With a graphics update for 2024, the Armada Declivity 92 Ti still represents the ultimate in all-mountain versatility and performance. By going from more of an electric green to an army green, they’ve put a more utilitarian theme to the ski, and we think it works. This leaves the more playful colorways to the more playful ARV skis, and that seems to make sense as well. This Declivity is far more business-like than a lot of other low to mid-90's skis out there, and a lot of that is due to the use of dual-metal laminate in the construction. Through the years, the Declivity series has been an interesting one for Armada, as it’s clearly the most all-mountain oriented in the company. At 92 mm underfoot and with a more directional shape and attitude, the Declivity 92 stands out as a great option for advanced and expert skiers who are looking to get the most out of their all-mountain days, especially in a high-performance perspective.

Build-wise, this ski still benefits from a light weight caruba core that keeps the ski on the poppy and energetic side of the spectrum. This core is bolstered by two sheets of titanal on top and bottom, and that leads to the specific feel and character of the ski. But if they left it at that, and just had the upper laminate as a solid sheet, the connection of shovel to snow may be on the jittery side. To balance that, the good people at Armada have installed their Articulated Titanal Banding technology to the ski, which equalizes power and agility. They basically carve slits in the forebody of the ski and replace the missing metal with an elastomer material. This gives the ski a smooth torsional flex and quiets the whole front of the ski. In addition to the metal and elastomer, Armada uses a triaxial fiberglass laminate to keep the ski poppy and snappy. It’s pretty darn stiff for how light it is, weighing in at 1825 grams per ski in the 180. Full sidewalls add to the grip and power of the setup, taking the on-trail performance to the next level.

When we get to shape and profile, this ski falls more to the all-mountain side versus the freeride. There’s some rocker in the tips and tails, but not a whole lot. It’s enough to handle soft snow and create versatility, but not overbearing and catchy. The beauty of this ski is in the versatility, taking it from the front side to the back side and everything in between. The shovel is decidedly more spatula-shaped rather than spoony, and that gives the ski a nice blend of hooking up on flatter snow and floating through deeper and softer snow. In the tails, there’s some roundness to it, so it’snot quite as directional and flat as some other skis in the realm, but the circular shape creates that fun-loving edge to the finish of the turn regardless of how firm and soft the snow may be. There’s a fair amount of tip to tail taper, and that puts the direction and magnitude of the turn squarely on the skier’s whim. This makes it a very natural feeling to the ski that’s both automatic and confidence-inducing. Even so, the ski produces a 17.5-meter turn radius, so slightly on the short side, but not impossible to manipulate either.

If you’re an experienced skier who’s looking for something new—something that carves like a dream, floats like it’s a feather, and adapts to different terrain and conditions with ease, the Declivity 92 Ti is one of the top choices in this range. Thanks to its new and rugged good looks, this Declivity moves more into the utilitarian zone, offering up a business-like character that also can perform at an extraordinarily playful level. This blend is what makes the ski stand out to so many strong skiers and skier types.