Historically speaking, Armada isn’t exactly known for their directional skis. Over the past few years, however, we’ve been quite impressed by exactly that, their directional skis. Not to say they’re not also making good twin tips, in fact, that will likely always been the case, but the Reliance (and men’s Declivity) line can stack up against heavy hitting skis from more traditional ski manufacturers. This Reliance 102 Ti has emerged as a favorite among our advanced and expert level ski testers, particularly those who like to ski fast through variable and different snow conditions. It has a freeride width at 102 mm underfoot, but more of an all-mountain personality. Despite being on the wider end of the spectrum, it retains superb versatility. It will lay over some dynamic carves, even on firm snow, but then you can take it into soft snow, trees, and other off-piste terrain without the ski feeling too heavy or too one-dimensional from a performance perspective. How does Armada achieve all this, you might ask?

Through excellent engineering, you could say, both in the form of construction and shaping concepts. For such a strong ski, it’s interesting that Armada uses a lightweight Caruba wood core, but we’re actually starting to see other manufacturers follow suit in recent years by using lighter cores in skis with metal laminates. Reliance 102 Ti falls into that category, but the metal is relatively unique to Armada. It’s called Articulated Titanal Banding and, for lack of a better term, is designed to let the forebody of the ski articulate as you enter a turn. What Armada is doing is essentially taking away torsional stiffness (what we think of as edge grip) in the tip and forebody of the ski by using longitudinal slits in the metal laminate. Those slits only exist in the forebody of the ski, meaning the metal is unencumbered through the remainder of the ski. Turn initiation, then, is smooth and easy for such a strong ski, but once you’re in a turn, the ski holds extremely well. This gives those advanced and expert level skiers a ton of confidence to ski fast and aggressively, while also benefiting from smoother, more supple initiation at the start of the turn.

While shape is more simplistic, it’s still important. We’ve got a 102 mm waist width in all three available lengths, a turn radius in the 17-18 m range depending on which length you choose, and a directional shape both in sidecut and rocker profile. Tip rocker is more noticeable than tail rocker, both when you’re holding a pair in your hand and when you’re skiing them. That tip rocker works hand in hand with the Articulated Titanal Banding, once again helping to provide incredibly smooth turn initiation. That tip rocker also helps to boost float in soft snow, and while the Reliance 102 Ti isn’t intended to be a powder ski, it can certainly handle some softer snow conditions and the occasional powder day. The lesser tail rocker, however, creates a strong finish when completing a carving turn, which is further enhanced by the fact that metal is full width through the tail. While it’s fair to say the tail shape takes away some maneuverability, it’s important for how this ski is intended to feel. Strong, stable, and precise out of a turn. It does, however, retain a bit of forgiveness and maneuverability over some competitors in this category, so you’re not completely locked into a turn.

Through our testing, those that tend to prefer the Reliance 102 Ti are strong, accomplished advanced and expert level skiers who like to ski fast. While you might not spend all of your time carving, you at least spend a considerable amount laying your skis on edge and riding a clean arcing carved turn. What’s nice about the Reliance, however, is you can do that, then head off trail into trees, bumps, open bowls, and other off-piste terrain without feeling like you’re completely fighting the ski. Certainly not the most agile ski in the world, but plenty of maneuverability and versatility for those with good technique.