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- Mar 5, 2017
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- 1,202
Dimensions: 133-98-123
Radius: 20.5m@180cm
Sizes: 164, 172, 180
Size tested: 180
Design: All New
dean_spirito: The 2019 Henrik Harlaut pro model isn’t exactly all new, but a few changes are worth mentioning. The Edollo is still the same 98mm twin tip that we all know and love, but it has been beefed up to tolerate even more abuse! Armada has widened the edges from 2.2 to 2.5 mm, so whether you are sliding rails in the park or hucking cliffs in the backcountry, you know the product strapped to your feet is designed to withstand hard impacts. Armada is also incorporating new sidewall construction that adds ABS from rocker point to rocker point, while maintaining cap construction in the tip and tail. This creates a ski that is extremely stable underfoot at speed, yet soft and playful in the tip and tail for effortless ollies, nollies, and butters.
- Who is it for? Any advanced or expert skier with a buttery style; park rats looking for something slightly wider and more versatile than a traditional park ski.
- Who is it not for? People who prefer to keep their skis on the snow.
- Insider tip: Henrik Harlaut designed this ski with his unique approach to skiing in mind, so if you’re trying to adopt a style like Edollo, this is probably the ski for you.
Dimensions: 125-85-115
Radius: 18m@185cm
Sizes: 167, 176, 185
Size tested: 176
Design: Carryover/NGT
Ron: (from last year)This skied very much like the 99 but it was even less stiff or demanding. It’s a fun, easy ski but lacked a little energy and pop for me. I did like it and feel maybe a lighter-weight skier may enjoy it more. It was easily overpowered but at $399, this is a steal.
- Who is it for? Intermediates and advanced Intermediates who are on the lighter side or don't ski very hard. Those on a budget.
- Who is it not for? Hard chargers or bigger folks.
- Insider tip: Armada ain't just for parks, folks!
Dimensions: 130-88-120.5
Radius: 17.5m@179cm
Sizes: 166, 171, 179, 187
Size tested: 178
Design: Carryover/NGT
SBrown: (from last year) The Invictus 89Ti is a superb all-around ski that is biased a bit toward off piste but handles groomers with aplomb (although I never got it into anything terribly firm). It would be a great travel ski; its low price leaves you a little cash to rent something wider if you luck into a big dump.
- Who is it for? Anyone who wants a Kastle FX85 but doesn’t want to spend the money.
- Who is it not for? Big-mountain riders.
- Insider tip: Armada continues to punch above its weight.
- Who are they for? The young at heart.
- Who are they not for? Stodgy skiers who still think Armada just makes park skis.
- Insider tip: Still one of the best values in the 87-90mm category.
Armada Invictus 99Ti
Dimensions: 133-98-123
Radius: 22m@187cm
Sizes: 171, 179, 187
Size tested: 187
Design: Carryover/NGT
Drahtguy Kevin: (from last year) The Invictus likes to run but does have a top end. The ski felt stable on and off piste and especially liked carving and bumps. Armada did a fantastic job prepping their offerings.
- Who is it for? Skiers looking to fill the ~100mm spot in their quiver with an easy-to-ski arrow.
- Who is it not for? Bigger skiers looking to ski fast.
- Insider tip: Skied true to size.
- Who is it for? Intermediates and advanced Intermediates who are on the lighter side or don't ski very hard. Many 60/40 skiers will really enjoy this one.
- Who is it not for? Hard chargers or bigger folks.
- Insider tip: Armada ain't just for parks, folks!
Dimensions: 136-108-126
Radius: 23m@178cm
Sizes: 168, 178, 188
Size tested: 178
Design: Carryover/NGT
Philpug: (from last year) Armada does so much with its skis that goes unnoticed; it is a shame, and people are missing out on some of the best skis because of it. The Invictus 108Ti is no exception. Just pick one of these skis up and and even the layman will be able to see the differences. Turn it over and look at the structure: see the chevrons in the base? Now look at any other ski in the class, a pretty straight structure. Look at the size of the ski and check out the dimensions, the only Invictus 108Ti that is actually 108mm underfoot is the largest size; the rest are scaled down so every skier, no matter their size, gets the same on-snow experience. Why do I point this out? Because it is significantly more expensive to build a ski this way. What do you get? A ski that skis damn well and is the ski that many skis in this category thrive to be.
- Who is it for? If you thought the Enforcer needed more tail, this is your ski.
- Who is it not for? Lighter skiers who go slow.
- Insider tip: These have some of the best out-of-the-box tunes around.
Dimensions: 132-98-123
Radius: 18m@180cm
Sizes: 164, 172, 180, 188
Size tested: 180
Design: Carryover/NGT
Philpug: (from last year) This was a shocker, yes, the shocker of the test. As much as we like the Invictus collection, this Tracer is not an Invictus, but more an Invictus built by Colin Chapman, as Armada added lightness. Like the Head Kores, the new Tracers are lighter but not at the cost of performance. It is a whole new world thanks to Crystal Mesh, the weight-saving material Armada is using in the these new skis.
- Who is it for? Finesse skiers; these are a lighter option of the more powerful skis out there.
- Who is it not for? Bigger chargers, don’t fret: Armada still offers the Invictus 99Ti.
- Insider tip: Armada still puts out some of the best factory tunes in the business.
