Powder Review: Armada Locator 104

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In a nutshell

The Armada Locator 104 is an excellent choice for anyone looking to pursue interesting ski objectives all winter long.

  • Length Skied: 186 cm

  • Weight: 1539 g

  • Stated Dimensions: 132-104-123 mm

  • Stated Sidecut: 23 m

  • Recommended Mount Point: -10 cm

The Armada Locator 104 is available now.

Intro

Armada calls the Locator 104 the “The everyday, every condition backcountry freeride ski” and for once, I think the brand absolutely nailed their description. Along with the Locator 96 it’s one of the two middle skis in the four ski Locator line. You could bump down to the Locator 96, but for most western skiers at least, I think the 104 is going to be one of the skis to beat when it comes to do-it-all touring skis.

Length and Mount Point

I skied the Locator 104 in the 186 cm length. I could probably have sized down to the 178, but that’s awfully short for my 6’1” height. I’d be much more tempted to make that jump down with the 96, since, with that length, I’d be sacrificing float in powder anyway. If you regularly enjoy skis in the 184+ cm length, I think you’ll get along just fine with the 186.

The Locator 104 is available in four sizes from 164 to 186 cm. That’s a great spread for a unisex touring ski.

All of the skis in the Locator lineup have pretty rearward mounts. At -10 cm from center, the Locator’s mount makes it clear that it’s not some jib stick, this is a directional freeride ski. I’d be slightly more inclined to experiment with a more forward mount point on the Locator 104 than on the 112. It’s great at recommended, but I can imagine a world where I wanted to be closer to -8 for a more balanced feel in steep hop turns and tight terrain.

Where does the Armada Locator 104 shine?

I’ve had several winters in my life where I’ve spent a lot of time chasing the siren call of big backcountry lines in fresh snow conditions. The Locator 104 might be the best tool for this game that I’ve found. If you’re trying to ski big, commiting lines, in good snow, or what was, very recently, good snow, the Locator 104 is a great ski to do it on.

Like the Locator 112, the 104 is more loose and surfy than you’d expect. It doesn’t have as much float as the 112, so in fresh snow it takes a touch more speed to come alive, but it’s still really easy to throw sideways and skid any sort of turn shape with. But, when you put it on edge, it’s happy to carve big, clean arcs. That’s a great combination for big terrain. You can transition seamlessly from tight, skidded turns in the choke of a line, to charging out the apron.

When the snow is bad, the Locator 104 does a good job of taking it in stride. I, personally, prefer the width of the Locator 112 in funky, inconsistent snow. I’ll always take a little more surface area and rocker when I feel like the snow is trying to eat my ACLs, but I think most skiers will appreciate the 104’s maneuverability here. It’s easy to hop turn, and pivots consistently into high consequence turns.

Where does the Armada Locator 104 make some compromises?

If I was, hypothetically, skiing the Locator 104 as a one-ski touring quiver in the Tetons, or somewhere with similar snowfall, I’d want something with more float several days a year. On those truly deep days where you’re skiing lower angle, treed terrain to mitigate avalanche danger, the Locator 104 just doesn’t quite cut it.

And like the Locator 112, the 104 isn’t really snappy on groomers. That’s fine, it’s not the point, but if carving small radius turns is your jam, look elsewhere.

Similarly, if I was looking for a 50/50 ski to split between inbounds and touring, I’d go for something a touch heavier. Which brings us to…

Compared to the Salomon QST Echo 106

In my opinion, the Salomon QST Echo 106 is the elephant in the room for all new touring skis in the 104-108 underfoot class. It’s a really versatile ski, that handles variable snow really well. So, you either need to beat it at its own game, or bring something new to the table, which the Locator 104 does.

The Locator 104, in a 186, is 264 grams lighter than the QST Echo in a 181. That’s a lot of weight per ski. .58 lbs, for all you Yanks, is not nothing. For a pure uphill ski, I’m going to reach for the 1500ish g ski over the 1800ish gram ski every time. It’s an easy choice for anyone who places a higher premium on light weight.

No, the Locator 104 doesn’t have quite the suspension of the Echo, and it’s not as fun and capable if you’re spending significant time inbounds. It wants to skid small turns, not carve them like the Echo. But, if you’re looking for a pure touring ski, the Locator 104 makes a lot more sense from a weight perspective, while still being very capable and fun on the down.

For more comparisons to other touring skis, check out our roundup of the best touring skis.

What would a perfect day on the Armada Locator 104 look like?

You spent last night deep in your mapping app of choice, discussing routes and objectives with your partners. Now you’ve climbed all morning to stand on top of the first line of the day. There’s some fresh snow in the line, with a rap halfway down. Then you’ll cross the cirque, and bootpack another line, maybe tacking one more on as a bonus before you head back to the car.

The Armada Locator 104 is available now.