2026 Armada ARV 94

By blending the best of twin tip technology and fun-loving freeride performance, the 2026 Armada ARV 94 is just a whole lot of fun. We get a graphic update for this year, but the ski returns otherwise unchanged. It’s still a very fun, peppy, and mobile ski that blurs the lines between park, all-mountain, and freeride skiing. The mid-90's is a great place to be in terms of overall versatility, and when you add a twin tip to the mix, it just makes it more fun. In terms of skiing, more fun is more good. The ARV 94 also is able to span a variety of skier types and abilities, making skiing accessible for intermediates and satisfying the needs of more demanding advanced and expert skiers.

Last year, we saw the move from caruba to poplar in the core, and while it took a bit of electricity out of the ski, it also made them smoother and more durable—an acceptable trade from a construction perspective. We’re still seeing that full poplar core in this ski and Armada’s W3dgewall sidewall technology continue. Other than that, it’s pretty simple in terms of the build. The only other point of note is that the core thickness of the 94 here is more ample than that of the wider 100 and 106, giving this ski a bit more stiffness and strength for big jumps and landings, emphasizing the park focus of this ski. Phil McGrory notes that the ski excels in “variable terrain and off-trail. The ski is very nimble and playful allowing you to take it down a variety of terrain.” It does take a somewhat sturdy ski to be amenable to various types of snow conditions and trail choices. The ash binding insert helps here but doesn’t really deliver the type of power and smoothness versus a full ash core or even stringers. In the 178, the ski weighs 1800 grams per ski.

The shape of these skis is pretty darn symmetrical, adding to the freestyle capacity. Boasting sidecut measurements of 123/94/118 in the 178, the ski only has a 5 mm drop in tip and tail width. This leads to balance and excellent performance in a switch realm. This leads to a 17-meter turn radius, and much of that is accessible by the mid-range flex pattern. Tester Bob St.Pierre states “I'd say this ski belongs in the park or in the trees, but mostly park. You should ski it in the trees on your way to the park. It carves fine, but you can't really push it too hard. The twin tip makes it incredibly playful and creative. This ski is super mobile and wicked agile. It goes exactly where you put it with no fight and no fuss. It feels like more of a true park ski with some all-mountain character rather than an all-mountain twin.” Much of the footprint backs up Bob’s theory here, that this 94 is a well-positioned ski for freestyle with the added bonus of handling other things as well.

This is a fairly accessible ski for intermediates and advanced skiers, whether they’re interested in slopestyle or not. Some people just like twin tips, and if they’re more symmetrical than directional, then so much the better. At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun out there, and if the shape of this ski allows you to do that more, then go right for it. No need to be a park-specific skier here, but if you are, this one is a great choice.