2025 Armada ARV 112

As the new and wide ARV on the block, the 112 reaches into rare air as a fat and playful twin that excels in deep and soft snow. If you’re lucky, or just a good planner, you’re going to love this thing in powder. We managed to get a great day to test out the ARV 112—actually three days—the first was back in February with over a foot of blower powder and then at our test in non-stop snow squalls over a deep base. The results speak for themselves—skiers love the ARV 112. By taking notes from the narrower skis in the ARV line, the 112 brings the width, taper, and rocker to the next level. The end result is a sturdy and playful ski that is best when on the feet of a more experienced or enthusiastic skier. Nerds need not apply.

Built with Armada’s ever-present poplar wood core, the skis also get an ash binding insert for stability underfoot and retention purposes. While most skiers will stay away from rails and boxes on this 112, Armada still includes their 2.5 mm edge that holds up to some serious abuse. In addition, w3dgewall sidewalls find their way into the new 112, and this makes good sense as it makes the whole package more continuous and smoother. By incorporating the sidewall into the core at the pressing phase, Armada makes a cohesive and dynamic bond between the sidewalls and the core of the ski. For the width, it’s relatively light, but the shape adds to the mobility as well. We’re seeing a stated weight of 2100 grams in the 185 yet Noah Novotny notes that the reality feels different: “It’s a great lightweight powder ski. It felt easy to turn, easy in the air, and stiff enough for some freeride lines.” As a freeride coach, it’s great to get expert feedback like this on the disparity between the grams on paper and how the ski feels on the feet.

The shape of the ski also stands out among other 110ish twins. Armada uses a sharp taper shape here to get the most out of the powder smoothness. There’s a catch-free feel here that not a lot of fat twins have, and that’s a testament to Armada adjusting the flex to fit a more creative and playful crowd. Matt McAlary picked up on this as well, stating that “They felt easy to pivot and had great pop—more so than older Armada skis had at this width.” This is a nice throwback to stiffer and heavier skis that felt duller due to the shape. We’ve got a bit longer of a turn shape here, ringing in at 21-meters in the 185. This allows the skier to dictate the shape and duration of the turn and adds to the creativity of the ski.

While it’s somewhat accessible to skiers looking to improve their soft snow skiing, our testers find that it’s got some upper end chops as well. McAlary notes that “Advanced to expert riders will have fun on this ski but I think someone at the expert end would get more out of this ski in a longer length.” That’s good advice, and another thing to think about here is that the ski is offered with more of a central mount point, so if you’re looking to get more directional performance, sizing up should at least be on the table when it comes to decision time. Either way, skiers who are looking for a flexible, surfy, and creative twin should certainly spend some time looking into the all new 2025 Armada ARV 112.