Sturdy, fun, and incredibly useful, the 2024 Armada ARV 106 returns unchanged except for a spicy new graphic. This ski has long been known for its blend of freeride fun and freestyle creativity. The big caveat here with this ski is that it’s not a lightweight plaything. This ski has some heft to it for sure, and that sets it apart from a lot of other skis in this realm. Additionally, this ski does not use metal in the build, so that’s another separation from other skis like Nordica’s Enforcer 104 Free. Mainly, skiers who are in the market for an ARV 106 already know that this ski is about as stout and sturdy as it gets for this width range—the fact that it does it without metal is even more rare and impressive. Meant to be used in softer snow and in a playful format, this ski will withstand some serious use, and that’s just the way Armada likes it. Sure, there’s a park application here, as this ski is most certainly a twin tip after all. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that the rotations will be more lumbering, and the maneuverability will be slightly lower than that of more modern, narrower freestyle skis. 

How does a ski without metal get to be this weight? Armada basically puts a race core in this ski by combining poplar and ash. The Ash wood is very dense and stiff, so that creates most of the mass involved. It’s pretty thick, too, with the AR75 sidewalls doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to underfoot stability and power. Since the ski goes to more of a cap build to the tips and tails, Armada is able to adjust the swing weight to ensure proper agility. In the 180, the ski weighs 2125 grams and that is not unsubstantial. It’s pretty stiff as well, so there’s a lot of performance to be had here, especially at the top end of the ceiling.

We’ve always loved the shape and profile of this ski, and it’s great that those attributes are not changing for next year, at least. The smear tech makes a lot of sense, as it offers a unique way to make the ski smoother and driftier in the fresh snow without adding width or surface area. This allows the ski to keep its longer turn shape of 20.5-meters in the 180, giving the 106 a more direct feel when asked by the skier. As a twin tip, we’re seeing some fairly dramatic splay in the tips and tails, and one of the interesting components here is that the ski moves from sidewall to cap when the rocker ends and the camber begins. This makes sense in that the ends of the skis are considerably floatier and more maneuverable than the rest of the ski. For a playful 106, this is a very nice feeling to have. In this way, the build, shape, and profile come together in glorious harmony. This ski falls more to the symmetrical side of the spectrum with 134 mm tips and 124 mm tails surrounding the 106 mm waist. As such, the ARV 106 makes very clean and round turns, and you can ski it centrally with confidence and ease.

We’ve always appreciated this ski for what it is, and have never wished it was anything else. There needs to be room out there in the ski world for a wider, fun-loving, yet sturdy twin tip that can withstand strong skiing and aggressive riding. The ARV 106 is just that ski. It feels substantial on your feet, especially underfoot, yet in softer snow it retains a lot of agility and flotation mainly because of the cohesion between the different parts of the ski. While symmetrically shaped, it’s not symmetrically built, and that’s part of the charm of the elusive ARV 106.