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  1. #1
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    Armada A.R.G. review

    So here goes my review for the ARG. My details are in my 182 VCT review.

    Saturday I skied the ARG at Mammoth in 2-3 feet of new snow on top of several feet that had already fallen. This was my first experience with reverse sidecut or rockered skis.

    Groomers: Much easier than I expected. The tiny bit of sidecut underfoot, 1 mm or so, makes the skis edgeable on powder day groomers. Not fun, but not all that difficult to deal with. I just stayed centered, and made little skatey turns from edge to edge. You don't want to make big arcs on these, but they were MUCH easier to deal with than I expected. While I would not want to ski a long groomer, getting back to the lift was not nearly as big a deal as I thought. Occasionally one of the outside edges would link up and pull me out of whack, but this was not too big of a deal. The key I found was just to stay centered and use the inside edges.

    Powder: Going from Seth Pistol's or Explosives to these reminded me of going from skinny skis to fat skis. It really is that different. They really plane on top in an effortless way that has to be felt to be believed. I loved them my first run, even though I skied them sort of traditionally. You can ski them the way you would a regular fat ski, but that is not what they are for. The great thing is you can ski them with a forward stance, pressure the tongues just like you would on a groomer. Point them straight down and flex forward, YOU WILL NOT sink the tip. I would almost say the way to ski them is to point straight downhill and TRY to sink the tip. The faster you get going the more power and control you have. You can throw power slides, and make sharp turns without loading the ski. It really amazed me, the faster I went, and the more forward I was, the more control I had, and the more fun I had. I cannot stress enough that the more forward you are and the faster you go the more control you have. You do not need to load the ski to turn it, just point in the direction you want to go and the skis respond. I skied them on chair 22 in 2-3 feet of fresh. First lap did not cross a track and was in heaven. Cut powder was still insane. You just plane right over it, flex forward, and have more power and control than I ever would have believed.

    Cut up chop/crud: These are also incredible in choppy stuff, you just plane right over it like you do in pow. The same technique applies, flex forward and fly right over it. With these, it is almost as if TRYING to sink the shovel is the best technique. That helps you stay forward and drive. The faster and more forward you are, the more power and more control you have. In the crud/powder bump stage they are still fun, though you do get knocked around a bit. Obviously the softer the better, but these are still an insane crud ski. It seems more important to stay forward on these, as whenever I got knocked around by chop I ended up in the backseat and did not have as much control. Ripping over choppy/powder bump runouts like the ones going back to chair 22 was much easier than expected. In just about every case with the ski I felt the importance was in staying forward, which gives power and control.

    Concerns: My great fear with this ski would be how it would handle a steep chute which was firm at the very top. A time when you would want to make a couple of technical hop turns before skiing the powder below. I don't know how these would handle. I have seen McConkey, the Gaffneys, and others make ultra technical turns in center lines in the Chimney before hitting big cliffs. Those guys, however, are on another level. I don't know how possible that is for those of us who are mortal. I also wonder about Palisades straightlines with these. Your first one of the day when the powder is smooth would be great, but if it is firmer than you expect that might be interesting. Your third hike of the day when things are more chopped up I would probably want something more traditional.

    I don't have experience with reverse sidecut skis in either of the conditions I just mentioned. I am definitely interested in hearing from those who do.

    Overall: If could ski perfect powder on every face, chute, or bowl I would love these. They would be incredible for a cat or heli trip. I never would have believed how great they are, it was a totally new powder experience for me. One thing I should add is that they greatly reduce the work load on the legs. Truly much more effortless than traditional fat skis. Now I understand the hype. For my big day ski I wanted something a bit more versatile, better for the occasional technical turn or choppy runout from straightlining a chute. Because of that I went with the EHP 186, which I skied on Sunday. When I get a chance, I'll write that one up.

    I cannot stress enough, that if you have not tried something like this in powder, you really should.
    "Have you ever seen a monk get wildly fucked by a bunch of teenage girls?" "No" "Then forget the monastery."


    "You ever hear of a little show called branded? Arthur Digby Sellers wrote 156 episodes. Not exactly a lightweight." Walter Sobcheck.

    "I didn't have a grandfather on the board of some fancy college. Key word being was. Did he touch the Filipino exchange student? Did he not touch the Filipino exchange student? I don't know Brooke, I wasn't there."

  2. #2
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    Nice.

    You don't hear much about this ski any more, which i find strange.

    Seems like "everybody" is on either Praxis or DP or Moment Comi-Kaze (or still milking their Spats).
    "Man, we killin' elephants in the back yard..."

    https://www.blizzard-tecnica.com/us/en

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by dookey67 View Post
    Nice.

    You don't hear much about this ski any more, which i find strange.

