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ARV 106 vs. 4frnt Devastator (2020)

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pistol209
Posts: 6 - Karma: 23
Trying to decide between the 2020 Armada ARV 106 and the 2020 4frnt Devastator. Looking for one ski to cover my powder and park days. I've done a lot of slopestyle competition in the past and can ski it all on powder days. Which ski performs best in powder and which ski performs best in the park? And lastly, which would cover powder and park the best?

I'm 6'1" 200lbs, looking at getting the 184 Devastator and 180 ARV106, plan to mount as close to center as possible, may do -1.
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Sep 24 2019 1:05AM
4 0
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pistol209
Posts: 6 - Karma: 23
Forgot to say I ski on the west coast, mostly Tahoe area.
Squaw, Kirkwood, Northstar, Mammoth
Sep 24 2019 1:09AM
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Austintexas25
Posts: 87 - Karma: 297
The Devastator is full rocker so it’ll feel very different from most skis. It’ll be more pivoty and loose but I hear it’s also a fairly good carver.
I don’t know anything about the arv
You should be on a much longer ski. I’m three inches shorter, almost half your weight and I ski a 181. I’d go for a ski in the 186-196 range if I were you
Sep 24 2019 3:26AM
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X-REY
Posts: 996 - Karma: 387
Haven't skied the ARV's, but I own the Devastators. I would say the Devastators perform better in powder than the ARV's due to their full rocker shape. The ARV's would be better in the park, so it depends on which is more important to you.
Sep 24 2019 9:26AM
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skicel
Posts: 201 - Karma: 550
I would check the Blister review for both of those skis. They said something about the Devastator being no so great on groomers and chop but pretty good in powder. I also remember them saying you had to size up in those skis so if you're gonna do some park then you would probs want the ARV 106 since it seems a little more responsive
Sep 24 2019 10:14AM
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pistol209
Posts: 6 - Karma: 23
Austintexas25The Devastator is full rocker so it’ll feel very different from most skis. It’ll be more pivoty and loose but I hear it’s also a fairly good carver.
I don’t know anything about the arv
You should be on a much longer ski. I’m three inches shorter, almost half your weight and I ski a 181. I’d go for a ski in the 186-196 range if I were you


Thanks for the response. I had no problems skiing a 181 center mount park ski but I do agree if I want the ski to perform decent in powder a larger ski is better. Right now I'm leaning towards the ARV 106 because I prefer some camber, the ARV also comes in a 188. If I got that size I would still mount -1 but I've never used a park ski that big, not sure how it would perform spinning in the park and on rails.
Sep 24 2019 10:40AM
1 0
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pistol209
Posts: 6 - Karma: 23
X-REYHaven't skied the ARV's, but I own the Devastators. I would say the Devastators perform better in powder than the ARV's due to their full rocker shape. The ARV's would be better in the park, so it depends on which is more important to you.


I would prefer to have the ski that performs better in the park so I'm leaning towards the ARV 106. Not sure if I should get the 180 or 188 and from reviews I've read online it seems mounting -1 is good. Any suggestions on mounting full center? And as I mentioned on another reply, not sure if 188 would be too much for the park, never been on a park ski that long.
Sep 24 2019 10:49AM
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X-REY
Posts: 996 - Karma: 387
pistol209I would prefer to have the ski that performs better in the park so I'm leaning towards the ARV 106. Not sure if I should get the 180 or 188 and from reviews I've read online it seems mounting -1 is good. Any suggestions on mounting full center? And as I mentioned on another reply, not sure if 188 would be too much for the park, never been on a park ski that long.


