About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the skis, which I purchased with my own money in October of 2022.

My take

The Armada Declivity 108 Ti is a great ski geared toward an advanced skier looking for a ski for soft snow and powder but can carve great. The 108 Ti is stiff from the metal core.

About the gear I own

• Model: 2023 Declivity 108 Ti
• Size: 182cm

About me

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

Test conditions

• When I bought these: October 2022
• Days tested: 15+
• Mount position: Factory recommended
• Boots: 2022 Rossignol All Track Elite LV
• Boot Size: 26.5
• Bindings: 2022 Armada Warden 13
• Where I’ve used it: Mt. Bachelor
• 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, allegedly 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 the Armadas. I saw the Armadas could ski the soft snow really well and on the groomed runs, and I wanted to see how they felt.

Why I chose this gear

I bought these skis because I needed a wider ski than my carvers that would 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” from Ski Magazine 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: Speed on the Declivity 108 Ti is fantastic. Armada gave these skis a race-style 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 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 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 one wants the ski to be, or it will hold great on the big long turns.
• Groomers: These 108s are fabulous on groomers. Not many skis that large carve well, but these skis 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 flotation is great. I skied the 108 Ti skis in 5 inches of new on top of soft snow and 12 inches of new. They perform great in both conditions. The 108 underfoot is a great width for any new snow, from 5 to about 12 inches.
• Trees: As mentioned earlier, these skis are very versatile. The 108s are nimble and agile if I want them to be. In the trees, they can shred the powder and make quick and sharp turns as they are 108mm underfoot and have a great hip shape and sidewall to make ripping turns.
• Durability: Having skied these skis for many days, they have held up well, even having beaten them together many times while skiing. The 108s have a good durable topsheet. They haven’t had too much beating from ski-to-ski contact.
• Weight: Average weight. The 108s aren’t too light where they don't feel sturdy, but not heavy where they feel like I’m skiing on concrete planks.
• Stability: These ride through all conditions like a boat. No chop or chatter. The Declivity 108s cruise through whatever I’m skiing.

Issues I’ve encountered

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

Favorite moment with this gear

When I skied these new Declivity 108s for the first time, I was beyond ecstatic to ride them. I had skied the 92 Ti before and really liked it, but the same ski with a little more under my foot? Even better. I took these skis for the first time 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 quick, agile, and a fun, dynamic ski for 108mm underfoot.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Declivity 108 Ti skis are expensive. However, 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, this is a ski for them. The 108s are comparable to some other high-end all-mountain “charger” style skis, including 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 ski comparable ski is the Volkl Mantra V.Werks, which is carbon fiber-based, making it lighter but 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 someone to open up or thread the needle, the Declivity 108 Ti is the ski to have.