We need to get this ski some love. Perhaps the Armada Declivity 88C doesn’t fit in with what the company is trying to do overall, but for the ski population and ski world as a whole, this ski should be right up there with the other high-profile 88’s. We’ve been seeing more and more carbon-powered skis rather than metal-powered ones coming out lately, and for skiers who are looking to have a great time and not feel like their legs are getting ripped out by overly heavy skis, there should be an alternative. This is where the Declivity 88C comes in handy. With a highly useful shape, a light weight yet supportive build, and an all-mountain profile, this ski has all of the ingredients and engineering to put it at the top of many skiers’ lists. The problem may be that since Armada is primarily known for their freestyle skis, perhaps their carbon-powered all-mountain offerings just don’t get to the forefront of people’s thoughts. We’re here to change that faulty mentality and highlight all of the positives that shine through with this great ski.

In the Declivity line, other than the big 115, this is the only one that does not feature metal in the construction. As such, it’s lightning-quick, incredibly snappy, and a whole lot of fun. Built with the same caruba wood core that the other all-mountain skis use, this one also adds carbon reinforcement to add to the stiffness and pop. We still get a full sidewall, and this adds to the overall stiffness of the ski. In the 176, this ski weighs 1675 grams per ski, but feels considerably lighter than that, mainly due to the carbon and how it reacts and interfaces with the snow. The nuts and bolts of this ski return unchanged for the 2024 season, with only a graphics update. It’s a more subdued coloring, rather than an electric red, and we think this theme works well with the character of the ski.

The 88 mm waist is an ideal width for true all-mountain skiing. You could certainly argue wider for snowy zones, or narrower for firm snow, but for most anything that a majority of skiers do on a daily basis, this seems like a really good sweet spot. That waist is bookended by 131 mm tips and 112 mm tails to generate a 17.2-meter turn radius in the 176. This is a great mid-range place to be, as it doesn’t lock you into a turn, nor does it want to drift straight and uncontrollable. The ski seems to be a bit happier in the middle of that radius, or on the short side. Without metal, with carbon, and at this turn shape, arcing fast, carved turns isn’t really in this ski’s wheelhouse. It can do it, but will complain a bit more than the more stable Ti versions of this ski. But for most skiers, most of the time, this will not be an issue at all, and that’s the hidden beauty of this ski. The rocker profile is decidedly all-mountain, with more of a focus for front side skiing. The camber grips tight to the snow and the slight tail rocker makes for an energetic and snappy finish to the turn. The minimal taper and rocker in the shovel mean that this ski will hook into the turn crisply, allowing for proper and sharp initiation into the turns.

We’ll go to bat for this ski any day of the week. It really crosses and blurs a lot of lines due to the build, shape, and profile, and that’s what we really like about it. It’s overlooked way too much, as it competes with and may supersede more popular skis like the Elan Ripstick 88 or the Head Kore 87 as being a very strong option in the ~88 mm carbon-powered all-mountain ski range. We’ve seen some very high-level skiing done on this product, and that’s very assuring for skiers who may think that this is not enough ski for them. Conversely, it also has a moderate entry point for skiers who are looking for light weight, good energy, strong grip, and high-end versatility.