Armada ANT vs. other big skis

**XtrPickels** · 02-21-2006, 04:08 PM

Congrats man. We're expecting a review/TR of what you slayed with 'em

**PeachesN'Cream** · 02-21-2006, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by bryanthebold

Muahahahahhaha!!! I ordered them!!!!

ANTs plus 135 poounds...

you'll turn about as much as these guys turn. prolly go about as fast too.

good luck with that and remember gear swap is the next forum down from tec talk.

**Vicious** · 02-21-2006, 06:52 PM

What the hell, I'll call dibs for when he sells them in a few weeks for 50% of retail.

**Jim S** · 02-21-2006, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by BC-FLOW

ANTs plus 135 poounds...

you'll turn about as much as these guys turn. prolly go about as fast too.

good luck with that and remember gear swap is the next forum down from tec talk.

LMAO!

**bryanthebold** · 02-21-2006, 11:36 PM

Bah...Yee all have no faith!

**freeskisquaw** · 02-22-2006, 11:33 PM

Well, I'm going to be skiing the ANT everyday and I'm 5'8"-5'9", 130. Not really sure how they're going to work out but I got a screaming deal on 'em so I can't complain. Worst case scenario I have to grow into them.

**bryanthebold** · 02-22-2006, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by freeskisquaw

Well, I'm going to be skiing the ANT everyday and I'm 5'8"-5'9", 130. Not really sure how they're going to work out but I got a screaming deal on 'em so I can't complain. Worst case scenario I have to grow into them.

I am pretty sure we are going to own everyone with them

**KANUTTEN** · 02-23-2006, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by freeskisquaw

Well, I'm going to be skiing the ANT everyday and I'm 5'8"-5'9", 130. Not really sure how they're going to work out but I got a screaming deal on 'em so I can't complain. Worst case scenario I have to grow into them.

Worst case scenario is that you will have to eat 15 eggyolks + 3 halfpound steaks per day for 2 years in order to make those puppies follow your orders. By then you prolly quit skiing and join the mr universe contests. And then you'll become the governor in california. Whats that for a worst case scenario

**freeskisquaw** · 02-23-2006, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by KANUTTEN

Worst case scenario is that you will have to eat 15 eggyolks + 3 halfpound steaks per day for 2 years in order to make those puppies follow your orders. By then you prolly quit skiing and join the mr universe contests. And then you'll become the governor in california. Whats that for a worst case scenario

That's my underlying plan here. Skiing sucks, bodybuildings where its at.

**bryanthebold** · 02-25-2006, 01:28 AM

So mine came in the mail today...and I left them to get mounted for the night. I went ahead and mounted about 2 cm's back from the center line. I am going to rip them tomorrow. I will post a report.

Question though...

The plastic wrap had an atomic sticker on it...? Who actually makes these things?

And soooo light, my god!

**eastvailhucker** · 02-25-2006, 01:52 AM

They are made in Arvada.

East of Denva, in a very top secret warehouse....only the V knows....ask him.

**Vicious** · 02-25-2006, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by bryanthebold

So mine came in the mail today...and I left them to get mounted for the night. I went ahead and mounted about 2 cm's back from the center line. I am going to rip them tomorrow. I will post a report.

Question though...

The plastic wrap had an atomic sticker on it...? Who actually makes these things?

And soooo light, my god!

Please tell me you mounted 2cm back of the factory line on the skis and not 2cm back of center.

Also, please tell me you measured to be sure both are in the same spot...(the factory line on my ANTs differ by nearly 1 cm).

**bossass** · 02-25-2006, 11:46 AM

I skied mine for the first time yesterday. P18s mounted on the mark, yes I measured (off about 2mm). Fucking all time. Great ski. Surprisingly manageable for how big they are. Hold an edge really well, but you can throw the tails out really easy to ditch speed like when you're coming out of a tight chute into trees (like I did in 8inches of fluff yesterday).

