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Black Crows Captis Birdie?

JunoSpafford

Diva in Training
Hi all! I’m an intermediate/advanced skier and am upgrading from my Elans I had as a teenager until now (I’m 22). We don’t get too much powder here in WA but I’ve heard lots of good things about the Captis Birdie and am wondering if it’s too much of a powder ski for the snow we have here?
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
May I ask why you are thinking of this ski in particular? What are your stats (height/weight) and where exactly do you ski? I am not from the Pacific Northwest but I assume you have lots of powder there and this ski is great for that; but maybe not as a one-ski quiver if that is your intention.
I own the Captis Birdie and truly enjoy its characteristics. Light, easy to ski, and playful. It is not my only ski as I prefer a narrower waist for most conditions. But I am very petite. A bigger skier would be able to get along well with the Birdie as their only ski, however there are so many options our there that demoing might be best if you can do that.
 

JunoSpafford

Diva in Training
May I ask why you are thinking of this ski in particular? What are your stats (height/weight) and where exactly do you ski? I am not from the Pacific Northwest but I assume you have lots of powder there and this ski is great for that; but maybe not as a one-ski quiver if that is your intention.
I own the Captis Birdie and truly enjoy its characteristics. Light, easy to ski, and playful. It is not my only ski as I prefer a narrower waist for most conditions. But I am very petite. A bigger skier would be able to get along well with the Birdie as their only ski, however there are so many options our there that demoing might be best if you can do that.
I’m 5’7 145 lbs! I was gonna go with the 171 length, 90 mm waist width. I’ve heard lots of good things about this ski is the reason I was considering it. The powder here is not that great considering it doesn’t get too cold at the mountains where I ski. (Stevens and Snoqualmie). Mostly I was wondering if this ski would be too wide to use as my only skis/all mountain where it’s not mostly powder.
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
I’m 5’7 145 lbs! I was gonna go with the 171 length, 90 mm waist width. I’ve heard lots of good things about this ski is the reason I was considering it. The powder here is not that great considering it doesn’t get too cold at the mountains where I ski. (Stevens and Snoqualmie). Mostly I was wondering if this ski would be too wide to use as my only skis/all mountain where it’s not mostly powder.
Black Crows - be still my heart....I will add a pair to my quiver at some point! I have only been on the 2018(?) Camox Birdie - 97mm 174cm (it was the model before they lightened it up), so hopefully more that have been on the Captis Birdie can chime in. There are so many great skis out there to consider, but based on reviews I have read (one linked in below), the Captis Birdie is quite well suited to be a one ski quiver. I ski an 85mm and a 92mm in New England, so from my perspective a 90mm in the PNW is not at all too wide for an every day ski. I concur on the 171cm for you.

https://www.skiessentials.com/2020-ski-test/skis/2020-black-crows-captis-birdie/
 

fgor

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have a few ski friends in the PNW and they definitely have wider daily drivers than those of us who ski in icier, lower-snow areas. They all seem to go for around the 90-100mm width for a daily driver. A lot of them also prefer a slightly heavier ski though because although PNW gets a lot of snow, it's often thicker heavier cruddier snow, and they find a heavier ski smooths it all out a bit more. I'm sure some PNW divas will chime in!

I've been on the captis birdie and actually didn't really enjoy it, but I know a lot of people do really like the black crows skis, they're really popular :smile:
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I’m 5’7 145 lbs! I was gonna go with the 171 length, 90 mm waist width.

171 would be the right size for you for sure, and 90 would not be to wide for a daily driver?
My DD has the Captis Birdie as her daily driver, she is 120ish 5' 3" for Eastern Sierra. Fun ski, similar to the Camox Birdie but narrower and just a little less tip rocker/width. What width was the Elan you were skiing?

@fgor I wonder if it was the longer turn radius that you didn't like? The Crows tend to have a larger turn radius - 17 for the Captis even at shorter lengths.
 

fgor

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@WaterGirl You might be right! I didn't realise but it's true, the turn radius is long compared to almost every other ski I've been on.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Paging @Christy and who else is in the PNW?

Sorry, I don't know these skis! But there's sort of an interesting question here and in the thread @NWSkiGirl started. https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/heavy-powder-skis.25362/
It's about whether a lighter ski or heavier ski is better for PNW snow. In these two threads you can see people leaning toward both sides. I'm not sure there is one answer for all people.

I do think it's important to remember that "powder skis" or wider skis in general aren't meant only for skiing super dry deep snow. That's not the reality of what most people are skiing, unless you ski Alta or are in Japan. Maybe what people love on a deep day at Alta wouldn't be the same as what people love on a deep day at Stevens (then again maybe it is), but also remember that the snow in CA and the NE is heavier than what we get (see this water content chart here: https://bestsnow.net/snoqlnet.htm) so by no means do you have to pick out a special ski for the PNW. I would even take those percentages with a grain of salt; I bet I've had 12-15 "powder" days at Sun Valley and the snow doesn't feel lighter or any different than at Crystal to me.

I was gonna go with the 171 length, 90 mm waist width. I’ve heard lots of good things about this ski is the reason I was considering it. The powder here is not that great considering it doesn’t get too cold at the mountains where I ski. (Stevens and Snoqualmie). Mostly I was wondering if this ski would be too wide to use as my only skis/all mountain where it’s not mostly powder.