    Seems like "everybody" is on either Praxis or DP or Moment Comi-Kaze (or still milking their Spats).
    Reasons why:
    -Cool kid skis have to have sidewalls
    -Armada didn't make very many
    -last year's skis had the world's slowest base material
    -some said they were a "DP knock-off"
    -no chance to design the top sheet graphics
    -who really has a chance to compare all the different fun shapes anyway?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by dookey67 View Post
    Nice.

    You don't hear much about this ski any more, which i find strange.

    Seems like "everybody" is on either Praxis or DP or Moment Comi-Kaze (or still milking their Spats).
    ARG Retail = $800. Praxis = $400 pre-ordered. Moment = $625. Used spats $250. Given that most folks don't pay full retail, still you won't see people paying that much extra for a ski that basically has the same functionality as a solid competitor at 50% off.

  5. #5
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    The cap thing does bug me. I don't know why they are still making capped skis of this type. Fun to ski though.
    "Have you ever seen a monk get wildly fucked by a bunch of teenage girls?" "No" "Then forget the monastery."


    "You ever hear of a little show called branded? Arthur Digby Sellers wrote 156 episodes. Not exactly a lightweight." Walter Sobcheck.

    "I didn't have a grandfather on the board of some fancy college. Key word being was. Did he touch the Filipino exchange student? Did he not touch the Filipino exchange student? I don't know Brooke, I wasn't there."

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poop*Ghost View Post
    ARG Retail = $800. Praxis = $400 pre-ordered. Moment = $625. Used spats $250. Given that most folks don't pay full retail, still you won't see people paying that much extra for a ski that basically has the same functionality as a solid competitor at 50% off.

    egads!

    economics rule.

    yeah, that makes a lotta sense.

    heck, i only paid $400 for brand, spanking new Spats and could have bought some Praxis, as well for that much skrill.
    "Man, we killin' elephants in the back yard..."

    https://www.blizzard-tecnica.com/us/en

  7. #7
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    Great review, I would love to hear someone compare them to the Praxis. The shape is so cool...
    Quote Originally Posted by SpinalTap View Post
    I'm really troubled by whatever pictures the Don had to search through to arrive at that one...

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheDon View Post
    Great review, I would love to hear someone compare them to the Praxis. The shape is so cool...
    They are incredibly similar in shape/length to the praxis. they could have a slight advantage on groomers because of the nominal sidecut, but as mentioned in most praxis reviews - the praxis are fine on groomers. and praxis aren't even *that* slow compared to a regular ski once you dial in how to stay on the heel of your foot.

    I hit a rock going full tilt on the praxis. knocked my ski in the air. Checked the bases and it was a minor p-tex scratch... so far I'm really stoked on the quality of the base material.

  9. #9
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    I have not skied the Praxis, so it is tough for me to know how the nominal sidecut on the ARG affects performance. I do know that they were much easier to ski on groomers than I anticipated, as long as I stayed over them and skied the area right under foot.
    "Have you ever seen a monk get wildly fucked by a bunch of teenage girls?" "No" "Then forget the monastery."


    "You ever hear of a little show called branded? Arthur Digby Sellers wrote 156 episodes. Not exactly a lightweight." Walter Sobcheck.

    "I didn't have a grandfather on the board of some fancy college. Key word being was. Did he touch the Filipino exchange student? Did he not touch the Filipino exchange student? I don't know Brooke, I wasn't there."

  10. #10
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    Luc- were those mounted at recommended line?
    'waxman is correct, and so far with 40+ days of tasting them there is no way my tongue can tell the difference between wood, and plastic made to taste like wood...but i'm a weirdo and lick my gear...' -kidwoo

  11. #11
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    i'd be interested to hear which line you mounted them at and what the difference is between -5 and -7

  12. #12
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    I demoed them from P3 at Mammoth, and to be honest I am not sure exactly where they were mounted.
    "Have you ever seen a monk get wildly fucked by a bunch of teenage girls?" "No" "Then forget the monastery."


    "You ever hear of a little show called branded? Arthur Digby Sellers wrote 156 episodes. Not exactly a lightweight." Walter Sobcheck.

    "I didn't have a grandfather on the board of some fancy college. Key word being was. Did he touch the Filipino exchange student? Did he not touch the Filipino exchange student? I don't know Brooke, I wasn't there."

  13. #13
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    How long are they and where did you mount them?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by This is me View Post
    How long are they and where did you mount them?
    ARG's come in one length, either 185 or 186, can't remember which. They are P3's demos, so I don't know where they are mounted.
    "Have you ever seen a monk get wildly fucked by a bunch of teenage girls?" "No" "Then forget the monastery."


    "You ever hear of a little show called branded? Arthur Digby Sellers wrote 156 episodes. Not exactly a lightweight." Walter Sobcheck.

    "I didn't have a grandfather on the board of some fancy college. Key word being was. Did he touch the Filipino exchange student? Did he not touch the Filipino exchange student? I don't know Brooke, I wasn't there."

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