Whether you’re a freestyle skier or a normie, you’ll know the Armada ARV name. Armada often gets pegged as a freestyle company and no doubt that’s in their DNA. But there are specialized skis in their lineup for that—and many other options designed to ski the whole mountain. With a variety of freestyle-specific skis in their lineup, Armada is able to explore other shapes and flex patterns that offer a smidge more versatility for folks looking to ski outside the lines. Just maybe not with rails and pipes in their day-to-day skiing. Enter the ARV series. In our Armada ARV 106 review, we’ll break down the big-mountain freeride specialist. What’s different from previous generations, who it’s for, and why we love it for skiers who might not leave the ground a whole lot.
Armada ARV 106 Review: Field Notes
The ARV 106 has been in their lineup for some time, undergoing a few different generations. The general shape hasn’t changed tremendously. It’s a nearly symmetrical twin, with lots of tip and tail splay at the ends. Healthy camber height underfoot, along with a poplar wood core, give you plenty of energy from turn to turn when you flex into the ski.
There are two big updates to the ski this year in construction: 1) a softened flex, and 2) w3Dgewall sidewall tech. W3Dgewall was introduced in the narrower ARV lineup last fall, to a great response from skiers. The sidewall is wedged into the ski’s core, creating a stronger bond between the sidewall and the core. Because the bond is stronger, you need less material. That shaves weight, while increasing strength and durability. Armada also switched to an ash binding insert, which is strong and light for retaining your binding screws (which, we like).
As for the flex pattern, Armada didn’t take a 10/10 and turn it into a 1/10. Where the previous generation ARV 106 was strong and stout from tip to tail, this new build feels softer in the tip, with support underfoot and through the tail. Armada also dropped Smear Tech from these skis (the beveled tips and tail for extra drift).
I skied the ARV 106 at Loveland a few times last season, once mid-winter with some smattering of pow remaining, and this spring at our annual Ski Test. I ski the ARV 106 in a 172cm, which matches my height at 5’8″, and 130 lbs. The ARW 106 is the same construction. We got lots of staffers on this ski at Ski Test to great acclaim (a stoke score of 4.7/5!), so I’ll include their comments for more insight throughout this review.
Groomers
Maybe I took the placebo pill at the base, but I actually found the new ARV 106 to feel much stronger on groomed terrain. Right underfoot, the ski feels very supportive when you tilt it on edge. As a directional skier, sometimes I find more progressive shapes to wash out behind me. I did not get that feeling on the ARV 106. It was predictable and supportive, and I really felt like I could rip some solid carves down groomed terrain.
Am I hitting racer-high edge angles? No, not exactly. But for someone who enjoys skiing wider skis most days, and still enjoys some high-speed carving, I got everything I needed out of the ARV 106. Considering the shape didn’t change much, I wonder if this has to do with dropping smear tech behind you, but that’s just me speculating.
This ski is also ridiculously fun on spring snow. If you have an inch or two of soft snow to push into, this ski pushes right through and tracks extremely well. I had so much fun sliding around on this in corn.
Justin: “I wouldn’t grab any ARV skis for the hardpack or carving frozen surfaces. If it’s edgeable at all though, the ARV 106 is fun as hell.”
Bumps and Trees
One of my favorite things about the Armada ARV 106 is the pivot-ability. It intuitively gets sideways and easily suits slashing to shave speed or realign your line. That makes this ski particularly well suited for tight terrain like bumps and trees.
What I think is cool about skis like this, is it works equally well for folks who are progressing off trail as it does for more experienced riders who know they like a pivot-y, slarve-y ski. The updated flex really opens this ski up for more folks, while retaining a lot of performance for our playful chargers. A stiff enough flex underfoot (along with w3Dgewall, that I think offers some additional torsional stiffness) gives you power to stay planted through weird, variable conditions off trail. The shape and softer tip give you the ease of turn initiation, and the ability to turn on a dime.
