2023 Armada ARV 96

If you had to pick a single ski out of Armada’s collection to represent what the brand is all about, the ARV 96 might be the most appropriate. This ski is rooted in Armada heritage, providing trustworthy, playful performance for both the park and as an all-mountain ski. Armada has had an ARV ski in their lineup since day one, with the AR5 and ARV being their first two skis ever. So, in a lot of ways, this ski is the modern version of the ski that started it all. Armada uses a poplar and ash core in the ARV 96, which is, as you may have guessed, 96 mm underfoot. It’s not a fully symmetrical ski, but it is a twin tip shaped designed for use in the park, so you certainly have the option of a true center mount point. Some may prefer going a little further back from that for more directional all-mountain performance, allowing you to customize the ski to your liking.

Jeff Neagle skied the 177 cm length, which he felt skied true to size and also noted that he would choose that length for himself if he were to buy a pair. Quickness/maneuverability and playfulness both earned 5 out of 5 scores from Jeff. Flotation, stability, and torsional stiffness/edge grip were all 3 out of 5, with the remaining criteria receiving solid 4 out of 6 scores. “Great park/all-mountain ski. This is something I'd be perfectly happy skiing on personally, and also a ski that I've recommended to athletes I coach. It's equally at home in the park and around the rest of the mountain. I suppose it's fair to say it leans more towards the park side of the spectrum, but it would be a mistake to overlook its all-mountain capabilities. Balanced and quick in the park. Good for spins, good on rails, just a very well-rounded park ski. Tip and tail rocker increase forgiveness and create a more catch-free feel, which I personally appreciate when spinning switch and landing off rails if you're not perfectly centered. Not the most edge grip on firm snow, but it'll carve. You can't push the tip too much with the more centered mount point and softer flex, but initiate turn laterally and you can bend the ski into some fun turns. Easy edge release too, which comes in handy when you take them off-piste into bumps, trees, and soft snow. Fantastic daily driver for the park or playful all-mountain skier.”

Matt McGinnis, like Jeff, has a park skiing background and has spent a lot of time on twin tips like the ARV 96. “Overall, the ARV 96 is just a really solid all mountain twin tip. With a mid flex and ample rocker in the tip and tail, this ski is both capable of all types of terrain, and willing to ski in a variety of ways. For me, that meant high powered, elongated carves, quick reverts to switch, and popping off any corn mogul I could find. They take air well, and with a 96mm platform underfoot, they provide a stable landing. It’s hard to say what the stand out feature of these skis is really, but maybe that’s the standout feature: they’re pretty darn good at everything. Whether you’re someone who spends entire days in the park, or someone who just wants that twin tip capability as you cruise about the mountain, the ARV 96 is an option that will make just about everyone happy. Crowds that might not like it would be true beginners or technical experts, mostly because there are simply better skis out there for them. Overall, super impressed with the ARV 96 from Armada.” Matt skied the 184 cm length, which he thought was “just right” and there was tremendous consistency in his scoring. All 4 out of 5 scores, with just forgiveness dropping to 3 out of 5. We like getting feedback on skis like the ARV 96 from skiers who won’t ever take it into the park too, which makes Dave Hatoff’s feedback very valuable. He skied the 177, and found it to be “Fun, lively and full of energy. This ski was easy to engage and held a nice edge on very firm snow. A very capable all mountain directional twin, which can double as a go to park ski if that’s your jam. Would make a nice bumps ski as well. Quick edge t edge and nice rebound. Great ski for a freestyler, park rat or the type of skier that like to play with all of the natural and man-made hits on the mountain. Advanced intermediate to expert skiers..”

We think the best application for the ARV 96 from Armada is for someone who’s at least going to be spending some of their time in the park. If you’re not going to benefit from or utilize the twin tip shape, there may be better skis for you. That said, Dave had a blast on it, and some skiers just prefer being on twin tips, so we certainly won’t tell you not to buy it. It’s more that we just want to highlight how good this ski is for a park skier. Fantastic park performance, and lets you cruise around the rest of the mountain with style.