**bryanthebold** · 02-25-2006, 11:42 PM

Holy crap...what a day...

I went to the canyons (eww! I know) today, and my first impression was...wow, these are fast! I couldnt really understand how to get them to carve at first. I ended up leaning them over more than usual and getting them in perfectly. I worked on it and was carving up anything I could, from GS turns at the smallest, to some pretty damned fast super g, borderline downhill. I absolutly love them when you start hauling. I ended up having some fun with a couple racers...you shoulda seen the looks on their faces when they saw how fat the skis were

I pretty much heard "wow, those are gigantic" all day long. I was used to this with my gotamas...but these are even longer. I ended up skiing plently of mogal fields and found that...where they are much harder to get around, they are not bad at all. Smoother soft snow got eaten alive by some fast gs type turns. I ended up straight shootings lots of areas with no problems. Pretty fun switch, and soo damned light! Out of all the snow conditions, they excelled in almost every area. These skis blew me away today. I am without a doubt sore, and tired, but thats understandable. They make me feel like I always have to push them. I guess in time I will have to come to find their limits.

Btw, we mounted 86 cms (i think) from the tail, is how the shop did it. Which was aprox 2cm back from the line.

**pechelman** · 02-26-2006, 12:00 AM

sweetnees
glad to hear those skis worked out
those probably woulda just killed me in bumps

**seanpistol** · 02-26-2006, 12:39 AM

Originally Posted by bryanthebold

Holy crap...what a day...

I went to the canyons (eww! I know) today, and my first impression was...wow, these are fast! I couldnt really understand how to get them to carve at first. I ended up leaning them over more than usual and getting them in perfectly. I worked on it and was carving up anything I could, from GS turns at the smallest, to some pretty damned fast super g, borderline downhill. I absolutly love them when you start hauling. I ended up having some fun with a couple racers...you shoulda seen the looks on their faces when they saw how fat the skis were

I pretty much heard "wow, those are gigantic" all day long. I was used to this with my gotamas...but these are even longer. I ended up skiing plently of mogal fields and found that...where they are much harder to get around, they are not bad at all. Smoother soft snow got eaten alive by some fast gs type turns. I ended up straight shootings lots of areas with no problems. Pretty fun switch, and soo damned light! Out of all the snow conditions, they excelled in almost every area. These skis blew me away today. I am without a doubt sore, and tired, but thats understandable. They make me feel like I always have to push them. I guess in time I will have to come to find their limits.

Btw, we mounted 86 cms (i think) from the tail, is how the shop did it. Which was aprox 2cm back from the line.

bryan, you're the fucking man. i myself am considering the ANT, and everyone keeps telling me i'm too small. i'm 6'3" and 155 lbs, so obviously pretty skinny. i do consider myself an agressive skier, and want something long, fat, and light that likes to make huge ass open arching turns in pow. none of those snappy little turning bullshit.

so.. i was on the 189 seth vicious at the begining of the year, and did well on the ski for what i wanted to be doing. have you gotten the opportunity to ski your ANTs in the deep stuff? i didn't gather that from your review.

and by the way, how tall are you so i can get an idea of your build?

**Jim S** · 02-26-2006, 10:00 AM

This thread is making me a bit lusty for the ANTS.
"Just say no, Just say no"....

**Darkside** · 02-26-2006, 10:25 AM

No one wil be sorry for buying these, whether your 150lbs or 250lbs. Stiff, light, and manageable. El Chup, I'd say you can ski mine, but I seem to recall that you have a 28.5 boot. Either way, we might be able to make it work, let me know.

**bryanthebold** · 02-26-2006, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by seanvicious

bryan, you're the fucking man. i myself am considering the ANT, and everyone keeps telling me i'm too small. i'm 6'3" and 155 lbs, so obviously pretty skinny. i do consider myself an agressive skier, and want something long, fat, and light that likes to make huge ass open arching turns in pow. none of those snappy little turning bullshit.

so.. i was on the 189 seth vicious at the begining of the year, and did well on the ski for what i wanted to be doing. have you gotten the opportunity to ski your ANTs in the deep stuff? i didn't gather that from your review.

and by the way, how tall are you so i can get an idea of your build?

