Armada ARG

[NieveSurfeador]

No time to dig it up, but there's a thread with three or four reviews. They own it: my conclusion.

Unchanged for next year, except for faster base material.

so they will be continued next year?

is that for sure?

[bossass]

Yes.......

[skinnyskier]

Faster base material! Fack, I would love that! Well, that and another couple cm. My review is around here somewhere, posted in the same thread that bossass made his. I came to the same conclusion as him, they own.

Um, yes- they own. Wildhorse Powder Cats in Ymir after yet another 20cm dump. No one had skied their terrain for two days. The ARGs made full-speed, effortless surfy turns in steep-ish (38-40d) trees. The speed factor compared to conventional skis is unreal.

[Wetdog]

so whats the deal with the ARGs?
Unless Ive missed it, I havent seen anyone review them or hear anything about them.

I skied them on a cat skiing trip this January. The lodge had a Armada sponsorship so they had most of the bigger Armada skis for demo and I tried several. Like the rest of the Armada skis, the ARG's were mounted in a Freestyle position so every run I was moving the demo bindings back a position to get the boot center back. At about -3 they felt right for me, maybe because I'm used to a more traditional position, but this felt best.

They were really fun and easy to ski. I had brought 190 Gotamas with me and most of the skiing we were doing was in the trees. I got by with the Gotamas, but the ARG's were easier to maneuver and noticably floatier. I thought they would be a whole different style of skiing, but they were not that different, they just made skiing powder easier. In the open they could be skied quite fast and were really stable. The bit of wind crust we hit on one run didn't seem to affect them as much as the others on traditional side cut skis. They were the slowest skis on the cat tracks though. Everyone blew by me. Thanks to the little traditional sidecut under foot, they skated OK and were suprisingly easy to carve on the hardpacked cat track surface. That is the formula everyone is using to make the reverse side cut skis work on packed and allow them to be used at the resort.

My home shop had a pair for $1000 Canadian which is only a little less than it would cost to buy Dp Lotus 138's which I have been tempted to do. Based on rave reviews and a wicked promotional deal, I went with the Praxis skis for next year. They are a full reverse camber and side cut like the Spats instead of a rockered tip and tail like all the others. That should make their powder performance uncompromised. Reviewers have stated that they were able to negotiate the groomers OK on them as well so we'll see. Looking forward to next year on them. Now I am trying to decide between the original 185 and the newly anounced 195. The ARG skied pretty well at 186. I didn't really find myself craving more length because they were so stable.

[albatross]

Now I am trying to decide between the original 185 and the newly anounced 195. The ARG skied pretty well at 186. I didn't really find myself craving more length because they were so stable.

Got the same dilemma here, but I've never skied a reverse shaped ski before. How big are you?

[Wetdog]

Got the same dilemma here, but I've never skied a reverse shaped ski before. How big are you?

I'm 6'3" and 185. Generally, I like skis in the 190cm range. I know that the reverse sidecut and camber skies are easier to ski and can be skied in longer lengths which add to their stability, but I found the 186 ARG to be plenty stable and reallly maneuverable in the trees. It was more floaty than my 190 Gotamas. I can imagine that a 195 would be even more so, but would probably give up some quickness, which I am not sure I would want. Hard to say.

[wren]

I'm 5'10" 170ish and love my ARGs. I've probably had a dozen or so days on them this year and while they are awesome in all conditions, if I had the choice I would like them longer. It would be nice to have another 5cm or so for the really fast long turns and straighlines. I don't think with this sort of shape you would really lose much, if any, of the maneuverability on the longer ski. You'd probably only notice it when you are billygoating around. With you're extra height on weight on me you'd probably have an easier time adapting as well. If you have any doubts though, obviously the 185 will still be a solid choice.

[Jim S]

bump because I can use the search button

[KuoFoto]

Armada ARG's in pow. Try them and you will love!