The Black Crows Vena Cor is a new all-terrain ski for 26/27 — 100 mm underfoot, a notched swallowtail, and a 17 m turn radius at all five lengths. That last number is the whole idea: sidecut this tight usually lives on much narrower skis, and Black Crows has put it on a platform wide enough to handle soft snow. The build is deliberately metal-free — semi-cap construction with ABS sidewalls all around, a poplar core with glassfibers, and full-length carbon stripes above and below the core — so the ski stays light and energetic rather than damp and heavy. A double rocker profile with a tall tip supplies the float when the groomers end.

Who is it for? Skiers who want one playful ski that still carves properly: the short radius rewards high edge angles on firm snow, while the rocker, taper and width keep it workable in soft or chopped-up conditions. Its freestyle DNA suits new-school, creative skiers more than straight-line chargers. Just as important, who should skip it: anyone who wants titanal damping and a big top end for fast, sweeping arcs — there is no metal here; deep-powder specialists — those days belong to the wider Anima (115 mm); and anyone who needs a proven track record. The Vena Cor is a first-year model. Nobody has ridden it through a full winter yet, and long-term reviews simply do not exist — we would rather say that plainly than pretend otherwise.

Within the line, the Mirus Cor (87 mm) owns hard-snow carving days and the fourth-generation Camox (97 mm) is the conventional, proven alternative; the Vena Cor is the pick when you want carving character with genuine soft-snow range. It is made in five lengths (160.1-188.1 cm) and sold as a flat ski at $999, without bindings. We mount them, set them up for your boots, and help you land on the right length for how and where you ski.