2023 Faction Prodigy 2

There’s a whole lot to like about a 98-mm twin tip—we've been saying it for years. Faction’s entry into the fold, the Prodigy 2, has a pretty simple yet effective build, a fun-loving shape, and a versatile profile that makes it well-suited for both terrain park and all-mountain/freeride applications. The Prodigy 2 is built with a full poplar wood core, giving it a great blend of energy and light weight. 2.5mm edges beef up the system, but overall the effectiveness of the poplar core gives the ski its well-rounded and fun-loving personality. With the increase in width over the Prodigy 1, the move to full poplar makes sense, as it keeps the buttery-ness of the ski fully intact while allowing for proper grip and a full amount of power. At 98 mm underfoot, it’s versatile enough to float through the fresh while remaining narrow enough to grip to the firm snow and has some decent on-piste character as well. At 1860 grams per ski and with a 20-meter turn radius in the 183, this ski checks a lot of boxes in terms of on-paper stats and application. We were stoked to get on it this spring, and found that a lot of those characteristics carry through to the on-snow experience as well.

Bob St.Pierre skied the 183, and while he found it to be true to size, he’d likely opt for the 189 for a personal pair. Bob scored the ski 3’s out of 5 for versatility, forgiveness, playfulness, quickness, maneuverability, and flotation. Overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, and stability all got 2’s, so we’re not seeing a top-end of scoring here from Bob. Normally a huge fan of the 98-mm twin tips, Bob states that he’s “Not so sure about this one. I felt like it wanted to engage in a turn, but not complete it. It was heavy but not so stable. Meh. I think next time I will move the binding back and try to get a bit more shovel out in front of me.” Not a ringing endorsement, but not a total slam either.

Matt McGinnis had a more positive experience on the Prodigy 2. He also skied the 183, noting that it felt long for him. He scored it 4’s out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, and edge hold. Overall impression, versatility, forgiveness, playfulness, quickness, maneuverability, and flotation all got 3’s, so a step above Bob’s scores for sure in all categories. Matt notes that “In a word: power. The Faction Prodigy 2 is a twin tip ski that comes to life when you’re pushing the speedometer. At high speeds, these skis love to get up on edge and hold their carve for as long as possible, providing a strong, powerful platform. For skiers who want to charge through chunder, the prodigy 2 is a powerful partner. That said, for skiers who want something a bit more versatile and fun, capable of bending to their desires at lower speeds, there are likely better options out there. Overall, for the right skier, this is a great choice. If “powerful” isn’t a word you’d use to describe your skiing, steer clear.”

It’s always interesting how two different skiers can have such different experiences. While Bob found nothing to be powerful about the Prodigy 2, Matt couldn’t get away from that word. It’s all about personal preference and experience with skis these days, and that’s what makes our test so fun and unique.