It’s been great to see the journey of the ARV series from Armada through the years. It feels like a culmination of past results have led to the 2024 ARV 94, and we’re all for it. Thanks to innovative construction techniques, new and interesting shaping, and a blend of park/all-mountain profile, this ski checks more boxes than its predecessor, all while keeping the freestyle and versatile character fully intact. While previous versions of the ARV series skis, most closely the outgoing ARV 96, used a blend of poplar and ash in the wood core, these new skis get a lighter wood to lean on, increasing the playfulness and maneuverability. One of the things we always touted about the 96 was that it felt incredibly durable and stable for a twin tip, and amazingly, that has not gone away, rather it’s been shifted to incorporate some new technology that we think is incredibly smart and useful, especially for a freestyle ski, but our feeling is that this will pop up in other Armada models as well.

The new new is the W3dgewall construction method, which basically uses a tongue and groove method to incorporate the sidewall into the base. This creates a more cohesive sandwich, as part of the structure of the sidewall is now basically part of the core. As a result, Armada is able to use their lighter caruba core in this ski, because when combined with w3dgewall, it strengthens the whole unit. So, rather than relying on denser woods to accomplish this task, they’re now utilizing this new technology that creates this unity within the ski, making it feel as stable and smooth, but at a lighter weight.

In addition to the implementation of w3dgewall and the new caruba core, we do get an ash binding insert for underfoot power as well as binding retention. These innovations make it easier to get up on edge, hold that edge, and minimize vibrations. From a shaping and profile perspective, the ski gets more early taper in both the tips and the tails. This aligns more with modern park ski evolution, allowing for smoother takeoffs and landings with less catching. At 94 mm underfoot, the skis boast 123 mm tips and 118 mm tails, so there’s not a whole lot of tip to tail taper, rather a more symmetrical footprint overall. These measurements lead to a 17-meter turn radius which is about industry standard for skis like this. That light weight certainly stands out, though with that 178 tipping the scale at 1650 grams per ski. While this is good news for lighter skiers, perhaps heavier or more aggressive freestylers will be happier on something stouter. Tip and tail rocker exist for both flotation and ease of entry/exit from turns and jumps, so if you’re looking for that mid-90's twin tip that can handle all-mountain conditions and terrain, this is a great place to be.

We’ve enjoyed seeing the technological process as well as the performance on snow from the new Armada ARV 94. By incorporating the sidewall into the core of the ski, they’ve definitely taken a huge leap forward with ski construction methodology. We’ve seen similar things with material joinery in some other skis this year, and it seems to make a lot of sense. With increased durability, maneuverability, agility, and energy, the new ARV 94 seems ready to take a leap in the all-mountain twin tip world.