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Black Crows Captis Birdie

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yesterday I drove up to Flagstaff early to have the shop mount my Z10ti bindings to my new Birdies. In a half hour or less I was on my way to Snowbowl for a glorious bluebird day on the skis.

I fell in love. These skis are phenomenal for me. So very easy to ski, quick for a 90-waist, and simply effortless fun.
At 149 length the Birdies are perfect. I could have purchased a 156, but opted for the shorter version, and am quite pleased with that decision. The Salomon Z10ti is a nice binding; one that I have not used in my most recent ski acquisitions, however did have several pairs in the past with these bindings. Again, I am very happy with that choice as well.

The Birdie is truly a light ski. I have demoed three versions of the Head Joy line in recent years wanting to feel the lightness that they are so popularly known to advertise. And each one was as promised, very light indeed.
However, I found them all to be too light, if that makes any sense. The Joy skis seemed to notice every divot , bump, and change in texture, which annoyed me enough to not keep the demos out for more than three runs each. The Captis Birdie encountering these same conditions did not buck or startle me. They hold a great edge too. I could ski these as if I were my Renoun Z-77s (157) carving big wide or short fast turns.

The Captis Birdie has captured my heart and will be my Go-To ski from now on.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
Ditto on the z10 ti bindings... Glad you like the captis birdie!
 

Bluestsky

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How do they behave in crud? I’m not too happy with my pre-metal Yumi in 153 in those conditions...might be a driver though.
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How do they behave in crud? I’m not too happy with my pre-metal Yumi in 153 in those conditions...might be a driver though.

Off-topic of the captis birdie, but the pre-metal Yumis are awful in crud unless you put them on edge. They just lack enough rigidity to really absorb any of it or plow through it, and if the skis are too flat they'll just toss you all over the place. The new ones with the titanal band do a much better job.
 

Bluestsky

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Make sense @tinymoose. I demoed the new (with titanal band) Yumis, but only on hardpack and haven’t felt enough difference to justify the new purchase. Love my old Yumis on soft snow and in bumps. Based on the reviews of other petite skiers here will try to demo birdies and SA...still looking for the ‘perfect’ one-quiver ski :-)
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I am not sure what you are looking for @Bluestsky with regard to crud. You mentioned the Santa Ana as a potential demo as well. I would think that it all depends on how much you weigh and your aggressiveness. I'd never consider the Santa Ana for myself because i think it would be too much ski for me. Not a shining crud skier by any means, but so far the Birdie has done well. Any ski in crud is going to have me bouncing around, I just don't have the body mass or skill . One reason I bought the Birdie was to get better in crud and shallower powder. Yes, those are two very different ski terrains, but I wanted something fun & easy. I have Renoun Z-77 that performs well in crud but it is too long for me to use as a learning tool.

Before I bought the Birdie I had seriously considered the Elan Ripstick 88. I'd still like to try those on a demo basis just for fun.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
I am not sure what you are looking for @Bluestsky with regard to crud. You mentioned the Santa Ana as a potential demo as well. I would think that it all depends on how much you weigh and your aggressiveness. I'd never consider the Santa Ana for myself because i think it would be too much ski for me. Not a shining crud skier by any means, but so far the Birdie has done well. Any ski in crud is going to have me bouncing around, I just don't have the body mass or skill . One reason I bought the Birdie was to get better in crud and shallower powder. Yes, those are two very different ski terrains, but I wanted something fun & easy. I have Renoun Z-77 that performs well in crud but it is too long for me to use as a learning tool.

Before I bought the Birdie I had seriously considered the Elan Ripstick 88. I'd still like to try those on a demo basis just for fun.
ON my list too
 

Bluestsky

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@badger Thanks, glad to hear they are fine In crud. Will definitely demo.
Forgot to mention. I’m 5’1/113. Like to go fast. Still lots to be desired as to the technique. Btw I demoed Ripsticks and liked them. Very much like my Yumis.
 
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badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The new Ripstick 88 is supposed to be an even more accommodating and awesome ski. Try that one on for size too!
 

Abbi

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
IF we ever get snow in VT, I’m taking the Ripsticks out! I bought myself the Elan Interras for Christmas. Loving them!
 

Bluestsky

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This week I demoed 2020 Captis Birdie and 2020 Ripstick 88 both in 149 cm. I'm 5'1/113. On crusty hardpack neither was enough ski at speed. For comparison my pre-metal Volkl Yumi in 154 were much more stable there. Unfortunately I couldn't get a hold of longer sizes.
 
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marzNC

Angel Diva
This week I demoed 2020 Captis Birdie and 2020 Ripstick 88 both in 149 cm. I'm 5'1/113. On crusty hardpack neither was enough ski at speed. For comparison my pre-metal Volkl Yumi in 154 were much more stable there. Unfortunately I couldn't get a hold of longer sizes.
That's interesting about the Ripstick 88. I demo'd the Ripstick 94 @156 a few years ago and didn't like it. The note I wrote was "too short." Even though quite a few other skis around that width in the mid-150s were the correct length for me. Gave the 163 a try and it was fun. I'm 5'0", 111 lbs.
 

Bluestsky

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
We keep saying the demo’s so important, don’t we? In spite of so many divas loving black pearl every time I demo I don’t care for them. Plank-y is the first word that comes to my mind. I think I’ll stop trying :noidea:
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This week I demoed 2020 Captis Birdie and 2020 Ripstick 88 both in 149 cm. I'm 5'1/113. On crusty hardpack neither was enough ski at speed. For comparison my pre-metal Volkl Yumi in 154 were much more stable there. Unfortunately I couldn't get a hold of longer sizes.

To bad you couldn't get on the skis in longer sizes - Especially the Captis in a 157 or even a 164.
The Captis is a great crud buster. I didn't know they made it in a 149? I don't see that on the website.

As for the Elan 88 Ripstick - I demo'd it recently and it is nothing like the Ripstick 94.
Perhaps I needed to try it in the next size up.

DD has been enjoying her Captis Birdies, we got new snow last weekend and she had a blast!
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hmm attached are 2019. Maybe discontinued in 2020.

Per the Black Crows website / video the Captis mount point was changed for 2020 and the Camox had multiple changes w/ tip tail and stiffness.

I did get on the 2020 Captis, but in the 171 (DD has it in the 164) and enjoyed it, has it has much of the same DNA. Curious about the 2020 Camox....
 

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