Faction Agent 2
By PTO Team, Based on official Faction specs and independent review consensus · Spec analysis + independent touring/all-mountain review consensus on this ski
The take
“Versatile is the whole pitch — good at most things, best at none, and honest about the trade.”
The Agent 2 is the width Faction builds for the tourer who does not want to choose. At 96mm it splits the difference between the narrow Agent 1, built for the climb, and the wide Agent 3, built for the descent, and it skis firm skin tracks and soft-snow runs on the same day without feeling out of place on either. Like the rest of the line, it stiffens with carbon rather than metal — a Karuba woodcore under a full carbon weave — and independent reviews describe the result as damp for a carbon ski: it grips hard snow precisely and stays composed rather than skittering, which is not a given at this weight.
That breadth is the point, and it is also the catch. Versatile means compromise: the Agent 2 does most touring jobs well without doing any single one of them best. A skier whose days skew firm and efficient will be happier on the narrower Agent 1; a skier chasing soft-snow float will want the wider Agent 3. Buy the 2 because you want one ski that leans neither way, not because you expect it to win at both ends of the range.
Two honest limits are worth naming. First, a light 96mm carbon ski stays lively where a heavier ski feels planted — very fast or heavier, aggressive skiers may find the tip wants a touch more damping at the top of the speed range, and independent reviews report the same, with a French test noting a little lost grip at very high speed. Second, this is a stable tourer, not an ultralight one: it carries more mass uphill than race-weight carbon tourers built purely for the climb. That extra weight is part of why the descent stays calm, but you will feel it on a long dawn-patrol slog.
On float, it sits in the middle at Float 5/10 — more soft-snow ability than the narrower Agent, less than the wider one, and short of a dedicated powder ski. Where it lands in the range is simple: float climbs with width, so the Agent 1 (86mm) is the efficient climber, the Agent 2 is the all-round middle, and the Agent 3 (106mm) is the descent-first end. Against race-weight tourers like the Blizzard Zero G or G3 FINDr, the Agent 2 gives up some uphill efficiency and gets back a steadier, more composed ride down. Ability runs intermediate to expert.
Bindings we'd pair with it
Mount point: Directional; recommended mount set at fitting. Our pick: Chosen at fitting — a tech/pin or hybrid touring binding, never assumed by spec.
- Tech/pin touring bindingLightweight touring
Low weight and clean uphill travel for a dedicated earn-your-turns setup. We match a model to your boots and set it in the shop.
- Hybrid touring bindingTouring plus resort
A heavier hybrid option for mixed touring and lift-served use, selected to match your boots and how you ski.
The Agent 2 is a touring ski and ships flat. We do not set a DIN by spec — we fit and adjust the binding to your weight, ability and boots in the shop.
Common Questions
- What is the difference between the Faction Agent 1, 2 and 3?
- Same carbon-and-Karuba touring build in three widths, and Faction's Float rating climbs with width. The Agent 1 is 86mm (Float 3/10), the narrow, efficient climber for firm snow. The Agent 2 is 96mm (Float 5/10), the versatile middle. The Agent 3 is 106mm (Float 7/10), the widest and most descent-focused. The 2 is the pick if you want one ski that leans neither pure-efficiency nor pure-freeride.
- How does the Faction Agent 2 handle soft snow and powder?
- At Float 5/10 it is the balanced middle of the line — more soft-snow ability than the Agent 1, less than the Agent 3. It skis variable and soft snow well for its width, but it is an all-mountain touring ski rather than a dedicated powder board. If deep days are your priority, size up to the Agent 3 or look at a purpose-built powder ski.
- Does the Faction Agent 2 have metal in it?
- No. The Agent line is built without metal — a Karuba woodcore stiffened with a Full Carbon Weave. That is the opposite of Faction's Dancer line, which uses Titanal. The Agent 2 gets its precision and composure from carbon and a moderate mass, not from a metal sheet.
- What bindings does the Faction Agent 2 take, and how do I set it up?
- It ships flat. As a touring ski it takes a tech/pin binding for a light setup, or a hybrid touring binding if you also ride lifts — the right choice depends on your boot and how you tour. We fit, mount and set the binding in the shop, and can match the correct Agent-series climbing skins to it.
- How should I size the Faction Agent 2?
- It comes in 155, 163, 171, 177, 182 and 187cm — the widest size range of the three Agents. Sizing follows your height, weight, ability and how you tour rather than a single rule: a shorter length is lighter and quicker, a longer length is more stable and floats more. Tell us your details and we will recommend a length.