You honestly couldn't go wrong with either a 180 or 188. I think that with your weight/height, you would be okay going with a 188. Mounting -1 would be fine as well being that you wouldn't always be in the park. The 188's would be more stable on jumps.
Sep 24 2019 11:25AM
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pistol209
Posts: 6 - Karma: 23
coskiier1024I would check the Blister review for both of those skis. They said something about the Devastator being no so great on groomers and chop but pretty good in powder. I also remember them saying you had to size up in those skis so if you're gonna do some park then you would probs want the ARV 106 since it seems a little more responsive


thanks for the tip, I'll check out Blister. Leaning towards the ARV at this point. Trying to decide between the 180 and the 188 now...
Sep 24 2019 8:57PM
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skicel
Posts: 201 - Karma: 550
pistol209thanks for the tip, I'll check out Blister. Leaning towards the ARV at this point. Trying to decide between the 180 and the 188 now...


I'm 5'10" 200 and I'm getting the Vacation in 186 this year. So since you're 6' I'd say the 188 is a possibility, just depends on what you feel... aka how you ski, ability level, etc.
Sep 24 2019 9:44PM
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pistol209
Posts: 6 - Karma: 23
coskiier1024I'm 5'10" 200 and I'm getting the Vacation in 186 this year. So since you're 6' I'd say the 188 is a possibility, just depends on what you feel... aka how you ski, ability level, etc.

I just checked out the Vacation and it looks like an awesome ski. I like the dimensions on the 186, sounds like it would perform in the park and powder. As far as my ability level goes I can spin cork 9's all day in the park and don't really care to do much more than that, decent on rails but they're not my favorite, comfortable hitting 20-30' rock drops on powder days (depending on the type of landing obviously). Kinda wondering if the ARV 96 (184) would do ok in powder, they have a wider tip and tail at 128 and 118 which would help. It would also be a lot better in the park than the 106, just not sure if its enough ski for powder days. I think seeing both the skis in person would definitely help me decide for myself.
Sep 26 2019 2:16AM
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 4962 - Karma: 17,827
pistol209I just checked out the Vacation and it looks like an awesome ski. I like the dimensions on the 186, sounds like it would perform in the park and powder. As far as my ability level goes I can spin cork 9's all day in the park and don't really care to do much more than that, decent on rails but they're not my favorite, comfortable hitting 20-30' rock drops on powder days (depending on the type of landing obviously). Kinda wondering if the ARV 96 (184) would do ok in powder, they have a wider tip and tail at 128 and 118 which would help. It would also be a lot better in the park than the 106, just not sure if its enough ski for powder days. I think seeing both the skis in person would definitely help me decide for myself.


The ARV 96 is too narrow for an everyday Tahoe ski let alone a "powder" ski it is also not much of a charger.

Is it possible for you to have a park ski and a "big mountain" soft snow ski?
Sep 26 2019 3:18AM
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pistol209
Posts: 6 - Karma: 23
mystery3The ARV 96 is too narrow for an everyday Tahoe ski let alone a "powder" ski it is also not much of a charger.

Is it possible for you to have a park ski and a "big mountain" soft snow ski?


Yea right now I have a park ski and a powder ski but need to upgrade both so that's why I want to try one ski for everything and see how it works out. Leaning more towards the ARV 106, trying to decide between the 180 and 188, would likely mount -1. Not sure if the 188 would be too much in the park. I'm used to skiing a 181 park ski. If I end up going with the 188 and don't like it in the park too much I could always just buy a strictly park ski and keep those for powder all mountain, which in that case the 188 would be much better.
6.2.5
Sep 26 2019 10:02AM
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loadedburrito
Posts: 92 - Karma: 183
I ride at squaw and the snow gets choppy fast out there with all the people coming from bay area, sac, etc. I used to ride the arv 106's and managing the chop with those things is hard, the devastators charged nicely when I tried my friends (181) 2019 model, although i heard they slimmed it down it terms of weight so that might affect it's ability to charge but I would probably go for the arv 106 if you are planning on a lot of park laps
Sep 26 2019 3:29PM
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SavageBiff
Posts: 3483 - Karma: 14,752
We are basically the same height weight I’m 6 1 200 ish most the time and I just feel way better on a 186 + whereas anything in 180 area feels over the Handel barsey to me
Sep 26 2019 6:49PM
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