The Armada ARV 106 has been one of my favorites all-mountain skis since it dropped several years back. The updated version for '19 and '20 was stiffer and more all-mountain focused than the original, and Armada have done the same again with the newest version, the '21 ski. When I'm not sure what conditions the trip I'm going on is going to throw at me, these are still a great ski but while I could ski both the older versions in the park, I found the new ski too stiff. It's definitely a more demanding ski to ski than the older versions but unquestionably performs better on trails, in mixed conditions and in powder. That's in part thanks to the edgeless, smear tech tip/tail and also a slightly more freeride oriented shape (more pinned tips/tails). The stiffer flex does make playing around, buttering and jibbing a lot more work than the previous model, which isn't a great thing for my style of skiing, but these skis charge. They perform WAY better in crud and mixed snow. I also skied them on the deepest day of my life (they happened to be what I had with me) and they crushed it. The edges and construction make them a realistic fat park ski option durability wise, but expect a stiffer ski than almost any other in this bracket. -Twig
Shape & Base
Shape & Base
