Armada's MISSED Opportunity: Lucas Catania

[@LucasCatania17]

Hey Elliott. Thank you very much for the video and the kind words you said about my work and channel! Just to expand on this, I started using Armadas even before I made KZbin videos and I just really enjoyed them. I never expected my channel to grow the way it did and I guess my Armada skis just came along for the ride with me. I have never been offered a sponsorship or any affiliation from Armada or any other ski brand for that matter. I don't expect Armada or any other ski brand to actually sponsor me as I am really just an amateur skier who makes KZbin videos, not a pro skier who is competing and filming movies etc. The skis have worked for me throughout the years, but to your point, I haven't really tried anything else. At the end of the day, I just try to represent the average resort skier who gets out in the mountains for fun. I have other sources of income so I don't have to totally rely on KZbin full-time, but your point is valid on ad revenue really only being viable for about 3 months of the year. Your insight is awesome and commendable. Keep being a genuine cornerstone of the KZbin ski world. Cheers!

[@mrremke]

Well said

[@justinbayola]

🐐

[@RicketySkiReviews]

Thanks Lucas, I respect your integrity and just promoting what you love. I think at the very least Armada should consider the optics of your channel showcasing next years skis. I mean it with peace and love, their is a tremendous opportunity for them Hopefully they see this and consider it in the future. Thanks for the kind words in return, excited to see your season of content play out in the next few months. Cheers from Idaho.

[@hazeover100]

Lucas is a good dude

[@LucasCatania17]

i appreciate that man

[@jean-francoiscloutier7361]

Thanks for mentionning Rise and Alpine , he's our best Canadian...

[@ands3570]

yeah, its absurd, been following him for 2 years now, its insane how they are ignoring him. Also great video Elliott, i dont get to watch all of your videos but i take the time to give them a like :)))

[@LucasCatania17]

i dont think its anything malicious or intentional on their part! prob just not in tune with the youtube ski world. thanks for following along my friend.

[@Bryan-rl2ik]

It has always blown me away how Armada doesn't sponsor Lucas! He is such a great ambassador for their brand! I bought a Declivity 92ti for this season because of his influence. Great video btw

[@markvaldez8602]

I love watching Lucas Catania!

[@RicketySkiReviews]

Thanks for watching everyone! Hope you have a great weekend!

[@davidferris8782]

I agree with this video. I have often had this same thought about Armada. Missed opportunity. Love Lucas's videos

[@andydills]

You’re so right. I bought an Armada puffy insulator (found it for 40% off) based on seeing his video. The jacket came today, it’s so nice. Armada needs to hook him up.

[@LucasCatania17]

love their puffer

[@kirillzemlyanukhin2627]

Basically Lucas is sponsoring Armada. After his video I decided to give my WW 116s another shot with different boots. Was gonna sell them

[@flennboyd6413]

What didn't you like about them?

[@LucasCatania17]

ha thats what it feels like!

[@kirillzemlyanukhin2627]

@@flennboyd6413 I figured it was a boot issue (normally ski in Hawx Ultra 120, skied WWs in Lange XT3 LVs). Had shin bang, and the skis seemed stiff, while they shouldn't be. Also it was extremely slushy those days. Watched Lucas and decided to give WWs another shot in Hawx

[@RicketySkiReviews]

Lmao I laughed out loud when I read this.

[@ethansumrall]

I don't think Armada is doing this on accident. They have developed a very strong, counter-cultural, cult following. I am not exclusively an Armada guy (no park background but love a playful ski) but I really love their stuff and Declivity 102s are my resort daily drivers. They don't really have any influencer style content, they don't do much promotional content period. You can't even buy anything in the zero collection online. Their athletes don't push the skis a ton, the skis just show up in their season edits and on the slush cup, x games, etc. This seems like a very intentional branding decision. The fans preach the Armada gospel, and I can tell from my personal experience on the hill that when you bump into another armada guy outside the park, you at least get "the nod." That's probably enough for the brand.

[@LucasCatania17]

well said, man.

