Black Crows Orb Freebird
By PTO Team, Based on official specs and professional review consensus · Spec analysis + professional review consensus on this ski
The take
“Fourth generation of a steep-skiing touring classic - narrower ends, wider waist, lighter build, same 18m radius.”
The Orb Freebird is the steep-skiing specialist of Black Crows' touring range, and the 26/27 fourth generation sharpens that mandate instead of widening it. The sidecut is re-cut: narrower in the tip and tail than the outgoing ski, slightly wider at the waist at 91mm, and the 18m radius carries over at every length, kept deliberately. Black Crows' stated logic is that less material at the extremities trims weight, the wider waist preserves float, and the new outline grips harder on steep slopes - which is where this ski has always been aimed. At 173.2cm it measures 124-91-107mm with a claimed 1,375g per ski.
The 26/27 build breaks from the previous generation's story. Construction is semi-cap - cap in the tip and tail for lightness, ABS sidewalls underfoot where edge grip and binding support live - over a full paulownia woodcore with glassfibers. Screw retention comes from a dense ash pocket under the binding area, and the official materials list names no carbon and no titanal: the retention job moved from a metal plate to hardwood. A new climbing skin system arrives with the update, described officially as lighter and more intuitive; its name and mechanism are not yet published.
The on-snow record for the Orb Freebird is generational, and worth reading that way. An independent test of the fourth generation calls it lightweight, precise and confidence-inspiring, aimed at experienced tourers on alpine objectives and steep couloirs. Prior-generation reviews landed in the same place from different angles: it charges harder than its weight suggests, and it earned a following on long spring tours with technical descents. The recurring weak spot in those older tests is crust - punchy sun crust and breakable crust worked it - and nobody has re-tested the new sidecut on crust yet. It is also not an inbounds ski; the light build that earns the uphill gets worked in resort chop.
Within the Freebird line the Orb Freebird holds the precision slot at $899. The Mentis (80mm) and Ova (85mm) below it are the lighter, faster-walking choices with less ski on the descent; the Camox Freebird (97mm, $949) is the all-rounder with more float; the Navis Freebird (104mm) is the descent-first, soft-snow pick above it. Cross-brand, prior-generation testing put dedicated ultralights such as Blizzard's Zero G 95 under it on claimed weight - the Orb is light for how it skis, not a gram-counter's ski.
The Orb Freebird comes in six lengths - 155.3, 161.2, 167.0, 173.2, 178.0 and 183.1cm - an unusually short entry point for a 91mm touring ski. Confirmed weights run 1,325g at 167.0 up to 1,450g at 183.1 per ski; the 155.3 and 161.2 are cataloged at 1,175g and 1,250g but marked 'to be confirmed', so treat those two as provisional. Rocker profile, flex number, base material and mount point are unpublished so far. The ski is sold flat: budget for a touring binding and skins, and we will help you land on length and setup.
Bindings we'd pair with it
Mount point: Flat ski - sold without bindings. Black Crows publishes no 26/27 mounting or binding-pairing statement. Our pick: Chosen at fitting - a tech/pin or hybrid touring setup, matched at the bench to how and where you tour.
- Tech/pin touring bindingLightweight, uphill-focused days
Low weight and a clean stride for a dedicated earn-your-turns rig. We match the model to your boots in the shop.
- Touring binding with more downhill supportDescent-priority tourers
A burlier touring option for skiers who put the way down first. Chosen against your boots and weight at fitting, never assumed from a chart.
The Orb Freebird ships flat. Binding choice, mount and adjustment happen in the shop, set to your boots, weight and experience - Black Crows publishes no official pairing for 26/27.
Common Questions
- What changed on the 26/27 Black Crows Orb Freebird?
- It is the fourth generation: tips and tails cut narrower, the waist up to 91mm, lighter claimed weights, revised flex, a redesigned lighter skin-attachment system and a re-cut size run topping out at 183.1cm. The official materials list now shows paulownia, glassfibers and an ash pocket - no carbon or titanal. The 18m radius is unchanged.
- Should I choose the Black Crows Orb Freebird or the Camox Freebird?
- Choose by the day you tour for. The Orb (91mm, $899) is the steep-skiing precision pick, lighter for the climb; the Camox Freebird is 97mm and $949, the all-round choice with more float and more ski underfoot on the descent, at more weight on the skin track.
- What lengths does the Orb Freebird come in and which should I pick?
- Six lengths: 155.3 / 161.2 / 167.0 / 173.2 / 178.0 / 183.1cm, all with an 18m radius. Length follows your height, weight and the terrain you tour - shorter is quicker in couloirs, longer is more stable and floats more. Tell us how you tour and we will size it with you.
- How much does the 26/27 Orb Freebird weigh?
- Officially 1,325g per ski at 167.0, 1,375g at 173.2, 1,400g at 178.0 and 1,450g at 183.1. The 155.3 and 161.2 lengths are listed at 1,175g and 1,250g but marked 'to be confirmed' in the catalog, so treat those two as provisional. All figures are per ski, not per pair.
- Is the Black Crows Orb Freebird good as a resort ski?
- No. It is a dedicated touring ski, and reviewers across prior generations found the light build gets worked in resort traffic. If you split days between lifts and touring, a heavier 50/50 setup serves better; the Orb earns its keep on the skin track and in steep terrain.
