blackcrows Atris 2024 Review.
Words Will Rowntree| Images Supplied by blackcrows.
If you’ve been absent from the slopes for some time or only recently splashed out on Lasik, you may have only just noticed the colourful proliferation of blackcrows skis.
With the brand hailing from Chamonix, the Atris model sits as the more playful of blackcrows’ big mountain skis, with the model first appearing in 2014. This latest edition has been refined further, with some well thought out tweaks, to make this everyday driver even more versatile and accessible.
So we had the ski, now we needed a skier.
With the head of an alpine scientist and a predilection for the very same steeps that birthed the brand, Will Rowntree seemed the perfect man for a good ol’ fashioned review. An IFMGA guide & a passionate Remarkables’ ski patroller, Will can be found cheerfully carving it up no matter the conditions.
Under strict instructions to ski whatever he felt like, Will took the Atris to task for a few weeks to see how all that Gallic flair would hold up.
STATS.
- Length Skied: 184.3 cm
- Weight: 2026 g
- Stated Dimensions: 138-105-122 mm
- Stated Side cut: 20 m
- Recommended Mount Point: -8 cm from centre.
- Sizes 172.1, 178.4, 184.3 & 190.2
Reviewer: Will Rowntree.
BlackCrows chief ski shaper Julien Regnier describes the Atris as the most versatile ski in the brands varied range. And having skied various versions over the last few years I tend to agree.
The model was first created in 2014 with a 108mm waist and a soft yet rippable feel to the ski. Two years ago, they changed up the shape, dropping the width underfoot to 105mm and increasing stiffness through the middle of the ski, and I was curious to see how that would play out.
A width well suited for Aotearoa’s wide-ranging conditions, especially when coupled with the camber underfoot, the Atris slots nicely into the all-mountain category as a real quiver killer.
I have frequently skied them mounted with a downhill binding at The Remarkables and Treble Cone where the stable platform and playfulness serve you well in freeride terrain. The new models extra stiffness and slightly narrower width enable the skier to really drive through variable snow and chunky conditions without getting pushed around too much.
The Atris also performs well as a downhill orientated ski touring or ski mountaineering ski. For myself, downhill performance remains the most important factor when touring and here again the Atris provides a reliable companion. It’s solid through jump turns in steep terrain but also comfortably handles fast and aggressive skiing when speed and stability are key to success!
For those missing the girth of the old model or wanting a wider more powder focused ski that also works well in NZ check out the new Draco Freebird or the Anima.
No one ski truly ticks every box and with the Atris there are a few areas of compromise. In deeper conditions I noticed a little less float thanks to the thinner waist and found the stiffer mid-section also meant a touch less energy/pop than the older models.
The recommended mount point is -8cm from centre but I personally find that too far back. I mount my skis at -6cm and prefer that little extra tail, which is especially handy when recovering from one of my many back slaps!
I have now extensively skied the 2024 version of the Atris, and overall, I really enjoy it.
The ski performs well across a wide variety of conditions from a fresh groomer to steep technical terrain but really comes into their prime on a sunny NZ afternoon when the side hits are soft, and the tussocks even softer. I’d recommend it to someone looking for a real all-rounder that enjoys skiing playfully in natural terrain.
Check out Will’s story Full Cirque from ISSUE 105, an attempt to skin & ski all the major lines at The Remarkables Lake Alta.