I ski Crystal and I use 98s (Black Pearls) as my daily driver. I used to use 88s. 90 is definitely not too wide. But it does depend on the ski. I find my 98s very nimble. I have 85s (Head) for firmer groomer days, although I'm not sure I've ever actually skied those here in WA. (I got them in Sun Valley where we go every year and I bring them to ski the hardpack there. ) The caveat I have is that if you ski Snoqualmie regularly, and go no matter the conditions, you are going to deal with the freeze/thaw they get due to the low elevation. A wider ski on frozen slopes isn't great of course.
 

KWlovessnow

Angel Diva
I have the Captis Birdies as part of my quiver (along with Volkl Yumis). I'm 5' 6" and 150 pounds and ski the 164. I live in Michigan, ski mostly in Michigan with a annual trip out West, and consider myself and advanced skier. I really enjoy them. I've skied them in several low powder (6" or less) days, several days of chop, and several days of groomers (I just bought them in the middle of last season). They were great in all those situations. They are a lighter ski but are surprisingly stable when carving (however I am more a technical skier and less a speed skier). I personally wouldn't worry too much about the long turn radius, they are easy to engage and quick to release from turns and I was able to quickly change from long to short turns when needed. I think they are just a really fun, versatile ski.
 

NWSkiGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Sorry, I don't know these skis! But there's sort of an interesting question here and in the thread @NWSkiGirl started. https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/heavy-powder-skis.25362/
It's about whether a lighter ski or heavier ski is better for PNW snow. In these two threads you can see people leaning toward both sides. I'm not sure there is one answer for all people.

I do think it's important to remember that "powder skis" or wider skis in general aren't meant only for skiing super dry deep snow. That's not the reality of what most people are skiing, unless you ski Alta or are in Japan. Maybe what people love on a deep day at Alta wouldn't be the same as what people love on a deep day at Stevens (then again maybe it is), but also remember that the snow in CA and the NE is heavier than what we get (see this water content chart here: https://bestsnow.net/snoqlnet.htm) so by no means do you have to pick out a special ski for the PNW. I would even take those percentages with a grain of salt; I bet I've had 12-15 "powder" days at Sun Valley and the snow doesn't feel lighter or any different than at Crystal to me.



I ski Crystal and I use 98s (Black Pearls) as my daily driver. I used to use 88s. 90 is definitely not too wide. But it does depend on the ski. I find my 98s very nimble. I have 85s (Head) for firmer groomer days, although I'm not sure I've ever actually skied those here in WA. (I got them in Sun Valley where we go every year and I bring them to ski the hardpack there. ) The caveat I have is that if you ski Snoqualmie regularly, and go no matter the conditions, you are going to deal with the freeze/thaw they get due to the low elevation. A wider ski on frozen slopes isn't great of course.

Thanks for saying that "powder skis" aren't just for light powder. In skiing my 100 waist heavy Volkl Auras in PNW powder (I ski at Crystal), I just get the sense that they are too heavy. I don't think it's my technique, it seems to be the skis. So I'll try some powder skis! I had been thinking the torn up powder is pretty thick here so maybe light skis weren't way to go!
 

NWSkiGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have the Captis Birdies as part of my quiver (along with Volkl Yumis). I'm 5' 6" and 150 pounds and ski the 164. I live in Michigan, ski mostly in Michigan with a annual trip out West, and consider myself and advanced skier. I really enjoy them. I've skied them in several low powder (6" or less) days, several days of chop, and several days of groomers (I just bought them in the middle of last season). They were great in all those situations. They are a lighter ski but are surprisingly stable when carving (however I am more a technical skier and less a speed skier). I personally wouldn't worry too much about the long turn radius, they are easy to engage and quick to release from turns and I was able to quickly change from long to short turns when needed. I think they are just a really fun, versatile ski.

I'm going to try to demo these! :-)
 

Luvs2ski

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm going to try to demo these! :-)
Definitely demo them both; I had a tough time deciding between the Captis Birdie & Camox, but ended up with the Camox. I am an East coast skier, so powder is not abundant, but i was surprised at how well both performed on the hard pack/icy conditions. Have fun, you can’t go wrong with either one!!
 

NWSkiGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Definitely demo them both; I had a tough time deciding between the Captis Birdie & Camox, but ended up with the Camox. I am an East coast skier, so powder is not abundant, but i was surprised at how well both performed on the hard pack/icy conditions. Have fun, you can’t go wrong with either one!!

Thanks! Good to know - I'll check out both. :-) I found out all the demo days are likely cancelled this year. My local shop said most of the manufacturers aren't participating due to Covid. I will likely have to wait until next year.
 

Luvs2ski

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanks! Good to know - I'll check out both. :-) I found out all the demo days are likely cancelled this year. My local shop said most of the manufacturers aren't participating due to Covid. I will likely have to wait until next year.
Ugh, I hear you on the demo days...and not sure if it helps, but I ended up finding them at a ski shop near my home mountain that allowed demos, so maybe that could be an option?
 

NWSkiGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ugh, I hear you on the demo days...and not sure if it helps, but I ended up finding them at a ski shop near my home mountain that allowed demos, so maybe that could be an option?

Thanks, that's good to know! I've checked with the mountain, and also the two main ski stores in my area. Good to know you found them so I'll see what other stores may be offering demos. :-)
 

NWSkiGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I wasn't able to demo the Captis Birdies. I bought the Blizzard Sheeva 10s, which I really love. They aren't my groomer skies because I think they are like driving a stable truck rather than an elegant sports car, but they are awesome off piste!
 

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