Black Crows Draco Freebird
By PTO Team, Based on official specs and professional review consensus · Spec analysis + professional review consensus on this ski
The take
“Firm underfoot, loose in the tail, demanding by design - a touring ski that spends its weight on the ride down.”
The Draco Freebird's numbers set the terms: a 110-112 mm twin tip with a firm flex, a slightly straight sidecut and a -5 cm mount, built from paulownia, poplar and fiberglass with no metal in the layup. Black Crows athlete Nikolai Schirmer calls it his top performance touring ski for big lines. The evidence below covers three narrower questions: how it actually rides, which claims hold across generations, and where it sits against its own siblings.
On snow - and the caveat matters, since the bulk of independent testing covers earlier builds of this ski - the character consensus is consistent: the Draco Freebird is loose where touring skis are usually locked down. Testers describe controlling speed by washing the twin tail sideways rather than braking on edges, an intuitive habit in steep terrain. The surprise is at the other end: for a wide touring twin it holds an edge remarkably well on firm snow - a strength more than one independent test agrees on - and one review ranks its crud suspension as composed for a ski this light.
The limits of the Draco Freebird are the flip side of the build. With no metal, it is stable for its weight class, not stable like a metal freeride ski: in heavy chopped snow at speed it can get knocked around. Float verdicts diverge widely across tests - some score it high, others call it limited - and the fairest reading is average for its width: moderate rocker and a firm flex trade surf for drive. The 21-23 m radius and firm flex ask for an engaged pilot; ridden timidly it goes quiet. And on the skin track, 1,700-1,925 g per ski is a real penalty against dedicated tourers - and one third-party catalog lists slightly heavier weights than the official claim.
Inside Black Crows' line the routing is clean. The 104 mm Navis Freebird is the brand's own touring-descent spearhead, built for a broader spread of touring days; choose the Draco over it when descents dominate. The Nocta (122 mm) floats far better but is not a touring ski, and the Anima (115 mm) is the lift-served alternative when weight stops mattering. Cross-brand, one independent review slots the Draco against descent-oriented touring rivals like the 4FRNT Hoji. Note that 26/27 is a graphics-only carryover of the 25/26 ski - identical sizes, dimensions, radii and price - and the review consensus, earned on earlier builds, carries that generation caveat.
The Draco Freebird comes in 175.2, 181.5 and 189.2 cm; the waist is 110 mm in the two shorter lengths and 112 mm in the 189.2, which also carries the longer 23 m radius and the heaviest build. It retails at $1,199, sold flat: budget for a pin or hybrid touring binding - never a telemark binding, per Black Crows - plus mounting, and pre-cut skins are available in matching lengths.
Bindings we'd pair with it
Mount point: Sold flat - recommended mount point -5 cm from center; set at fitting. Our pick: Chosen at fitting - we match a pin or hybrid touring binding to how and where you ski.
- Tech/pin touring bindingChosen at fitting
We match a model to your boots and mount it in the shop.
- Hybrid touring bindingChosen at fitting
Whether a pin or a hybrid model suits you depends on your boots and your use - we walk through it at fitting.
Black Crows' official instruction: do not mount this ski with telemark bindings. We fit and mount the binding to your boots and your use in the shop, and can pair pre-cut Pilus Draco Freebird skins at the same time.
Common Questions
- Can you mount telemark bindings on the Black Crows Draco Freebird?
- No. Black Crows' official instruction is do not mount this ski with telemark bindings. Use a pin or hybrid touring binding, fitted and mounted by a technician.
- What is the difference between the Draco Freebird and the Navis Freebird?
- Width and intent. The Navis Freebird runs a 104 mm waist and covers a broader range of touring days; the Draco (110-112 mm) is wider, twin-tipped and looser, built for descent-heavy days. Regular tourers are usually better matched by the Navis.
- Is the Draco Freebird good in deep powder?
- It is capable, not maximal. Independent tests put its float at average for a 110-112 mm ski - moderate rocker and a firm flex favor drive over surf. For float-first days, Black Crows' Nocta (122 mm) is the deeper-snow shape, though it is not a touring ski.
- What lengths does the Draco Freebird come in, and how do they differ?
- Three lengths: 175.2, 181.5 and 189.2 cm. The two shorter run a 110 mm waist and 21 m radius at 1,700 and 1,800 g per ski; the 189.2 steps to 112 mm, a 23 m radius and 1,925 g. Bring your boots and tell us how you tour - we will size it with you.
- Are there pre-cut skins for the Draco Freebird?
- Yes - Black Crows makes dedicated pre-cut Pilus Draco Freebird skins in all three lengths. We can pair them with the ski when we set up your binding.
