If there is such a thing a “daily driver backcountry touring ski” that can excel in both the best of conditions just as well as the worst of conditions, the 2024 Armada Locator 104 is going to be it. Whether you are planning a hut trip, looking for powder in the sidecountry, or pointing it down the fall line, the 104 is ready for your next adventure. Like all the Locator skis, the 104 is a touring ski that is designed around having a high degree of downhill performance. Which sounds great to us because that means that when you find that zone you have been searching for all your life, you don’t want to second guess the capabilities of your skis just before dropping in. Armada has done an amazing job to maintain this downhill performance while simultaneously reducing the weight of the skis for uphill efficiency. So, if you are looking for a touring ski for every condition and task for the backcountry, the 2024 Armada Locator 104 has got you covered. 

So how does Armada do it? How are they able to maintain downhill performance and uphill efficiency at the same time? The Locator 104’s construction of course! A Caruba wood core which is supported by both a Carbon Reinforcement and Titanal Binding Plate Dampener. Caruba is a great choice for a ski like this as it is a relatively low-density wood that is light yet still strong enough to be pushed hard. The Carbon Reinforcement layer adds torsional stiffness for edge grip as well as energy to the ski to make it responsive and intuitive without adding a ton of weight. A Titanal Binding Plate Damper underfoot offers even more edge grip and support while also dampen vibrations through variable snow. Finally the Titanal Binding Plate ensures a solid foundation for the bindings, because the last thing you need in the backcountry is a binding being ripped out from the ski. Together, these construction components collectively make the ski robust, energetic, and responsive yet light enough to take you where ever your legs can take you.

The Locator 104’s shape reflects its backcountry freeride application in both profile and sidecut. A twin-tip freeride profile offers float and maneuverability in deep snow conditions. Tip rocker is slightly longer than tail rocker with camber making up the rest of the ski. The pronounced tip rocker allows the skis to float above the soft snow and keep the pilot in control, while the camber provides energy as well as edge grip when encountering form snow. The tail rocker helps for maneuverability and pivoting when in soft snow, in other words making turn release smooth and easy to do in any situation. The Locator 104 has a very versatile sidecut that is well suited for a variety of snow depths: 131mm in the forebody, 104mm at the waist, and 122mm in the tails at the 178cm length. This sidecut permits floatation in all snow depths while balancing firm snow performance. The turning radius that is produced is 22 meters, which puts it right in the range of a freeride ski. The Locator 104’s shape lends it to be a playful ski that loves to slash, smear, drop cliff, and carve, which is more than what you can ask from a lot of other touring skis.

For every condition, every mission, or adventure in the backcountry, the 2024 Armada Locator 104 is truly the one-ski-quiver in terms of a backcountry touring ski. By designing it around downhill performance and keeping the weight to a minimum, they can ascend and descend in a balanced and high performing fashion. So, if you are looking for a ski that can take you deep into the backcountry to find the lines of your dreams without draining you of energy, the Locator 104 is the one for you. With unprecedented downhill performance, these touring skis are ones that you will not be second guess when about to drop into a rowdy line.