Carry it again to the roots.
The Armada ARV and ARW household are staples within the all-mountain freestyle class. Armada got down to make freestyle skis which have the flexibility to ski the entire mountain. Through the years, they’ve gotten progressively stiffer and extra refined for all-mountain situations. This 12 months, Armada revamps the narrower fashions and releases three new skis, the ARV 100, 94, and 88. Each barely tuned for various situations, the brand new fashions flip the main target again on freestyle enjoyable.
Armada ARV 100 Assessment: Subject Notes
We skied the ARV household first at our Powder7 Ski Take a look at on the finish of March. Situations have been bonafide all-mountain with refrozen trails within the morning, some smooth snow from in a single day, and slushy bumps. The right situations to place this ski via the ringer. We collected a great deal of suggestions from different staffers and testers, so that you’ll see these feedback all through the evaluate.
The brand new ARV 100 (and ARW 100, which share an an identical building in numerous graphics) comes with a brand new form and building. The flex is pretty smooth, with a reasonably constant flex all through the midsection of the ski, with softer ideas and tails. The tip and tail function a reasonably symmetrical twin-tip form (with rocker that’s deep, however not too deep) together with a really wholesome quantity of splay. There’s a superb quantity of taper, however not fairly as dramatic because the Salomon QST 98 or DPS Kaizen 100. On paper, that provides as much as a terrific form that’s very balanced. In idea, maneuverable, with tails which might be very simple to launch.
The large story with these ARV skis is w3dgewall. Identical to it sounds, w3dgewall replaces a conventional bar-style sidewall with a wedge form. By wedging the sidewall into the core of the ski, you get elevated power, sturdiness, and edge maintain at a fraction of the burden. Meaning this ski is less complicated to swing round within the air, via tight terrain, and feels extra full of life.
A brand new replace with the 24/25 mannequin is Armada swapped the caruba core for a poplar one, which supplies it somewhat extra “oomph” and a extra constant flex with out including an excessive amount of weight.
Groomers
That is the place the w3dgewall tech actually shines. This ski carves so effectively for the width and weight. Don’t get us improper, it’s a superb carver in its personal proper. It feels fairly fast underfoot for a 100mm ski and by no means felt hooky. The sting maintain feels predictable and dependable even on firmer snow. The moderated rocker actually helps with this edge maintain. You don’t really feel the ski wash out beneath you on turns, and you’ve got loads of camber underfoot to lock into the snow beneath you. Contemplating the whole lot else that this ski does effectively (extra on that under), the carving capabilities are spectacular.
One thing I actually loved was the experience’s consistency between snow situations. This was actually noticeable on the finish of the day, when elements of the paths have been skied up and a few areas had small patches of snow. You might transition seamlessly from crusty, agency patches, to softer drifted patches with out blinking an eye fixed.
It actually doesn’t have the ability or dampness of a ski with metallic in it. However, that’s not what you’re searching for in a ski like this, is it? In case you like to sort out the autumn line and ski with an aggressive, directional model, you in all probability received’t discover fairly sufficient assist with this ski. However, if snowboarding groomers is about celebration laps with the buddies, snowboarding change, and discovering all of the kickers you may whereas nonetheless feeling assured, this can swimsuit you effectively.
Kyra: For a lighterweight playful ski, it was completely secure. It held a strong edge whereas nonetheless being pivot-y and enjoyable!
Bumps and Bushes
As you would possibly anticipate, this ski may be very enjoyable in bumps. It’s fast, responsive, and simple to whip round. The intuitive turning we discovered on path interprets simply off path. The ski feels gentle within the air and encourages a playful and dynamic strategy to snowboarding bumps and bushes. You’ll be able to handily switch bumps, or take tight zipper strains. However, similar to on path, the ARV 100 feels secure and confidence inspiring even when snow is questionable otherwise you choose up velocity. I beloved how I might mix fast snappy pivots with longer, sooner turns. This ski offers you the flexibility to rapidly change a line and play with flip shapes.
This ski rips tight tree strains and helps you’re feeling like you may dial up the velocity, whereas feeling assured you may take a quick flip when it’s worthwhile to. The softer flex additionally makes this ski comfy at slower speeds. Good when you’re extra cautious off path, or when you’re nonetheless constructing confidence and newer to this terrain.
I actually favored the width on this terrain. The ski’s form and building feels snappy and responsive for the width, however the further platform offers further assist and stability when coping with variable snow within the bushes or bumps.
This ski doesn’t really feel fairly as damp and planted because the Salomon QST 98 talked about above, but it surely does really feel extra centered and extra pivot-y. It’s additionally not fairly as charge-y as the brand new Line Persistent 101, however has extra power and liveliness. The caruba wooden core is extremely poppy, and simple to press and butter.
Sara: Playful and energetic within the bushes and bumps. The tails are tremendous smooth and supply plenty of bounce and pop in tight locations or off of kickers
Blended Snow and Powder
The place the narrower ARVs have a extra particular deal with all-mountain freestyle, the ARV 100 offers you extra versatility for different snow situations. So how does it maintain up? Nicely. Very effectively. We discovered some good wind buff and smooth snow patches on this ski, and I got here away actually stoked. The great taper offers spectacular float for 100mm. It makes essentially the most out of the 2-4 inches you discover performing some powder looking or the fast storm that comes via.
Once more, the form does a very nice job of not feeling hooky in altering snow situations. This felt actually confidence-inspiring in a few of these off path sections that had variable snow. Snowboarding via wind buff and thru some sections that have been deeper to some sections that could be scrape-y was a lot smoother than I anticipated. For a ski this full of life, it actually finds its stride whenever you ski it dynamically and bop between turns, but it surely doesn’t require you to decelerate or take 1,000,000 turns. It received’t really feel the dampest and planted when you rip at an excellent excessive velocity in a straight line, but it surely doesn’t do something surprising both.
Sam W.: It’s an easygoing ski that may cost on groomers and in chop in order for you them to, however doesn’t require it! In case you assume you don’t like playful skis (like me) this can be a good one to strive! It can shock you!
Draw back?
This 12 months brings many skis to the “all-mountain freestyle class”. The brand new Elan Playmaker 101 and Line Persistent 101 are new additions this 12 months. Together with different resident skis just like the Salomon QST 98, Dynastar M Free 99, and Atomic Bent 100. This ski doubles down on the freestyle, and with that comes some sacrifices. The light-weight building received’t push via heavy chop and crud in addition to one thing with a bit extra weight and heft.
Its centered mount level and form additionally don’t lend themselves naturally to directional, extra aggressive ski kinds. The place the previous ARV 96 might deal with a extra charge-y skier, this mannequin received’t be as completely happy at excessive speeds in straight strains. That stated, it does deal with greater turns effectively, it simply received’t really feel as bomb proof as one thing just like the Line Blade Optic 96.
Armada ARV 100 Assessment: Backside Line
The Armada ARV 100 is a masterclass in balancing freestyle enjoyable with all-mountain chops. It’s not going to cost via heavy snow like a ski with metallic, but it surely handles it impressively effectively for a way a lot it opens up within the air and the way poppy it’s. It’s simple to swing round within the air and includes a good flex for butters and presses. In addition, it’s full of life and poppy throughout the entire mountain. This ski is right for frolicsome skiers who love one thing nimble and intuitive.
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