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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
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    Black Crows Nocta / Anima

    What do you guys got? Anyone have any time on them? I’m seeing more and more of them around, but very little in the way of reviews (out side of the pre-season buyers guide blurbs).

    I’m really looking for a replacement for the 193 Shiros, I’m down to one pair, and the 193 Gunsmoke. Something a little stable, reliable, maybe a bit of pop, doesn’t need to go Mach loony through everything, but can be trusted to hold an edge in oh fuck moments (probably not what the Nocta is know for, but neither were the Shiros).

    Reliability is huge too, I hate having to deal with warranties, and I’ve seen more then one pair of Black Crows that has fallen apart after 3/4 of a season.

    So far I’ve heard the Nocta is the new Shiro, but better, different but better.

    From what little there is written about the Anima, it sounds like it’s the updated Gunsmoke that the Rustler 11 isn’t.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Posts
    118
    I'm interested in reports too...but all my reading/lurking has me leaning more towards the Rustler than the Anima. I'd be touring on it too, so a bit lighter wouldn't hurt.

    Guys are using both skis on FWT and winning things, so I don't think either would be undergunned. Unless you're really fat and ski hard.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
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    541
    I have a brand new pair of anima that I got on sale last season to replace delamming rocker2 122. Also keen to hear what people say.

    The Blister piece on the anima is lean - they make it sound like a Bibby.


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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    BC
    Posts
    1,924
    The 190 nocta weighs like 2000g and feels stupid light. It’s much more of a playfull pow ski that likes a centered stance and easy skiing, not a shiro replacement.

    Haven’t skied the anima, but the 194 looks fun, its much heavier too.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Swiss alps -> Bozone,MT
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    671
    Didnt they start calling it the 'Nocta Air' after they redesigned it to full rocker? I have a buddy's pair of the cambered ones in my basement (never skied them -not mine and wrong BSL) but they don't feel light.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    BC
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    Quote Originally Posted by smooth operator View Post
    Didnt they start calling it the 'Nocta Air' after they redesigned it to full rocker? I have a buddy's pair of the cambered ones in my basement (never skied them -not mine and wrong BSL) but they don't feel light.
    I think they redesigned after they changed cores and it is now the Nocta 2?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Tahoe
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    I am interested in some reviews on the Anima as well.

    SkiBrd, have you checked out the Icelantic Nomad 125?


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  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Zurich, Switzerland
    Posts
    420
    check skipass.com (http://www.skipass.com/tests/ski/black-crows_anima/). The frenchys review there a lot. If google translate does not do it for you I will translate you the missing parts.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Truckee & Nor Cal
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    15,621
    I have Noctas and Anima Freebirds. Both fun skis. What do you want to know specifically?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    398
    Skied Anima 188 for one day. Very much reminded me of Bibby 190, but just a touch softer. Stable and easy to pivot.
    Also skied Anima Freebirds - they are completely different ski.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Posts
    541
    Quote Originally Posted by LeoK View Post
    check skipass.com (http://www.skipass.com/tests/ski/black-crows_anima/). The frenchys review there a lot. If google translate does not do it for you I will translate you the missing parts.
    Yeah, I spend time browsing skipass when trying to burn time in summer. Some of the reviews are just confusing and contradictory...

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Posts
    541

    Black Crows Nocta / Anima

    Also, is it me or do the Noctas and Renegades look pretty similar (full rocker, 122 waist, 26 vs 30m radii, close on weights)?

    Wonder how they compare on snow?


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  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Tahoe
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    3,097

    Black Crows Nocta / Anima

    Quote Originally Posted by HukuTa_KydecHuk View Post
    Very much reminded me of Bibby 190, but just a touch softer.
    This is intriguing.

    I want to try a heavier but softer Bamboo core Wildcat. Could be the faster Obsethed replacement I have been looking for.


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    Last edited by Betelgeuse; 10-02-2018 at 09:23 PM.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
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    3,327
    Quote Originally Posted by TahoeJ View Post
    I have Noctas and Anima Freebirds. Both fun skis. What do you want to know specifically?
    How do they ski? How stiff are they compared to how stiff they ski? How’s the durability?

    Anima - can you use it as an every day ski? How’s it in trees compared to open fields? How is it when the snow gets a little cut up?

