Faction Dancer 99 — Review

The Faction Dancer 99 is the new metal-free freeride waist option in Faction's reshaped Dancer line for 26/27. A 132-99-123 mm elliptical sidecut, Progressive Flat Tail shape and lightweight poplar wood core sit under the same aesthetics as the rest of the series — but without the two thin titanal sheets found in the Dancer 99 Ti. The result is a lighter, more forgiving 99-waist all-mountain ski aimed at skiers who value quickness and playfulness over ultimate hard-snow composure.

At a stated 1630 g per single ski at 164 cm and 1840 g at 177 cm, the Dancer 99 sits at the light end of its class. Without titanal, the ski accepts a lighter foot and rewards steering with pressure rather than powering through the arc. The elliptical sidecut gives short-to-medium arcs a natural rhythm, the Progressive Flat Tail lets you break the tail free easily, and the 99 mm waist floats reasonably well in soft snow while still allowing meaningful edge time on firmer groomers. Hard-snow composure at speed is where the non-Ti chassis shows its limit — push hard through refrozen chop and it will start to move around.

The Dancer 99 uses Faction's poplar wood core in an elliptical sidecut and Progressive Flat Tail with full-strength ABS sidewalls and anti-chip micro-cap protection. The stated sidecut is 132/99/123 mm across all lengths and the stated turn radius is 15 m at 164 cm, rising to 18 m at 177 cm. Length options are 164/171/177/183/188 cm. Skipping the Dual Span Titanal layup keeps the weight roughly 50 g lower per ski at the reference 177 cm length compared to the Dancer 99 Ti.

The Dancer 99 fits the intermediate to advanced skier looking for a light, playful 99 mm daily rider that still handles a broad range of conditions. Compared to the Head Kore 100 Ti it drops the metal for a livelier, less muted feel; against the Nordica Enforcer 100 it is much lighter and more pivot-friendly rather than powerful; and next to its own titanal sibling, the Faction Dancer 99 Ti, it trades a bit of composure at speed for a lighter, more forgiving daily character.

Pros

• Light for a 99 mm all-mountain ski at 1630 g in 164 cm.
• Elliptical sidecut makes turn shape flexible.
• Progressive Flat Tail supports easy pivoting and slashing.
• Forgiving character with usable feedback for intermediates progressing to expert.

Cons

• Less composed than the Ti version through firm chop.
• Not a dedicated hard-snow carver at this waist.
• Not a true deep-powder specialist despite the 99 mm waist.

Verdict: A well-considered lightweight 99 mm all-mountain — the forgiving half of the new Dancer 99 pair, ideal for skiers who want a light, elliptical daily ski over ultimate stability.