The Black Crows thread

[halliday]

If you want to have some real fun get on a pair of the older cambered version of the Corvus. That ski was a beast. The flat Corvus is very refined in comparison. If you only have two days on them in shit snow then you will have a great winter as things develop and you can start to push the skis a little more. Wait until you have your first really good snow day in the trees.

[waxoff]

PSA Last year's Solis in the 173 length at 50% off, available on the Black Crows website in the archive section. 3 pairs remaining...

Linky (hope it's not Gernan eyes only..) :

http://www.black-crows.com/de/de/p/s...-grey-vg.html:

[Pins and Skins]

Yup, looks German only...

STP has some killer deals as well...including both topsheets of the 173 Solis at a very good price.

If only they had the 183 length of the Corvus Fifteen, love that topsheet

https://www.sierra.com/s~black-crows/

[waxoff]

Yup, looks German only...

Darn!

[waxoff]

So, it's time to (try to) mitigate the above negative experience. Those tips are something else (yes, I still find them unnecessary soft) This is what I mean.

Attachment 440222

- Rocker transitions to tip upturn at blue ink mark.
- Sidecut extends uninterrupted to red ink mark.
- Widest point of tip at green ink mark.

My point is, when ski is put on high edge, the portion between blue and green ink, most certainly between blue and red ink, will grab the surface, bend the tips abruptly, and fuck up the ride.

I will give these tips a file treatment similar to what I gave the Q-Lab's tails. I.e. remove edge material (ca 0.5 mm) from green ink to halfway in between red and blue ink. Further more by completely round off what's left of the edges all the way down to blue ink, gradually reduce rounding/detune, initially to top of tape. The we'll see.

If I was to redesign these tips (are you reading this Regnier?), I would start the sidecut-to-taper transition roughly at the blue ink mark, and also move the widest point down to a point a smidgen below the red ink mark. Yes the tips would be 3-5 mm narrower at their widest point.

I still believe the tips could be stiffer on this type of ski, as a 100 mm uf ski are no floaters anyway. And in 3D snow, allowing the tips to bend towards the snow surface will only produce pseudo floatation if you ask me. Better to have dependable submarining tips, they will float just fine if you know how.

...and here's the follow-up. Last season I detuned the tip edges at the widest point. It improved the ride substantially. But, I have not yet seen the same conditions as when I said fukit. To be on the "safer" side, I made my plans come true, got wild with the panzer, to get the tips to this:





Caliper measured width at widest point is now 136 mm and the steel edges are completely rounded off.

I know this will make for a good change. But had it not been for the limiting factor of the steel edges I would've taken away a lot more materiel. And, yes, The bases will get wax!

I stand by my point that 'Crows should redesign these skis. So, come on Julien Reigner, you did release a Sevun II, not to mention all the Corvus and Nocta iterations seeing the light of day, and now I think it's it's time for a Justis II.

So please, end the sidecut close to the top of the topsheet black crows logo and transition into taper from there and round off the tips just a bit. Keep layup and flex intact. That would turn the Justis into a killer ski!

For visual, and tip-tail-symmetry, feel free to end sidecut farther from tail as well, reducing the max tail width. This is not critical, but rather a visual thing, and it would balance narrower tips beautifully!...

[Qilimanjaro]

...and here's the follow-up. Last season I detuned the tip edges at the widest point. It improved the ride substantially. But, I have not yet seen the same conditions as when I said fukit. To be on the "safer" side, I made my plans come true, got wild with the panzer, to get the tips to this:





Caliper measured width at widest point is now 136 mm and the steel edges are completely rounded off.

I know this will make for a good change. But had it not been for the limiting factor of the steel edges I would've taken away a lot more materiel. And, yes, The bases will get wax!

I stand by my point that 'Crows should redesign these skis. So, come on Julien Reigner, you did release a Sevun II, not to mention all the Corvus and Nocta iterations seeing the light of day, and now I think it's it's time for a Justis II.

So please, end the sidecut close to the top of the topsheet black crows logo and transition into taper from there and round off the tips just a bit. Keep layup and flex intact. That would turn the Justis into a killer ski!

For visual, and tip-tail-symmetry, feel free to end sidecut farther from tail as well, reducing the max tail width. This is not critical, but rather a visual thing, and it would balance narrower tips beautifully!...

demoed them last season and found them completely unskiable. Tips not just hooked up in a turn, they dragged me up. Had absolutely no confidence to get them to speed

talked with the tech, he said he had no clue what to do to make them skiable

probably what you did could work

[SoVT Joey]

I can’t wait for the feedback. I’m thinking that it won’t do anything and the skis will still be hooky as shit. I could be wrong, and hope I am. That rocker is just bullshit and way to deep. My 189 was stupid. That ski needs the rocker profile reduced and the taper moved to the tip more. Or then should just press the orb in a 99mm waist. But instead they discontinue the best sub 100 ski they made.

[waxoff]

I can’t wait for the feedback. I’m thinking that it won’t do anything and the skis will still be hooky as shit. I could be wrong, and hope I am. That rocker is just bullshit and way to deep. My 189 was stupid. That ski needs the rocker profile reduced and the taper moved to the tip more. Or then should just press the orb in a 99mm waist. But instead they discontinue the best sub 100 ski they made.

Tbh, I don't find the rocker to be excessive on the 183. Haven't seen 183 and 189 side by side, but seen pics of 189 and it looked deeper than on 183. 183 is on par with Wren 102 (albeit less splay at extremeties on BC), and Dictators... I.e. profile looks good to me on 183, but man those chubby tips, they sure need a diet!

