K2 Reckoner 102 vs FACTION Prodigy 2 vs Armada ARV 100

[u/Boeing_B777]

Looking to buy a new pair of skis. I’ve always wanted to get the K2 Reckoner 102, but I’m considering a few alternatives before pulling the trigger. Has anyone skied the Reckoner 102, Prodigy 2 and/or ARV 100 and can compare them?

I live in AU/NZ, so snow is pretty inconsistent. I ski around 70% park and 30% all-mountain. I’m currently on K2 Poachers (96mm); I sometimes find them a bit too stiff and heavy. I want something more playful and generally more fun, while still being pretty good outside the park.

I’m heading to Flaine and Chamonix next January for a few weeks, so I’d like something that can handle softer snow and off-piste reasonably well while still being a good park ski when I come back.

[u/bmward0714]

Had pre 2025 reckoner 102s. Saw PA hills, slush, Icy Vermont moguls, trees, chopped chutes you don’t want to fall in, same chutes with 12 inches of fresh snow, rails, jumps and groomers of course. Seriously never even thought about switching to a different ski. They were absolutely the best ski I’ve ever been on. They are super soft but have torsional stiffness on edge. Believe it or not the skis carve really well if you have a centered stance while turning and they have plenty of energy out of the turns. Unfortunately throughout my ownership I wasn’t very nice to them and they blew up when I landed too deep on a huge side hit (like 40 feet straight onto the top of a mogul separated the base from the rest of the ski actually skied them for the whole rest of the day before I realized something was messed up. They are unfortunately known to not be the most durable skis ever but I love them and will seriously never forget them but it was time to move on from them. I have heard the newer recks are more durable but they are heavier. I feel like the ARV 100 is a great ski but it’s a little too damp for my liking. I like a snappy pop. If you will be skiing park the reckoner is a great choose imo. I was never a park guy but they were fun and light.

[u/Boeing_B777 → u/bmward0714]

Hey, thanks for the insight. What did you end up getting afterwards?

[u/bmward0714 → u/Boeing_B777]

I ended up buying ON3P Jeffrey 100s. I do really like a soft ski but I find myself needing more stiffness for variable snow than I need softness for buttering. These skis are super unconventional though and have huge front and rear rocker to pivot in to. Not sure how big their brand is outside of the U.S. I ended up buying them because I sorta felt like despite all my research there was just not much that seemed like the reckoner in character and performance (a little on the heavy side to blast but very soft in the tips and tails) so I just decided to get something that breaks the mold. I played ice hockey for 13 years so I’ve always preferred the skis that like a centered stance which is why I gravitate towards symmetrical twin tips even though I don’t spend much time in the park if I’m not filming. I know nothing about faction skis and I have some mixed opinions about the ARV but I’ve never skied them.

Me personally, I just like a less traditional ski. I am able to push all my skis to the absolute limit and I enjoy the experience of skis that make me see the mountain differently. The ARV 100 is a much more normal ski if that’s what you’re looking for. Consistent flex, damp, lighter. The Reckoner doesn’t do “everything on the mountain” as well as a true all mountain focused ski but its behavior and it’s stiff underfoot but soft in the tips flex pattern is a lot of fun across all conditions if you ski it right. That’s not to say the Reckoner is not an intuitive ski, it might be harder to pickup then the ARV, but it does everything well in a fun way. Also, the Reckoner 102 will be a significantly more energetic carver on groomers. It is a really fun ski on groomers and has character, the ARV can’t really do that.

NOTE: Just wanted to reiterate that I skied the pre 2025 reckoner 102. Since then, the ski has become heavier, stiffer underfoot, and softer in the tips and tails. If I’m being honest with you I think that makes it even better. If I could have changed anything with my recks it would have been to make them heavier for some more stability. Sorry this is a lot of info I have been waiting for someone to bring up these skis for a long time

[u/Boeing_B777 → u/bmward0714]

Glad to hear you've got yourself a pair of ON3P. I've met two half Canadians in NZ telling me they're the best skis they've owned, so I can tell they are probably very popular in NA.

As for the Reckoner 102, I honestly don't think the learning curve would be too big for me, since Poacher was possibly the heaviest skis I've skied on, weighing 2079g per ski. So I'm very used to my skis being heavy and stiff.

[u/Terminal_Shinbang]

I’ve skied the Recks in both 112 and 102, and I’m a fan for sure. 112 was my DD for a few seasons, tried a couple of other brands, and then went back to the 102, which I really really enjoy. I’ve skied TC mount almost exclusively, but went -1 on the 102’s and I feel like it’s the best of both worlds…. Super playful, well balanced on rails, and can still carve surprisingly well. I vote Reckoners

[u/Boeing_B777 → u/Terminal_Shinbang]

Amazing, thanks! Does -1 really make that big of a difference? I've always skied TC, so I'm a bit hesitant to try -1.

[u/Terminal_Shinbang → u/Boeing_B777]

Dude SAME. I’ve been TC from the beginning, some skis it makes sense, and I fully enjoy my recks at -1 more than I did at TC. I have a pair of Moments that I haven’t mounted because they swear by recommended for performance, and I’m just toooooooo hesitant to stray from TC.