Black Crows Freebird Export Jacket and Aura Body Map Pant Review

Introduction

Black Crows organizes its outerwear around three riding disciplines: Mountain Touring, Big Mountain, and All Terrain. The split takes waterproofing, breathability, fit, and range of motion into account, which makes it a practical starting point when you are matching a piece to the way you actually ski. The women’s Freebird Export jacket sits in the Mountain Touring group, while the Aura Body Map pant is a Big Mountain design. They were not built as a matched set, but worn together in the stone blue colorway they read as one kit, and the pairing covers a wide range of conditions.

This article covers how both pieces fit, what their fabrics are doing, and which features matter most once you are on snow.

Who This Kit Suits

The Freebird Export is a shell, so it is aimed at skiers who run warm, ski uphill, or prefer to manage warmth with their own layering. There is no insulation to fight against on a mild day, and the fabric is designed to stay light and breathable while you work. The Aura Body Map pant takes the opposite approach. It is insulated, warm, and durable, with ventilation that lets you dump heat when the sun comes out. Together, the kit makes the most sense for someone who tours on milder days and wants a warmer pant for cold resort days, or for anyone who likes a single color across both pieces without buying a matched set.

If you ski in very cold conditions and prefer an insulated jacket, the shell design is the main thing to weigh up. This is a piece you build on top of rather than a jacket that carries warmth by itself.

Fit and Sizing Notes

The size small jacket fits a 5’3”, 110 lb frame well through the arms, torso, and back. The one change worth considering is length: the hem sits shorter than a longer resort-style ski coat, and more length is a common preference. Sizing up is not necessary for layering, because even a small has room for several layers underneath.

The pants in size small behave differently. The waist and thighs fit well, but the leg is baggy and gets looser toward the cuffs. Sizing down is a reasonable call for a closer fit, since the pants run a little big overall. They use a traditional, non-bib cut with a high-waisted Lycra strip around the waist. That strip is removable, it lifts the fit higher than most snow pants, and it gives the pant a clean, flattering look. It is an unusual feature in ski pants and an easy one to appreciate.

Black Crows Freebird Export Jacket: A Lightweight Touring Shell

The Freebird Export is built around a 3-layer X-Core fabric. It is lightweight, has a noticeable stretch, and is waterproof and breathable, with a thin shell interior rather than a lining. The hood is helmet compatible, and the stand-up collar sits close to the neck and can be pulled up over the face, which is useful on storm days. Elastic at the cuffs holds them neatly over gloves, and the whole piece feels technical rather than bulky.

For a touring jacket, the weight and breathability are the headline. Even in a size small there is enough room for several layers underneath, so the shell can be worn over a light base layer on a warm spring day or over a midlayer when the temperature drops. On very cold days, an insulated layer is doing the work and the shell is protecting it.

What to Consider Before Buying

The biggest question with this kit is insulation. The jacket has none, which is exactly what makes it light and breathable for uphill effort, but it means cold-weather warmth comes from what you wear underneath. If you want a jacket that carries warmth on its own, this is not that piece.

The pants sit at the other end of the spectrum: warm, lined, and durable, with ventilation to keep them usable on mild days. The trade-off is sizing. They run slightly big, and a baggier leg is part of the cut, so deciding on size in advance matters more here than with the jacket. Finally, keep in mind that the two pieces come from different Black Crows disciplines. They are not sold as a set, and they are not engineered as one, but the stone blue pairing looks deliberate on snow.

Black Crows Aura Body Map Pant: Warmth and Durability for Big Mountain Days

The Aura Body Map pant is the warmer, more versatile half of the kit. A 2-layer ripstop membrane sits over Polartec Alpha and PrimaLoft insulation, with a soft fleece lining against the leg, so it is noticeably warmer than a typical uninsulated ski pant. The ripstop face fabric and the reinforced patches on the lower leg, finished in black, are built to handle ski edges, lift lines, and the general scuffing that comes with a full season.

The details make it work on snow. Stretchy cuffs with the Black Crows logo pull over boots easily and can be rolled up when you are walking around between runs, which keeps the hem out of the way. The removable high-waisted Lycra strip adds coverage and holds the fit where it should sit, and the mesh-lined thigh vents give you a way to cool down when the weather turns sunny and warm.

Pockets, Ventilation, and Small Details

Pocket placement is one of the strongest parts of the jacket. Instead of hand pockets on the sides, the Freebird Export uses sizable chest pockets that hold a phone and other essentials while sitting flush against the torso. Nothing digs into your hips or restricts movement when you ski, which is a small change that is easy to appreciate over a long day. A smaller zipped pocket works well for keys. Inside, large mesh pockets are roomy enough for spare goggle lenses and even climbing skins. There is also an attached goggle wipe that can be removed, plus a sleeve pass pocket.

Ventilation is generous on both pieces. The jacket’s pit zips are long and run without mesh backing, so they open straight through to the next layer, and the zips have grips that keep them in place. The pants add mesh-lined vents along with buttoned, zipped pockets and side pockets that sit flush against the leg.

Buying Advice

Choose the Freebird Export jacket if you want a light, breathable, waterproof shell that you layer under rather than an insulated coat. It is the better half of the kit for uphill effort and mild days, and the chest pocket layout and long vents make it feel considered in use. Choose the Aura Body Map pant if you want insulation, durability, and real venting in a single piece, and you are comfortable with a slightly looser cut. If you are between sizes in the pants, going down is the safer bet based on how they run. Buyers who want one cohesive look will find the stone blue pairing works even though the two pieces come from different Black Crows disciplines.

As a two-piece kit, this pairing covers a lot of ground: light and technical on top, warm and tough below, with enough venting on both sides to stay comfortable when the weather changes.

Conclusion

The Black Crows Freebird Export jacket and Aura Body Map pant come from different corners of the Black Crows line, and that is what makes them a useful combination. The jacket keeps weight down and breathes well for touring, with thoughtful pocket placement and long vents. The pants bring warmth, durability, and ventilation for colder or more demanding days, along with a high-waisted fit that stands out from most ski pants. The main points to weigh are the shell design of the jacket and the slightly generous sizing of the pants. Get those two things right and this kit is easy to live with all season.