The Armada Reliance 88 C is a highly versatile all-mountain ski that will satisfy the needs of a big swath of skiers. It’s fun, it’s relatively easy to ski, it can handle groomers and off-piste terrain with ease, and on top of all that, it’s impressively affordable as well. We think it’s fair to say the Ti versions of the Reliance skis have earned more attention than the 88 and 82 C, but realistically, the C might be a better choice for a lot of skiers. It’s easy as consumers to look at a price difference and think that the lesser option is worse, for some reason, but that’s really not true here. While the Reliance Ti skis have excellent vibration damping, if you’re not skiing particularly fast, that’s not a huge concern. On the other hand, these C versions have more energy, they’re lighter, and they feel a bit more responsive, which is actually a benefit for skiers who don’t need that extra vibration damping. It would also be completely inaccurate to say they’re not relatively stable in their own right, as the Reliance 88 C still has a very supportive flex pattern.

The difference between the Reliance 88 C and Reliance skis that use metal is simply the inclusion of carbon fiber rather than titanal laminates. Interestingly, the flex pattern of a ski comes more from its wood core than additional materials, so the flex pattern of the 88 C is actually quite close to the 92 Ti or other Reliance models. The difference, then, lies more in how it feels and how it reacts to skier input. With the Carbon Reinforcement, you get a lot more energy, quickness, and responsiveness. Those are properties that are relatively synonymous with carbon construction and are super beneficial for skiers who prefer slower or more moderate speeds. With that skiing style, the extra vibration damping of metal is somewhat lost, and having a more responsive ski is far more rewarding. So, take a moment to think about your own skiing. If you feel like one of the faster skiers on the mountain, perhaps you do need some metal, otherwise, a ski like this Reliance 88 C may be perfect for you.

The shape makes for an exceptionally versatile ski. We get an 88 mm waist width in all lengths, a turn radius that ranges from 15.7 to 17.2 m, and a rocker/camber/rocker profile with emphasis on directional skiing, thus using more tip rocker than tail. The result is a ski that’s perfectly appropriate on groomed slopes, but wide enough and maneuverable enough to handle softer snow conditions and off-piste terrain. It is truly an all-mountain ski. Although it might not be super wide, the shaping makes it nice and smooth even in deeper snow conditions. You can’t expect it to float like a powder ski, but you can expect it to feel intuitive and relatively easy to ski even when things get a bit on the deep side.

The Reliance 88 C isn’t going to win any popularity contests. I can guarantee that. But why not? You could make a very legitimate argument that there are more skiers out there who should be choosing a ski like this over a Reliance 92 Ti, Kenja 88, or another powerful ski with metal. In a lot of ways, it’s kind of a bummer you don’t see more skis like this on the slopes. We always want what’s bigger, better, faster, or replace any one of those with whatever superlative makes the most sense for you. Often times, however, skiers don’t need a superlative ski. They need something approachable, forgiving, and fun. Skiing’s all about fun, after all, sostop worrying about having the “best” and get out there on a Reliance 88 C and have some fun!