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PTO Review
We know them. Here's how they stack up.
These skis span 2 categories (Powder, All-Mountain Freestyle). Scores reflect each ski's intended use — direct comparison across all dimensions may be misleading.
Nocta — advanced to expert skiers with real deep-snow days on the calendar - resort storm cycles, soft backcountry lines and powder tree skiing - who turn by pivoting and smearing and want a dedicated deep-day ski that stays composed when pushed, ideally alongside a narrower daily driver.. Bent 100 — intermediate and better skiers who value a light, quick, playful ride and drive the ski with finesse rather than muscle.. Check the radar chart below to see where each one wins.
Each row compares all skis on one dimension. 🏆 marks the highest score.
| Dimension | Nocta | Bent 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Carving | 3 | 6🏆 |
| Park | 1 | 7🏆 |
| Playfulness | 7 | 9🏆 |
| Forgiveness | 4 | 8🏆 |
| Stability | 7🏆 | 5 |
| Powder | 10🏆 | 6 |
Advanced to expert skiers with real deep-snow days on the calendar - resort storm cycles, soft backcountry lines and powder tree skiing - who turn by pivoting and smearing and want a dedicated deep-day ski that stays composed when pushed, ideally alongside a narrower daily driver. The level call rests on third-party testing and listings of the identical gen-3 platform; Black Crows itself prints no ability level.
Anyone whose season is mostly groomers and hardpack: at 122 mm underfoot with a 19 m pivot-oriented sidecut, the Nocta is slow edge-to-edge and wasted on firm snow - the Atris or Corvus is the everyday Black Crows tool. Carvers should skip it; this ski smears, it does not bend into quick high-angle arcs. Intermediates and lighter skiers have no business on it: it is an advanced-expert platform with no length under 177.6 cm, and the width punishes soft technique everywhere except deep snow. Weight-counting touring skiers should look at the Freebird line instead. And if you are chasing higher speeds and bigger impacts on a freeride-comp line, the Anima is the better tool.
Intermediate and better skiers who value a light, quick, playful ride and drive the ski with finesse rather than muscle. It rewards people who like to press, slash and ride switch, plus lighter or less aggressive skiers who do not want to fight a heavy ski, and anyone after one do-it-all ski that still floats on a soft day. It also makes a light resort-to-sidecountry option.
Skiers who want a metal ski's hard-snow bite and race-like precision: with a light woodcore and no metal laminate, the Bent 100 handles a groomer but will not match a metal ski's edge hold on firm snow or feel as locked-in on ice. Heavier, aggressive skiers who charge through cut-up crud will feel the light build deflect - a metal all-mountain ski like the Nordica Enforcer 100 tracks that line better. True beginners should skip it too; independent reviews place it at intermediate and up. And if deep powder is the priority, the wider Bent 110 or Chetler 120 is the better tool.
Nocta is best for advanced to expert skiers with real deep-snow days on the calendar - resort storm cycles, soft backcountry lines and powder tree skiing - who turn by pivoting and smearing and want a dedicated deep-day ski that stays composed when pushed, ideally alongside a narrower daily driver. Bent 100 is best for intermediate and better skiers who value a light, quick, playful ride and drive the ski with finesse rather than muscle. The right choice depends on your terrain, ability, and riding style.
Black Crows Nocta has the highest Stability score in this comparison at 7/10. That score compares composure; it does not by itself mean the product is the most versatile choice.
Atomic Bent 100 leads Carving in this comparison with a PTO score of 6/10.
Atomic Bent 100 has the highest Forgiveness score here at 8/10. Forgiveness is one factor in progression, not a claim that every beginner should choose it.
Not sure? Ask us.