[@Gmonayy189]

Had the same thoughts. You could also compare with Faction sponsoring steep steep this year. I see the difference there in that Faction seems to have a more friendly, fun and enjoyable entry to market strategy but Armada probably wants to keep their counter culture (despite being pretty corporate now) steady. Random but I also wish Armada explained the Julien Regnier situation in more detail. Shady vibes there lol.

[@lokivid]

Swag culture has been too pervasive for too long and can prevent small brands from coming up - they can’t give away the farm if they want to survive. Ski gear is expensive. Lucas is so great to follow. I enjoy your content too. Thanks.

[@richienelli1094]

Elliott! Been a huge fan of Lucas now and you’re right- definitely an Armada fumble! I have a question for your next video- can we discuss Zipfits and who they’re meant for and what your take is? Would love your insight man

[@mrremke]

I rode my twin brother's Armada declivity 103 on a Tahoe trip with my daughter. I can say up front that I'd take it over it's enforcer counterpart. It's super damp, but it will bounce if you flex it. (I'm 210lb in gear) If you're working 2 ft of powder on laps, this thing breaks through deep chop and holds it's line. It's a wonderful feeling to blast through people's crappy tracks on a gs line. It's good enough in trees, but needs a good driver's intent. Stability, predictability and a strong backbone without punishing mere mortals

[@mrremke]

Me again, I also ride m5 mantra and Kore 93 FWIW

[@Whim396]

I hope he ventures out. Armada makes a few incredible skis, jj and ww but their other skis are kinda middle of the line. I think he’d be shocked by how good other skis are

[@res_ipsa-REX]

I have been subscribed to Lucas' channel for about 2 years now. He offers great terrain recon. However, James at Rise & Alpine makes more enjoyable videos. He just seems like a really fun guy, and I hope I get to drink some hot sauce with him someday on the mountain.

[@LucasCatania17]

Rise & Alpine is the king for sure. It was more enjoyable for me doing it as a side gig rather than full time.

[@res_ipsa-REX]

@@LucasCatania17 Oh please... you have way more subscribers and are great at editing and producing a pro product. You are the current king... You are the cool cat while James is more of the type that would be life of the party. Different personalities.

[@jkm8089]

Declivity 92ti is amazing. My favorite daily…..you need to demo!

[@RicketySkiReviews]

I've been trying so hard, I'm sure armada is sick of my DMs

[@odon59]

Omg I've never heard someone butcher "Catania" quite like that, and as 1/2 Sicilian I can't let this go. Emphasis goes on the second syllable. Watch the Irishman for a good example of how to pronounce it :-) kzbin.info/www/bejne/enmWdZupecdko82cttps://kzbin.info/www/bejne/enmWdZupecdko80 But I totally agree Armada needs to sign him up asap!

[@LucasCatania17]

not many people pronounce my last name correctly first try haha!

[@odon59]

@@LucasCatania17 Yep I've heard people on your videos butcher it too and it makes me cringe! I grew up in WNY among a big Sicilian family so we have to stick together. PS I'll be in Utah 12/21-1/5 so I hope I run into you! Your content is great, especially everything with you and your dad. Great stuff!

[@odon59]

How to pronounce Catania: kzbin.info/www/bejne/enmWdZupecdko80

[@RicketySkiReviews]

Omg, I totally butchered it, I'm never gonna complain about mine again.

[@StartCodonUST]

Man, I feel bad now. I have a really hard time wrapping my head around the fact that Lucas isn't sponsored by Armada. I totally thought he was given he's done way more to convince me to consider Armada than any official marketing, so he at least deserves to be sponsored if that's something he's interested in. I guess if he turned them down, I can respect that, but man, I feel like he wouldn't have to do anything all that different from what he's already doing, and he'd be worth the sponsorship. If this is all down to Armada's ignorance though, that really reflects poorly on the brand. It's funny how emotions affect purchasing decisions in some ways. Like, I'm now more inclined to ignore Lucas Catania's advice because I don't want to support a company that doesn't seem to appreciate the effort he has put into getting people to consider Armada's products.

