Armada

Bubba Ski

If you sat the Magic J down on the couch and gave it your from-Blizzard-of-Aaaahs-'til-now collection of ski porn and an endlessly regenerating plate of nachos, you'd come back in two weeks to find the Armada Bubba Ski sitting there, farting into the couch and leaving a permanent imprint of its rocker profile in the cushions. This isn't to imply that the Bubba's a fat slob; while it's part true—no one's arguing that a 130mm waist is skinny—the Bubba's tapered extremities and increased effective edge make turning a surprisingly crisp experience, so you'll be able to be get as smeary and floaty as you want without giving up the ability to bang a hard Larry when you're in a tight spot.

With fat rocker in tip and tail and minimal camber underfoot, the Bubba's EST Powder Rocker is designed to float like a boat across the deepest heli-served powder oceans on the planet. The Hybrid Ultralight Core is made from lightweight wood with an exceptionally high strength-to-weight ratio, making these planks surprisingly playful given their girth, and topped with a fiberglass laminate matrix that keeps them from feeling noodly when speeds are high. That said, the Bubba is reasonably soft in the tip (the Magic J gets a 6.5 tip stiffness rating, while the Bubba scores a full point lower), so it won't bulldoze through chop, but it also won't dive or hook up unespectedly in the most unreasonably deep snow of the season.

The AR50 Sidewall sports a cap construction in the tip and tail with a classic sidewall underfoot, providing the perfect blend of aggressiveness, durability, and low swing weight. A winning combo of speed and durability make the 50/50 Base a winner, and the 1.7 Impact edges are also heat-treated for super strength and durability, because ripping heli- and cat-skiing lines yourself isn't always as comfortable as kicking back on the love seat and watching T. Hall do it.