Armada Playmaker 111 Review: A Lightweight Freeride Ski Built for Soft Snow

Introduction

The Armada Playmaker 111 is a 111 mm freeride twin tip now in its second season, and it sits at the widest end of the Playmaker family alongside the 101 and the 91. Where the narrower models lean toward all-mountain versatility, this one is built around float, maneuverability, and a drifty, creative feel in soft snow.

That focus shapes everything about the ski, from its lightweight wood core to its rocker profile. It is not trying to be the most powerful or the fastest option in the category. It is trying to make fresh snow feel easy, loose, and fun.

Who This Product Is For

This ski suits riders who spend most of their time in fresh and soft snow and who value mobility over outright speed. If a good day involves natural hits, wind lips, and backcountry jumps rather than manicured park features, the Playmaker 111 lines up well with that approach. The soft-snow bias also suits skiers who prefer a looser, more surfy feel underfoot and are willing to trade some high-speed stability for it.

Riders who want to cut through crud at speed or who prefer a stiff, damp platform for aggressive resort charging will likely find other models better matched to that job. This ski is at its best when the snow is soft and the terrain invites a more playful line.

Main Strengths

The Playmaker 111’s standout quality is how easily it planes up and stays on top of soft snow. A tapered, spooned shovel and a softer flex work together to keep the ski floating, and the result feels loose and playful rather than locked in. There is genuine energy underfoot too, which keeps the ride lively instead of vague.

At 180 cm, the ski weighs 1,870 g, which keeps it below the 1,900 g mark and makes it feel light on the feet. That low weight is a meaningful part of the experience, because it supports the quick, mobile style of skiing the shape is designed for.

Lightweight Wood Core With Carbon Reinforcement

The core is built from poplar and paulownia, a pairing chosen for low weight. Sections are milled out along the sides of the core and replaced with carbon tubes, with the reinforcement running through roughly the middle third of the ski. The carbon does not extend into the tips and tails, so the ends of the ski stay softer and more playful while the middle retains energy underfoot.

A Shape Built for Float and Drift

Underfoot, the ski measures 111 mm with a 19 m turn radius. It is not asymmetrical, so there is no designated left or right ski. The profile is directional rather than symmetrical, with tip rocker running longer than tail rocker, and the shovel has a spooned shape that adds flotation.

The core is also milled in a trapezoidal pattern, with sidewall underfoot transitioning to a capped construction toward the tips and tails. About three quarters of the ski reads as more cap than sidewall, which puts more energy into the edges and gives the rider more leverage. Combined with the taper and the softer flex, that geometry is what lets the ski plane up and stay on top.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The flex is on the softer side, especially toward the very shovel. The tip is a little stiffer than the tail, and the tail is more reactive, which helps with landing jumps and adds energy out of the turn, but the overall feel is not built for maximum power. Riders who want a ski that bulldozes through variable snow at high speed should look elsewhere.

Sizing deserves some thought. Going longer makes sense here, since a longer length adds mass and surface area without losing the ski’s playful character. Moving from 180 cm to 188 cm is a reasonable step for many riders, even those who normally prefer shorter skis in other models.

Buying Advice

The Playmaker 111 rewards a soft-snow-first mindset. If your season is built around powder days, natural terrain, and a loose, surfy feel, this ski delivers that experience in a light package, and it does so with enough energy underfoot to stay engaging on softer groomers between storms.

Choose a length that matches your height and terrain rather than sizing down out of habit. The extra length adds stability without sacrificing the float and drift that define the ski, and it keeps the playful character intact while giving you a bit more ski to work with on landings.

Conclusion

The Armada Playmaker 111 is a focused freeride twin tip: light, floaty, and eager to drift through soft snow. It gives up some high-speed power and crud-cutting ability in exchange for maneuverability and creativity, and for the right rider that is exactly the trade worth making.