1 / 10Black Crows Anima 2026/2027
Pre-order · Ships September 2026
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PTO Verdict
“Power and maneuverability in one 115 — calm at speed, quick to pivot, happiest where the snow is soft.”
Best for: Strong freeriders who want one powder-width ski that charges and plays in equal measure — pivots and jumps as much as big lines and switch — on a season weighted toward soft, deep and mixed snow, ridden lift-served or with short hikes. Reviewers put its floor between strong intermediate and advanced; it rewards an active pilot.
Not for: Beginners and cautious intermediates: 115 mm underfoot with a directional -6 cm mount and a 19 m radius rewards commitment, and the third-party consensus is advanced-leaning. Skiers whose season is mainly groomed hard snow: its edge hold is good for a 115 — Black Crows' own qualifier — and the narrower Corvus, Atris or Camox is the right tool there. Touring-focused skiers: at 2150-2450 g per ski this is a lift-served ski; the Freebird line (Navis, Draco) exists for the uphill. Deepest-day surf purists: the 122 mm Nocta is the family's dedicated deep-snow tool. And skiers who want metal damping to bulldoze crud should look at the titanal-plated Corvus — the Anima carries no metal.
At a Glance
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Compatible ski bindings.
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Description
The Black Crows Anima is a big-mountain freeride ski with a 115 mm waist, built around an unusual pairing: stability at high speed and quick, agile handling for its width. Black Crows frames it as the creative gun of its freeride range, made for big lines and jumps, for quick pivots and riding switch.
The shape carries the idea. Rocker at both ends flanks a short classic camber under the binding, shortening the running length so a ski this wide pivots and releases without a fight, while the long 19 m sidecut — Black Crows' own reasoning — keeps it composed and gripped as speed builds. The flex is soft and progressive at the extremities and firmer where the ski contacts the snow: ends that flex into soft snow, a midbody that keeps its bite on firm snow. The build is semi-cap over full-perimeter ABS sidewalls, with a poplar and fiberglass core and carbon/kevlar stripes for reinforcement — no titanal anywhere.
It is aimed at experienced freeriders after a single wide ski for winters that lean toward deep and mixed snow — riders who pivot, jump and ride switch as readily as they point it. It is the wrong ski for beginners and cautious intermediates: the width, the -6 cm directional mount and the long radius all ask for an active pilot, and the independent reviews (prior-generation, same dimensions) lean advanced. It is the wrong ski for a groomer-heavy season, too — its hard-snow ability is measured against its width, per Black Crows' own qualifier. And at 2250 g per ski in the 182.1 cm length, it is not built for long climbs; the Freebird models cover the uphill.
Black Crows splits its big-mountain lineup three ways. The Nocta, at 122 mm, is the pure deep-snow surfer; the Corvus, at 110 mm, adds a single titanal plate for a damper, more hard-snow-biased ride; the Anima takes the middle job — the playful one that still charges. It ships flat: the binding is a separate purchase, and we mount it and help you pick the right length.
Specs
- Waist width: 115 mm
- Dimensions (per size): 144-115-134 mm (176.6) · 145-115-135 mm (182.1) · 147-115-136 mm (189.2) · 148-115-137 mm (194.4)
- Sidecut radius: 19 m (all four sizes: 176.6 / 182.1 / 189.2 / 194.4)
- Profile: Double rocker with classic short camber underfoot
- Flex character: Very progressive in tip and tail, firmer at ski/snow contact points
- Tip floatation: Progressive and consistent, easy to get off the ground; floatation 'high with 115mm at the waist'
- Construction: Semi-cap, ABS sidewalls all around
- Core: Poplar / fiberglass
- Added material: Carbon / kevlar stripes (product page: 'carbon / kevlar tape')
- Mount point: -6 cm
- Drilling: Diameter 3.5 mm × L9 mm
- Gender: Unisex
- Lengths: 176.6 cm cm · 182.1 cm cm · 189.2 cm cm · 194.4 cm cm
Details
- Type
- SKI
- Vendor
- Black Crows
- SKU
- 102379-176
- UPC / GTIN
- 0887445459835
Dark Green / 176.6 cm
Black Crows Anima
By PTO Team, Based on the manufacturer’s published specs and published third-party testing · Spec analysis and published third-party testing
The take
“Power and maneuverability in one 115 — calm at speed, quick to pivot, happiest where the snow is soft.”
