2026 Black Crows Octo Birdie

The 2026 Black Crows Octo Birdie returns structurally unchanged but gets a fresh new look. Categorized as “all terrain,” Black Crows wanted to offer a different piste-side experience, one that involved dynamic carving capabilities with a less serious, more enjoyable spin on it. Rather than focusing solely on aggressive carvers, they wanted to invite some fun into it and appeal to a wider audience of skiers. With a unique shape, solid build, and notable attributes, the Octo Birdie loves to be used in a carving format at a shorter arc without being too demanding.

On paper, it doesn’t seem like Black Crows puts a lot of thought into the build of their skis. On snow, it’s a vastly different view. Utilizing the trademark Black Crows simple construction, we’re getting a poplar wood core and fiberglass laminates for the foundation. With semi cap construction and full sidewalls all around the ski, this is where the level of on-piste performance comes into play. Delivering great edge grip and stability underfoot, the minimalist build keeps the weight down and at 1525 grams in the 167.2 cm length, it generates an impressive amount of power given how light it is. We see inspiration from the Mirus Cor with the slight swallowtail featuring an aluminum insert. This had a lot of success in the Mirus Cor and does a great job of putting more pressure on the back of the ski. Without locking it into a turn, it instead provides energy and a bit of a boost into the next, putting it into a different category than a lot of other dedicated carving skis. Light and incredibly agile, it transfers from edge to edge with serious quickness, which means you don’t want to crank up the speed dial too much. That said, it handles on-piste terrain with strength and power while allowing for lively quickness. Tester Devon Laidman notes: “They carved very nicely. Easy to finish the turn without feeling rushed at the end.”

Overall, this ski uses a unique footprint to generate some interesting turns. W get the makings of a pretty traditional carving ski but with some modern tweaks. At 84 mm underfoot, it is not the narrowest ski for its intended use but that's what gives it such character. With 126 mm tips and 113 mm tails, it generates a 14-meter turn radius which is a nice short arc. Easy and quick to flick around, the taper that is incorporated into the tip and tail invites more versatility and ease when it comes to encountering varied snow conditions. The classic medium camber underfoot provides excellent ski-to-snow contact, and given the rest of the build, it is super reactive and lightweight. It’s great when a ski surprises you, and this might be the case for this new Octo Birdie. Tester Cat Falduto states that the skis have “Easy edge to edge transitioning. Fast ski and felt super playful on the trails. Not as stiff as other carving skis. Seems like it would maneuver well in the trees.”

Skis that use this type of turn shape are generally stiffer and more race oriented. Designed to allow a broader audience of skiers to access it, the level of performance combined with lightweight energy and maneuverability lands the Octo Birdie in a truly unique spot. While there are more aggressive options in the all-mountain/carving category, the agile nature of the Octo Birdie gives it a friendly but plenty powerful appeal. Being able to bend and flex the ski to access the entire sidecut is a great thing, and Black Crows does a great job here with the Octo Birdie.