2027 Black Crows Nocta

The 2027 Black Crows Nocta is a bit of a re-release from the company, bringing back its most recent build and shape and putting a new graphic on it. For skiers looking for a light, surfy, smeary, and drifty powder ski, it’s tough to find better than the Nocta here, especially if bottomless snow is on your agenda. s With an interesting look in the tips and tails, these skis aren’t your typical pow skis—they definitely have their own type of character. If you spend most of your time in waist-deep snow, the Nocta should be on the top of the list, especially if you’re more of a creative skier.

There’s not a whole lot going on here with Nocta when it comes to construction; the ski is simply built with a poplar wood core. We do get ABS extending from the sidewalls into the tips and tails of the ski in classic Chevron form, but this doesn’t do a whole lot to the ski’s build. It’s relatively forgiving in flex as it allows for fantastic suspension for variable terrain and conditions but it’s not a noodle, as we’ve experienced really nice energy coming out of a turn, especially on a spring day when there’s at least some semblance of firmer snow underfoot. In the 185 cm length, the ski tips the scales at 2025 g/ski, which is on the lighter side given the overall mass and shape.

The footprint and profile of the ski gives the Nocta a more unique presence in the market than just the build. The skis hit 122 mm underfoot, with is one of the wider skis in the industry today. Bookended with 145 mm tips and 136 mm tails, these skis are wide overall and somewhat straight with a 19-meter turn radius. We’ve found that they are just as fun and eager to get up on edge as they are to drift and slash sideways turns. Profiled with medium camber underfoot, this is no longer a fully rockered ski, and that gives a bit more grip and energy when needed, but the longer tip and tail rocker and taper shape make it totally smeary in softer and deeper snow. If you are a skier who encounters waist deep and bottomless snow, the shape and profile of the Nocta are right where you need them.

Since this is a specific ski to deep snow, and the waist width is incredibly wide, the Nocta isn’t going to be a household name in terms of units sold. It’s a more specialized toy for a particular job, but in that realm, it’s extremely poised and polished. Black Crows does a fantastic job with the shaping of this ski as it lends to awesome flotation and playful skiing with its twin tip shape and unique profile. Once again, the designers at Black Crows are able to fashion a ski that doesn’t lean on technological construction, but rather super-creative and intuitive shaping policies.