[@LucasCatania17]

i dont think armada has done anything intentional to be honest and i haven't turned anything down from them. it just is what it is at the end of the day. i'm just grateful i'm able to share my experience with their gear and have a true opinion on what i think about it. well said though, man.

[@_e5598]

Amer is the shit, very responsive and organized. The SLC-based Armada team is so-so. If Lucas started reviewing/riding other skis, then Armada wouldn't be getting all that free advertising anymore, maybe then they would be interested. Something to think about.

[@RicketySkiReviews]

Yeah I've had really excellent experiences with the Amer Team

[@cliang001]

That man alone and his videos have sold more Armada ski's then we know.

[@RicketySkiReviews]

I believe it, I actually bought my Armada Jacket based on Lucas

[@darinsmith2458]

I follow Lucas and it would be interested to see his view about not being sponsored by Armada.. He has talked about other comparable skis. He has memberships and he sells stuff.. I did watch the video that you are talking about and I did make a comment on it.. He is cool.. Rise and Alpine is sponsored by Nordica but it was after he bought Nordica Enforcer 104 Free.. I have that ski and we have talked about it a lot.. They don't make it anymore and I have talked to him about that.. It is making me think because he says good things about Unleashed but he is now sponsored by them.. I have a pair of DPS skis.. DPS is $$$.. It will be interesting to see what happens when Ted gets involved.. None of the skis are race skis.. They are the opposite of that.. As far as PEAK, I have been really interested in those skis since they came out.. I think that it is really cool that Bode worked with you and told you to change mount locations..

[@samsappleton8381]

Do you know if Lucas is *intentionally* not sponsored by Armada. Seems like he might not accept it.

[@LucasCatania17]

i am not *intentionally* not sponsored ha! thats a lot of double negatives. i've never had any communication with the armada ski brand

[@samsappleton8381]

@@LucasCatania17 How wierd. I've brought the ARV 106's and 2 pairs of JJs because of you. And after your WW review, I'll probably get those too.

[@gageedmondsonski24]

Armada is not missing an opportunity it seems like they are just letting him advertise their stuff for free

[@RicketySkiReviews]

lol true, they're getting the milk for free so to speak

[@Simon-Simon-Simon]

I think companies will be looking at signing these youtubers LINE OR K2 OR VOLKL big brands

[@samrobison6421]

Not me having bought the armada 100s 2024’s for this year

[@alainbrouillaud484]

Rise & Alpine is #1 Lucas Catania is 1a

[@MrFinstaad]

Lucas seems like a beautiful soul, but the skiing is not rad enough for armada to sponsor him.

[@Alexlarrabure]

He’s not getting sponsored because his pants aren’t baggy enough, duh

[@paulblichmann2791]

WHAT ARE THEY THINKING. 😠 😂 I think they make wood/metal/fiberglass sandwiches, they don't do a whole lot of thinking.

[@Nevrollie]

I don’t see him fit into the armada «armada» Armada is not fumbling, they sell skis no matter if he made videos or not. I think they prioretize riders and not influencers.

[@RicketySkiReviews]

That's thinking about it very small scale. They have the capacity for both.

[@Nevrollie]

@@RicketySkiReviews yeah, but they don’t go that way. Armada was one of the first «newschooler» brands that was very oriented towards the park skiing development of the early 2000. Even though they are owned by amer sports, they have kept true to their roots. Even though they have made more skis for the «masses» their main focus is their park and powder oriented skis. I like that they have not abandoned their past, and i think it’s very good for the niche community. Also sponoring smaller riders that let the skiing talk and make content for movies, instead of having a «vlog» type video creators.

[@normalizedaudio2481]

I don't ski Armada. Oh well. They are expensive man. Not into that brand.

[@MicahStovallyt]

I stopped watching that guy when it started looking like his dad was bank rolling his lifestyle

[@alainbrouillaud484]

The fact that Armada doesn’t sponsor Lucas tells you something about Armada!

