ARMADA Skis
A handful of high-profile pro riders with names like Tanner Hall and JP Auclair looked at the future of skiing and they didn’t like what they saw so less than a decade ago Armada was born in an effort to show the world what skiing could become. Armada is credited with being part of the force that helped shift mainstream perception of skiing in a younger, more dynamic direction with cutting edge graphics, design and marketing.
Although based in California, skis are made in Austria with wood cores stamped “certified sustainable” to ensure there will be wood cores in the future too. Besides the most modern CNC-milled cores and construction, Armada is also an innovator in shapes. This season a series of rocker profiles are used depending on the skis’ mission. They range from full rocker tip and tail to traditional positive camber. Construction is also quite diverse to include foam cores, cap construction and hybrid cap and sidewall construction.
Armada has morphed in another direction too although not covered in this buyer’s guide. In 2009 they launched a men’s line of clothing that will now be joined by a full women’s line of outwear this year.
AR SERIES
Armada calls the AR Series the core of Armada, functional skis that are durable, responsive and high quality.
Halo
82mm underfoot, 14 meter sidecut in 176cm length.
Available in 170, 176, 182cm.
Armada calls this shapely ski with Park Rocker the next generation ski for carving between transitions.
AR7
85mm underfoot, 20.5 meter sidecut in 176cm length.
Available in 161, 166, 171, 176, 181cm.
Armada calls this the best everyday ski for the all mountain park skier. It features a sidewall construction that lowers swing weight.
ARV
92mm underfoot, 20.5 meter sidecut in 175cm length.
Available in 165, 175, 185cm.
This model is a park-savvy twin tip that is also usable all over the mountain. As with most models, each length is a different shape.
El Rey
81mm underfoot, 14 meter sidecut in 157cm length.
Available in 157, 164, 171, 178, 185cm.
Armada calls this all-mountain ski that is also good in the park the best skis money can buy, dollar for dollar.
SIGNATURE SERIES
A Signature Series is to honor each athlete with a model that represents their personal best choice for a ski.
JJ and AK JJ (New)
115mm underfoot, 14 meter sidecut radius in 185cm length.
Available in 165, 175, 185, 195cm. This design has an hourglass shape underfoot but then tip and tail narrow towards the ends. In other words the widest part of the ski is not out near the tips. Rockered tip and tail with camber underfoot. AK JJ is new this year, a 195cm beefed up version of JJ.
TST (New)
101mm underfoot, 14.7 meter sidecut radius in 174cm length.
Available in 156, 165, 174, 183, 192cm. TST features the all mountain rocker design which has camber and tip rocker but no tail rocker. TST is named for Travis Steeger, an Armada big mountain skier. He lost his life in a hit and run accident on the weekend of his 19th birthday. A portion of proceeds from the TST are donat.ed to the Travis Steeger Memorial Fund which provides free avalanche training for youth.
T-Hall
85mm underfoot, 19.5 meter sidecut in 171cm length.
Available in 166, 171, 176, 181cm.
This is Tanner Hall’s personal ski. The best of everything at Armada. Each length is different, add 1mm to waist as length increases.
LTD SERIES
Alpha 1
81mm underfoot, 12.5 meter sidecut in 170cm length.
Available in 170, 176, 182cm.
A rockered park ski. Each length is wider by 1mm.
Pipe Cleaner (Updated)
85mm underfoot, 19 meter sidecut in 176cm length.
Available in 166, 171, 176, 181cm.
Wider this year. Armada calls Pipe Cleaner the winningest pipe ski ever made.
ARG
133mm underfoot, not enough sidecut to matter.
Available in one length — 185cm.
Armada’s powder rocker rocket for big mountain charging.
Triumph
78mm underfoot, 15.8 meter sidecut in 171cm length.
Available in 164, 171, 178, 185cm.
Armada calls this the first all-mountain ski for carving born in the park not the race course. All camber, no rocker.
WOMEN
VJJ (New)
115mm underfoot, 12 meter sidecut radius in 165cm length.
Available in 165 and 175cm.
This is a woman-specific version of JJ featuring Freeride Rocker which is tip and tail rocker and camber underfoot.
TSTw (New)
100mm underfoot, 12.6 meter sidecut radius in 165cm length.
Available in 156, 165, 174cm.
Woman-specific version of TST above. A portion of proceeds go to the Travis Steeger Memorial Fund
ARW (Updated)
83mm underfoot, 17.5 meter sidecut in 161cm length.
Available in 161 and 166cm.
New construction has reduced the weight even more.
ARVw
89mm underfoot, 19 meter sidecut in only length available — 165cm.
All the design benefits of the ARV but built around a lighter core.
Cantika
78mm underfoot, 13 meter sidecut in 150cm length.
Available in 150, 157, 164cm.
Women’s version of El Rey. Each length is a different shape, increasing in width as length increases.
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