110 mm Freeride Touring Twin Tip
Black Crows Draco Freebird
Skiers who tour to ski powder switch, slash and air, rather than to tick summits, finally have a ski built for it in the Draco Freebird, the only twin tip in the Black Crows touring range. A 110 mm waist with a double rocker profile floats and pivots in deep snow, and a mount at -5 cm from center sits far enough forward that the twin tail is usable rather than decorative. At 1,700 g per ski in the 175.2 cm and 1,925 g in the 189.2 cm, the Black Crows Draco Freebird is a heavy touring ski by design, aimed at short approaches to good snow rather than all-day vertical.
Expert Ski Review Ratings and length guidance reviewed by CCBB ski staff.
Is This the Right Ski for You?
Best For
Freeride tourers who want a 110 mm twin tip for deep snow, ski switch and hit natural features, and accept 1,700 g per ski as the cost of a playful platform on the descent.
Consider Another Ski If
You want a light ski for long ascents, a directional ski for high-speed carving, or a telemark setup, which Black Crows states the Draco Freebird does not accept.
CCBB Ski Ratings
Uphill Efficiency
1,700 g per ski at 175.2 cm
Downhill Performance
Firm flex, 110 mm platform
Soft Snow Float
110 mm waist, double rocker
Firm Snow Grip
Short camber contact, 21 m radius
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
CCBB Ski Profile
Dimensions138-110-126 mm (181.5 cm)
Turn Radius21 m (175.2, 181.5 cm), 23 m (189.2 cm)
Rocker ProfileDouble rocker with classic camber and short contact underfoot
Flex PatternFirm underfoot, progressive in the tip
Mount Point-5 cm from center
Skin FitModel-specific pre-cut Pilus with an adjustable tail strap
Recommended UseFreeride touring, deep snow
Why We Like It
- A 110 mm waist with double rocker gives the Draco Freebird real float and easy pivot in deep snow, which no other ski in the Black Crows touring range offers.
- The twin tip shape and a -5 cm mount make skiing switch and landing backward realistic, rather than something the ski merely tolerates.
- Classic camber underfoot with short ski and snow contact keeps the Draco Freebird maneuverable, so a 189.2 cm ski does not feel like a plank in tight trees.
- A 21 m radius at 175.2 and 181.5 cm keeps the Draco Freebird turning shorter than its width suggests, which matters in trees on a storm day.
Best Uses
- Powder touring where the objective is the snow, not the summit
- Short approaches and lift-accessed backcountry laps
- Natural features, cliff drops and switch landings
- Skiers who want one wide ski for storm days
Ski Specialist's Advice
The Draco Freebird changes shape at the top of the size run, so length is not a neutral choice here. The 175.2 cm and 181.5 cm run 110 mm underfoot on a 21 m radius, while the 189.2 cm widens to 112 mm and stretches to a 23 m radius. Skiers who want the quickest version of this ski should stay at 181.5 cm or below; the 189.2 cm is a genuinely different, longer-turning ski.
Black Crows sets the mount at -5 cm from center with a 3.5 mm by 9 mm drilling pattern, which is the most forward mount in the touring range and reflects the twin tip shape. A 115 mm brake is the narrowest that clears the 110 mm waist, and the 189.2 cm needs the same brake for its 112 mm waist. Black Crows states that its touring skis are not compatible with telemark bindings, and we hold to that.
At 1,700 g per ski the Draco Freebird asks more of a binding than the rest of the range. Pair it with a touring binding rated for freeride use rather than a minimalist race binding, and size skins off the tail, which runs 125 to 127 mm and puts every length on a 140 mm skin. Black Crows also cuts a model-specific Pilus skin for this ski with an adjustable tail strap.
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
Dimensions136-110-125 mm (175.2 cm), 138-110-126 mm (181.5 cm), 139-112-127 mm (189.2 cm)
Waist Width110 mm (175.2, 181.5 cm), 112 mm (189.2 cm)
Turning Radius21 m (175.2, 181.5 cm), 23 m (189.2 cm)
Lengths175.2, 181.5, 189.2 cm
Weight1,700 g per ski (175.2 cm), 1,800 g per ski (181.5 cm), 1,925 g per ski (189.2 cm)
Construction and Use
Rocker and CamberDouble rocker with classic camber underfoot and short ski and snow contact
SidecutSlightly straight sidecut for stability and balance
FlexFirm underfoot for stability, progressive in the tip
ShapeTwin tip, the only one in the Black Crows touring range
Mount and Drilling-5 cm from center, 3.5 mm by 9 mm drilling. Not compatible with telemark bindings
Skin FitModel-specific pre-cut Pilus with a hook tip and an adjustable tail strap
Recommended UseFreeride touring, deep snow
Compare the Black Crows Draco Freebird
Draco Freebird vs. Black Crows Navis Freebird
The Navis Freebird is the directional everyday tourer at 104 mm underfoot, 1,475 g per ski at 172.2 cm, mounted at -9 cm. The Draco Freebird is the twin tip powder option at 110 mm, 1,700 g and -5 cm. Skiers covering distance take the Navis Freebird; skiers chasing soft snow take the Draco Freebird.
