The ARV was Armada's original ski, and now the ARV family ranges up to 116mm waist. The ARV86 is the narrowest of the adult-aimed ARV collection, and consequently the most frontside-focussed.
So the versatility of these skis comes as something of a surprise. Yes, they are park skis at heart; they're easy to ollie and are light and poppy and make spinning as effortless as can be. They're also a joy to ski switch. Naturally they're centre-mounted, but what is more confidence-inspiring when travelling backwards at speed is that there is no hint of edge-catching, thanks to Armada's ability to nail the twin-tip profile.
But they're also great on piste. Lively, fun and - crucially - responsive in turns, which is rare in park skis and gives you more options when you're out on the mountain.
Even more impressive is the ARV86's performance off-piste. The flex pattern of park skis doesn't always translate to capability in powder, but these offer incredible bouncy fun in the soft snow. More importantly, as our Prime Minister might say, they are exceptionally strong and stable, given their 'intended' purpose.
Possibly the most impressive park skis we've ridden. Not just because they can handle the whole mountain, but because they can charge all over it. You won't find a more versatile 'all-mountain' ski anywhere near this price.
