I had the opportunity to try out some of Armada’s 2018 sticks this weekend. Respecting the rep’s wishes, I won’t be posting any photos (I’m sure a quick Google search will give you a partial preview). However, I will say, IMO Armada has killed it with the graphics this year…they’ve got quite the lineup of gorgeous skis.
I like the review format that is regularly used on this forum so I’ve copied the format with a few tweaks based on information I have/don’t have.
About the tester: I’m 5’5” and weigh 135 lbs more or less, advanced skier. I generally gravitate towards wider skis (90-100 underfoot), despite my east coast residence. I enjoy everything the mountain has to offer, however (when conditions allow) I spend the majority of my time in the trees and on ungroomed terrain.
Conditions for the weekend were firm in the morning, and softened up pretty quickly. Certain areas remained firm all day Saturday. Sunday was full blow spring corn, with a side of summer slush. Both afternoons ended with bumps all over the mountain.
Armada Victa 87Ti
Size tested: 171
More damp than playful, soft but not floppy, easy to ski but not for the faint of heart. This ski likes to be driven rather than pushed. Truly a fantastic all-mountain ski. I could see it handling everything from east coast ice to some light powder days with ease.
These are the skis I started the day on. Conditions varied from firm, frozen groomers at the top of the mountain to soft corn conditions at the bottom. After about an hour the top of the mountain softened up and there were soft, top to bottom runs. And I can confidently say I had a good time on every single run. The skis seemed to hit their prime performance when the snow was soft, but still smooth.
Size tested: 171
This is what the Volkl Aura wishes it could be (sorry Volkl). It has the stability of an ox and could cause the damage of a wrecking ball. It cuts through crud like a hot knife through butter. But still has a fun factor that can be hard to find in a damp, stiff ski. After learning that I could trust this ski not to buck, I opened it up and really got to see what it was made of. And boy did she fly beautifully.
This ski took the thinking out of skiing. I no longer had to choose my line carefully, the ski would just cut through whatever was in front of me. I got to turn whenever and wherever I wanted regardless of the terrain.
171 was a bit of a push for me size-wise (but still very manageable). Lots of fun on open terrain, but if I were to take it into the trees and moguls, there’s a good chance I’d want to size it down a notch.
Size tested: 177
This is a fantastic all-mountain twin tip. Even at 177cm, this ski made bumps easy. Loves a flat, neutral stance, fairly slow edge-to-edge, but still has a carvable side to it.
Size tested: 164
I’m not going to say much about this one, as I really needed more length to get a good feel of it. For my size, I didn’t feel as though I could push the 164 in the conditions I was dealt. Regardless, even in the 164 it handled short radius turns and slower speeds like a champ. However, the length prohibited me from really seeing what this pair of sticks can do. All said and done, I see the potential in this ski. I’m really looking forward to getting out on it again, but in a larger size.
Side Note: I was with two guys that have very different skiing styles/abilities and body shapes/sizes, and both thoroughly enjoyed the Armada Tracer in a 180.
I like the review format that is regularly used on this forum so I’ve copied the format with a few tweaks based on information I have/don’t have.
About the tester: I’m 5’5” and weigh 135 lbs more or less, advanced skier. I generally gravitate towards wider skis (90-100 underfoot), despite my east coast residence. I enjoy everything the mountain has to offer, however (when conditions allow) I spend the majority of my time in the trees and on ungroomed terrain.
Conditions for the weekend were firm in the morning, and softened up pretty quickly. Certain areas remained firm all day Saturday. Sunday was full blow spring corn, with a side of summer slush. Both afternoons ended with bumps all over the mountain.
Armada Victa 87Ti
Size tested: 171
More damp than playful, soft but not floppy, easy to ski but not for the faint of heart. This ski likes to be driven rather than pushed. Truly a fantastic all-mountain ski. I could see it handling everything from east coast ice to some light powder days with ease.
These are the skis I started the day on. Conditions varied from firm, frozen groomers at the top of the mountain to soft corn conditions at the bottom. After about an hour the top of the mountain softened up and there were soft, top to bottom runs. And I can confidently say I had a good time on every single run. The skis seemed to hit their prime performance when the snow was soft, but still smooth.
- Who is it for? Someone looking for a good carver with a freeride soul
- Who is it not for? Tail pushers
- Final thoughts: This is the type of ski that you can ski all day, every day and never get bored
Size tested: 171
This is what the Volkl Aura wishes it could be (sorry Volkl). It has the stability of an ox and could cause the damage of a wrecking ball. It cuts through crud like a hot knife through butter. But still has a fun factor that can be hard to find in a damp, stiff ski. After learning that I could trust this ski not to buck, I opened it up and really got to see what it was made of. And boy did she fly beautifully.
This ski took the thinking out of skiing. I no longer had to choose my line carefully, the ski would just cut through whatever was in front of me. I got to turn whenever and wherever I wanted regardless of the terrain.
171 was a bit of a push for me size-wise (but still very manageable). Lots of fun on open terrain, but if I were to take it into the trees and moguls, there’s a good chance I’d want to size it down a notch.
- Who is it for? Hard charging women that have been waiting for a women’s ski that is “all that”
- Who is it not for? Someone looking for a soft, nimble ski
- Final thoughts:Large GS-style turns are this lady’s specialty
Size tested: 177
This is a fantastic all-mountain twin tip. Even at 177cm, this ski made bumps easy. Loves a flat, neutral stance, fairly slow edge-to-edge, but still has a carvable side to it.
- Who is it for? The park rat looking to move to an all-mountain, but still jib-able setup. Or the all-mountain rider looking for a setup they can explore the park and/or bumps with.
- Who is it not for? Hard charging carvers
- Final thoughts: Don’t be afraid to ski this longer than your average size
Size tested: 164
I’m not going to say much about this one, as I really needed more length to get a good feel of it. For my size, I didn’t feel as though I could push the 164 in the conditions I was dealt. Regardless, even in the 164 it handled short radius turns and slower speeds like a champ. However, the length prohibited me from really seeing what this pair of sticks can do. All said and done, I see the potential in this ski. I’m really looking forward to getting out on it again, but in a larger size.
Side Note: I was with two guys that have very different skiing styles/abilities and body shapes/sizes, and both thoroughly enjoyed the Armada Tracer in a 180.
nice reviews!
(West Coast, 6'1 180# guy)