Shop Black Crows Navis Freebird skis
Draco Freebird vs. Atomic Backland 107
Skiers cross-shop these two as wide touring skis. The Backland 107 is the directional option, while the Draco Freebird is a twin tip mounted at -5 cm. Skiers who want to ski switch and land backward take the Draco Freebird; skiers who ski strictly forward take the Backland 107.
Shop Atomic Backland 107 skis
Draco Freebird vs. Blizzard Rustler 11
The Rustler 11 is a resort freeride ski at a similar width on a heavier build. At 1,700 g per ski the Draco Freebird is the one that can realistically be skinned uphill. Choose by how much of the day is spent climbing.
Shop Blizzard Rustler 11 skis
Common Questions
Who should buy the Black Crows Draco Freebird?
The Black Crows Draco Freebird suits freeride skiers who tour for powder rather than for vertical. At 110 mm underfoot with a double rocker twin tip shape, a -5 cm mount and 1,700 g per ski at 175.2 cm, the Draco Freebird trades climbing efficiency for float and playfulness on the way down.
What bindings work with the Black Crows Draco Freebird?
The Black Crows Draco 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 -5 cm from center and specifies a 3.5 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 110 mm waist, so 115 mm is the narrowest that works.
Is the Draco Freebird 110 mm underfoot at every length?
No, and this is the spec most often flattened into a single number. The 175.2 cm and 181.5 cm are 110 mm at the waist on a 21 m radius, but the 189.2 cm widens to 112 mm and runs a 23 m radius. Anyone sizing brakes or comparing the Draco Freebird against another ski should use the figure for their own length rather than the headline number.
What length Black Crows Draco Freebird should I get?
Because the 189.2 cm changes both waist and radius, treat it as a separate ski rather than a longer one. Skiers who want the quicker, more playful character should choose the 175.2 cm or 181.5 cm. The 189.2 cm suits taller, faster skiers who want a longer turn and more surface area.
How much does the Black Crows Draco Freebird weigh?
The Draco Freebird weighs 1,700 g per ski at 175.2 cm, 1,800 g per ski at 181.5 cm and 1,925 g per ski at 189.2 cm. All three figures are confirmed by the manufacturer for this model year rather than provisional. Those numbers are per ski, so double them when comparing against a per-pair listing.
Can you ski the Black Crows Draco Freebird switch?
Yes. The Draco Freebird is the only twin tip in the Black Crows touring range and mounts at -5 cm from center, which is far enough forward to make switch skiing and backward landings workable. A ski mounted at -9 or -10 cm, as the rest of the range is, will not do this comfortably.
Is the Black Crows Draco Freebird too heavy to tour on?
That depends on the day. At 1,700 g per ski the Draco Freebird is heavier than most touring skis and will cost noticeable effort on a long ascent. For short approaches, lift-accessed backcountry and storm days it is a fair trade. For all-day vertical, the Camox Freebird or Orb Freebird are the better tools.
What skins fit the Black Crows Draco Freebird?
Black Crows cuts a Draco Freebird specific Pilus skin with a hook at the shovel and an adjustable tail strap. A trim-to-fit skin should be sized off the tail, which runs 125 to 127 mm across the size run and puts every length on a 140 mm skin.
Our Verdict
The Black Crows Draco Freebird fills the one gap in the Black Crows touring range: a wide twin tip for skiers whose reason to climb is the powder at the top. A 110 mm waist with double rocker and a -5 cm mount makes the Draco Freebird float, pivot and ski switch in a way the directional Freebirds cannot, and the shape shifts to 112 mm and a 23 m radius at 189.2 cm. At 1,700 g per ski the Draco Freebird is a deliberate compromise: pick it for the descent and accept the climb, or pick a lighter ski and accept less ski underfoot.
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