One of the ski industry's worst-kept secrets is finally out. Today sees the official unveiling of AR ONE, the first line of boots under the Armada name. Did we all know it was coming? Mostly. Was it inevitable ever since the brand moved under the Amer umbrella? Probably. Do they look amazing? Absolutely.

The boot concept is a combination of 4-buckle overlap and 3-buckle cabrio elements, with the aim of making the best boot possible for free-minded skiers. The flex is driven from the spine of the boot (more overlap style, but with a cabrio tongue controlling about 20% or so of the movement and providing a cabrio-like feel. None of the boots has a walk mode, but the 130-flex model does come with tech inserts in the toe, to allow for the use of hybrid bindings like the Shift (and, hush hush CAST/Duke PT).

Max Palm in the new boot (he's on Armada now in case you missed that

Aside from the occasionally suspect terminology (Natty Flex, Kush Boot Board), Armada has followed a clear and well-directed vision here, of making a boot for freeskiers of all kinds. The AR ONE project began with an in-depth industry survey. Armada identified key issues that skiers face: poor heel hold, shin and toe bang, liner discomfort, a lack of direct and precise steering, and continual compromises between optimizing performance and comfort. From there, they incorporated a bunch of features you see many freeskiers adding to their boots, booster straps for example, with the top strap of the new boot featuring a very familiar elastic + ratchet concept. The liner is designed with PU bands on the outside to stop it slipping in the boot and there is a dynamic strap across the instep to boost heel hold. They also reached across the brand divide, bringing familiar Amer boot features, like memory fit, to the party.

“We wanted to make the boot that real skiers are looking for,” says Bransford Briggs, Ski Boot Product Line Manager at Armada. “Our objectives were to maximize heel hold while delivering a progressive flex and direct power transfer in a boot that is comfortable to wear all day, every day. To do that we needed to develop a new concept, and that is what led us to create the AR ONE’s Hybrid Cabrio Construction.”

The initial launch of the boot, available from selected retailers on January 10th, is available in 130 and 110 flex and in sizes 24.5, 26.5 & 27.5. The full 23.5-29.5 size run will be available in the Fall, as will 120, 100 & 90 flex options.