OutdoorGearLab

The Black Crows Camox Freebird took some time to grow on us. It also took expanding and further improving our test team to see its award winner status. We don't rest, in any way, on the OGL backcountry ski gear test team. We first skied half a season on it and liked it. We kept it around for the first half of the next season and got it on even more and even more authoritative feet, and the conclusion became quite clear. This winner strikes all the right balances of downhill performance, versatility, and uphill weight. 
We granted the Camox a top award along with the Alp Tracks 100. In a direct comparison, these two models ski very similarly. Both are great in all conditions and extraordinary in some. The Movement is lighter &#40;by more than a pound for the pair&#41;, but the Camox is more durable. All will get more mileage out of the Camox than out of the Movement. For bigger skiers or those that ride with higher energy, this might mean the difference between making them last through a trip or a season. Both models have their place in our award circle. Further differentiation is in price. The Black Crows is a little less expensive than the Movement. 

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Black Crows Camox Freebird 2018-19

Black Crows Camox Freebird for Ski Touring - Review - The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog

Black Crows Camox Freebird | Blister Gear Review

2021-2022 Black Crows Camox | Blister

The Movement Alp Tracks 100 quickly rose to the top of our test roster. Mainly, it nails what we have long concluded is the sweet spot in backcountry ski gear. It balances uphill efficiency and downhill performance in a way that is ideal for the vast majority of human-powered skiers. If we had to pick one ski for all-season, all-conditions human-powered travels, this award winner would be the choice. 
1271 grams for each ski is an excellent "weight point" to reach, as long as downhill performance is good. In the case of this Movement ski, the downhill performance is very well balanced. It does not excel in any one venue or condition, but it can do it all. We've long found that efficiency and downhill performance optimize around this weight point. Performance keeps improving at all weigh points but seems to be optimized against weight right around 12-1300 grams. You'll pop in powder, edge confidently on the firm, and survive the tough stuff. At higher speeds, this ski is a little overwhelmed, but not as much as you might fear, given the gossamer weight. We've got a couple of full seasons now on the Alp Tracks, with no durability concerns yet. Nonetheless, it would be absurd to expect something in this weight class to hold up like something beefier. You don't choose these for a decade of service or for huge cliff drops. 

1271 grams for each ski is an excellent "weight point" to reach, as long as downhill performance is good. In the case of this Movement ski, the downhill performance is very well balanced. It does not excel in any one venue or condition, but it can do it all. We've long found that efficiency and downhill performance optimize around this weight point. Performance keeps improving at all weight points but seems to be optimized against weight right around 12-1300 grams. You'll pop in powder, edge confidently on the firm, and survive the tough stuff. At higher speeds, this ski is a little overwhelmed, but not as much as you might fear, given the gossamer weight. We've got a few full seasons now on the Alp Tracks, with no durability concerns yet. Nonetheless, it would be absurd to expect something in this weight class to hold up like something beefier. You don't choose these for a decade of service or for huge cliff drops. 
Read more: Movement Alp Tracks 100 review

Upgrade Pick

2020-2021 Movement Alp Tracks 106 | Blister

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Our latest value recommendation for all-around, all-season human-powered backcountry skiing is this K2 Wayback 106. It offers well-balanced performance across the entire spectrum of backcountry conditions, comes in at a reasonable, competitive weight, and is priced and available for optimal value. The dimensions are relatively wide for all-around backcountry skiing, but performance keeps up, and many of you are accustomed to skis in this size range for all-season use. A few millimeters narrower would save weight and increase versatility, but we aren't really complaining. 
Identifying backcountry ski values is a tough proposition. First, original retail prices don't vary with skis as much as they do with other consumer goods. Skis range from roughly x to 2x in price. Other outdoor goods can range from x to 5x or more. Ski prices are rather consolidated, especially in recent years. Further, the regular changes in models and graphics mean that older skis are often turning over at great prices. Nonetheless, for this award, we look for a good intro price, all-around performance, relative durability, and wide availability. The K2 Wayback 106 checks all those boxes, but others do too. Shop wisely. 

Our latest value recommendation for all-around, all-season human-powered backcountry skiing is this K2 Wayback 106. It offers well-balanced performance across the entire spectrum of backcountry conditions, comes in at a reasonable, competitive weight, and is priced and available for optimal value. The dimensions are relatively wide for all-around backcountry skiing, but performance keeps up, and many of you are accustomed to skis in this size range for all-season use. A few millimeters narrower would save weight and increase versatility, but we aren't really complaining. 
Identifying backcountry ski cost deals is a tough proposition. First, original retail prices don't vary with skis as much as they do with other consumer goods. Further, the regular changes in models and graphics mean that older skis are often turning over at great prices with little to no compromise in function. Nonetheless, for this award, we look for a good intro price, all-around performance, relative durability, and wide availability. The K2 Wayback 106 checks all those boxes, but others do too. Shop wisely. 
Read more: K2 Wayback 106 review

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