2022 Armada Declivity 92 Ti

Armada is quickly and successfully jumping into the “brand within a brand” group with the Declivity series. With similar constructions and general shaping, the Declivity skis range from 82 to 108 mm underfoot, offering skiers their choice of all-mountain freeride skis with similar personalities. This is the way that the Enforcer series got its start, and that has really transformed how ski companies not only build, but also market certain models. In this case, the Armada Declivity 92 Ti returns unchanged for 2022, offering a tremendous amount of versatility and carving power, all while adhering to Armada’s philosophy that skiing should be fun. Built with the same light weight caruba wood core, Armada adds triaxially braided fiberglass and their Articulated Titanal Banding. They mill out sections in the forebody of the ski, including in the titanal laminate, and they replace it with a more elastic polymer. This makes the ski flex appropriately both torsionally and longitudinally. As a result, the ski initiates turns easily and quickly, but the ski won’t dive in fresh or deep snow either. It’s a great blend of power and playfulness, and from what we’ve seen and skied in the Declivity skis over the past two years, it certainly works.

Jeff Neagle skis the 180 (and owns a pair). His top score is a 5 out of 5 for versatility, and that’s what we’d expect from a low-mid 90’s underfoot ski with metal in it. “The Declivity 92 Ti is going up against some heavy hitters in the industry with its metal construction and focus on stability, power, and edge grip. Armada is doing it their own way, however, which sets the Declivity apart from skis like the Brahma, Kendo, Enforcer, etc. While edge grip is as good as most advanced/expert skiers will want, the skis feel a little more user-friendly and more forgiving than other skis in this width range with metal laminates. The wood core in the Declivity is pretty light, which definitely helps. The flex pattern also isn’t jarringly stiff. The way they articulate the metal in the tip definitely works. Turn initiation feels smoother than most skis with this level of edge grip. You never really feel like you’re fighting the ski. Just roll it up on edge, and it makes responsive, round, clean turns. It’s also more versatile than most skis in this category. It’s easier to maneuver through moguls and trees than heavier skis, but still has that damp, quiet characteristic that comes along with metal.”

Both Brad Schauerman and Jeffrey Siegel skied the 180 as well, finding that size works for them too. Brad’s top scores of 4 out of 5 were given for edge grip, stability, versatility, and overall impression. Brad states that “this ski is all there... awesome at laying trenches.... super stable and reliable at speed. No chatter smooth ride. No speed limit. Very fun.” That seems to be the general aim and consensus about this ski—very strong and smooth, but also able to handle some shorter turns in a variety of conditions and terrain. Jeffrey Siegel echoes most of the above sentiments. “This ski impressed me with its stability. I felt confident on it at any speed through any snow. Keeping it flat, I felt it was surprisingly surfy if you wanted it to be. For such a stiff ski, it felt pretty maneuverable. Definitely a ski for an advance or expert skier. You have to work it to get the most out of it. But it has a surprisingly smooth and refined feel that I was not expecting. I think it’s a pretty versatile ski for what it can do, but for me, I think I’d only want to ski it on hard/groomed snow because that’s where it excels.”

Again, for 2022, we’re looking at all good things from the Armada Declivity 92 Ti. This ski sits right in the sweet spot for true all-mountain skiing, allowing for proper carving power due to torsional stiffness as well as quick turns and agility for bumps and trees and other tight spots. No matter what you throw at the Declivity 92, it certainly seems to bounce it right back at you, handling a multitude of terrain and snow conditions in a variety of speed, and that’s what being a sublime all-mountain ski is really all about.