Armada Ant

rxvcgiii

rxvcgiii

Member
Did some searching and really didn't come up with much. I was just wondering what the general consensus is on the new Armada BC ski. I know they're pretty damn big (191) and fat (133/106/123), but Freeskier's 2006 Buyer's Guide has led me to believe they may be able to handle all mountain as well. Plus they're top sheet looks sick! Anybody?
 
first...dont listen to freeskier. just dont.

They are big, stiff, burly skis. From talking to people who have skied them on groomers they aren't great, but they work. They like big big turns. Charging on them I bet they just wreck shit.

So, if your a big kid or charge really hard they would probably be a good all mountain ski. You would have to be able to handle the stiffness and beefiness all the time though
 
Flex pattern = steel bar. They're for shredding lines. If you want a moderately soft ski look elsewhere.
 
they are like one of the stiffest possible skis arouns you'd have to be a true shralper to ride that thing all mountain let me tell you.
 
I have skied this ski. It's not as true "Big-Mountain" has some here would have you believe. I found that at high speeds it felt a bit loose when compared to, say, the Head Super Mojo or Seth's K2 offering.

It's true that these are not the skis you'd ski in bounds much. They work, and you can carve groomers on them, but the dimensions are much better for mixed snow conditions (crud, powder, broken up junk) than groomers.

I really liked the Ant on steep, mixed terrain with soft snow. Trees, pow and cliffs. It's quite quick in this type of terrain with a surfy feel and the ability to get sideways fast when you want to dump speed.

Of course, this is merely a reflection of my experiences on the Ant, yours may be different. For the record, I clock in at 180lbs, am a very solid skier with some international competition experience. I tend to spend most of my time in the backcounty these days and prefer cliffs, BC booters and powder to the park and pipe scene. If you're like me, you may like these skis. I thought they were really fun. And of course, the graphics rock.
 
Well, to clarify, I already have a set of AR5s from last year which I'm still planning on using primarily for park. The AR5s are awesome, but they get a little picky (and love to take little dives) in mixed terrain / powder... they're great on groomers and park but they just don't float. I was looking into the Ants for Colorado powder days and all mountain cruising. The ARV was my other choice, but (with the exception of being a little fatter) they just don't seem all that different from the AR5s.
 
Also, this is turning into a "What should I get" type of thread. I appreciate it, but you guys can hold off on the recomendations for substitutions... I want reviews for the Ants.
 
the jp v. julien would be a sicker ski than the ant i think... i dont know, it just seems like it would be a bit more versatile.
 
yeah I do... they'll absolutely wreck your legs. I garantee!! They have like no sidecut, its stiff, and long.. Unless you plan on using the ski for backcountry booters and huge lines, I would rather have JP's or Prophets.
 
since you were looking for information on the ANTS here is what I can offer up...

The ANT is a VERY beefy ski, for very agressive skiers. Be realistic about your abilities. It is LONG and VERY stiff. If you aren't aggressive, it will not be your cup of tea.

Its in its element going VERY fast through soft snow, variable crud and or tracked out snow. The extreme stiffness, both torsionally and longitudinally, keeps it from deflecting off of crappy snow that is in your way.

It skis pow okay, but I think its a little stiff for super deep days. It works better in steep terrain where you are doing less turning.

Its also very good for sticking big drops and kickers. A solid platform to land on.

Unlike what freeskier wrote about it, it is not going to be good for switch landings in powder. Its to stiff. I don't know who came up with that idea.

If you want an Armada ski to land backwards in pow get a JP vs. Julien.

The ant would be perfect for an expert skier, skiing inbound lines at Mammoth, Whistler, Snowbird, or any other mountain with rowdy terrain that gets tracked up fast.

Someone that's competitive in IFSA Big mountain type comps would probably really like the ski.
 
why do people have to get good, honest information like that from you, and not from "skiing's independent magazine"?

oh, because it sucks.

good info though, i feel like that's as honest as it gets.
 
It's good to hear some real reviews of the ski. I'm 6'1" 185 and am planning on getting the ant or the VCT for my big mountain/booter ski this year. If anyone has any mare info on either of these i'd love to hear it.
 
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