Skis made by Chamonix-based Black Crows have become so popular, you will now find them on many slopes across the US. Back in 2015, the brand quietly launched a small collection of apparel pieces to test the waters, gain feedback, and start growing interest in adding apparel to their successful hardgoods lineup. Now for next winter season, the company gets set to launch a complete apparel collection aimed at both the big mountain freeride and backcountry touring markets.
The line, inspired by all-mountain parkas and military garments of the 1960s and 70s, packs in all the functionality you would expect from technical ski outerwear but in an elegant understated package. I got a look at the line at Outdoor Retailer and fell in love with a bunch of the women’s pieces — they have the minimalist aesthetic of Arc’teryx but don’t look like you’re about to go climb a mountain.
The collection, both men’s and women’s, is broken into two categories: freeride (Corpus) and backcountry touring (Ventus). The Corpus pieces are highly technical, yet look good walking the streets of Chamonix. The Ventus line uses lightweight, breathable fabrics and adds extra technical details like large skin-friendly pockets and three-way pit zips for those skiers spending all day in the backcountry.
Across both categories, you will find a range mid-layers and outerwear pieces that use materials such as Gore-Tex C-Knit, Pertex Quantum Air, Polartec Alpha and Primaloft Silver and Gold insulations. The colors are muted, rare in a European brand, and the Black Crows branding is subtle with small, strategically placed logos and their signature chevrons hidden along the seam taping inside the jacket.
In future seasons, expect to see the Black Crows apparel line grow to complement each of its four hardgoods categories: Big Mountain, Backcountry, Resort and All Terrain.