[waxoff]

^^^What I'm really asking for is the tip shape/dimensions from the last Navis. I.e. a classic BC tip. But I reckon that isn't novel enough for the Justis niche... Like, if it ain't broken, don't fix it and whatnot...

[54-46]

Feeler: I may have a pair of 188 Daemons available. PM me if interested.

Edit:

Will be in

SLC 12/8-10
Banff 3/13-17

If anyone wishes to avoid shipping



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[BeHuWe]

Idk if anyone is shopping but S&C has 183 Corvus for 399.

https://www.steepandcheap.com/black-...i-2023-bkcb051


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[Lowell69]

Doesn’t seem like the new nocta fits skins well specifically pomoca’s. I guess bend tip clamp wider? Any one have a good solution, heading on a hut trip in a week!

[Karl_H]

So, I just picked up a pair of cheap Orbs from Sierra Trading Post and am looking for some mounting advice.

According to Blister, the Factory Recommended Mount Point is -9.3 cm from center; 79.7 cm from tail. This seems like a pretty traditional mount point and I tend to prefer to ski with a more progressive / centered stance, rather than a more traditional forward leaning stance. I am thinking it should make sense to forward mount by 2 cm, but hopefully someone with experience with the Orb can provide some guidance.

[Qilimanjaro]

Semi-relevant info here.

Heard about Black Crows nose shapes before. Had a shop tune my Atris after a sustained core shot, and the tune went too far into those noses. Ski felt terribly hooky, had to detune 2 inches more, and it was back to normal. Apparently, the same holds true for the Justis discussion above.

Could be relevant for Orb as well. If you think the mount point is too far back, compare the shovel shape and size with other BC skis. If it resembles Atris and / or Justis, going recommended might be fine since you'll need to detune well into the cambered portion of the ski.

[SoVT Joey]

So, I just picked up a pair of cheap Orbs from Sierra Trading Post and am looking for some mounting advice.

According to Blister, the Factory Recommended Mount Point is -9.3 cm from center; 79.7 cm from tail. This seems like a pretty traditional mount point and I tend to prefer to ski with a more progressive / centered stance, rather than a more traditional forward leaning stance. I am thinking it should make sense to forward mount by 2 cm, but hopefully someone with experience with the Orb can provide some guidance.

thats 1 cm back from a Corvus mount. I wouldn’t go forward 2. Probably one. I mounted mine on the line because I only plan on using orbs in harder snow situations. It depends on what your end use is going to be. Daily drive or a ripper in low tide.

[Karl_H]

I plan on using the orbs mainly for packed powder at the resort and firm, steep couloir skiing in the spring. More interested in having them being quick and nimble in tight spots than stable at high speeds.

[SoVT Joey]

I plan on using the orbs mainly for packed powder at the resort and firm, steep couloir skiing in the spring. More interested in having them being quick and nimble in tight spots than stable at high speeds.

did you get orbs or orb freebirds

[Karl_H]

Orbs. Not the freebird version.

[SoVT Joey]

Orbs. Not the freebird version.

what length and how big are you?

[Karl_H]

Skis are 174 cm length. I am 5’10” 180 lbs + backpack. I intentionally went short for steep skiing.

FWIW, I had the Solis 173 mounted on the line (-9cm from center according to black crows) and I would likely remount them at +1 or +2 cm, if I planned on keeping them.

[SoVT Joey]

Skis are 174 cm length. I am 5’10” 180 lbs + backpack. I intentionally went short for steep skiing.

FWIW, I had the Solis 173 mounted on the line (-9cm from center according to black crows) and I would likely remount them at +1 or +2 cm, if I planned on keeping them.

hmm. Well, I’m the same weight and an inch taller. I feel very comfortable with the rec mount point in the 184. I would hesitate to ski steeps on it, but I also wouldn’t ask it to do what the Solis can do. I tend to agree with moving forward on the Solis 1-2 cm especially if carrying a heavy pack. The orb is no where as stiff and definitely not as flat underfoot, and the rocker is much less then the Solis. I feel like you are going to give up hard pack performance moving forward on a 174 to gain very little in spring touring. 174 shouldn’t be a problem to throw around at your size so I’d mount recommend.

[jmars]

Anyone have further experience on the Serpo? I’m replacing a 94 enforcer I just ended up not loving over time.

Any feed back would be great. I like the tip profile a bunch.

Thanks

[54-46]

Anyone have further experience on the Serpo? I’m replacing a 94 enforcer I just ended up not loving over time.

Any feed back would be great. I like the tip profile a bunch.

Thanks

Serpo may feel light coming off an Enforcer, which may be what you’re looking for?

I had the 180 Serpo at 6’1”, 170-ish, 60 y/o, and thought I was an easy, fun ski.

Coming off the 183 Corvus, I wished it had a little more backbone and/or wished that I had the 186.

Moved on from the Serpo and got the 188 Daemon, which has more backbone even though it’s reverse camber.


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[SoVT Joey]

Anyone have further experience on the Serpo? I’m replacing a 94 enforcer I just ended up not loving over time.

Any feed back would be great. I like the tip profile a bunch.

Thanks

I think I saw your post somewhere else like Facebook or something, and I didn’t chime in, but if it was the same post, I would get a serpo and size up from your enforcer. It skis short and soft but is a good idea for a replacement. An orb might be a good call but finding a 179 is hard, 184 is impossible.

[halliday]

New clamps. I didn't ski these last year and I missed not ripping around on them. I would have posted this in the Mount Your Own Fucking Skis thread but it is just a few screws in existing holes.