Faction Dancer 99 Ti — Review

The Faction Dancer 99 Ti is the metal-reinforced freeride-leaning entry in Faction's reshaped Dancer line for 26/27. Two thin sheets of titanal sit above and below a poplar wood core under a 132-99-123 mm elliptical sidecut and Progressive Flat Tail shape. Reviewers who moved from the outgoing Dancer 2 (96 mm) noticed how the extra 3 mm of waist and slightly refined shape combine with the titanal for a more composed, more grown-up ride while retaining the Dancer's tail release.

The Dancer 99 Ti is a proper directional freeride all-mountain — comfortable running mixed groomers at pace, but at its best when it can carry speed into off-piste and let the titanal calm the ride through refrozen chop and cut-up powder. The elliptical sidecut still shortens the effective radius at the tip and tail, so you can dial in short arcs when needed, but the ski's stated 18 m radius at 177 cm hints at the mid-to-long arc it really prefers. The Progressive Flat Tail is a real feature here: even with two titanal sheets you can pivot and slash the tail without fighting the ski.

The Ti chassis is Faction's poplar wood core with the Dual Span Titanal layup, elliptical sidecut and Progressive Flat Tail. Faction publishes 1890 g per single ski at 177 cm — meaningfully heavier than the non-Ti at the same length (1840 g), and heavier still than the Dancer 89 Ti at 179 cm (1830 g). Sidecut is 132/99/123 mm and the stated radius at 177 cm is 18 m. Lengths run 164/171/177/183/188 cm.

The Dancer 99 Ti fits advanced skiers looking for a titanal 99 mm freeride-all-mountain with genuine off-piste appetite but modern release. Compared to the K2 Mindbender 99Ti it is a touch less aggressive in the tail and easier to release; against the Head Kore 100 Ti it is heavier and more composed on chop but less lively on firm groomers; and versus its own non-Ti sibling the Faction Dancer 99 it trades a bit of quickness and lightness for calmer manners at speed.

Pros

• Composed at speed through cut-up snow thanks to two titanal sheets.
• Elliptical sidecut supports both short and mid-radius turns.
• Progressive Flat Tail keeps the ski modern in release despite the metal.
• Five lengths from 164 to 188 cm cover the ski from advanced to expert users.

Cons

• Heavier than the non-Ti Dancer 99 — less lively on easy terrain.
• Not a dedicated deep-powder ski at 99 mm.
• Firm underfoot flex asks for an active driver to unlock its full range.

Verdict: A well-judged freeride-leaning all-mountain — Faction's flagship in the 99 mm slot for skiers who want titanal composure without giving up modern tail release.