At 96 mm underfoot, the Faction Dancer 2x is an excellent example of a pure all-mountain ski. With a bit of a wider body to it, you’re going to get some decent flotation out of it as well, while not really jeopardizing any of the on-trail carving performance. Built with a lightweight poplar wood core and two sheets of metal, these skis have a simplistic build, but that doesn’t make them boring or uninteresting. Due to the 15-meter turn radius in the 163 cm length and the 1680 gram per ski weight to go along with it, these things are agile and quick despite all that metal. Mainly, when we’re dealing with multiple sheets of titanal, the weight and stiffness may be too much to overcome, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with the new Dancer 2x. They have more tip and tail rocker than the narrower version, so it’s got that softer-snow mentality to it, but the added mass and volume of the ski make it a whole lot of fun for on-trail carving and stability as well. There’s a bit of a turned-up tail, but these things are far from freestyle twin tips. Instead, they work really well in a front side format, while having that wider waist.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber / Rocker
CORE MATERIALS
PREFERRED TERRAIN
All Mountain, Groomers, Powder
Abby Maurice skied the 163 and found it true to size and the length that she’d buy herself. She gave it a top score of 5 out of 5 for flotation, with 4’s running the rest of the board. We do expect to see these types of scores for true all-mountain performance, but it’s always nice to see the reality come through. Abby notes that “This Dancer is agile and free. Loved taking this on soft snow and can only image how wonderful it would be with more coverage and some powder. It has quick turning ability and although it holds an edge, it also has a pleasant schmearing tendency. This is a real twirler looking for a fun partner. I would recommend an advanced intermediate skier. Very forgiving and fun.”
Allison Kozar had a positive experience on her 163, noting that it was just right for her as well. She gave mostly 4’s on her card, for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, playfulness, quickness, maneuverability, stability, and flotation. Forgiveness and versatility got 3’s, showing a well-rounded score sheet from Allison. She notes that “This is going to be a close contender to the Prodigy 1, but with more edge control, and a damper core for firm conditions. Having only skied the Prodigy 1 in a 178, not the best comparison, but I feel like the metal helped make this a stronger, more rigid ski.”
If you’re looking for one pair of skis that truly does it all, the mid-90's is a great place to be. Thanks to the shape, construction, and profile of the Dancer 2x, skiers of the advanced and expert range will have a lot to like about this directional freeride ski.
