Faction Dancer 79 Ti — Review

The Faction Dancer 79 Ti is Faction's dedicated frontside carver for the 26/27 season. A 79 mm waist, dual thin sheets of titanal over a poplar wood core and Faction's Progressive Flat Tail shape put this ski firmly in groomer-first territory while retaining enough tail release to feel modern rather than pure race. It sits at the narrow end of the Dancer line, which now spans 79/89/99/106 mm waists.

On piste the Dancer 79 Ti behaves like a directional carver with an elliptical sidecut that shortens the effective radius near the tip and tail while lengthening it underfoot. That translates to easy turn initiation, a stable belly through the middle of an arc, and a tail that will slide when asked. Edge grip on firm snow is strong for a 79-waist ski thanks to the two titanal layers, and the ski holds its line at speed on groomers. It is not a ski for deep snow — the low tip rocker and narrow waist make it plow rather than plane.

The core is Faction's lightweight poplar with a Dual Span Titanal layup, run in an elliptical sidecut with a Progressive Flat Tail. The ski uses full-strength ABS sidewalls with protective strips and an anti-chip micro-cap at the tip and tail. Faction publishes the 172 cm at 1580 g per ski, growing to 1720 g at 184 cm — that is on the lighter side for a titanal carver, which pays off in quickness and low fatigue even when the ski is not asked to hunt for the biggest arcs.

The 79 Ti targets the resort-focused intermediate-to-advanced skier who wants firm-snow grip without the seriousness of a race stock. Compared to the Head Kore x 78 lyt pr it is slightly heavier and more directional, with less of a Kore-style dampness. Against the K2 Disruption 78Ti the Dancer is a touch lighter and more pivot-friendly at the tail. And next to the wider Head Kore x 80 lyt pr the Dancer trades a bit of soft-snow float for a livelier, quicker-to-arc feel on firm groomers.

Pros

• Strong edge grip on hardpack for a 79 mm waist thanks to the dual titanal.
• Elliptical sidecut makes short-to-medium arcs feel natural.
• Progressive tail keeps it modern rather than locked-in.
• Reasonable weight for a full-metal carver.

Cons

• Waist too narrow to be a true one-ski quiver.
• Not the ski for deep snow or soft chop.
• Freestyle switch play is limited by the directional shape.

Verdict: A well-judged frontside carver — narrow enough to be a dedicated groomer weapon, but with enough elliptical shape and tail release to feel modern in the hands of a skilled resort skier.