Tanner Hall, JP Auclair and others founded ARMADA in 2002. Since then, ARMADA has become a leading company that has built and driven freeski culture as a symbol of riders' brands. In the fall of 2025, ARMADA will finally enter the snowboarding market, attracting attention from around the world. We explored the background and vision behind this
"ARMADA makes snowboards"
In November 2025, the rumored topic finally became a reality:
"ARMADA will make snowboards."
Whenever a ski brand enters the snowboarding market, skepticism arises: "Can a ski brand understand snowboarding culture?" But to ARMADA, this is a foolish question
ARMADA inherits the DNA of the "rider's soul" that JP Auclair and Tanner Hall once instilled in the new ski culture, and is determined to take on the snowboarding scene with sincerity, adhering to its belief of being "rider-led and never compromising on quality."
How do you see this match?
Powder Magazine, a US freeski magazine that was one of the first to report the news, wrote, "They're sure to hit the mark," while Snowboard Magazine, a snowboarding media outlet, praised the project, saying, "ARMADA has launched this project seriously from the very beginning, working with real snowboarders."
ARMADA SNOWBOARDS, which has officially announced its global launch, plans to release nine snowboard models in the fall of 2026. Boots and bindings are also scheduled to be released in 2027
Why Snowboarding Now?
The reason behind ARMADA's decision to participate in this event is the "rider-first" development philosophy that the brand has cultivated over the years. The brand will carry over and expand the DNA and passion that has made it a global leader in the freeskiing scene for over 20 years into snowboarding
According to reports in US media such as Snowboarder Magazine, Powder Magazine, Newschoolers, and Teton Gravity Research, ARMADA has established a new in-house development team dedicated to snowboards, with Tanner McCarty as brand director and Paul Maravetz, who founded Rome Snowboards and Cabin Mountain Tools, as vice president of product. Furthermore, Tom "T Bird" Monterosso, who has worked with the Natural Selection Tour, has been appointed marketing manager, solidifying the company's powerful lineup
They say they've been testing and improving the bike with professional riders at the forefront of the sport throughout the season. What makes it unique is that it's not just a short-term expansion of categories, but a long-term, rider-centered project that was launched with a serious mindset
is the message displayed on the top page of the official website, which was published on November 3, 2025
Snowboarding doesn't need just another brand.
It needs another good one.
A brand built for today's riders, who, despite all the bullshit, continue to look at any slope, rock, or spot and see nothing but possibility.
So how do you do that?
Our commitment is to relentlessly answer that question. Armada started with the people who live it. From our team riders to our product designers and everyone in between, this brand is built by lifelong, obsessive snowboarders. Our internal team is crafting a product and building a brand that is for snowboarders because snowboarding isn't just something that we do, it's everything that we are.
Gotta get back to work.
Snowboarding doesn't need another new brand.
What it needs is a real brand.
No matter what noise there is, to us, every slope, rock, and street corner is just possibility.
So how do we do that?
That's why we set out to find the answer.
Honestly, greedily, and honestly.
ARMADA was started by people who have lived this culture.
From team riders to designers, we are a crew that is obsessed with snowboarding.
For us, snowboarding is not just something we do.
It's who we are.
- Now, let's get back to work.
Products to be developed
Like ARMADA SKI, product development is based on the on-site, rider-led, freestyle-focused philosophy. Riders who freely move between park, street, and backcountry participate in product testing on snow, pursuing the fusion of technical performance and free-spirited playfulness that is characteristic of ARMADA
Brand Director Tanner McCarty commented:
"ARMADA still has a real sense of integrity. It's easy to say we're rider-driven, but we actually have a team here who come into the office with snow in their pants and can't stop talking about the product. That's the reality at ARMADA. I think that's the origin of ideal product development."
- Tanner McCarty, ARMADA brand director
Source: Powder, "Armada Announces Expansion into Snowboarding"
A total of nine models will be released in the first year. The lineup covers a variety of styles, including park, all-mountain, and freeride, with bindings and boots to follow the following year. Sales in North America will be centered around relationships with existing snowboard specialty shops, with the aim of building a brand rooted in the culture
Notable team riders
The promotional video released at the same time as the launch features riders with a diverse background, from street to backcountry, such as Dan "Danimals" Liedahl, Mike Liddle, Ivika Juergenson, Justin Phipps, and Stefi Luxton. Their presence strongly supports the reliability of the brand
ARMADA SNOWBOARDS From now on
ARMADA's entry into the snowboarding industry this winter will surely inspire the snow scene, not just the snowboarding scene, but also the skiing scene. ARMADA's worldview, or perhaps even its style, is defined by freedom, rebellious spirit, honesty, purity, and uncompromising craftsmanship. What will the real culture that these elements weave together produce?
We can't take our eyes off future developments
ARMADA SNOWBOARDS