Armada

Kufo Ski

Folks have been using the Armada TST as their touring setup for years now, and while it worked well, it was never designed for the backcountry. Armada can take a hint, though, so this year it's introducing the Kufo, which borrows heavily from the TST—the sidecut and rocker profiles are virtually identical—but adds a whole lot of carbon fiber to make a ski that's as comfortable on the skin track as it is crushing trees, pillows, and pow. It uses the same EST All Mtn Rocker as the TST, with camber underfoot and a rockered tip, to make short work of soft and variable snow, and adds a few millimeters of width for some extra stability and float when things get creamy. Armada's also lightened up Kufo by building it on a Hybrid Tour Light wood core, which gives it a light and lively feel that's all about having fun when the going gets soft.

The Kufo's not a pow noodle, though. It's designed to handle variable conditions, too, with multiple layers of carbon, a fiberglass laminate matrix, and carbon Kevlar tail stringers to provide stiffness when you're hammering through chop or trying to get one of the 1.7mm Impact Edges to bite into some alpine hardpack. It also features the same hybrid AR50 cap and sidewall construction for edge hold underfoot and light swing weight in the tip and tail, along with a speedy Comp Series sintered base to keep you mobbing. As a finishing touch, Armada's squared off the I-Clip tail, making it easy to secure skins or plunge your skis into the snow when you're setting up camp or making your way up a steep line.