2023 Armada Locator 104 Skis Review
By: Scott Lymburner, Program Manager Data & Supply Chain Operations | November 17, 2022
The Lowdown
New for the 22/23 season, the Locator series from Armada bridges the gap between lightweight construction and downhill performance. The Armada Locator 104’s are lightweight, playful, easy to maneuver rippers with plenty of pop. These skis want to go fast but they’re also easy enough to break free from a turn and smear to your heart's desire. They’ve got plenty of rocker in the tips to stay afloat on those deeper days and camber in the tails to keep you locked into your turns. The Armada Locator 104’s are truly the “one ski to rule them all” and a total blast to ride wherever you take them. If you want a ski that bombs at a touring weight, the Armada Locator 104’s are for you.
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Technical Details
With a 22m turn radius in the 178cm size the Locator’s just want to go. Because of that larger turn radius, you need to get the skis up to speed in order to really engage the edges. Once they’re up to speed, they’re a carver's dream on hardpack. The addition of Carbon Reinforcement in the layup offers the torsional rigidity and stability you want in a higher performance ski at a fraction of the weight. Where the Armada Locator 104’s set themselves apart is the dampness you feel in a ski this light. This characteristic is more typical of a bigger beefier ski that contains a full metal laminate. The dampness itself comes from the TI Binding Dampener which is a rubber sandwich with titanal in the middle underfoot. The tails of the skis are equipped with the AR Bat Tail Self Center Tail Clip Design. This not only a helpful feature for attaching a pair of skins but is a welcome addition in fresh snow and slushy conditions that helps bring the skis to life making turn initiation a breeze. The Armada Locator 104’s are that do-anything go-anywhere ski. They rip on hardpack, they’re easily controllable in steep technical terrain, and keep you afloat in pow even on the deepest of days.
| Sizes (cm) | 162, 170 , 178, 186 |
| Dimensions (Tip, Waist, Tail - mm) | 131 - 104 - 123 |
| Turning Radius (m) | 22 |
| Weight (per ski - g) | 1425 |
| Camber Profile | Rocker / Camber |
Ride Impressions
Groomers
Expect the unexpected. While I knew the Locator 104s would be fun in softer off-piste conditions, I did not expect them to perform as well as they did on corduroy. They offer tons of stability and confidence at speed that comes in a ski under 1500 grams. The 178’s seemed to ski slightly longer than the numbers suggest. I was more confident in adverse snow conditions and higher speeds on these than on my Atomic Backland 107s. From completely bulletproof to slush, the Armada Locator 104s handle any type of groomer you throw at them.Powder
With the addition of Smear Tech in the tips and tails, the base of the skis are slightly beveled to reduce the likelihood of catching your edges. Smear Tech is similar to the Hrzn Tech you see on Atomic skis. It’s incredibly helpful to keep those tips on top when the snow is fresh and deep. At 104 underfoot, these are not a powder specific ski but they do the job and then some, even in a couple feet of fresh. I never felt like I needed to keep my weight in the backseat to prevent my tips from submarining into deeper fresh snow conditions. These ride similar to an Atomic Backland 107’s and are in that same category as a lightweight one quiver ski. In my experience the Backlands are more susceptible to bouncing off hardpack snow, whereas the Locators have a much damper feel allowing you to more easily absorb impacts in chundery conditions. This alone sets these skis apart from anything else in this category.Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Pros
- Fun pow ski that is capable of predictably and reliably punching through variable conditions and inspiring confidence in most terrain types.
- Metal in the construction alongside an Aspen veneer core makes this a stable ski that is playful enough to smear and slash, but predictable enough to hold its own in a variety of other snow and terrain conditions.
- From a purely subjective point of view, the graphics are rad! The black matte top sheet with the lime green pops strikes the right balance of low key and stylish, and the bright green bases make these skis easily identifiable amongst the masses in ski racks in the post-après scene or when you unexpectedly lose a ski in the steep and deep and need to hunt it down.
Cons
- Metal in the ski adds a bit of weight.
- Although surprisingly versatile for a dedicated pow ski, the shape and design are not optimized for skiing as a daily driver and this ski is surely best suited as a quiver addition.
Who Are They For?
Skiers looking for a single ski quiver should strongly consider the Armada Locator 104’s. The construction and width is plenty of ski for even the deepest days, but not too wide to bomb around on some hardpack groomers and lay into some turns. Being as lightweight as they are, the Locator’s tour like a dream. Pair them up with a pair of the Armada Shift bindings and you’ve got a ski that can tackle any conditions both in and out of bounds.
The Bottom Line
The performance of the Armada Locator 104’s on hardpack was by far their standout quality. These are the most fun and enjoyable skis I’ve been able to ski on hands down. These skis give confidence in any condition in a weight that doesn’t tire you out. So you can keep going back for those free refills time and time again. The Locator 104’s excel on the skintrack but can also handle whatever type of snow you throw at them while skiing at the resort. The Smear Tech tips and tails give you a catch free feel. In fresh deep snow conditions they’ll help you out by keeping those tips on top rather than submarining into a full yard sale tomahawk. The TI Binding Dampener is what truly sets this ski apart from anything else in its category. If you like skiing fast with tons of control and confidence at a touring weight, get yourself a pair of the Armada Locator 104’s.
Shop the Armada Locator 104From the Brand
There’s an all new archetype for touring skis built around downhill performance.
The Locator Series is designed for adventures beyond the ropes where untouched powder and steep lines await. Combining phenomenal performance characteristics with super light weights, the four skis in this collection are the ultimate tools explore the mountains anywhere your legs, lungs and willpower can take you. Locator Series skis are balanced to excel on the up and the down in the enormous range of conditions found in the backcountry with float, stability and versatility at weights that won’t sap the energy needed to charge the descents. It’s okay to draw outside the lines.
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About the Reviewer
Name: Scott Lymburner
Age: 32
Height: 5’ 8”
Weight: 165
Size Reviewed: 178
Location(s): PNW on and off-piste in a variety of conditions from bulletproof to pow and some spring slush laps.
Mount point: Factory Recommended
Bindings: Armada Shift MNC 13 Alpine Touring Ski Bindings
Boots: Scarpa Maestrale RS Alpine Touring Ski Boots
Riding Style: I’m a Seattle transplant born and raised in Michigan. I started my snow sliding career on a pair of skis, switched to the dark side and snowboarded from 4th grade through my college years where I competed at Michigan State University. I found my way back to skiing 6 years ago and haven’t looked back. I like skiing fast and appreciate a ski that’s stable at speed but easier to maneuver in tight and steep terrain.