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2013 Armada AR7 vs ARV

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tilem
Posts: 309 - Karma: 57
Hey guys, I need a new pair of skis for next winter and I was thinking about these two. My last two pairs were AR6 and Thall. I'm about 5'9 and weight 145 pounds.
I mostly ski park but sometimes powder. When I say park, it's most of the time rails because we no more have jumps.

What's your suggestion?

Thanks!
Aug 26 2012 9:47PM
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AndyGreen
Posts: 827 - Karma: 61
gear talk
Aug 26 2012 10:02PM
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A-Mac.
Posts: 261 - Karma: 71
.
Aug 26 2012 10:48PM
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Aiden-P
Posts: 1310 - Karma: 38
.
Aug 26 2012 10:58PM
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KillaSteeze
Posts: 3329 - Karma: 351
if your gonna ski powder with them, the ARV will probaly be better because they are abit wider then the AR7's, not sure how they will be on rails compared to the AR7's tho
Aug 26 2012 11:04PM
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TChronic
Posts: 287 - Karma: 82
jumps you no have. recommend gear talk i do.
Aug 26 2012 11:08PM
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
ARVS are great in the park and the extra width helps for other stuff, id say get the ARVs
Aug 27 2012 1:29AM
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RockNRollNghtClb
Posts: 2013 - Karma: 2,509
i was also debating this decision..... I'm about 6 foot and was thinking about getting the 185s but how heavy are they? are they super flexy? how about the durability?
Aug 27 2012 1:50AM
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KillaSteeze
Posts: 3329 - Karma: 351
seems great for everything

Aug 27 2012 1:51AM
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
theyre not heavy at all, and the flex is medium, def on the softer side but not complete noodles. i wouldnt mind a bit more stiffness though. and besides the topsheets getting chipped out like any other skis all the time, ive been amazed at the durability.. i treat my skis like shit and over and over ill get back to the car and check them out and find them in great shape even though i spent half the day hitting rocks. that's one of the reasons i decided on them when i bought them, the bases are durable but still nice and fast, i can't count how many times ive overrun people on the flats and on traverses cause my bases were in better shape
Aug 27 2012 1:37PM
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tilem
Posts: 309 - Karma: 57
Sorry for my bad english..is it possible to move the thread to gear talk?
So if I understand ARVs are softer than the AR7? Are they a lot wider?
Aug 27 2012 3:12PM
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WI_Personallty
Posts: 881 - Karma: 161

mod's will move it.

Aug 27 2012 3:59PM
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KillaSteeze
Posts: 3329 - Karma: 351
The 181 AR7's dimensions are 120/87/110
and the 185 ARV's dimensions are 130/95/119

so the ARV is overall around 8-10mm wider
Aug 27 2012 4:07PM
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Joonas
Posts: 568 - Karma: 230
Im not sure about the new arv's but my 10/11 ones were pretty shit, i wouldnt suggest them for park and pow option, more like 60%all mountain 20% powder and 20% park. They are pretty stiff too, if you like doing butters and like skis with pop, then the arv is not the best option. I also skied under 10 days before the edges chipped, and in under 30 days they were unskiable. The arv has the traditional side cut which isnt too good for anything.

The only good thing was they wont wash out on you cause of the stiffness, and the width helps on 50/50s + they come in longer lengths than the usuall park ski

I suggest something like line blend, or maybe the new salomon rocker 2s in 95mm underfoot? (dont listen to me tough, thats just an opinion without any actuall knowledge)
Aug 27 2012 4:23PM
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
not to get in an argument about something as subjective as liking a ski or not, but too stiff for butters? they are definitely not a stiff ski, nevermind too stiff for butters... and what do you mean by "they have the traditional side cut which isnt too good for anything?"

not to be a dick but your review just seems off in a few ways
Aug 27 2012 4:42PM
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Joonas
Posts: 568 - Karma: 230
By that i ment, if you compare the traditional shape to skis like armada halo, the halo will float on soft slushy snow and powder alot better than the arv. But my main point was, dont get the ARV, get something else.
Aug 27 2012 6:09PM
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tilem
Posts: 309 - Karma: 57
I was thinking about the ARVs because they look like a fun pair of skis to ride and a bit larger for powder. And I presently ride a pair of 171 Thall but they are a bit small so I was heading for 181 or something like that. I can still use them sometimes so maybe the ARVs would be better because Thall and AR7 is more similar..
But if I go with the ARVs, I don't know which ones between 185 and 175. 185 is kind of big and 175 is not really more long than my pair of 171.

Let's say I ride 75% park and 25%pow.
Aug 27 2012 10:23PM
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
you mean sidecut or camber?

and to philL, it depends how tall you are.. but if youre in the middle of two sizes def round up, i regretted not getting the next size up when i got mine and it's not like theyre unforgiving skis, theyre really easy to handle
Aug 28 2012 12:05AM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
Another owner of ARVs here, and I can tell you don't know anything about skis.

OP listen to Rubbersol, he is giving you good honest advice.
Aug 28 2012 12:11AM
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The_JiBeRiSh4
Posts: 24 - Karma: 10
dudde AR6's
Aug 28 2012 12:47PM
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YewTard
Posts: 619 - Karma: 196
I own ARVs and AR6s. To whoever said ARVs are stiff and not good for butters...wtf? ARVs, while not complete noodles, are pretty damn soft. I love both skis but mainly ride my ARVs because my 6's are too small for me. Both can ski all mtn and both can ski park. The AR7s are gonna struggle in deep pow at 87 underfoot and the ARVs will handle it better at 95- that being said, if it's a really deep day, neither are a true pow ski.

If it's a true deep day I have my CRJs, but if I don't know what the hell I'm going to encounter on the mtn that day I reach for the ARVs because they can literally do everything- a Jack of all trades- not the best park ski, not the best pow ski, but can do everything pretty damn well none the less. If I know I'm going to be spending more time in the park that day with an occasional groomer lap or tree run to mix things up, the AR6/AR7 is the ski of choice.

I'd like to get a pair of 7s this year but with 181 being the longest length I just don't know if it makes sense (I'm 6'2)
Aug 28 2012 8:20PM
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tilem
Posts: 309 - Karma: 57
ARVs are supposed to be softer than AR7s? how do they compare on rails?
Aug 29 2012 7:57PM
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
yeah i think theyre a tiny bit softer than ar7s from what i can remember. and theyre great on rails, not a problem in the world there

i dont mean to sound like a salesman, i just have been super impressed at how well they handle everything. wished for some more length and stiffness when i was really charging sometimes, and some more width and maybe some rocker on the deep days, but if that was the case they wouldnt be as sick on park days so it's all a compromise. it sucks trying to have a one ski quiver but if you have to this is a solid choice and that's why i used them for last season
Aug 29 2012 8:11PM
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japanada
Posts: 13785 - Karma: 1,956
I rode ARVs for a season center mounted while I lived in WI, I FUCKING LOVED THEM! Light, flexy, with enough width for some powpow! They weigh about the same imo. Do it, you wont be disappointed.
Aug 29 2012 9:12PM
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tilem
Posts: 309 - Karma: 57
Thanks for the reviews I appreciate! I'm still a bit scare how they will act in park...since my last two pairs were ar6 and thall. I still got some months to think about it
Aug 30 2012 7:22PM
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