Faction Dancer 89 — Review

The Faction Dancer 89 is the non-metal, everyday all-mountain option in the Dancer line for 26/27. It shares the 126-89-115 mm sidecut with its titanal sibling but drops the two thin metal sheets, saving roughly 80 g per ski at 179 cm and shifting the personality toward a livelier, more forgiving daily driver. It sits between the piste-focused Dancer 79 and the wider Dancer 99 in Faction's new width-first Dancer naming.

Without the two titanal layers the Dancer 89 rewards a lighter foot rather than a locked-in edge push. Turn initiation is quick, the poplar core gives usable feedback rather than the muted feel of full-metal skis, and the elliptical sidecut still shortens the effective radius at the ends so short arcs feel natural. It grips well on firm groomers but starts to chatter earlier than the Ti version when pushed at high speed through variable snow. In softer conditions the metal-free chassis is easier to release and slash — this is the Dancer 89 you'd take for a full-mountain resort day.

The Dancer 89 uses Faction's lightweight poplar wood core, an elliptical sidecut and the Progressive Flat Tail shape shared across the line. Without the Dual Span Titanal layers it is roughly 80 g lighter per ski at 179 cm — Faction's stated weight there is 1750 g per single ski, versus 1830 g for the Ti. Sidecut is 126/89/115 mm and the stated radius at 179 cm is 18 m. Six lengths from 153 to 185 cm cover most adult sizing needs.

The Dancer 89 targets the intermediate to advanced all-mountain skier who prefers a friendlier, lighter ski over a chargier metal chassis. Compared to the Head Kore x 90 the Dancer 89 has a similar lightweight bias but a livelier tail; against the Nordica Enforcer 89 it is much lighter and less hungry for speed. Next to its own titanal sibling the Faction Dancer 89 Ti it trades ultimate composure at speed for a more approachable, more playful daily feel.

Pros

• Light and easy to steer for a 89 mm all-mountain ski.
• Poplar core keeps feedback lively rather than muted.
• Elliptical sidecut makes short-to-medium turns natural.
• Six lengths give a good fit for a wide range of skiers.

Cons

• Chatter appears earlier than on the Ti version at higher speeds.
• Not the strongest hard-snow carver in its class.
• Not designed for genuine deep-snow days.

Verdict: A well-judged metal-free all-mountain option — the friendlier half of the new Dancer 89 pair, ideal for skiers who value quickness and forgiveness over ultimate stability.