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Armada Whitewalker 121 Powder Ski 2022 – 2023 | Review

Sammy Carlson’s Whitewalker series expands with this extremely loose and playful powder ski

Why we chose the Armada Whitewalker 121: Fun, pivotable, playful 

Lengths (cm): 183, 191
Sidecut (mm): 141 / 121 / 137 (183 cm)
Radius: 18m (183 cm)
Rocker Profile: Rocker-Camber-Rocker
Weight (per ski): 1,850g (183 cm)
Price: £735

MORE INFO

We always like to include a downright absurd pair of skis in our Ski 100. The crazy sidecut Line Blade is a good example, and this year is no different. Armada’s Whitewalker 121 comes from Sammy Carlson’s legendary Whitewalker range of experimental powder skis that, we’re glad to see, people have started to take a little more seriously.

“The Whitewalker range was designed by Sammy, and is all about having the tools required to surf the mountain”

The whole Whitewalker range is sporting that signature Sammy C surfy design through and through. As the name suggests, the Whitewalker 121 features a massive 121 mm waist underfoot; making it the largest Whitewalker ski Armada (and Sammy) have produced.

Armada Whitewalker 121 Shaping

If you only consider the Whitewalker name as those scary white ghouls in *that* fantasy series, let me give you a brief overview of the Whitewalker you should really be caring about. The Whitewalker range was designed by Sammy, and is all about having the tools required to surf the mountain.

The most defining part of the ski, that opens up the surfy possibilities, can be seen in the iconic pintail design. This helps to make the skis extremely manoeuvrable, while heavy rocker in the tips and tails further boosts the float values of these boats.

If switch powder skiing is your thing then you’ll be glad to know that Sammy has, quite understandably, built the Whitewalker 121 with a twinned tail. He’s done this so you can slash and pivot in switch, no matter how deep things get.

Additional surfy shaping techniques include Armada’s swivel tech, which looks pretty similar to Atomic’s HRZN tech (understandably given they’re under the same parent company, Amer). Swivel tech is essentially a beveled base designed to reduce any unwanted hookiness in crud and powder. This tech is only on the rockered section of the skis and not in the contact points, meaning it doesn’t affect hard snow performance too much (not that they’re designed for this).

Armada Whitewalker Build

A caruba core sits at the heart of this build that’s been designed to charge through all kinds of manky snow, and keep up with the likes of Sammy C. Caruba has been chosen, Armada claims, because of its lightweight properties and high level of dampening.

Armada’s full sidewall construction, AR75, sits directly underfoot to help provide a boost in power where it’s needed, while a cap construction stretches out towards the tips and tails to provide a smoother turn initiation and reduce weight where it’s not required. This all helps to keep the skis impressively smooth and nimble, and more than capable of being thrown about at speed; no matter how deep the snow is.

Who Is The Armada Whitewalker For?

So it’s fair to say that Whitewalker 121 provides an extremely unique ride. While it’s pretty clear to see who, exactly, these skis are for, their surprising versatility and the way they handle poor conditions may surprise a few of you. If you’re on the hunt for a new pair of powder skis then the Whitewalker range is worth getting on your feet.

What Is The Armada Whitewalker 121 Good At?

Powder: 10/10
Fun: 10/10
Weight: 7/10

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