Black Crows Captis Birdie Review
Our Verdict
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This Product
Black Crows Captis Birdie | |||||
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Awards | Best Overall Women's All-Mountain Ski | Great Value for a Powder Ski | Best Buy for Intermediates | ||
Price | $599.00 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $749.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 4 sellers | $429.95 at Amazon Compare at 4 sellers | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | A blast for mellow skiers, but not dependable for more advanced birds | This ski excels at basically everything, in any terrain, except for making a large-radius turn | Lively and nimble, but also stable and grippy | A blast to ski in fresh snow, mogul fields, and popping around on groomers | For intermediate and advanced skiers looking for something that’s easy on the snow and on the wallet |
Rating Categories | Black Crows Captis... | Blizzard Black Pear... | Blizzard Sheeva 9 -... | Elan Ripstick 94 W | Salomon QST Lumen 98 |
Stability at Speed (20%) | |||||
Carving Ability (20%) | |||||
Powder Performance (20%) | |||||
Crud Performance (20%) | |||||
Terrain Playfulness (15%) | |||||
Bumps (5%) | |||||
Specs | Black Crows Captis... | Blizzard Black Pear... | Blizzard Sheeva 9 -... | Elan Ripstick 94 W | Salomon QST Lumen 98 |
Length Tested | 171 cm | 170 cm | 174 cm | 178 cm | 176 cm |
Waist Width | 90 mm | 94 mm | 96 mm | 94 mm | 98 mm |
Sidecut (Tip-Waist-Tail Width) | 118-90-109 mm | 132.5-94-114.5 mm | 129-96-118.5 mm | 136-94-110 mm | 132-98-120 mm |
Turn Radius | 18 m | 15.5 m | 16 m | 18 m | 16 m |
Available Lengths | 149, 157, 164, 171 cm | 152, 158, 164, 170, 176 cm | 150, 156, 162, 168, 174 cm | 154, 162, 170, 178 cm | 152, 160, 168, 176 cm |
Camber Profile | Rocker tip and tail, camber underfoot | Rocker tip and tail, camber underfoot | Rocker tip and tail, camber underfoot | Rocker tip and tail, cambered inside edge, Amphibio tech | Rocker tip and tail, camber underfoot |
Manufacturer Claimed Weight per Pair | 6.8 lbs | 7.4 lbs | 7.9 lbs | 7.4 lbs | 8.2 lbs |
Core Material | Poplar and fiber | TrueBlend All Mountain Woodcore (Beech and Poplar), Titinal | W.S.D. Trueblend Free Woodcore; Beech, Poplar and Paulownia | Tubelite wood | Poplar |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Graphics Update
blackcrows rarely updates their skis, but they have updated their graphics going into the 2024-2025 season, including those on the Captis Birdie (right). We've been assured by their team that the ski is otherwise unchanged from the model we review below. We will link to the newest version, however, based on availability.
The blackcrows Captis Birdie has a lot going for it in terms of playfulness, and it provides a responsive ride in tight spaces. However, this ski was a liability when we made it go fast or placed it in challenging conditions such as powder or crud.
Performance Comparison
Stability at Speed
At first, on soft steep groomers, we were surprised at how the relatively soft Captis Birdie held an edge and didn't chatter. However, after bringing it up to speed, our fears about the ski's flexibility were realized. There is a continuous flap at the tips, as well as a general sense that it was not designed for high speeds. We also noted a feeling of discomfort around its construction; it skis much shorter than its advertised length, and we regularly felt like we were about to go over the handlebars at higher speeds.
Carving Ability
The rebound we love about this ski made it feel fun in a carved turn, but only if the snow was consistent and forgiving enough to allow us to build the speed to make it pop. Given the relatively narrow 90-millimeter waist, the Captis Birdie feels fluid and fast when moving from one edge to the other. We agree that the 18-meter turn radius seems accurate, though because the ski is so pliable, we could bend it into a tighter turn if we felt comfortable building the forces to do so (which wasn't often).
Powder Performance
While the Captis Birdie is one of the narrower skis in the range of “all-mountain” with a 90-millimeter waist, we don't believe that fact alone excuses its lack of prowess in this metric. It was understandable that it flounders in heavier snow, but it couldn't stay on track even when we took it out in six inches of blower pow.
Crud Performance
This ski is simply not adept at handling variable snow conditions. We found ourselves getting bucked around all over the place, even in what should have been manageable chop. It is too soft to plow through and unpredictable in how it reacts to any undulations.
Terrain Playfulness
In this one metric, in particular, the Captis Birdie captured our hearts. We loved the spring-back it gave us when we pressured and released them; it was more pronounced on this ski than on many in our review. The tricky part was that we needed to be on consistent, forgiving snow to feel confident, building the speed and forces necessary to make this pop happen. The Captis Birdie is super lightweight and is very easy to get airborne, but again we wanted to make sure our landing was going to be very soft and gentle before committing to it on this ski.
Bumps
A ski that likes to butter the snow and pivot quickly, the Captis Birdie is an enjoyable and easy ride through the moguls. In this terrain, its ability to change edges quickly, bend easily, and move nimbly allow it to thrive. Once again, however, it could only handle a mogul field with bumps cushioned by soft and predictable snow; anything too deep, hard, or chunky would send us flying in unknown directions.
Should You Buy the Captis Birdie?
The Captis Birdie is a fun, playful option for entry-level skiers who want to stay almost entirely on groomed runs. To the benefit of this argument, this ski is affordable compared to the rest of the field. The Captis Birdie is approachable but doesn't offer the versatility we want from an all-mountain ski.
What Other Women's All-Mountain Skis Should You Consider?
Except for its playfulness on groomed and relatively consistent terrain, the Captis Birdie is outpaced in every other metric by nearly every other ski we tested. Intermediate to advanced skiers looking to perfect the art of the turn should steer towards the Volkl Secret 96 or Blizzard Black Pearl 94. All-mountain chargers will be overjoyed powder skiing on the Elan Ripstick 94 W.