ARVs 106 / Revolt 104 decision

[Nikolic]

I'm looking for a new pair of skis for this season.

Last couple of years I've been riding ARV 106 (from 2017) and they've been a really great fit for my kind of skiing. Only thing that I would like for new ones are that they are a little bit stiffer so I could have better support while charging through crud and variable snow, and from what I've been reading it seems like latest ARVs are pretty much like that.

Next to 22/23 ARVs, I also looked at Volkl Revolt 104 which seem to fall into similar category. I really like how Armada skis ride, but I never tried Volkls to be fair.

I usually spend 60-30-10 (sidecountry/backcountry/trees - groomers - park), where my style can be described as charging but still playful (going fast, but hitting a lot of sidehits and jumping from whatever is possible). Besides that I occasionally do some park laps (only 1s, 3s and rails) so swing weight and that kind of stuff doesn't have much of an impact on my decision.

What do you think is a better choice between those 2, and why?

 

[BradFiAusNzCoCa]

I haven’t ridden revolt 104s, so take this with a grain of salt. I was really curious when they came out so I read up on them some. It seems like they are more of a playful freestyle ski whereas they’ve stiffened up the ARV106 over the years. Based purely on what you said about going through crud - sounds like you want the arv

 

[SavageBiff]

Haven’t skied a new arv, but I think even the old one holds up better than a revolt

Try searching for a place to demo both?

 

[mattytru]

I had the 2019 ARVs (which blew out at the sidewall) and I did not find them great for charging. They would flap around at speed. They dampened the ride pretty well, but I felt like they skied pretty centered. I haven't skied the Revolts, but the dimensions are pretty similar, with the notable exception of having a shit ton of tip rocker with relatively little tail rocker (possibly making it ski more directional?). The Revolts feel snappier/stiffer to a hand flex, but are also lighter, so they might get thrown around more. Mt point on Revolts is something like -1 3/4 cm of center and ARV is something like 2 1/2 cm back from center.

To be frank though after typing that - if you want something more composed in chop but still freestyly, I'd go with a Kartel 108 or Jeffrey 102/110. IMO those skis are goated for the 10x class. ARV is probably second behind them but once I switched over I felt a lot more confident charging through crud.

 

[macfive]

I can give you my experience on the ARVs. I live in eastern Canada, but have skied them out west every year I have owned them (2 years)

Personally I would advice against sizing up this ski unless you are absolutely sure. They are not a light flexy jib ski, they are a heavy damp hard charging ski. For reference im 178cm 170lbs I ride the 180 ARV (they measure out to 177), and from how you described your skiing is similar to how I would describe my skiing, except I spend most my time in the trees. The skis perform well pretty much everywhere, but imo they are best in the trees. Since they are so damp they can charge through the moguls really easily, but can turn on a dime when needed, and never have I been shot out of a mogul due to out flexing the ski. On groomers they can take a bit of effort to get onto an edge due to width, but once they are up they stay up and hold that edge until you either run out of track or decide to sway to the other edge. I dont ride too much park, but will take some laps. They are not a light park ski, they are meh on rails, take some effort to spin, but they dont buckle on big features.

 

[Nikolic]

I can give you my experience on the ARVs. I live in eastern Canada, but have skied them out west every year I have owned them (2 years)

Personally I would advice against sizing up this ski unless you are absolutely sure. They are not a light flexy jib ski, they are a heavy damp hard charging ski. For reference im 178cm 170lbs I ride the 180 ARV (they measure out to 177), and from how you described your skiing is similar to how I would describe my skiing, except I spend most my time in the trees. The skis perform well pretty much everywhere, but imo they are best in the trees. Since they are so damp they can charge through the moguls really easily, but can turn on a dime when needed, and never have I been shot out of a mogul due to out flexing the ski. On groomers they can take a bit of effort to get onto an edge due to width, but once they are up they stay up and hold that edge until you either run out of track or decide to sway to the other edge. I dont ride too much park, but will take some laps. They are not a light park ski, they are meh on rails, take some effort to spin, but they dont buckle on big features.

You're right, my current ARVs are 180 and seem like a right fit ( 5'10/160lbs).

I did read online about Revolts being playful, but wanted to check on here if someone actually used it and can compare the 2, since Revolts seem to be pretty popular last few years and 'playful' doesn't actually say much about the flex ?, since they say the same for ARVs and everybody is saying they are pretty stiff.

Armada indeed sounds like a better choice for me.

Thanks all!

 

[SavageBiff]

Skiessentials.com does some pretty descriptive videos, and the blister winterguide gives rather thorough details as well.

You're right, my current ARVs are 180 and seem like a right fit ( 5'10/160lbs).

I did read online about Revolts being playful, but wanted to check on here if someone actually used it and can compare the 2, since Revolts seem to be pretty popular last few years and 'playful' doesn't actually say much about the flex ?, since they say the same for ARVs and everybody is saying they are pretty stiff.

Armada indeed sounds like a better choice for me.

Thanks all!

 

[macfive]

You're right, my current ARVs are 180 and seem like a right fit ( 5'10/160lbs).

I did read online about Revolts being playful, but wanted to check on here if someone actually used it and can compare the 2, since Revolts seem to be pretty popular last few years and 'playful' doesn't actually say much about the flex ?, since they say the same for ARVs and everybody is saying they are pretty stiff.

Armada indeed sounds like a better choice for me.

Thanks all!

Compare the two skis onhttps://soothski.com/ might give you a better idea of the difference.

But from what I can tell the Revolt is (in stiffness) half the ski of the ARV. So The Revolt might be a playful ski, while the ARV is not playful. In my experience the only time the ARV has been playful is when hitting bigger features and bigger more technical terrain, since it can hold its own through bumps and crud.