Surprise! The Tracer turned out to be much quicker than anticipated with the bonus of great edge hold. The wider footprint also lends itself to exploring in shallow powder and other softer conditions. A very easy-to-ski personality made for some fun runs. I wouldn't hesitate to use the Tracer as a daily driver when conditions change rapidly from early-morning cruisers to sun-softened bumps.
- Who is it for? The intermediate to advanced skier looking for something a little wider to move more off-piste but still be fun on the groomers.
- Who is it not for? Those skiers who dig the full-on float of a bigger, wider ski for regular use in off-piste terrain or deep snow.
- Intermediate tip: You may think you're uncomfortable with wider skis, but don't pass up a chance on this one.
Women
Armada Trace 98Dimensions: 130-98-121
Radius: 17.5m@172cm
Sizes: 156, 164, 172
Size tested: 164, 172
Design: Carryover/NGT
Tricia: (from last year) This new lineup from Armada, which features its Crystal Mesh, is one of my surprises of the show. With the length that I skied and the 98mm waist, this ski was amazingly nimble, easy to turn, and extremely quick edge to edge. I can’t wait to get back on this one.
- Who is it for? Me! But seriously, someone looking for a lightweight ski that covers the whole mountain.
- Who is it not for? Someone who seeks out groomers.
- Insider tip: If you try it, you’ll want to buy it.
Elemmac: (from last year) I’m not going to say much about this one, as I really needed more length to get a good feel of it. For my size, I didn’t feel as though I could push the 164 in the conditions I was dealt. Regardless, even in the 164 it handled short-radius turns and slower speeds like a champ. However, the length prohibited me from really seeing what this pair of sticks can do. All said and done, I see the potential in this ski. I’m really looking forward to getting out on it again, but in a larger size.
Sidenote: I was with two guys who have very different skiing styles/abilities and body shapes/sizes, and both thoroughly enjoyed the Armada Tracer in a 180.
Dimensions: 127-86-118.5
Radius: 16.5m@163cm
Sizes: 155, 163, 171
Size tested: 163
Design: Carryover/NGT
AmyPJ: (from last year) The Victa 87 was a really nice ski that has also been on my radar. It has Titanal in it (two sheets, I believe), which made it very damp and smooth yet still extremely easy to turn. I found that I could ski it in a very centered stance, where it would pivot and swivel beneath me and never miss a beat in any condition. I wish I had taken another run on this ski as I don’t think I got entirely dialed in on it.
- Who is it for? Someone who skis centered and wants to play in the bumps and trees.
- Who is it not for? Someone who does not like metal in their skis.
Tricia: (from last year) Its roots have been deep in the park and big-mountain skiing world since Armada's beginning, but it was time to develop an all-mountain ski that still has the soul of Armada. Which brings us the Victa: I was blown away by this ski. It turns quickly, holds an edge on hard pack, and rips through the moguls without a second thought. This Armada for grown-ups made me feel like a kid again.
- Who is it for? Someone looking for a serious yet playful option.
- Who is it not for? Boring Betty.
- Insider tip: Just ski!
Elemmac: (from last year) More damp than playful, soft but not floppy, easy to ski but not for the faint of heart. This ski likes to be driven rather than pushed. Truly a fantastic all-mountain ski. I could see it handling everything from East Coast ice to some light powder days with ease.
These are the skis I started the day on. Conditions varied from firm, frozen groomers at the top of the mountain to soft corn at the bottom. After about an hour, the top of the mountain softened up and there were soft top-to-bottom runs. And I can confidently say I had a good time on every single run. The skis seemed to hit their prime performance when the snow was soft, but still smooth.
- Who is it for? Someone looking for a good carver with a freeride soul.
- Who is it not for? Tail pushers.
- Insider tip: This is the type of ski that you can ski all day, every day and never get bored.
Dimensions: 131-93-121
Radius: 18m@167cm
Sizes: 151, 159, 167
Size tested: 167
Design: Carryover/NGT
Tricia: (from last year) Being a big fan of the Victa 87Ti, I was eager to get on its big sister in the Victa 93. While the Victa 93 has the strength and power of the Victa 87Ti, I felt like I had to put a little extra effort into making tighter turns -- but then with a bigger waist, that’s how it should be.
- Who is it for? A skier looking for a powerful freeride ski.
- Who is it not for? Timid skiers.
- Insider tip: Point 'em and trust 'em.
Dimensions: 131-93-121
Radius: 18m@167cm
Sizes: 151, 159, 167
Size tested: 167
Design: Carryover/NGT
Elemmac: (from last year) This is what the Völkl Aura wishes it could be (sorry Völkl). It has the stability of an ox and could cause the damage of a wrecking ball. It cuts through crud like a hot knife through butter. But still has a fun factor that can be hard to find in a damp, stiff ski. After learning that I could trust this ski not to buck, I opened it up and really got to see what it was made of. And boy did she fly beautifully.
This ski took the thinking out of skiing. I no longer had to choose my line carefully, the ski would just cut through whatever was in front of me. I got to turn whenever and wherever I wanted regardless of the terrain.
The 171 was a bit of a push for me size-wise, but still very manageable. Lots of fun on open terrain, but if I were to take it into the trees and moguls, there’s a good chance I’d want to size it down a notch.
- Who is it for? Hard-charging women who have been waiting for a women’s ski that is “all that.”
- Who is it not for? Someone looking for a soft, nimble ski.
- Insider tip: Large GS-style turns are this lady’s specialty.