2025 Armada Declivity X 108

Don’t tempt us with a good time when it comes to the new 2025 Armada Declivity X 108. This ski absolutely rips. It used to be one of our favorites in this 108 zone, and that certainly continues into this next generation. It’s always been one of the smoothest and most satisfying skis in its range, often drawing comparisons to luxurious offshore power boats that just crush rugged surf and dominate big waves. With smoothness and dampness to spare, other than the weight, this ski felt like nothing was on your feet. Not only that, but it’s very rare to come across a skier on the Declivity 108—past, present, or future—that has not enjoyed their time on this ski. Built and shaped for deeper and softer snow at higher speeds, this ski is surprisingly mobile and playful for the weight.

New for 2025, the Declivity X 108 features a poplar wood core rather than caruba—a move Armada makes pretty much across the board—new metal laminates, and a full sidewall. Moving to poplar gives the ski a bit more weight, but how it interacts with the shape makes a lot of sense. So, a denser and smoother wood, paired with a shorter metal laminate makes sense here, as the Declivity X series is taking a lean to the freeride and drifty side of the spectrum rather than a true charger, although it still charges. New ATB-X metal is brought down into the mid portion of the ski, so the tips and tails are left unencumbered by the metal. Still, the 191 tips the scale at 2325 grams, so this is no lightweight thrasher. Due to the build, tester Bob St.Pierre notes that the new Declivity X 108 is “Amazing. There's a perfect taper shape in the shovel for drifting through the deeper snow. It feels totally comfortable going from soft to firm in the blink of an eye. Very smooth and quiet in all sorts of snow types, but certainly excels in the softer stuff.”

Matt McGinnis is another fan of this new ski and notes how the straighter shape makes for a versatile feel. “This one seems pretty versatile to me. It was super happy with where I had it, in the chilly moguls, but it felt like it would’ve been totally happy also skiing right technical lines, or even wide-open groomers.” Armada took 7 mm out of the tip width and 6 mm out of the tail, increasing the turn radius from 22 meters to 27 in the 191 cm length. This is no small change, and it makes the ski feel a lot more in tune with what the skier is putting into it. We still get a good amount of rocker in the tips with a bit less in the tail. There’s a straighter cut to the shovel, and while this decreases a bit of pure flotation, it makes for a smoother overall feel.

In terms of skier ability, this ski is probably better for advanced and expert skiers who want something that’s stiffer and more rugged. Bob also states that “I don't see a lot of intermediate and moderate advanced skiers enjoying this ski fully. Experts and high-end advanced skiers will get the most out of the 108. It's designed to go fast and excels in this realm, so skiers on the timid side of spectrum may be happier elsewhere.” Overall, this Declivity X 108 continues on its path of being a remarkably smooth and stable operator, and we’ve loved every second we spent on it, especially since the snow gods were in our favor each and every time. It’s always nice when things line up like that.