Armada has been known as a company that is committed to its athletes, listening to their feedback and creating what they want to ride. With a host of amazingly talented athletes, it’s no wonder Armada skis have found praise across the board in both the big-mountain and park disciplines. For 2008, Armada has improved upon last year’s line with the notable introduction of a reverse camber ski to handle the deepest snow you could possibly find.
ARG
Length: 185
Dimensions: 125-135-133-134-120
MSRP: $800 Stoke: 7.5
The ARG was released in limited numbers last year and the ski definitely lives up to the hype – in powder. Make no mistake about it, the cap construction ARG is a powder ski. With a surfboard inspired rocker, unique sidecut shape and Armada’s Ultra Light Core wrapped in a torsion box, this is a super-light, super-surfy ski that testers called “awesome in the pow!”
Ant Pro
Length: 191
Dimensions: 133-107-123
MSRP: $750 Stoke: 8
Perhaps Armada’s best big-mountain ski, the Ant features an ultra-light core with a sandwich fiberglass construction and Armada’s beefy ABS technology coupled with an oversized edge for increased durability. The result is a strong ski that is surprisingly light. Testers found the Ant to be “very stable at all speeds,” “great for switch pow riding” and “easy to maneuver for a big ski.” If there is a knock against the Ant it’s that “the ski takes a lot of energy to ski.” But if you’re willing to put in the effort, the Ant will reward you.
ARV
Length: 165, 175, 185
Dimensions: 130-95-119 @ 185
MSRP: $690 Stoke: 6.7
One of the first two models introduced by Armada at the company’s birth, the ARV is the last man standing from those heady days. Slightly tweaked for 2008 to reduce weight and provide a stiffer flex, the ARV features Armada’s AR2 core for durability, ABS construction, and a larger, reinforced edge than the Ant to take abuse.
ARW
Length: 161, 166, 171
Dimensions: 114-82-104 @ 166
MSRP: $565 Stoke: 9.5
Jumps: 9 Pipe: 9
Playfulness: 8 All-Mtn: 8
This ski does exactly what it’s designed to do: make every girl ski a little more like Grete Eliassen. It has more give than its male counterparts, making it a bit more forgiving when landing jumps, but it’s still stiff enough to hold a carve. Our women testers loved the ARW’s swing weight and the amount of play it had. Even some of our male testers were heard whispering they would ride the ARW
next season.
AR6
Length: 161, 166, 171, 176, 181
Dimensions: 117-85-107 @ 176
MSRP: 575 Stoke: 8.5
Jumps: 9 Pipe: 9
Playfulness: 8 All-Mtn: 8
“Sign me up coach!” was heard from one of our testers after spinning a few laps on the AR6. This was one of the most-liked skis at the Keystone park test. We rode it in every length, giving each tester an accurate feel of the ski. The new AR1 all-wood core makes the ski lightweight and creates a lower swing weight, while the carbon-fiber stringers in the tail create pop and stability.
T-Hall
Length: 161, 166, 171, 176, 181
Dimensions: 117-85-107 @ 176
MSRP: $610 Stoke: 8
Jumps: 4 Pipe: 4
Playfulness: 3.5 All-Mtn: 4
With the same core as the AR6, the T-Hall is a lightweight, purely jib-specific ride that was tailored very specifically to Tanner’s specifications. The result was a construction of sandwiched fiberglass laminates in front of and behind the foot creating the ultimate flex for butters and presses. Our testers found this variable flex pattern somewhat difficult to get used to, but after a few laps, the stoke turned up a bit. The overall consensus was that this ski definitely ripped but might be a little too specific for an every day park ski.
Pipe Cleaner
Length: 166, 171, 176, 181
Dimensions: 116-84-106 @ 176
MSRP: $660 Stoke: 8
Jumps: 8 Pipe: 10
Playfulness: 8 All-Mtn: 7
The Pipe Cleaner did just that: cleaned up on the pipe rating at our test. One tester called it “motivating in the pipe!,” and added, “if you’re man or woman enough to go with the speed these skis generate, you will boost right out of your pants!” Another said, “It’s an amazing park ski, there is no denying it.” The only downfalls reported were its slight instability when carving, due to the rigidity and power put into the tail. But, as a pipe ski, that’s the point, right?
Next Review > >
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