2021 Armada Trace 88

Thanks to the explosion of backcountry, touring, and AT setups, ski companies are starting to take notice and are now reacting appropriately to demand. The Armada Trace 88 is a direct result of this emergence, allowing lady skiers who want the premium uphill performance to go along with the fun aspects of downhill skiing. With a light weight build and some extras built in that are specific to touring skiers' needs, the Trace 88 checks a lot of boxes for a lot of adventurous skiers. Feather light, well-built, and generally versatile, these skis, when paired with light weight boots and bindings, will take you further into the backcountry than you ever thought possible. It's very important to have the gear closely match the terrain and conditions that you are skiing, and if you're interested in learning or are an advanced adventure skier already, Armada's got the ski for you.

Starting with a Caruba wood core, the skis are light and easy to use. When placed in the 88 mm waist width, this wood creates an incredibly easy ski to skin on, and it's not so bad on the downhills, either. In the 162 cm length, the skis come in at 1125 grams per ski. This is like nothing. Make sure you have the right bindings and boots to go along with the weight of the ski, that's for sure. Interestingly, and good for skinning, the skis generate a 19.5-meter turn radius at the 162 length, which is certainly on the long side for skis that we see in this shape that aren't of the uphill ilk. It's a pretty straight shape, and for skinning, that's very helpful to keep you on your intended line (think cross country skis and their arrow-straight shape). Underfoot, there's a titanal binding reinforcement, which is super-important for skis of with this core. All in all, the build quality is perfect for that blend of uphill and downhill performance.

In terms of shaping and profiling, it all lends to the combination of uphill speed and downhill playfulness. Armada's AR 75 Sidewall is perfect for splitting this difference. With a 75% sidewall and 25% cap, the skis have the quickness in the tips and tails to go along with the edge grip and control of the vertical sidewall underfoot. In the capped tip, the taper is more dramatic than we see on other all-mountain 88's, and this not only helps with skin retention, but also with flotation in powder. For 88's they float quite well. The tail is pretty standard and flat, with a cutout for a skin holder. These little features go a long way with the ability of the ski to be that high-end touring ski that all ski adventurers need and want.

If you like going uphill as much as going downhill, these skis are right up your alley. There's not a whole lot of resort-ness to them-they're definitely more at home in the backcountry. Skiers who have been in the Armada family will already understand that these skis have the ability to transcend between disciplines while still retaining that fun-loving appeal that the company is known for.