What Our Gearhead(R) Experts Are Saying:"I put the Navis Freebird Skis through a full day of touring with several thousand feet of climbing before a long, open descent. The refined tip and updated sidecut made carving through variable snow feel far more decisive than I expected from something built to climb this efficiently."Some skis are built for the climb and merely tolerate the descent. Black Crows flipped that logic with the Navis Freebird Skis, a touring ski that treats the way down as the whole point. A 104mm waist balances float and efficiency, while a refined tip paired with a 21-meter sidecut radius gives the ski a committed, alpine-style feel through turns that most touring skis can't match. Progressive front rocker and an early-rise tail keep things maneuverable when the snow turns variable, and classic medium camber underfoot locks in an edge once you're carving with real intent. Inside, a poplar and paulownia core keeps the swing weight in check for long approaches, while carbon and fiberglass laminates add torsional stiffness without the extra grams. A titanal plate under the binding zone reinforces screw retention and stability for hybrid touring setups, and semi-cap construction with a partial cap tip trims further weight without sacrificing the ski's descent-first character. It's a ski built for skiers who go up to ski down hard.