Extrem Factory 96 — Review

The Extrem Factory 96 is the narrow end of Extrem's Factory line, slotting in below the Factory 102 and Factory 112 with a 95 mm waist. It carries the line's "100% all-mountain" brief and pulls the family toward the piste side of all-mountain: same poplar/beech core and race-grade Isospeed 7515 base as its wider siblings, but stiffer through the edges thanks to the narrower platform. The Factory is built by hand in Åre, Sweden, with the brand's recurring emphasis on premium materials over weight savings.

At 95 mm and roughly 1.8–2.0 kg per ski, the Factory 96 is squarely a one-ski-quiver all-mountain shape. The smooth tip-and-tail rocker over a cambered underfoot lets it engage early on groomed snow and the wider 8.5 mm ABS edge plus 2.3 mm steel edge mean it bites cleanly. Off-piste it floats well enough to handle chopped snow and the odd boot-deep pocket; deep storms are out of scope at this width. Compared with the Factory 102 you get more piste manners and quicker edge-to-edge, at the cost of float in soft snow.

The Factory 96 uses Extrem's signature wood-core layup: poplar and beech laminated together for stability with snap, wrapped in prepreg fiberglass and finished with a 1.5 mm racing rubber damping insert in the tip and tail. Sidewalls are 8.5 mm ID 2500 ABS, the steel edge is the same 2.3 × 2.2 mm circumferential profile as the rest of the Extrem range, and the base is Isospeed 7515 with the brand's arrow-shaped custom structure. Notably the Factory 96 is built without titanal or carbon — flex and damping come from the wood and rubber, which gives it a slightly more lively feel than metal-laden 95 mm peers.

Strong intermediate to advanced skiers who want a directional do-everything ski and value handbuilt construction. Versus the Head Kore 94 Ti the Factory 96 is heavier and more grounded but less explosive; against the Nordica Enforcer 94 it trades some piste authority for a softer, more forgiving wood-only feel; and next to the Stockli Stormrider 95 it occupies similar handbuilt territory at a friendlier direct-to-consumer price.

Pros

• Race-base and thick steel edges deliver clean carving for a 95 mm ski.
• Wood-only construction has a lively, communicative feel.
• Three lengths cover most adult skier sizes.
• Handbuilt Swedish quality at a more accessible price than some heritage competitors.

Cons

• No metal layer caps top-end stability in heavy chop versus titanal peers.
• Not a touring ski despite the moderate weight.
• Limited dealer network outside Sweden.
• Two-color cosmetic palette is conservative for the segment.

Verdict: A capable wood-core all-mountain for skiers who want one ski to do groomers and off-piste without the dead feel of heavy metal layups. Pick it over the Factory 102 if your week leans frontside.