Freeride skis
Product 2021
Woman, Man
The Armada ARV 106 belongs to the type of product that leaves you with (lingering) doubt. The testers wondered if this is a bland, acceptable ski, or one that does the job. At any rate this ARV 106 didn’t trigger much enthusiasm, to say the least. When you finish your run, you wonder if another ski would’ve done much better. It lacks spice, character and real skills (and probably development and substance) for this Armada ARV 106 to be of any interest.
And of course as most of these freeride/freestyle skis are aimed at young skiers, the decoration is cool and well-designed. But sadly, a ski is not just about its look.
Also, as the designers believe (wrongly) that these types of skiers will not be looking to use the edge and that they will be mostly skidding turns; because pivoting is extremely easy. Thanks to the front-rear rocker, the double tip and the center-mounted bindings. So even a small skier can enjoy neat (and pleasant) entry into a curve. All drift turns are a joy. So, snaking through the forest is really enjoyable, the skis react fast. The 106mm width is obviously an asset in deep snow. Switch-riding the Armada ARV 106 responds.
On-piste its grip is average. If you push these a bit too hard you will quickly find their limits. Heavy-built riders should not even try them. Their behavior was considered as “basic”, the term “mid-range” was also cited. Although you must also consider its width, which inevitably slows down the edge-to-edge turns. But, the Armada ARV 106 lacks presence, fluidity, support and energy, in short, it lacks character.
You should take these skis long because they pivot easily and then you can gain a bit of side-cut length.
These Armada ARV 106 are disappointing. They are aimed at skiers with little ski technique and who want to learn off-piste skiing. Anyone else – forget them. Beautiful on the outside, but not on the inside.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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