Armada ARG Review
I’ve wanted to try a true funshape ski ever since the Volant Spatula came out, but sadly opportunities to ski such skis are few and far between in Australia. A couple of years ago I had the chance to ski Skifree’s DPS Lotus 120s which have an early rise tip, but are not a true funshape. At the Jindabyne Ski Swap this long weekend my funshape dreams came true. There were a pair of Armada 2006 ARGs (the current model is unchanged) which are almost a true reverse camber reverse side cut ski (Like the Volant Spatula was). I fell in love and grabbed them instantly before anyone else saw what a bargain they were.
The Armada ARG is a specialist off piste ski, you can ski them on the groomers, but I would not recommend it. These skis are a modification of the original specialist off piste ski design, the Volant Spatula, which had a continuous reverse sidecut (the waist is the widest part of the ski) and reverse camber (the waist of the ski touch the snow with the tip and tail raised). The ARG has a ~60cm section underfoot which is dead flat and i-beam stiff with the dimensions 135mm-133mm-134mm. This makes the ski more manageable on hard snow than a true reverse-reverse design (reverse sidecut and reverse camber). The tip of the ski then becomes narrower to a width of 125mm at the tip and 120mm at the tail.
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Why would you want such a wacky ski? Well not if you ski the groomers and avoid variable off piste conditions, but if you do like skiing off piste skis like the ARG will make it more fun, especially in variable conditions. In good quality snow they are better than the conventional all mountain design of ski preferred in Australia. The ARGs can be skied like a race ski and give you heaps of pop out of the turn, they can be skied like a more conventional ski in powder and they also give you the option of throwing them sideways to scrub off speed in tight spaces or in the trees. The biggest advantage of a funshape design however is it is impossible to bury the tips of these skis, so much so they reward you with more performance the further forward you get.
It is in bad off piste conditions where these skis shine. They lap up ice to wind blown transitions, breakable crust, rotten snow and baseless snow. When it is windy you often have to transition between wind scoured ice and drifts of wind blown snow. The ARGs will slide along the ice, and when you hit the wind blown they will predicably continue sliding rather than catching a ski. Also if you come across an icy section you can straight line it and when you get back to the wind blown snow throw the skis sideways to scrub off speed and then continue to enjoy the windblown.
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In breakable crust the reverse-reverse tip and tail of the ARGs do not hook up, instead they slice through the crust, allowing you to ski as if the crust weren’t there. No more gorilla turns or being unexpectedly thrown off your skis. In rotten snow they feel like they do in any other difficult condition, 100% predictable and when the snow has no base their wide girth allow you to ski where others on narrower skis would be trashing their bases on rocks and other nasties.
However for all of these advantages the ARGs have a host of disadvantages. They are difficult to edge and tiring to traverse. This is a problem of all wide skis, but the short running length of the ARGs on hard snow makes this problem worse. You can ski them on the piste, but it looks silly and I would best describe them as manageable. Since the reverse camber starts just in front of your toe and about 10cm behind your heel they are actually easier to ski switch on the groomers than forwards. Since they are like i-beams underfoot if you take the time to set up your turn and initiate it with a small pivot you can carve the ARGs, but the wildy flapping tips and tails look ridiculous.
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Are the disadvantages worth it? For me yes. I ski off piste whenever I have the chance and I make an extra special effort to get up to the hill on freshie days. They are heavy, but suitable for slackcountry adventures, especially close to the resort or lift assisted ones. I can manage the skis when conditions are hard and I own a quiver of skis.
I would recommend the ARGs or any other funshape to any Australian Telemarker who loves off piste skiing, is happy to hike for a couple of turns of freshies and has a quiver. I would not recommend them to anyone without a quiver, who prefers lighter skis, true backcountry or the groomers. If you get the chance try any true funshape (in appropriate conditions), even if you don’t like them it will be a great experience.
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Richard Hocking