About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the skis, which I purchased with my own money in September of 2021.

My take

The Armada Declivity 108 TI is a great ski geared toward an advanced skier who is looking for a ski for soft snow and powder but can carve great. Additionally, the ski is stiff due to its metal core.

About the gear

• Model: 2022 Declivity 108 TI
• Size: 182cm

About me

• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 175lbs
• Experience: 26 years skiing, 16 years ski racing

Test conditions

• When I bought these: September 2021
• Days tested: 25+ days
• Mount position: Factory recommended
• Boots: 2022 Rossignol All Track Elite LV
• Boot Size: 26.5
• Bindings: 2021 Armada Warden 13
• Where I’ve used it: Mt. Bachelor, Lake Tahoe, Utah, and Canada
• Terrain: Groomer, mixed snow, and powder days.

How they perform

What I was looking for

I was looking to try these new skis from Armada that allegedly were built for not just floating the soft snow but shredding the groomers. Coming from Armada, that was a shock to hear, but having had some friends and colleagues in the ski industry ski them and rave about the versatility of the skis, I had to try them. I saw the new skis could, in fact, ski the soft snow really well and take them on the groomed runs and see how they feel.

Why I chose this gear

I bought these skis because I needed a wider ski than my carvers that would also work well in soft snow and powder conditions, so the 108 underfoot was a great fit. Having tried the Declivity 92 TI, I was so impressed by Armada that I really wanted to try the larger underfoot version. Armada also has the Tracer 108, which won ski of the year two years ago, but I liked the Declivity series because they can carve so much better. As a former ski racer, there is nothing better than carving a nice big turn, and the Declivity 108 can carve excellent for a ski that is 108mm underfoot.

What I love about them

• Speed: The speed on the Declivity 108 TI is fantastic. Armada gave these skis a race-style base known as a “Comp Series base,” giving it the fastest base right out of the plastic.
• Edge hold: Edge hold is also excellent. With the freeride rocker, the ski has an extra tip taper that is great for floating but has a positive camber under the foot and no tail rocker that ensures edge hold, so when carving, it holds great.
• Turns: Turns are great at low speed and excellent at high performance. The Declivity 108 has a 100% sidewall, giving the ski maximum torsional rigidity for hard carving. The skis are quick and nimble for having metal reinforcement in the core. It will be agile if someone wants the ski to be, or it will hold great on the big long turns.
• Groomers: On groomers, these 108s are fabulous. Not many large skis carve that well, but I can carve like I’m ski racing on the U.S. Ski Team. The edge hold makes me feel safe and sturdy as I carve on the groomer conditions.
• Powder: The floatation of these skis is great. I skied them in five inches of new powder on top of soft snow, and I skied them in 12 inches of new. They performed great in both conditions. The 108 underfoot is a great width for any new snow, from five to about 12 inches.
• Trees: As mentioned earlier, these skis are very versatile. These skis are nimble and agile if I want them to be. In the trees, they can shred the powder and make quick and sharp turns.
• Durability: Having skied these skis for many days, they have held up great, even having beaten them together many times while skiing. Good topsheet durability as well.
• Weight: Average weight, not too light where they don't feel sturdy, but not heavy when they feel like I’m skiing on concrete planks.
• Stability: These ride through all conditions like a boat. No chop or chatter. These skis just cruise through whatever I’m skiing.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Switch riding: There is not a big rocker on the tail of the ski, so landing jumps while riding switch is tough. It’s definitely a directional-engineered ski.

Favorite moment with this gear

When I skied the new Declivity 108s for the first time, I was beyond ecstatic to ride them. I had skied the 92 TIs before and really liked those, but the same ski with a little more under my foot? Even better. I took these skis for the first time with me to Palisades Resort at Lake Tahoe, where there is a lot of steep and deep terrain, more so than my home mountain at Mt. Bachelor. I could ski these on the new powder and ski some groomers, and I couldn’t keep a smile off my face as I was skiing. They were so quick, agile, and a fun, dynamic ski for being 108mm underfoot.

Value for the money vs. other options

These skis are expensive, but one pays for what they’re getting. Think of a high-end sports car versus a boring two-seater with nothing special. If someone is looking for a ski that can do it all, like a high-performance race car, then this is a ski for them. These skis compare to some of the other high-end all-mountain “charger” style skis. Some comparable skis are the Kastle 106 TI, which is also expensive but is an awesome ski. The Kastle 106 is very stiff, which takes a lot of energy to get moving. They ski kind of like a big plank at times. Another good comparable ski is the Volkl Mantra V Werks, which is carbon fiber-based, making it lighter but really, really stiff to turn.

Final verdict

The Declivity 108 TI is the best all-mountain workhorse for resort skiing. It can carve, it can float, and it can crush any condition. So whether the terrain wants one to open up or thread the needle, the Declivity 108 TI is the ski to have.