Last season, we were introduced to the new Armada Locator series. With the growing popularity of touring and seemingly endless options, we were impressed, and continue to be impressed, that Armada was able to give us something unique and different. What’s unique, you might ask? With the Locator series, Armada is focusing on delivering really good downhill performance and specifically, especially with the 112, really good powder performance. They feel smooth and stable on the descents and offer a tremendous amount of float. When you consider that performance, and when you ski it, it almost doesn’t feel like a touring ski. It’s too good. Then you look at the weight, however, and achieving a sub 1600 g figure in the 180 cm length for a ski this wide is not only impressive, but positions it squarely as a powder touring ski.

So how does Armada make this all work? It starts with a lightweight Caruba wood core. That’s a popular material for Armada, and also a popular material for touring skis from other brands. Then we get carbon reinforcements to add energy, strength, and responsiveness. Perhaps most impressively, however, Armada includes a metal laminate in the Locator models. While this application of metal is just centrally located underfoot, it provides more than just better binding retention, designed to also increase vibration damping throughout the ski and a smoother overall skiing experience. Considering that construction, it’s quite an achievement from Armada to keep the weight to such a minimum, obviously a valuable attribute for a ski that’s designed to go uphill.

That said, we all know the downhill is really the most important part (sorry Randonnée racers). The construction Aramda uses in the Locator series retains superb downhill performance for a such a lightweight ski. It’s bouncy, playful, and energetic, yet has some strength and stability as well. Impressive as the construction is, however, the downhill fun factor is more rooted in the ski’s shape. To start, we’re (obviously) 112 mm underfoot, which is true in every available length. The Locator 112 then uses abundant tip and tail rocker, although it’s more prominent in the tip, a nod to its directional nature. There’s still rise in the tail, yes, but you’d be hard pressed to describe this as an actual twin tip. The rocker profile is paired with matching early taper, and it gives the tip a somewhat pointy look to it. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is the long turn radius ranging from 22 m to 26 m from shortest to longest length options (166 to 187 cm). This is, even for most powder skis, a relatively straight shape. What happens when you combine the rocker and taper with this long cut is you get a ski that’s very drifty and smeary. It’s easy to release the tail edge and get the ski to pivot and slash, giving it a very modern feel in deep snow. You’re never locked into a turn on this thing, which is a great attribute for a ski that’s intended to venture deep into the backcountry. On the other hand, lay it squarely on edge, and it’ll make a bigger, high speed arcing turn. Certainly not the most powerful ski in the world, but among skis this light, it can handle some pretty aggressive skiing in big terrain.

So, who’s the Locator 112 best for? Realistically, you probably live out west. Sure, there’s an application for it on the east too, but the days where it’s most appropriate are fewer and further between. If you are on the east, you’ll want it for just the deepest of days. For those in more appropriate areas and with more vast terrain, however, this is your ticket to self-propelled powder laps in your favorite zone. Smear, slash, and flick them down a tight chute, or open it up and let it run in a big open powder bowl. If you’re looking for lightweight, good float, and a great skiing experience, you’ve come to the right place.