Black crows Ova Freebird — Review

The Black crows Ova Freebird is a women's-leaning 85 mm Mountain Touring ski built around a paulownia woodcore reinforced with mixed carbon/glass fibre, a semi-cap layup (cap in the tip for weight savings, ABS sidewalls everywhere else), and a titanium plate underfoot for binding-screw retention and a touch of damping. The 1,100 g (per ski, 170) chassis is paired with a light front rocker, long classic camber and a progressively raised tail — Black crows' Freebird Mountain Touring profile aimed at long days, mixed snow and technical descents rather than skin-track racing.

Uphill, the Ova Freebird sits firmly in the Mountain Touring band: heavier than the Black crows Mentis freebird speed-tour chassis but light enough to chase serious vertical, with quick kickturns thanks to the modest 85 mm waist and 17 m radius (at 170). Downhill it rewards a centred, smooth stance — the titanium underfoot plate adds calm to the edge on chalk and refrozen tracks, while the progressively rising tail releases cleanly out of the fall line in variable spring snow. Float is modest by design: 85 mm is enough for soft skin-track snow, not for deep powder.

The Ova Freebird uses a paulownia woodcore (light, lively) wrapped in mixed carbon and glass fibre, a semi-cap construction with a cap in the tip for weight savings and ABS sidewalls elsewhere for edge bite, plus a titanium reinforcement underfoot for binding-screw retention and a touch of damping. Profile: light front rocker, classic long camber and a progressively raised tail — the Mountain Touring (Freebird) profile. Verified specs at 170: 122/85/105 mm, 17 m radius, 1,100 g per ski. Lengths: 156, 163, 170, 176 and 182 cm.

The Ova Freebird targets intermediate-to-advanced tourers — particularly lighter or shorter skiers — who want a single all-mountain touring ski that climbs efficiently and descends with composure. Compared with the Black crows Mentis freebird (80 mm, ~1,000 g) it gives up a touch of climbing speed for more float, edge composure and reach in mixed snow. Versus the Black crows Orb freebird (90 mm) it is narrower, quicker edge-to-edge and a touch lighter, making it the more touring-biased choice. The Black crows Camox freebird shares the same Mountain Touring DNA in a more all-mountain-balanced 97 mm shape; pick the Ova when efficient skinning and firm-snow precision lead.

Pros

• 1,100 g per ski (170) keeps long days realistic without giving up edge composure.
• Titanium underfoot plate adds binding-screw retention and damping under load.
• Light tip rocker + long camber + rising tail balances efficient skinning with confident descents.
• Five-length range (156-182) makes fit easy for lighter and shorter skiers.

Cons

• 85 mm waist limits float in deep powder — this is a Mountain Touring chassis.
• Lighter layup is less damp than alpine touring skis in heavy, refrozen chunder.
• Manufacturer publishes sidecut and weight at 170 only; per-length specs are not detailed.
• Tail is supportive but not freestyle-friendly; better forward-driven than centred-pivot.

Verdict: A polished women's-leaning Mountain Touring ski for skiers who put climbing efficiency and mixed-snow composure ahead of pure powder float — the Ova Freebird is the natural narrower companion to the Camox Freebird, a noticeable step up in versatility from the 80 mm Mentis.