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Expert Review: Armada Declivity 88 C Skis · 2023

Published on 04/12/2023 · 5 min readThis review is my honest opinion of the skis, which I purchased with my own money in January of 2023.
Austen Law, Ski Expert
By Ski Expert Austen Law

All photos courtesy of Austen Law

About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the skis, which I purchased with my own money in January of 2023.

My take

The Armada Declivity 88C is an ideal all-mountain option for the advanced to expert skier looking for a ski that emphasizes carving like a champion. Their carbon, metal, and wood core provides extreme lightweight but does not compromise the ability to carve and rebound well. They carve like a race ski, absorb vibration like a freeride ski, and pop and rebound like a park ski.

About the skis I own

  • Model: 2023 Armada Declivity 88C TI
  • Size: 184cm

About me

  • Height: 6’0”
  • Weight: 185 lbs
  • Experience: 26 years of skiing

Test conditions

  • When I bought these: January 2023
  • Days tested: 15+ days
  • Mount position: Factory Recommended
  • Boots:2022 Salomon S/Race 130
  • Boot Size: 26.5
  • Bindings: 2023 Armada Warden 13
  • Where I’ve used it: Mt. Bachelor, Lake Tahoe, Mt. Hood
  • Terrain: Groomer, mixed snow, wet snow, 2–5 inches of new snow

How they perform

Carving
5/5
Durability
5/5
High Speed Stability
5/5
Turn Ease
5/5
Flotation
3/5
Versatility
3/5

What I was looking for

Knowing Armada has always had a background of park-style riding and freeride DNA in their skis, it was a breath of fresh air to hear that they had created a carver ski. Being 88Cmm underfoot, it allows one to charge hard on the groomers but also gives a little float underfoot to ski on just about everything.

Why I chose this gear

I was in search of a ski that could carve hard and provide me with more versatility (my previous race skis could only handle the groomers). The 88C Declivity gave me some room to ski hard on the groomer but also ski the mixed snow off the side and ski a little soft snow if it was a light powder day. The other options I looked at include the Volkl Blaze 84 and the Kastle FX85. While both are high-performing options, they just don’t carve as well as the Armada Declivitys.

What I love about them

  • Speed: The speed of the Declivity 88C is phenomenal. Right out of the plastic, these are ready to ski fast. The Declivity 88Cs have a polyethylene base with added carbon to create a fast, durable base.
  • Edge hold: The Declivity 88C provides a great hold to feel confident and secure in small or large turns. These skis hold well with a lot of powder put into the turn and are quick and nimble when I need to make short turns.
  • Turns: I usually ski 182–186cm, but the 184cm ended up being a great fit. They turn well at high speed and give lots of power through the turn, and are agile and nimble when I want to move the ski quickly. They can transition between being a quick slalom ski and a stable and charging giant-slalom-type ski. The sidewall cut, from the 100% sidewall, provides maximum torsional rigidity for hard carving.
  • Groomers: The Declivity 88C is a carving-focused ski that absolutely crushes groomer conditions. I can ski like a racer and feel confident doing so.
  • Trees: In tree terrain, the 88mm underfoot allows for quick skiing and easy side-to-side movement for turning.
  • Durability: I skied these for over 15 days and the topsheet doesn’t appear beat up that badly. The additional carbon added to the base aids in longevity.
  • Weight: This ski is very light and very nimble. The Caruba core helps reduce the weight but doesn’t compromise the ability to hold hard turns. In addition, the core makes no performance compromise: it is both ultra-light and hard-charging.
  • Stability: I cruise through all conditions like a dream with these skis. There is no chatter if I am not engaging the ski—as some skis with a metal-reinforced core tend to do.

Issues I’ve encountered

  • Switch riding: These skis are directional carvers, so trying to ride these backward is a challenge. They do have a gentle-rise rocker off the tail, but it’s not large enough to ski backward all day.
  • Versatility: These are straightforward carver skis. So, one can’t really ski all mountain with these—unless it’s mixed snow and maybe some chunder.
  • Powder: As an 88mm underfoot, these aren’t an ideal skis for skiing any light snow. There’s not much ski to float in the soft snow.

Favorite moment with this gear

It was a perfect bluebird day at Mt. Bachelor in Central Oregon. I saw the grooming team had done an excellent job of making some great runs overnight, so I knew it was going to be an excellent day for the Armada Declvity 88Cs. It was time to make some big, long giant slalom turns at speed, and I knew these were the skis to do it.

Value for the money vs. other options

Are they worth the money? In my mind, absolutely. They bridge the gap between a high-performance carver ski and a versatile all-mountain ski. Some other similar skis are the Volkl Blaze 94—though these don’t carve as well and aren’t as dynamic. Also, the Kastle FX 85 is a good alternative, but they only turn like a giant slalom ski, so they’re not as nimble or quick as the Declivity 88C.

Final verdict

The Armada Declivity 88C is an awesome, new, modern all-mountain ski with a carving emphasis and some excellent frontside ambition. The 88C is a high-performance, one-ski quiver that can shred anything on the mountain. They’re geared toward the high-end carving junkie who wants to ski everything.

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