    Nocta - compared to other pow skis you’ve been on, how does it compare? A 122mm ski shouldn’t suck in pow, but does it float on top or more in the snow? How does it Pivot in trees? Does it get tossed around when the snows not perfect? How’s the pop, and how is landing on it?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    398
    Quote Originally Posted by Betelgeuse View Post
    This is intriguing.

    I want to try a heavier but softer Bamboo core Wildcat. Could be the faster Obsethed replacement I have been looking for.

    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    I never skied Obsethed but couple of buddies had them. As I remember they were veeeery soft. By saying Anima is a touch softer I meant they are super close to Bibby and for sure Bibbys are not soft. When I skied Animas it was an unexpected powder day with 10-15" of fresh snow so kinda hard to comment on their overall performance, but in powder and tracked powder they were cool. I remember two things that came up to my mind - first was that they feel a lot like my bibby 190, and second, when pow got tracked - that they are little softer while skiing and I can feel that.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Truckee & Nor Cal
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    Quote Originally Posted by skibrd View Post
    How do they ski? How stiff are they compared to how stiff they ski? How’s the durability?

    Anima - can you use it as an every day ski? How’s it in trees compared to open fields? How is it when the snow gets a little cut up?

    Nocta - compared to other pow skis you’ve been on, how does it compare? A 122mm ski shouldn’t suck in pow, but does it float on top or more in the snow? How does it Pivot in trees? Does it get tossed around when the snows not perfect? How’s the pop, and how is landing on it?
    The Noctas are pretty light for how big they are, but they hold up surprisingly well when things get chopped up. Obviously you need to adjust your style and you can't just plow through everything, but I've also found that due to them being relatively light that my legs aren't as tired later in the day. Also, they ski groomers back to the lift a lot better than a 122mm ski should. Progressively mounted but not so much that they can't be driven, and they pivot on a dime in the trees. Very playful and great for popping off little features on pow days. And yeah, they float like a wide ski should - the rocker line / taper on the tips runs pretty deep. Durability has been fine. The much lighter freebird skis are the ones that seem like they'd be less durable.

    My Animas are freebirds so they're my pow touring ski. I've skied them in the resort (on Tectons) and definitely got pushed around a little, but not too bad. I'm sure with the regular Anima that's less of a problem.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
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    3,327
    Quote Originally Posted by TahoeJ View Post
    The Noctas are pretty light for how big they are, but they hold up surprisingly well when things get chopped up. Obviously you need to adjust your style and you can't just plow through everything, but I've also found that due to them being relatively light that my legs aren't as tired later in the day. Also, they ski groomers back to the lift a lot better than a 122mm ski should. Progressively mounted but not so much that they can't be driven, and they pivot on a dime in the trees. Very playful and great for popping off little features on pow days. And yeah, they float like a wide ski should - the rocker line / taper on the tips runs pretty deep. Durability has been fine. The much lighter freebird skis are the ones that seem like they'd be less durable.

    My Animas are freebirds so they're my pow touring ski. I've skied them in the resort (on Tectons) and definitely got pushed around a little, but not too bad. I'm sure with the regular Anima that's less of a problem.
    Thanks. The Noctas sounds, and look, like a great replacement for my Shiros. I’m liking what you are saying, and it’s matching up with what little there is to read about them. The taper is what I think is going to convince me to get Noctas over Confessions or Candide 4.0s. The tip on the Shiros was so huge, it would just bash into pow and get caught/pulled on.

    I was thinking about the Animas for pow touring or sled skiing. I’m pretty sold on the Noctas and I’m not sure I can justify the Animas too.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    The Chicken Coop, Seattle
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    Quote Originally Posted by HukuTa_KydecHuk View Post
    Skied Anima 188 for one day. Very much reminded me of Bibby 190, but just a touch softer. Stable and easy to pivot.
    Also skied Anima Freebirds - they are completely different ski.
    What does this mean? Softer? More chattery? Better float? Worse float? Better on firm? Worse on firm? Carvable? otherwise? Great in bumps? Forgiving? The ideal park ski?

    Mini review of the FB and the comparison to the bibby would be a thing I'd like to read...
    wait!!!! waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait...Wait!
    Zoolander wasn't a documentary?

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