I don’t think it would be the versatility, I think it would give you a little more tail though which seemed short. I do think you would still have plenty of float if you still went forward 1 though. Can you swap it for a 190?

[waxoff]

So, who's been on the current iteration of the 183/188 Corvus and care to make a qualified comparison to the OG 185 flipcore Cochise? What are the key similarities/differences?

[sweatypowderpig]

anyone else draco curious?
i've been on the lookout for something a bit beefier than my current armada tracer 118s as my pow touring ski.
got the WW 116 end of last season for that role, but draco's seem like they'd be a bit more versatile.

[SoVT Joey]

So, who's been on the current iteration of the 183/188 Corvus and care to make a qualified comparison to the OG 185 flipcore Cochise? What are the key similarities/differences?

I have a flip core 185. And a Corvus 188. Cochise skis longer, less loose, suspension isn’t as good, but the destructive capabilities are better then the Corvus.

[54-46]

im the same size. Got a 185 at first. And it was tough. I would possibly go +1 cause I notice it felt short on the tail but had plenty of float. I like my 190 at our size a lot more. On the line. Skis tight shit so well. And still allows hammering open shit at high speed

I had 185s at 6’1”, 170. Didn’t feel length was short but they were light. Maybe too light for chop.

Extra 15lbs might matter on a 185. 190 usually would be a touch stiffer than 185s.


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[SoVT Joey]

I had 185s at 6’1”, 170. Didn’t feel length was short but they were light. Maybe too light for chop.

Extra 15lbs might matter on a 185. 190 usually would be a touch stiffer than 185s.


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I guess the only time the tail felt short was when I was using gf balance jumping off stuff. I should probably term it as non-supportive if in the back seat off of a drop or getting off balance.

At this point in my life I’m pretty well seasoned in putting a long ski in a tight spot.

[Sandbox]

I don’t think it would be the versatility, I think it would give you a little more tail though which seemed short. I do think you would still have plenty of float if you still went forward 1 though. Can you swap it for a 190?

Bought them off a mag, for a solid deal as well so no trading in. I’m aiming for fun, playful, floaty and less chargy hard hitting.


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[Qilimanjaro]

Bought them off a mag, for a solid deal as well so no trading in. I’m aiming for fun, playful, floaty and less chargy hard hitting.


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skied 3ft of fresh slightly wet pow in the trees on 185 and same body specs, no issues whatsoever. No tip dive or sinking, but very manoeuvrable

[GravityDT]

Draco - thoughts on it being a western softer snow resort/sidecountry setup? Have an Atris mounted w/ Duke PT16s as the current DD and looking to retire a well worn pr of '20/'21 Atomic Backland 117 w/ Shifts. Home hill is the 'ghee so hardpack/groomers dont really exist too too often. Also considering the Nocta but not sure if I want to quite go that big - I loved how light the Backlands were underfoot and how the railed the chopped up at the end of the day. And would I be foolish to consider mounting a pr ATK FR15s? Rocked a pr of Kingpins back in the day on QST106s as a resort/tour setup.....

[SoVT Joey]

Draco - thoughts on it being a western softer snow resort/sidecountry setup? Have an Atris mounted w/ Duke PT16s as the current DD and looking to retire a well worn pr of '20/'21 Atomic Backland 117 w/ Shifts. Home hill is the 'ghee so hardpack/groomers dont really exist too too often. Also considering the Nocta but not sure if I want to quite go that big - I loved how light the Backlands were underfoot and how the railed the chopped up at the end of the day. And would I be foolish to consider mounting a pr ATK FR15s? Rocked a pr of Kingpins back in the day on QST106s as a resort/tour setup.....

I haven’t been on a Draco. I had a ferox. And didn’t find it to do anything very well except ski light untracked snow.

Based of weight on the 189-190
Draco-2050
Nocta-2100
Atris-2150
Nocta gen 2-2075

i have a Atris and nocta that I can have duke pt on either. Go to choice has been the nocta. I bought the new gen nocta and put jesters on those. I’m more then likely putting a set of kingpins on the old nocta and using those for what you are thinking for the Draco. I would rather a nocta over a Draco and I would quiver kill it for the duke pt and which ever touring clamp you want and call it a day.

I have been through a lot of freebirds and the only one that I continue to return to is my Corvus FB. I’m going to get a orb FB I think as well. But the freebird line just doesn’t get me very excited and I think the weight penalty is worth sticking to the alpine line for anything side country or resort skiing.

I edited to add the nocta gen 2 weight and to also say that I can’t speak from the performance of the newest nocta yet. I have high expectations for it though. The gen 2 nocta is by far my favorite powder ski of all time. I do consistently wish it was better when things are chopped up, but I avoid that by going farther and farther away from busy places as the day progresses. The weight of it keeps it easy to tour on for side country. I can take a mid winter trip to anywhere in the country and know that between my nocta and my Corvus I have every condition covered.

[Qilimanjaro]

My 181 ferox freebird came in 1915 and 1950 grams. Skied a few days (concurs with SoVT Joey - low angle fields was it’s forte) and sold. It planed well, was ok in other conditions, but made no sense for the weight.

