2026 Armada Declivity X 108

Now in its second season of existence, the 2026 Armada Declivity X 108 returns structurally unchanged. It remains an absolute heat-seeking missile of a ski, built and shaped to charge through crud, chop, and powder with ease. While many skis that are designed to do this come with the caveat of being lumbering or laborious, this X 108 is surprisingly nimble. This is also quite a departure in terms of shape from the slightly narrower X 102 in terms of turn shape. Jumping ahead a bit, the main point of this ski is that it has a longer 24-meter arc in the 184, so it’s meant to be direct to the fall line and operate with speed and velocity. Overall, this is a total blast to ski in anything soft. It’s a technical ski that does need a skilled pilot to ensure proper performance.

Built with a full poplar core and Armada’s Articulated Titanal Banding, the Declivity X 108 blends smoothness, agility, and power all at the same time. The wood core makes the ski consistent and energetic while the elastomer-filled titanal laminate keeps the ski smooth and powerful with a ton of torsional flex but somewhat rigid longitudinal blend. This provides a capable sense of performance with a very predictable outcome. In the 184, we’re getting a weight of 2150 grams per ski to go along with a relatively stiff flex. Tester Grant Wieler notes that “It’s an absolute rocket ship. I was surprised, for how progressive the construction/flex is that it wasn’t more playful. I found they preferred to stick to the ground and just charge. I did not find the speed limit on these skis in soft snow and spring bumps. While they may not have been as playful/springy as I expected, they were incredibly responsive. Overall, a hard charging and confidence inspiring ski.” That’s the main idea here, and when packaged in a wider bodied format, soft snow beware!

The shape is the fun part here, with a super-long turn radius to go along with a wider overall footprint. With a sidecut split of 130/108/121 mm, this 184 generates a 24-meter “arc.” It’s almost not a radius compared to a lot of other skis out there these days. One of the aspects that gets a bit lost is that straighter skis are easier to throw sideways, so even though this is a strong and somewhat burly ski, the straightness of it allows for easier mobility versus a ski that wants to hook up and carve. Bob St.Pierre states that “The shape of this ski is somewhat misleading. You can let it run but also get some good agility here. We had it in some softer snow and I was surprised at how well it got from one turn to the next. Not a real carver, but that’s not really the point.” Most modern freeride skiing does seem to mix the slarve and the drift rather than high-speed carves through crud and chop, and that’s where this ski excels.

It’s not the easiest ski to get the hang of. I think that intermediates and even some advanced skiers won’t see the big picture here. Experts and those with aggressive skiing preferences will fit in just fine, allowing for variable turn shapes and styles but with the required effort to make it all possible. If you’re a frequent skier and are looking for that mid-fat ski for softer snow days, and you don’t want to give up power and agility at the same time, this Declivity X 108 has a wonderful mix.