This super fun and playful ski does it all (pow, groomers, all mountain, crud, mixed snow, freestyle, park) and gets compliments everywhere you go, the beautiful graphics are clean and timeless and is Armada's best recent graphic
Length: 180cm
Waist Width: 106mm
Radius: 20.5 m at 180 cm
Sidecut: 134/106/124 mm at 180 cm
Topsheets are in great condition, no chips or blemishes. It's only been randomly skied over 2 seasons usually in softer snow conditions. Base had some ptex work done then a complete base/edge tune so it's nice and smooth. Just freshly waxed and hasn't been skied this season. Skis have never been on a roof rack or hucked / terrain park / rails ridden
It currently has bindings mounted on them which is not included in the price and will be removed if you decide to buy the ski. It's only been drilled once. We can discuss bindings if you need them. Do not bother low balling as I don't need to sell. Only email if you are serious
The Armada ARV 106 is the type of ski the company is known for. It's a versatile twin tip that blurs the lines between all-mountain, freeride, and powder. The history of Armada is rooted in skis like this. Balanced, ready to launch off natural hits or in the park, it's an ideal choice for skiers with a freestyle mentality, but who don't want to be limited to groomed slopes or the terrain park. The ARV 106 has been updated for 2021, further enhancing its soft snow abilities and overall playfulness. Armada constructs this ski using a poplar wood core with ash stringers, providing an energetic, poppy feel. The rocker profile is relatively symmetrical with just a tiny bit more in the tip than the tail. Sidecut dimensions are similarly balanced. It's not a symmetrical shape, but it's closer to it than most. New for 2021 is Smear Tech in the tips and tails, a boat hull style 3-dimensional shape that allows for even easier edge release and also more float thanks to more overall surface area. Armada wouldn't be the brand they are without skis like the ARV 106, and we couldn't be happier they continue to produce these skis.
Jeff Neagle hopped on the 180 cm length during our testing and felt like that length was pretty much perfect for him. Jeff is clearly a fan of skis like this, which isn't a tremendous surprise given his freestyle background. Scores of 5 out of 5 for quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, forgiveness, and overall impression. In fact, Jeff didn't score the ARV 106 below 4 in any criteria, which is highly impressive. "Sometimes I'll get on a pair of skis and immediately think, 'were these designed specifically for me?' Of course, the answer is always 'no,' but the ARV 106 is certainly one of those skis. If you sat me down and said the ARV 106 was the only ski I'd be allowed to ski the rest of my life, I'd shrug my shoulders with relative satisfaction and say something like 'fair enough!' Then I'd go skiing." We can't think of higher praise than the willingness to ski something exclusively for the rest of time. "These skis are just so much fun. Twin tip shape, tip and tail rocker, light and playful for the park, but relatively stable for ripping around the rest of the mountain. Wide enough for deeper snow and with the new Smear Tech they're even better in those conditions than ever before.
Steve Sulin doesn't have the same freestyle background as Jeff, but that just goes to show a lot of different people can enjoy the ARV 106. Steve's initial feedback was focused on the changes to the new version. Steve found it had "more of a smear in the tail than before," which makes a lot of sense given the new Smear Tech shape concept. Interestingly, Steve didn't have a single score below 4 either, which is a sure sign of a well-rounded ski. "What an upgrade! This ski was never a real favorite for me, but it's getting closer. Poppy and livelier now. They're also bulletproof. One of our go-to demo skis (for Pinnacle Ski & Sports) and it comes back unscathed every day." Park skiers and those doing tricks in the backcountry typically are very hard on skis. Armada even mentions that it was designed "for skiers tired of tossing sticks in the trash every half season." It's nice to know that a popular demo shop can attest to their durability.
Let's go back to Jeff's feedback for some closing thoughts. Jeff has spent some time living out west in the past, and he brought that up in his final feedback on the ARV 106. "I like to think back to my days living in Mammoth or Breckenridge when thinking about this ski. You could go rip some upper-mountain terrain then have your run filter you down into one of many lower mountain terrain parks. That was my favorite thing to do when I lived at those two mountains and the ARV 106 would have been a perfect ski for that application."
powder ski groomers terrain park all mountain freestyle j skis line moment