Armada never disappoints when it comes to bringing the world of freestyle skiing the most modern and impressively built skis for park, pipe and all mountain terrain. Staying ahead of the trends, with updated technology and progressive construction, Armada continues to make headway in the industry with the new ARW series. Adding a wider option to the lineup, the ARW 100 makes its introduction this season, offering freestyle-focused skiers a brand new, wide twin tip ski. In replacement of the 96, we see the 94 and 100 for this season, giving park and all-mountain skiers two fantastic options. While the 94 attracts those who find themselves in the park most days, the 100 blurs the line between park and all-mountain, allowing for a wider width underfoot for off-piste/soft snow conditions with the option to hit the park as well. Quite possibly the most versatile freestyle ski out there, the ARW 100 features an impressively lightweight construction, AR Freestyle Rocker, and new w3dgewall technology for the ultimate freestyle/all-mountain package.

When it comes to construction in a twin tip, all-mountain ski, a lightweight, maneuverable build is ideal for snappy energy and liveliness. With such construction, though, it can be inevitable that you compromise a level of durability and strength. Armada took this into account, focusing their approach on the ideal strength to weight ratio for the ARW 100.Through the use of a lighter weight caruba wood core, agility and energy are a primary focus, as well as a consistent, even flex. While the former ARW series utilized ash and poplar, which is slightly denser and offers more strength, the transition away from this blend makes sense given the use of the w3dgewall technology. Though the core is lighter, there is no loss in stability or strength thanks to the innovative approach to the sidewall construction. This unique concept uses a 3D molded, injected sidewall rather than your traditional sandwich sidewall, which drastically enhances not only durability but performance as well. By extending a segment of the sidewall and creating a mechanical bond to the core during construction, the two are pressed into each other upon impact, forming a cohesive unity. This results in greater stability from tip to tail and furthers the life of the ski, which goes a long way especially for a park ski. As for all mountain performance, by taking advantage of the formerly used ash solely for binding retention, edge grip and power underfoot is maximized, resulting in greater versatility.

For many years, we saw twin tip skis featuring 100% symmetrical shapes, with equal dimensions in both the tip and tail. As companies such as Armada begin to incorporate more of an all-mountain profile to their park-oriented skis, we begin to see the shapes take on slightly wider tips while maintaining the twin tip title. In this case, with a 7 mm difference between the tip and tail and more noticeable taper, it appears as though the ARW series is leaning more in the direction of an all-mountain ski with a park focus, most notably in the 100. But this shape doesn’t just benefit all-mountain performance, with smoother turn initiations and improved flotation, it also assists in rounder takeoffs/landings, easier nose butters and more predictable performance in the park. In addition to the tapered tips, we also get Armada’s freestyle rocker in both the tips and tails. The shape and profile of this new ARW 100 invites smeary, surfy style turns with better maneuverability and much more energy.

While we loved the former ARW series, we can’t help but notice the impressive upgrades and new technology used in the 2024 iterations. Specifically in the ARW 100, what’s not to love about a wider twin tip ski that excels in both the park and all mountain terrain? Lighter core yet durable and with an ideal strength to weight ratio, park and all-mountain skiers alike will gravitate to this floaty, buttery, highly energetic ski with a range of capabilities.