In the early 2000s, the way some people skied changed. What became known as freeskiing was a departure from anything previously known. Freeskiing shared the freedom of snowboarding, skateboarding, and surfing and was completely different from the previous slope skiing. This movement created space for a new generation of skiers.
A little more than a handful of people based in the epicenter of skiing wanted to adapt the team-based model of snowboarding and skateboarding to a ski brand. Five skiers and a photographer from the U.S., Canada and Europe, consisting of JP Auclair, Tanner Hall, JF Cusson, Julien Regnier and Boyd Easley, along with snowsports photographer Chris O'Connell, founded Armada.
"Armada. What skiing will become."
After its founding, the business moved in November 2002 from a basement home office in Truckee, California, to a building in Costa Mesa, the beach town that is home to so many of the world's biggest skate and surf brands. Athletes drove the company forward, with Eric Iberg as the first team manager, as well as co-founder Hans Smith, who ran the company then, as he does now.
In June 2015, Armada moved its headquarters to a winter destination, Park City, Utah.
"Always Inspire , Never Conform "
For 15 years, Armada has been promoting the unconventional in the ski industry and giving space to creative minds, as well as progressive and original ideas. This creates a diversity that is very much appreciated and also more and more widely accepted. Armada promotes the joy of skiing, whatever the terrain, but without slalom poles and downhill gates.
Through collaborations with various artists such as Madsteez or Joseph Toney, Armada is one of the few ski brands that is very open in the visual field. Not only graphically do the skis cause a stir, but also the quality of the boards is one of the most important criteria at Armada. Extra thick edges and the latest materials from space travel are built into the skis to ensure durability and lasting performance.
In the first place Armada develops products for active people who are in the backcountry or snowpark. However, the all-mountain series (Invictus and Victa) is also becoming increasingly popular. This collection is for those who are looking for a sporty but agile ski, which is easy to ride on the edge and can also be used occasionally off-piste.
In the future, Armada would like to continue to expand the topic of freeride, freestyle and all-mountain and advance the sport of skiing in a variety of ways with new materials and innovations. In the area of ski touring, Armada focuses on downhill-oriented skis with the Tracer/Trace series and guarantees maximum stability and control in deep snow as well as in harsh conditions. With the ARV/ARW series and the Pro models, all freestyle-oriented skiers will be happy.
All in all, Armada offers a wide range of skis for any terrain.
More than 48 awards such as Gold Medal Gear 2017, Skiers Choice and Freeskier Editor`s Pick adorn Armada`s halls and the brand is more present than ever in over 50 magazines with reviews and social media.
We are excited about what the future holds in the ski industry, but one thing is already clear: Armada is and will remain an integral part of the ski circus and we will hear a lot more from them.
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