Faction Dancer 89 Ti — Review

The Faction Dancer 89 Ti is the metal-reinforced daily driver of the reshaped Dancer line for 26/27. A poplar wood core sits between two razor-thin titanal sheets under a 126-89-115 mm elliptical sidecut and Faction's Progressive Flat Tail. Compared to the non-Ti Dancer 89 it gains roughly 80 g per ski at 179 cm and swaps a lively daily feel for more composure at pace on firm and mixed snow.

Under load the Ti chassis stays quiet where the non-Ti version begins to chatter. That makes the Dancer 89 Ti the more natural pick for skiers who like to push a medium-radius arc across mixed groomers and refrozen off-piste. The elliptical sidecut still helps short arcs feel natural — the titanal is not laid up as a race-plate slab, so the ski still pivots and slashes when asked. Grip on hardpack is strong for a 89 mm waist, and the tail releases predictably when pressured. Deep-snow use is limited by the modest tip rocker and 89 mm waist, so this is a firm-conditions all-mountain ski, not a soft-snow one-ski quiver.

The Ti chassis uses Faction's lightweight poplar core with a Dual Span Titanal layup and a Progressive Flat Tail. Faction publishes the 173 cm at 1700 g and the 179 cm at 1830 g per single ski — the extra 80 g over the non-Ti version comes from the two titanal sheets. Sidecut is 126/89/115 mm, radius is 17 m at 173 cm and 18 m at 179 cm. Lengths run 153/159/166/173/179/185 cm.

The Dancer 89 Ti suits advanced resort skiers who want a proper metal-backed 89 mm all-mountain with modern release rather than a race-carve mindset. Compared to the Head Kore x 90 lyt pr it is a touch heavier and has a longer effective edge feel through firmer arcs; against the Nordica Enforcer 89 it is meaningfully lighter and quicker but still composed; and next to the K2 Mindbender 89Ti it trades a bit of Mindbender's chargy stiffness for a more elliptical, quicker-to-arc feel.

Pros

• Composed at speed thanks to the dual titanal layers.
• Elliptical sidecut keeps turn initiation quick despite the metal.
• Predictable tail release for a Ti all-mountain ski.
• Six lengths from 153 to 185 cm cover most adult skiers.

Cons

• Heavier and less playful than the non-Ti Dancer 89.
• Not enough waist or rocker for genuine powder days.
• Firm underfoot flex requires an active driver at low speeds.

Verdict: The all-mountain workhorse of the Dancer line — a well-judged titanal 89 mm ski that offers composure without giving up the elliptical, modern feel Faction is aiming for.