2023 Armada Declivity 82 Ti

The narrowest of Armada’s Declivity line, the 82 Ti is almost narrow enough to be considered a dedicated frontside ski, but we think it’s more than that. Armada retains some all-mountain flair with this ski with a smooth flex pattern and some moderate tip and tail rocker/taper. It starts with a Caruba wood core that’s supported by Armada’s Articulated Titanal Banding technology. With two sheets of metal, the top layer is designed with longitudinal slits in the forebody of the ski, which allows the ski to twist or articulate as you initiate a turn. As you move closer to the center portion of the ski, those slits in the metal end, so you get a solid feel underfoot and excellent grip despite the smoother, easier initiation. Slight tip and tail rocker boosts the ski’s versatility compared to a lot of skis in this width range, letting you venture into moguls and other off-piste terrain without feeling completely out of place.

Jeff Neagle tested the 174 cm length, which he thought skied true to size, but also noted that it was “maybe a little short” for him. That may have affected his stability score of 3 out of 5, as that was the lowest score for that criteria out of all our testers on the Declivity 82 Ti. Flotation received a 2 out of 5, unsurprisingly, but all our other criteria received solid 4 out of 5 scores. “The Declivity 82 Ti is an interesting ski. Often gets overlooked I think, for a few different reasons most likely... One, Armada isn't really known for directional skis, nor skis this narrow. Two, I think the wider Declivity skis kind of steal the spotlight, but in reality, this is a great ski. I wish more manufacturers would put more emphasis on this category. A flat, relatively narrow all-mountain ski is a fantastic tool. It can carve, and so well that it rivals some dedicated carving skis, but then it's way more versatile ski than your traditional frontside ski. Quick and agile in the bumps with more forgiveness than those frontside system skis. You're not getting much float, so not great for a soft snow day, but would be an excellent ski to pair with something like the Declivity 102, ARV 96, or ARV 106 for a slick little two ski quiver from Armada.”

Dave Hatoff also tested the 174 cm length, which he thought was “just right” for his size and ability level. Dave’s stability score rose to an impressive 5 out of 5, which just goes to show that skis will perform and feel differently for different skiers! While Jeff may have wanted more top end stability, the ski worked great for Dave. He also awarded it a 5 out of 5 torsional stiffness/edge grip score, which indicates Dave found excellent carving performance in the Declivity 82 Ti. “Trendies edge grip. Damp and precise. Very stable at speed. The layer of metal really makes them perform on hard snow.” John McIntosh also skied it in the 174 cm length and his scores were right in between Jeff and Dave. 4 out of 5 marks for stability and torsional stiffness/edge grip, and as was true with all our testers, only flotation dropped to 2 out of 5. “A dedicated frontside ski with a little all-mountain diversity. Definitely most at home on frontside groomers this ski has easy turn initiation and very good edge hold on the firm snow. It feels a bit more forgiving for a ski with metal in it and should be considered for skiers from strong intermediate through expert.”

If you’re looking for a versatile ski that borders between a frontside carver and an all-mountain ski, the Declivity 82 Ti is excellent option. There aren’t many skis like this on the market that are designed for high-end carving, but allow for all-mountain exploration as well. It’s probably one of the best mogul skis we tested all year thanks to the edge to edge quickness and the fact that the tips and tails aren’t too stiff. It’s not going to buck you if you drive the tip into the frontside of a bump, as opposed to a stiffer frontside ski that can really push you into the backseat. On the other hand, it’s not the most powerful carver in the world, but not all skiers will reach that limit as was evident in our testing. If you’re a moderately aggressive skier, you’ll never push it past its limits, and even really aggressive skiers will quickly learn how easily it is to manipulate the ski into a variety of turn radii and shapes.