Where I could find the old generation a little stiff in some of this terrain, this new gen feels like a rounder flex. If you slide into the backseat, or hit a bump in front of you at a weird angle, the ski is more forgiving for you to get in control.
Compared to other twin-tip skis in this category, the ARV 106 offers a sort of happy middle now between flexes. The Nordica Unleashed 108 is going to be significantly stiffer (and with a further back mount point), and feels more demanding in that terrain. Something like the K2 Reckoner 110 will give you similar maneuverability, in a softer flex pattern that feels even more playful and bendy.
Annabelle M. “Easy to pivot + maneuver, and stiff underfoot. Would be super fun for a chargey, playful skier.”
Powder and Mixed Snow
Despite the brand-new, wider ARV 112/ARW 112 outperforming the 106 in this category, I still think the ARV handles this with solid compsure. If you’re deciding between the two, it really just comes down to if you want a narrower stick for more agility in tight terrain, or if you don’t mind maneuvering a 112 around tight lines.
The ARV 106 gives you ample surface area when pushing through deeper snow. Just like old versions, this ski is surfy and smeary in soft conditions. It makes the most of small storms, making it a great option to have in the quiver if you don’t want to bring out the big skis. Again, the 106mm waist gives you more agility for when the snow gets skied out, or if you want to maintain some quickness in tight terrain like chutes or tight trees.
The stiffer platform underfoot and tail give you support for hitting landings. If you’re shopping for a freeride ski that can handle stomping cliff drops and exploring features, this ski will give you the platform for it. Plus, increased durability thanks to w3Dgewall and the ash binding insert will help keep them running even if you land on a rock or two.
John T.: “If there’s been a few inches of fresh: I wouldn’t hesitate to grab this ski and just have some fun on everything!”
Kyra: “I thought it was surfy and stable. This ski has a very smooth flex throughout, and very fun in soft snow.”
Downside?
Some of our testers found the ski to feel a little loose and less stable when conditions get rough. That’s the trade off with shaving some stiffness away, especially at the tip. The tip stiffness and shape is critical for determining how well the ski tracks through chop. It comes down to personal preference. Some folks like having a softer tip to be easier to engage and help them turn more dynamically. Some will want a stiffer front end to push through chop. I found the ARV 106 to be relatively predictable for the weight and skiability. I thought it offers more stability at speed than a K2 Reckoner or Atomic Bent 110, but isn’t quite as planted as a Dynastar M Free 108 (which is almost 500 grams heavier per ski).
Another thing to note is the loose shape. This ski has a rocker profile that doesn’t lend itself to long, sweeping turns at speed on hard snow. If you’re looking for a maneuverable ski that has some more grit for skiing like that, the Nordica Unleashed 108 could be a good option. A stiffer flex and more directional mount point gets you a little more ski in front of you. The Salomon QST 106 gives you similar maneuverability, just in a more traditional shape. So you’ll want to keep more pressure up front, and it offers more stability for longer turns.
John T. “Hard pack takes a little more effort to carve, and not super stable.”
Kyra: “I feel a little bumped around in chop.”
Armada ARV 106 Review: Bottom Line
To me, the Armada ARV 106 is a Golidlocks in a crowded field of “big-mountain freestyle” skis. But it’s not inauthentic. The key word here is balance. It balances a stiffer flex underfoot and behind you with a softer tip for easier engagement (and brings back a bit more freestyle roots). The shape is truly freestyle, with a progressive mount point and shape. But the construction gives you chops to ski the whole mountain in the style you want.
Like I said earlier, I think this balance really hones this ski for freestylers who like a more supportive flex. If you want to bent and press, you can do that, but this ski will hold up for hard snow conditions better. Just as if you’re a stoked intermediate, who knows they like to ski playful and wants to hunt down drops, this ski will help you grow.
Matt: “Best ARV 106 yet. easy. the updated shape makes it super smooth and that poplar core and wedgewall make a very lively ride that is surprisingly capable in weird snow.”
