104 mm All-Mountain Touring Ski
Black Crows Navis Freebird
Tourers who want one ski for midwinter powder laps and spring couloirs keep landing on the Navis Freebird, and the fourth generation sharpens that case. A 104 mm waist and a 21 m radius give float in soft snow and a long, committed turn on open faces, while a Titanal plate under the binding area holds screws under the loads a touring binding puts through a thin ski. At 1,475 g per ski in the 172.2 cm and 1,575 g in the 179.4 cm, the Black Crows Navis Freebird carries enough mass to hold a line through chop and stays light enough for long human-powered days.
Expert Ski Review Ratings and length guidance reviewed by CCBB ski staff.
Is This the Right Ski for You?
Best For
Advanced and expert tourers who want one 104 mm ski for winter powder and spring lines, ski 165 to 186 cm, and run pin-tech bindings on days where the descent is the point.
Consider Another Ski If
You want a sub-1,300 g ski for fast ascents, a narrower ski for firm spring snow, or a telemark setup, which Black Crows states the Navis Freebird does not accept.
CCBB Ski Ratings
Uphill Efficiency
1,475 g per ski at 172.2 cm
Downhill Performance
Firm flex, Titanal plate under the mount
Soft Snow Float
104 mm waist, progressive front rocker
Firm Snow Grip
21 m radius on medium camber
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
CCBB Ski Profile
Dimensions132-104-120 mm (172.2 cm)
Turn Radius21 m (all lengths)
Rocker ProfileProgressive front rocker, medium camber, early rise tail
Flex PatternFirm underfoot, progressive in the tip
Mount Point-9 cm from center
Skin FitModel-specific pre-cut Pilus, notch and hook
Recommended UseBackcountry touring, all mountain
Why We Like It
- A 104 mm waist paired with a 21 m radius floats in soft snow and still holds a long turn across an open face.
- The Titanal plate under the binding area, a thin sheet of aluminum alloy, improves screw retention where a light ski is thinnest.
- At 1,475 g per ski in the 172.2 cm, the Navis Freebird tours without the deflection of a sub-1,200 g skimo ski.
- The model-specific Pilus skin hooks a metal clip into a notch in the shovel and feeds a TPU tail block through a cutout, which shortens the skin and speeds transitions.
Best Uses
- Winter touring where the descent is the reason for the climb
- Spring corn and couloir days across 165 to 186 cm lengths
- Hut trips and multi-day traverses
- Pin-tech setups on long approaches
Ski Specialist's Advice
The 21 m radius holds across all four lengths, so choosing a length changes surface area and swing weight rather than turn shape. Skiers under 5 foot 9 who ski trees and tight couloirs should look hard at the 172.2 cm, and skiers over 6 foot who spend their days on open faces will get more out of the 179.4 cm or 186.2 cm. The 165.1 cm is a genuine ski for smaller tourers, not a downsized afterthought.
Black Crows sets the mount at -9 cm from center and specifies a 4.1 mm by 9 mm drilling pattern, a larger drilling diameter than the 3.5 mm pattern used on the rest of the Freebird range, so confirm your shop has the right bit before the ski goes on the jig. A 105 mm brake is the narrowest that clears the 104 mm waist. Black Crows states that its touring skis are not compatible with telemark bindings, and we hold to that.
The Navis Freebird takes a model-specific pre-cut Pilus skin that clips a metal hook into a notch in the shovel and feeds a TPU block through a cutout near the tail. If you would rather run a trim-to-fit skin, size it off the tail rather than the waist, which puts most of the size run on a 120 mm skin and leaves nothing bare along the shovel edges.
Length and mount guidance reviewed by CCBB ski staff. Confirm length against your height, weight and terrain.
📐 Technical Specifications Full spec table · Click to expand
Shape and Sizing
Dimensions130-104-119 mm (165.1 cm), 132-104-120 mm (172.2 cm), 133-104-121 mm (179.4 cm), 134-104-121 mm (186.2 cm)
Waist Width104 mm
Turning Radius21 m (all lengths)
Lengths165.1, 172.2, 179.4, 186.2 cm
Weight1,475 g per ski (172.2 cm), 1,575 g per ski (179.4 cm). Black Crows lists the 165.1 cm and 186.2 cm as provisional
Construction and Use
Rocker and CamberProgressive front rocker with an early rise tail, classic medium camber underfoot with intermediate ski and snow contact
FlexFirm underfoot for stability, progressive in the tip
ReinforcementTitanal plate under the bindings, a thin aluminum alloy sheet, for screw retention
Mount and Drilling-9 cm from center, 4.1 mm by 9 mm drilling. Not compatible with telemark bindings
Base and TuneSintered base. 1.3 degree base bevel, 3 degree edge bevel
Skin FitModel-specific pre-cut Pilus with a metal tip hook and a TPU tail block
Recommended UseBackcountry touring, all mountain
Compare the Black Crows Navis Freebird
Navis Freebird vs. Black Crows Camox Freebird
The Camox Freebird is the narrower, lighter sibling at 97 mm underfoot on an 18 m radius, with 1,375 g per ski at 173.1 cm. Skiers who prioritize soft snow and descent stability take the Navis Freebird at 104 mm and 21 m; skiers who want quicker turns and less mass on the climb take the Camox Freebird.