Skied previous corvus freebird and kinda liked it. New one seems to be too chargey

[waxoff]

I have a flip core 185. And a Corvus 188. Cochise skis longer, less loose, suspension isn’t as good, but the destructive capabilities are better then the Corvus.

Thanks. Thinking about picking up a used pair of Corvus. 5' 10" 180# should I aim for 188 over 183?

[SoVT Joey]

Thanks. Thinking about picking up a used pair of Corvus. 5' 10" 180# should I aim for 188 over 183?

I think coming from a 185 Cochise you will like the 188 a lot.

[waxoff]

^^^👍😃

[TripleT]

I’ve been seeing a number of used Corvus’ pop up locally - what size y’all riding?
5’10”, 18x, maritime snow, don’t get to ski a lot of big open stuff. 183 over 188?

[halliday]

Im 5'7" 180# and I ski the 183 (.3).

[whambat]

I’m 6’1” and 215 on the 188. Only been on my new to me pair on the groomers (been a shit early season), but I think it’s plenty long for me for my plans for the skis which includes open bowls and tight trees.

[halliday]

You'll like them in the trees. I was at Loveland for a couple early season days last week and was blasting around the groomer(s) and it felt good. What was fun was working on my slow speed turns. I can't wait until things fill in so I can get into the trees. You'll like the Corvus in the trees.

[54-46]

6’1, 170, was on the 183 Corvus. Didn’t feel like there was a speed limit on them.

Now on 188 Daemon


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[iriponsnow]

Thanks. Thinking about picking up a used pair of Corvus. 5' 10" 180# should I aim for 188 over 183?

I’m 5’9” 145# & was rocking the 188 last year. No issues. I think it’s the size for you.

I did pull the trigger on some 183s to explore getting into tighter spaces and as I’m getting older. Kept the 188 & will have to report back.

Either way- it’s a wicked fun / unexpected ride that fails to make sense until you experience it.

[whambat]

Here’s my almost 14 yo kid enjoying the heck out of his new Animas. His review is that they are the best skis he’s ever been on. Granted, he just moved up to adult skis at the end of last year by borrowing his mom’s Stockli SR 95s so he hasn’t had a large number of skis to compare. He’s also got a pair of hardly used Bent 100’s I got cheap off a demo rack. He says the Animas carve better on groomers than his Bents. For reference, 5’5” 110lbs on 176cm.

[Skiwald]

Any of you mount a pivot to the current Atris? If so what brake? Torn between squeezing a 95 or bending a 115.

Just added the new atris and serpo to the stable. Damn you black friday!


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[Stuntmonkey]

New atris fits the 95 brake and the old 108 fits the 115 iirc


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[Skiwald]

New atris fits the 95 brake and the old 108 fits the 115 iirc


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Perfect! Thank you!


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[Shu Shu]

Corvus 183 (22/23): Early impressions after 2 days decent early season east coast.

Conditions: Groomers with decent coverage, glare ice, consolidated snow piles.

I'll try not regurgitate too much of what's been said already, but wanted to add to the stoke.


The low-medium speed performance is intuitive and easily accessed for such a serious ski. It was very easy to make quick smeary turns in the consolidated scraped off ice/pow that ends up on outer 6 feet of the trail. The ski is super pivoty when skied form a centered stance, and its wild how such a subtle flat/reverse camber profile can feel simultaneously loose and normal without overthinking anything in your approach. It does however, feel a little weird to ski the Corvus slowly, once you've experienced how it feels when you get it up to speed.

For me on the 183 (5,10 165lbs) i needed to be going decently fast on an intermediate pitch to get enough speed to start getting into the flex. As the speed increases, you can push more and more into the flex, generating more and more power, until you find you are going so fucking fast you can't believe it. I wouldn't really call it "pop" but once you really start bending the ski, it keeps generating more and more energy/speed out of turns. At the same time all of the pivoty smeary ability is easily accessed at looney speeds, just ease back a little and slide out your tales into huge drifts. This was a seriously exhilarating and addicting experience. As many others have described, it's an amazing combination of power, stability, and maneuverability, that makes it easy to ski really, really fast.

A note to fellow east coasters, the level of grip on real EC glare is legit. I think I washed out maybe 1 or 2 times, but that was more pilot error than the ski. If you commit to high angle turns on ice, it won't let you down.

An important caveat to my impression is that I would say the only other real charger I've owned is the Moment Garbones, and it's been too long since I've been on it to make any meaningful comparison. It's very possible my enthusiasm is just me not being on this class of ski for a while. So yeah, grains of salt and all. That being said I've been big into exploring really unique shaping and camber profiles, like the Praxis Concept and Quixote, which I love. The Corvus is a bit more stealthy in it's innovations, but I would already rank it up there as a really dialed and unique skiing experience. I also love that they've hidden such a beast of a ski under a pink and white topsheet. Anyways looking forward to getting a ton more days on these.


Thanks to SoVT Joey for nudging me in the right direction.