THE GEAR PICKER
skis / compare
Head-to-head · all-mountain

Armada ARV 88 vs Völkl Mantra 88

The ARV 88 and the Mantra 88 compared. They share 88 mm underfoot. The ARV 88 is 330 g lighter at the default length (1,600 vs 1,930 g). Turn radii are 16 m and 16.2 m.

ARV 88
$500 MSRP 1 length · 171 cm
Völkl Mantra 88 — topsheet
Mantra 88
$850 MSRP 4 lengths · 163, 170, 177, 184 cm

Where each ski sits across every ski we carry

ARV 88
Mantra 88
Waist
88 mm
88 mm
Narrower · firmer-snowWider · powder
Weight
1,600 g
1,930 g
Lighter · playfulHeavier · damp & planted
Tip taper
31 mm
46 mm
Straighter · grippyMore taper · loose
Turn radius
16.0 m
16.2 * m
Shorter · quickLonger · stable
* A flagged radius is the underfoot figure from a multi-radius sidecut, measured differently than a single full-length radius — the positions are not strictly comparable.

Head to head, by character

Each ski's own read, side by side — the same three things that define how it skis.
Turn & shape
A 16.0-meter radius sits in the all-purpose range — turn shapes that shorten up or open out without committing to either; a moderate tip taper keeps turn entry easy while the shovel still engages.
A three-radius sidecut blends a shorter radius at the tip and tail with a longer one underfoot, so turn shape changes with how hard the ski is driven — tighter entry, longer and steadier through the arc.
Stability & dampness
Built without metal on a poplar ash wood core, it's lighter and livelier underfoot — easy to release from a turn and quick edge to edge. At 1,600 g it stays light and maneuverable.
A partial titanal frame stiffens the core — targeted dampening that settles the ski without the full weight of a sheet, keeping more life in the tips and tails. At 1,930 g there's real mass behind it.
Float & width
At 88 mm it's an all-rounder leaning toward firm snow — enough width for soft conditions, still quick on edge. Rocker at tip and tail lets it smear and release easily, while the camber underfoot keeps an edge.
At 88 mm it's an all-rounder leaning toward firm snow — enough width for soft conditions, still quick on edge. Rocker at tip and tail lets it smear and release easily, while the camber underfoot keeps an edge.

Full spec comparison

SpecARV 88Mantra 88
Waist 88 mm 88 mm
Sidecut 119·88·113 mm 134·88·114 mm
Weight @ default 1,600 g 1,930 g
Weight range 1,600 g 1,690–1,980 g
Turn radius 16.0 m full-length 16.2 m underfoot · multi-radius
Metal None Partial titanal frame
Core Poplar ash wood core Multilayer woodcore
Lengths 171–171 cm 163–184 cm
MSRP $500 $850

* The two skis may measure turn radius differently. A multi-radius sidecut publishes a separate radius per section; the figure shown is the underfoot radius, which reads tighter than the ski's real all-mountain turn shape. We show each as published rather than forcing a false match.