Shop Black Crows Camox Freebird skis
Navis Freebird vs. Black Crows Draco Freebird
The Draco Freebird is the wide twin tip of the touring range at 110 mm underfoot and 1,700 g per ski at 175.2 cm, mounted at -5 cm. The Navis Freebird is the directional, everyday choice at 104 mm and -9 cm. Riding style and mount preference separate the two more than width does.
Shop Black Crows Draco Freebird skis
Navis Freebird vs. Blizzard Zero G 105
Skiers cross-shop these two as one-ski touring quivers at 104 and 105 mm. The Zero G 105 is the damper, more directional build, while the Navis Freebird runs a progressive front rocker with an early rise tail on a 21 m radius. Turn shape preference usually decides it.
Shop Blizzard Zero G 105 skis
Common Questions
Who should buy the Black Crows Navis Freebird?
The Black Crows Navis Freebird suits advanced and expert tourers who want a single backcountry ski for the whole season. At 104 mm underfoot with a 21 m radius and 1,475 g per ski at 172.2 cm, the Navis Freebird is built for skiers who earn their turns and still want to ski them fast.
What bindings work with the Black Crows Navis Freebird?
The Black Crows Navis Freebird takes standard alpine bindings, pin/tech (low-tech) touring bindings, and hybrid bindings, because a ski carries no sole norm of its own. Match the binding to your boot sole norm rather than to the ski, and confirm the binding accepts that norm. Black Crows sets the mount point at -9 cm from center and specifies a 4.1 mm by 9 mm drilling pattern. Black Crows states that its touring skis are not compatible with telemark bindings, and we hold to that. Choose a brake that clears the 104 mm waist, so 105 mm is the narrowest that works.
Is the Navis Freebird 102 mm or 104 mm underfoot?
The f26 Navis Freebird is 104 mm underfoot with a 21 m radius across a 165 to 186 cm size run. The 102 mm waist and 18 m radius still circulating on retail listings and on the brand's own storefront describe the previous generation, which used a different size run entirely. Check the waist and radius before trusting a spec sheet for this ski: if it lists 102 mm or an 18 m radius, it is not describing the fourth-generation Navis Freebird.
What length Black Crows Navis Freebird should I get?
Length changes swing weight and surface area rather than turn shape on the Navis Freebird, because the 21 m radius holds across all four lengths. Skiers under 5 foot 9 in tight terrain do well on the 172.2 cm, and skiers over 6 foot on open terrain do better on the 179.4 cm or 186.2 cm.
How much does the Black Crows Navis Freebird weigh?
The Navis Freebird weighs 1,475 g per ski at 172.2 cm and 1,575 g per ski at 179.4 cm. Black Crows lists the 165.1 cm and 186.2 cm figures as provisional for this model year, so we do not publish them. We will add both once the manufacturer confirms them or once we put a pair on our own scale.
What skins fit the Black Crows Navis Freebird?
Black Crows makes a Navis Freebird specific Pilus skin cut to the 165.1, 172.2, 179.4 and 186.2 cm lengths, using a metal tip hook into a shovel notch and a TPU block through a cutout near the tail. A trim-to-fit skin also works and should be sized off the tail rather than the 104 mm waist, which puts most of the size run on a 120 mm skin.
Can the Navis Freebird mount point be moved?
Black Crows marks the mount point on the sidewall at -9 cm from center and advises against shifting it, stating that the ski is engineered around that position and that a customized mount transfers responsibility for any resulting damage to the owner. We mount at the marked line unless a customer asks otherwise in writing.
How does the Black Crows Navis Freebird handle firm snow?
The Navis Freebird runs classic medium camber underfoot with intermediate ski and snow contact, and a slightly straight sidecut on a 21 m radius, which is a shape built for long turns and speed rather than short-radius edge grip. On firm spring snow expect it to reward a patient, higher-speed turn. Skiers whose days are mostly firm should look at something narrower.
Our Verdict
The Black Crows Navis Freebird is the most complete ski in the touring range for skiers who want one pair to cover the season. The fourth generation moves to a 104 mm waist and a 21 m radius across a new 165 to 186 cm size run, keeps the Titanal plate under the binding area for screw retention, and adds a pre-cut Pilus skin that hooks into a shovel notch and a tail cutout. At 1,475 g per ski at 172.2 cm the Navis Freebird sits at the heavier, more capable end of the touring category, which is the trade for a ski that holds a line when the snow turns rough.
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