Ski Review: Armada ARVThe end of one season doesn't mean the end of skiing at Fall-Line HQ. We've got a tonne of pics and stories that we'll be processing throughout the summer – first up is a little look at one of next season's belting all-round skis, the Armada ARV
This is an all-mountain offering from the brand who have painted a largely freeski picture of themselves. It uses regular, or 'positive' camber to create a traditional feel. The goal aims to be lively edge to ege, stable through the turn but wide enough for deep snow.
Sally Bartlett from Ski Bartlett tested it in Bormio and had this to say,
“Lively, grippy, responsive – it's an all-mountain ski but would also be good for a dabble in the park on the way through. It's a good all rounder for a one ski to go everywhere. I wasn't so keen on it other years but seemed to get on with it really well this year."
And Dave Gore from Sail and Ski thought,
"The ARV is a great all-rounder; light under foot and very easy to ski. I was on piste when I tried them and found the edge hold really good but they still felt quite loose, and were easy to manoeuver."
We think it's one of the perfect seasonnaires' skis, with proven tough construction (we understand that Armada skis are made by Atomic, the world's biggest ski-maker) over the years and that all-round handiness that makes it hard to work out where to put it in the system. Is it all-mountain? For loads of skiers, yes. A park ski? Same again. Or a freerider? Depends what you do and what you're looking down...
Price wise it's in line with a heap of other classic skis, so you're not paying a premium for the fancy team riders. Linking back to Sally's comment, quite a few folk liked it better this season, including Fall-Line staffers, so it looks like the slight adjustments to the shape and construction are in the right direction. One of our Hot Tips, and no mistake.
Ski Overview
Brand: Armada
Ski: ARV
UK RRP: £460
Terrain: All-mountain, will hold it's own in the park and the pow though
Sizes:
185cm (21.5m)
175cm (20.5cm)
165cm (19m)
Flex tip: 5
Flex mid: 7
Flex tail: 6
Tech features
ABS Sidewall
This construction method creates the highest performance
skis Armada offer. Two strips of ABS material lie directly along-
side the core and over the ski’s edges, providing unequaled
edge hold, core protection, and stability.
Double zone core
Two high density wood stringers sit along ultralight wood creating
a light core with pop and solid edge hold, while keeping swing and
overall weight down.
CK stringer
A blend of Carbon/Kevlar stringers that run along the tail of the skis to help stabilise it. This creates a better landing platform, especially when your weight is further back than intended. It also increases snap and adds pop to ollies.
Laminate Matrix
Three kinds of fiberglass laminates are used in combination to deliver the exact amount of flex and torsional rigidity. Bi-axial fiberglass runs in an “x” pattern down the ski to control lateral flex. Uni-directional fiberglass controls flex along the length of the ski. And tri-axial fiberglass, with fibers running in three directions, beefs up the center of the ski.
Positive camber
Traditional camber engages the tip and tail of the ski, enhancing ease of entry and exit into and out of a turn, while maintaining solid edge hold.
2.5 Impact Edge
This edge has an oversized height and width and the steel is heat-treated to a proprietary
hardness which helps resist breaking and tearing out from rails, ledges and any other abuse
it might meet.
50/50 Base
The 50/50 base is half 7000 series (so that it can be printed on) half competition base (carbon black base) material. All Armada base materials are sintered bases.
Related stories:
Category Winners - Fall-Line Ski of the Year
Posted by Online Editor - Fri, 30/04/2010 - 4:11pm
The end of one season doesn't mean the end of skiing at Fall-Line HQ. We've got a tonne of pics and stories that we'll be processing throughout the summer – first up is a little look at one of next season's belting all-round skis, the Armada ARV
This is an all-mountain offering from the brand who have painted a largely freeski picture of themselves. It uses regular, or 'positive' camber to create a traditional feel. The goal aims to be lively edge to ege, stable through the turn but wide enough for deep snow.
Sally Bartlett from Ski Bartlett tested it in Bormio and had this to say,
“Lively, grippy, responsive – it's an all-mountain ski but would also be good for a dabble in the park on the way through. It's a good all rounder for a one ski to go everywhere. I wasn't so keen on it other years but seemed to get on with it really well this year."
And Dave Gore from Sail and Ski thought,
"The ARV is a great all-rounder; light under foot and very easy to ski. I was on piste when I tried them and found the edge hold really good but they still felt quite loose, and were easy to manoeuver."
We think it's one of the perfect seasonnaires' skis, with proven tough construction (we understand that Armada skis are made by Atomic, the world's biggest ski-maker) over the years and that all-round handiness that makes it hard to work out where to put it in the system. Is it all-mountain? For loads of skiers, yes. A park ski? Same again. Or a freerider? Depends what you do and what you're looking down...
Price wise it's in line with a heap of other classic skis, so you're not paying a premium for the fancy team riders. Linking back to Sally's comment, quite a few folk liked it better this season, including Fall-Line staffers, so it looks like the slight adjustments to the shape and construction are in the right direction. One of our Hot Tips, and no mistake.
Ski Overview
Brand: Armada
Ski: ARV
UK RRP: £460
Terrain: All-mountain, will hold it's own in the park and the pow though
Sizes:
185cm (21.5m)
175cm (20.5cm)
165cm (19m)
Flex tip: 5
Flex mid: 7
Flex tail: 6
Tech features
ABS Sidewall
This construction method creates the highest performance
skis Armada offer. Two strips of ABS material lie directly along-
side the core and over the ski’s edges, providing unequaled
edge hold, core protection, and stability.
Double zone core
Two high density wood stringers sit along ultralight wood creating
a light core with pop and solid edge hold, while keeping swing and
overall weight down.
CK stringer
A blend of Carbon/Kevlar stringers that run along the tail of the skis to help stabilise it. This creates a better landing platform, especially when your weight is further back than intended. It also increases snap and adds pop to ollies.
Laminate Matrix
Three kinds of fiberglass laminates are used in combination to deliver the exact amount of flex and torsional rigidity. Bi-axial fiberglass runs in an “x” pattern down the ski to control lateral flex. Uni-directional fiberglass controls flex along the length of the ski. And tri-axial fiberglass, with fibers running in three directions, beefs up the center of the ski.
Positive camber
Traditional camber engages the tip and tail of the ski, enhancing ease of entry and exit into and out of a turn, while maintaining solid edge hold.
2.5 Impact Edge
This edge has an oversized height and width and the steel is heat-treated to a proprietary
hardness which helps resist breaking and tearing out from rails, ledges and any other abuse
it might meet.
50/50 Base
The 50/50 base is half 7000 series (so that it can be printed on) half competition base (carbon black base) material. All Armada base materials are sintered bases.
Related stories:
Category Winners - Fall-Line Ski of the Year