Well, unfortunally, I havent had the chance to ski them in any deep powder, except for a couple turns off some random peak up at the canyons. I went out of the 9990 gate, northish down the ridge, then up the next peak. Dropped in almost all the way up. The snow was pretty slushy and heavy, but the ANTs had no problem whatsoever. I pushed them forward the entire time, never got scared, and was hauling ass all the way down.

I am about 5'9" and 130 lbs.

Today I can sure tell what kind of damage they took on my legs. I can ski the entire day, skiing hard and fast, with my gotamas and never feel like this. One thing is for certain though. I absolutely love it! I am gonna probably gain some pounds from this workout.

Sean, if you are willing to work pretty hard the entire time on these skis, then by all means buy them. Just be aware, they cannot be taken lightly. And itll probably take you a coupe weeks of protein supplements and difficulty walking. I am getting ready today to get back up there and get another work out. The more I ride them though, the better it gets!

**freeskisquaw** · 02-26-2006, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by bryanthebold

Well, unfortunally, I havent had the chance to ski them in any deep powder, except for a couple turns off some random peak up at the canyons. I went out of the 9990 gate, northish down the ridge, then up the next peak. Dropped in almost all the way up. The snow was pretty slushy and heavy, but the ANTs had no problem whatsoever. I pushed them forward the entire time, never got scared, and was hauling ass all the way down.

I am about 5'9" and 130 lbs.

Today I can sure tell what kind of damage they took on my legs. I can ski the entire day, skiing hard and fast, with my gotamas and never feel like this. One thing is for certain though. I absolutely love it! I am gonna probably gain some pounds from this workout.

Sean, if you are willing to work pretty hard the entire time on these skis, then by all means buy them. Just be aware, they cannot be taken lightly. And itll probably take you a coupe weeks of protein supplements and difficulty walking. I am getting ready today to get back up there and get another work out. The more I ride them though, the better it gets!

Good to know that they're rideable for people our size. Mine are supposed to come tomorrow.

**Vicious** · 02-26-2006, 01:09 PM

ANT party!!!

**seanpistol** · 02-26-2006, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by Vicious

ANT party!!!

what do you think about me getting them luke... you know what i want to be doing on them.

**El Chupacabra** · 02-26-2006, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Darkside

No one wil be sorry for buying these, whether your 150lbs or 250lbs. Stiff, light, and manageable. El Chup, I'd say you can ski mine, but I seem to recall that you have a 28.5 boot. Either way, we might be able to make it work, let me know.

Thanks Darkside -- I'm in 319mm boot now (27.5ish).

I'm going back-n-forth on whether to pick up some ANTs. Seems there would be significant overlap between them and my stiff Bros, and I can't think of a powder day situation where I would need/want something different from the AK Lab swallowtails or Spatulas.

So yeah, they'd be fun to have, but I don't think I need them. Then there's that whole "explaining-to-the-wife" thing...

("see, this one's got a 92mm waist, so it's not too fat and kinda all-purpose, and it's light, so I'm going to use it for backcountry, but this one's got a 99mm waist, and it's stiff, so I'm going to use it for an everyday ski, but this one's got a 95mm waist, and it's stiff too, but it's better at crud than the 99mm waisted one, so it's different, and this one has this cutout in the tail, so it's supposed to sink in the deep snow, and it really works well going fast in pow, and this other one has reverse sidecut and reverse camber, so it turns really easily in the trees... is any of this making any sense?")

**Daywalker** · 02-26-2006, 08:56 PM

Chup, can't you just ask her why she has so many different shoes, mops, kitchen utensils, etc?

You may have to duck and cover after that. I actually am preemptively.