[@delriv5238]

I like Lucas’s videos and I can’t believe Armada doesn’t support him. Unfortunately I can’t take his reviews seriously without him testing different brands.

[@Benzknees]

Exactly. It seems pretty naive for anyone to think he's not being given the skis, for all the publicity he brings to the brand.

[@LucasCatania17]

thats totally fair! i dont really do a lot of review stuff for that reason. i recognize the shortcoming in not having experience on a lot of different skis. thats what elliott is for! :D

[@delriv5238]

It would be cool if you did it because you make some great skiing videos from all over the West

[@johnhauner7828]

Enjoy everything Lucas does. He seems like a straight up guy.

[@christopherorman5769]

Riding a 116 in bounds is just silly -- which makes it really hard to watch him.

[@c0rkmcnortis27]

That’s not a crazy width for Utah powder days

[@christopherorman5769]

@@c0rkmcnortis27 out of bounds and in Cottonwood Canyon? Sure. In bounds though? It kinda is ridiculous. Then again, this ski is a bit heavy and silly for out of bounds skiing anyway -- especially if you are serious about your touring.

[@christopherorman5769]

@@c0rkmcnortis27 Also, Lucas' approach is one where a narrower waist would benefit his skiing tremendously; which I think is the case with lots of folks out there on more than 106 wide waisted skis.

[@Simon-Simon-Simon]

Ted liggerty knows how to freeride as well . Seeing them rip steep lines in Russia before the Olympics

[@xDarkryder97]

In my opinion, Lucas seems to ride way too long skis for his body height and weight… IMO, if you’re not Sammy Carlson, you have no business riding skis with 195cm length as a below 183cm guy, below 100kg weight…

[@LucasCatania17]

ski length really is subjective. i'm 178cm, 87kg and typically ride a 185cm ski that usually has a lot of rocker. I've never ridden a ski over 187cm before. this will be the first year I try out a ski at 192cm because i felt the WW skis short with the amount of rocker it has in it. i'm pretty convinced that 185cm is the sweetspot for my height and weight!

[@ChristopherGaffney-fe5ve]

Ski length is entirely subjective. Slalom/Racing skiers ski long because it helps with stability and carving at the highest of speed. The same guy at 5’9” should absolutely have different size skis depending on whether he’s 150 lbs or 225 lbs. if you’re bigger and need more stability. Whether that guy skis moguls or likes to carve also has to factor in. Whether the snow he skis on is often powder, mixed, or hard pack matters. His skill level matters. His leg strength matters. Bro, adjust your perspective big time. ‘Skiing the wrong length’ almost simply never applies. It’s what length makes sense based on a myriad of dynamics …. Not to mention, the ski matters! The rockered and shaped edges on the tips/tails can mean you have a MUCH shorter effective edge for harder pack. I have a short for my size snowboard (it’s stiff and directional but I want what snappiness/quickness I can get out of it), I have regular for my size daily driver skis (snappy yet not as stable as…) I have long for my size powder skis (which have crazy rocker making the effective edge like a much smaller ski). Please refrain on commenting on others’ ski sizes… there are so many variables it’s wild

[@xDarkryder97]

@@LucasCatania17 I really enjoy your videos Lucas! Keep em going, as Elliott said himself. Please keep in mind, I am anything else but a hater. Just so you know it certainly. Your videos are great, they keep me stoked for my own skiing. I just hope, that you don’t have to put too much effort in your turns, than you would actually have to put. When it comes to ski construction, there is a brand in Europe where I live, they’re called OGSO. It’s a brand known here for their extreme amount of rocker in their skis, no matter the model, with very minimal (if at all lolol, camber). In such skis, you’re obviously even literally forced to upsize the hell out of em. Skiing is dangerous enough and a set up that is longer and heavier brings more risks, especially at speeds, where you need to act extra fast to prevent any inconvenience; crash. That’s how my own experience got crystallized over the years. These are my 5 cents to it haha. But maybe there is this one factor that I’m missing out on: Skiing in the Alps and in western USA is quite different. Both the terrain and climate give y’all over there in America a much different snow, that is so much fluffier…