Faction Skis 2021: The First Look
See our preview of the latest Faction skis
Faction made some pretty stellar changes for the 2020/2021 season. Crisp new topsheets, women-specific additions, and brand new skis. Faction crushed it.
The Prodigy series is starting to take over Faction skis, and this year they unified the line, making the constructions the same across the board. In previous years, the Prodigy 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 all differed slightly, almost making each version a completely different ski than the others. So, when we found out that each ski has the same construction, we were pretty pumped. These things are fun, and the updates made them… funner.
A brand new ski for 2021, the Agent enters the ski-verse as a “touring descent” ski, meaning it’s lightweight for uphill, but performs pretty killer on the downhill. Lighter and softer, the Agent has a similar profile to the Dictator. Imagine Joseph Stalin’s stealthy side kick, and you get the picture.
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What’s New
The Prodigy 1.0 and 2.0 remain unchanged minus sweet new topsheets, while the Prodigy 3.0 and 4.0 now contain the same elliptical radius and poplar core as its younger brothers to make the family one. The 3.0 is now 106mm underfoot, and the 4.0 is 116mm underfoot. With Surf Zone Tips taken from the surf industry, the Prodigy series still pops, plays, and surfs pow with glory and style. Embodying the artistry and creativity that is all-mountain, freeride, and freestyle skiing, the all black topsheets feature spirit animals at the tips, which grow in size as you go up the line, and records at the tail. *Cue applause.*
Ladies – prepare yourselves. Faction introduces the Prodigy 3.0X, and man are we psyched. The same construction as the men’s, the Prodigy 3.0X also contains the same new topsheet theme as its little sisters: an overhead view of a ski area with some added color pop at the tips. Bottom line: it’s awesome. The Prodigy 1.0X and 2.0X contain only updates to the topsheets.
A new line of skis for 2021, the Agent enters stage left. This lightweight, yet stable touring ski will perform better on the downhill than the Faction Prime series. Might we suggest the Salomon Shift or all-new Marker Duke PT for a do-it-all setup?
The Candide series also received a few renovations. The Candide 1.0 and 2.0 now contain a titanal plate, different from the mount plate, underfoot to add bomber construction for park skiers, and added durability ripping corduroy. Added rubber in the tips and tails provide less chatter, making the skis a tad heavier than its ancestors, but giving park riders more rotations in the air and on rails. The Candide 1.0X and 2.0X feature the same changes as the men’s skis. The Candide 3.0 is now just a poplar core, instead of a paulonia/poplar blend. The Candide 5.0 remains the same, while the Candide 4.0 is laid to rest.
Other Highlights
The Mono ski took the world by storm in the 2019/2020 ski season, and this year it is back! Fresh new graphics reflect the out-of-this world fun that is the Mono ski, and is now offered in two lengths: 182cm and 190cm.
The Dictator 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 come back with a slight change in graphics, while the Dictator 4.0 now contains the same elliptical radius to make the ski more friendly at slower speeds. Another favorite change of the Dictator line is the addition of the Dictator 3.0X, which features the same construction as the men’s skis. The Dictator 1.0X and 2.0X remain unchanged, minus topsheet graphics.
Get the inside scoop on all the new 2021 skis and gear
