2023 Black Crows Orb

The Black Crows Orb is a fantastic choice for advanced and expert skiers who are looking for that ~88 mm underfoot ski with metal and a longer turn radius. This ski sits in the catalog, and should go up against skis like th Brahma and Kendo in terms of construction, but the shape sets it apart by a bit for sure. In the 179, the Orb produces a 21-meter turn shape, and that’s compared to about 16.5-meters in the Kendo/Brahma. This makes the Orb faster in a straight line, and arguably a more aggressive ski. It’s not quite as heavy, tipping the scales at about 1625 grams in the 179. Built with a poplar wood core and fiberglass laminate, the skis also get a double titanal H-plate that really stiffens the flex of the ski. The nice thing about the h-shape in the plate, though, is that the arms that extend up the sidewalls are able to articulate and flex from a torsional perspective, so while the skis are stiff from fore to aft, they still have some pliability when they’re up on edge. This allows skiers to bend the ski into the turn and access more of the sidecut. There’s not a whole lot of rocker going on with this ski, rather it has long camber underfoot for great edge grip and energy. If you spend most of your time skiing on-trail and in a carved turn, but want something that has a wider shape to provide all-mountain versatility, the Orb is a very strong and interesting choice.

On the 179, Phil McGrory notes that it was too short for him, and his scores and comments reflect that experience. His top marks, unsurprisingly, were 3’s out of 5 for quickness, maneuverability, and forgiveness. Phil notes that the 179 felt “too light weight, but as a result, they had very easy turn initiation. Due to the shorter length, they would be better in softer and grippier snow.” Brad Schauerman is a bit shorter than Phil, so his 179 didn’t feel so off. He noted that it’s a good length for him, lining up well with the 177 Enforcer 100 that he normally skis. Brad scored the Orb 4’s out of 5 for quickness, maneuverability, forgiveness, and versatility. He notes that “this seemed like a super-versatile all-mountain ski that makes a lot of different turn shapes easily. I didn’t find that this ski had the guts to ski too aggressively, and I felt like I was able to find the speed limit. That said, I do think it’s a really nice cruiser for the groomers.” It’s nice to see Brad picking up on the ski’s ability to make those different shapes and styles of turns for sure.

Bob St.Pierre was able to get on the 184, and while a bit on the short side for him, he did note that it skied just a bit small for its size. “While I’m able to feel at home on the 184’s in the Kendo or the 183 in the Brahma 88, the Orb skis just a bit shorter than those other skis, and I think that’s the main difference between the H-Shaped metal laminates and the fuller sheets of the Brahma and the titanal frame of the Kendo. If the Orb is looking to compete with those, or the Enforcer 88, it’s coming up a bit shy, but there’s a whole lot of skiers out there who are on a Brahma, but would likely be a lot happier on an Orb. I like it because you don’t have to be on it all the time, and you can relax on it a bit, while I do not find that to be the case for the burlier skis in this category. The Orb, consequently, is a better ski for bumps and trees, and is able to make a bunch of different turn shapes better and easier than the other 88’s with dual-metal laminate.” Bob scored the ski 5’s out of 5 for quickness, maneuverability, and playfulness, with 4’s for overall impression, versatility, and edge hold.

It’s an interesting blend of lighter weight, metal laminates, and longer turn shapes that make the Orb stick out from a very crowded field of ~88’s out there in the ski world today.  The nice thing is that there’s something for everyone, and if you’re the type of skier that prefers making longer-radius, more GS-style carves, this ski is a perfect option for you.