The Black Crows Anima gets an unusually specific official brief: a 115 mm ski with a big-mountain job — powerful and maneuverable at once, for quick pivots, jumps, big lines and riding switch — that stays stable at high speed. The construction story — double rocker, short camber, long radius, no metal — is covered in the description above; the question here is whether it delivers, and against what. It is Kristofer Turdell's ski — Freeride World Champion, 2021.
One caveat first: the third-party reviews cover the previous generation. Its dimensions, size run and radius are identical to the 26/27 ski, but Black Crows publishes no change log, so treat ride impressions as prior-generation testimony rather than a verdict on this exact build. That testimony backs the official pitch: riders describe it as remarkably stable for how playful it is; a long-form independent review calls it a 'versatile, fairly stable, pretty playful soft-snow ski'; another rates its edge hold 'very respectable' for a 115 and credits the damping to real mass plus the carbon/kevlar reinforcement. On piste it works, but user reviews call it not the easiest ski.
The limits are just as clear. At 2150-2450 g per ski the Anima is a lift-served tool — short hikes are fine, big touring days are not, and Black Crows builds the Freebird line (Navis, Draco) for that buyer. Its hard-snow competence carries the brand's own qualifier, good for its size, so a season spent mainly on groomers belongs on a narrower ski. It is not the deepest-day specialist even in its own family. And scattered user reviews report topsheet and edge durability complaints — unverified, but we note them.
Within Black Crows' big-mountain trio the split is official: the 122 mm Nocta ($1,199) exists above all to surf soft, deep snow; the 110 mm Corvus ($1,049) runs a single titanal plate and a 25 m radius for big, fast curves and couloir pivots; the Anima ($1,099) is the creative middle — the one that also jumps, pivots tight and rides switch. Cross-brand, the Atomic Bent Chetler 120 is far lighter by independent measurement and surfier in review comparisons; one review credits the Anima with stronger grip and damping in rough snow.
The Anima comes in 176.6, 182.1, 189.2 and 194.4 cm, all at 19 m, with a directional -6 cm mount. It is sold flat — budget for a binding; we mount it and set it up for you.
Bindings we'd pair with it
Mount point: Flat ski — sold without a binding; official mounting point is -6 cm (directional). Our pick: Chosen at fitting — Black Crows publishes no binding pairing for the Anima.
- Alpine freeride bindingLift-served freeride
Black Crows publishes no official pairing, so we never assume one — we match a model to your setup in the shop.
The Anima ships flat. We help you pick a binding and mount it; a technician adjusts it to you at the shop.
Common Questions
- What is the difference between the Black Crows Anima, Corvus and Nocta?
- All three are big-mountain skis with different jobs. The 122 mm Nocta is built above all to surf soft, deep snow; the 110 mm Corvus runs a single titanal plate and a 25 m radius for damp, fast charging; the 115 mm Anima sits between them — playful, stable at speed, no metal.
- Is the Black Crows Anima good for beginners?
- No. It is a 115 mm freeride ski with a directional -6 cm mount, and independent reviews — of the previous generation, which shares this ski's dimensions, sizes and radius — put its floor between strong intermediate and advanced. If you ski cautiously, a narrower ski is the better starting point; we will help you choose one at fitting.
- What lengths does the Black Crows Anima come in?
- Four lengths — 176.6, 182.1, 189.2 and 194.4 cm — all with the same 19 m radius. Tell us your height, weight and terrain and we will recommend a length.
- Does the Black Crows Anima come with bindings?
- No — it is sold flat, without bindings. We help you choose a binding, mount it, and a technician adjusts it to you.
- Is there a women's version of the Black Crows Anima?
- Not in the 26/27 catalog — there is no Anima Birdie this season. The Anima is officially a unisex ski; Black Crows' own motto for it is 'virility isn't just for men'. Prior seasons had a women's-marketed Anima Birdie, but it is not in the current line.
