1 / 17Faction Dancer 79
Pre-order · Ships September 2026
Need binding mounting?
We’ll mount your bindings and set your DIN. FREE with full setup (ski + boots + bindings).
PTO Verdict
“Faction finally made a piste ski. And they made it feel like a Faction.”
Best for: Intermediate-to-advanced skiers who want a dedicated groomer ski with personality — not a race hand-me-down. The skier who carves hard on firm snow but still wants energy and pop. Works well as a piste-specific second ski alongside a wider all-mountain setup.
Not for: Beginners who need forgiveness, heavy chargers who want maximum dampening at very high speed, and anyone looking for off-piste float. At 79mm and Float 1/10 this is a pure frontside ski — if you want something that also handles soft snow, look at the wider Dancers or an all-mountain ski. If you want more high-speed calm on firm snow and don't mind the weight, the DPS Pisteworks 79 is stiffer and more damp.
At a Glance
Terrain
Ability Level
Pair It With
Compatible ski bindings.
Browse our recommended binding brands for this ski.
Description
The Faction Dancer 79 Ti is a 79mm unisex piste carver — Faction's first ski built purely for groomers, from a company better known for freeride. Float 1/10 puts it firmly on the frontside — a dedicated groomer ski, not an all-mountain one. Buy it for hardpack and firm corduroy, not for soft snow.
Unlike Faction's carbon Agent tourers, the Dancer 79 has metal in it. Two razor-thin Titanal sheets — the "Ti" in the name — sit over a light poplar core. That metal gives it the damping and edge grip of a proper carver, while the thin sheets and poplar keep it lighter than most metal-laminate frontside skis in its class, so it changes edges quickly and stays fresh on a long groomer day. An Elliptical Sidecut pivots easily at low speed but tightens and holds when you lean into a turn, and its flex is firm through the middle, softening toward the tips and tails.
It is an intermediate-to-expert ski (Flex 8/10) that rewards technique — strong skiers get energy and pop out of it, while skiers who cannot bend it will find the grip less impressive. It is not for beginners, for anyone chasing off-piste float, or for a heavy charger who wants the brute calm of a much heavier race platform.
Published lengths run 158 to 184cm. The flat ski ships without bindings — we mount and fit them with you. It also comes as the Dancer 79 Ti SYS, which pairs the ski with a Salomon Strive 11 binding; we set that up at fitting. If you want more than pure piste, ask us about the wider Dancers.
Specs
Technical Specs
| Waist | 79mm |
| Sidecut | 118 / 79 / 107mm |
| Radius | 13m (158) / 14m (166) / 16m (172) / 17m (178) / 18m (184) |
| Weight (per ski) | 1380 / 1500 / 1580 / 1640 / 1720 g (158-184) |
| Core | Poplar woodcore + Dual Span Titanal (two razor-thin Titanal sheets) |
| Flex / Float / Style | 8/10 / 1/10 / 8/10 |
| Lengths | 152 / 158 / 166 / 172 / 178 / 184 (152 geometry not published by Faction) |
Details
- Type
- SKI
- Vendor
- Faction
- SKU
- FCSKW27-DN79-ZZ-152-1
152
Faction Dancer 79 Ti
By PTO Team, Based on the manufacturer’s published specs · Spec analysis
The take
“Faction finally made a piste ski. And they made it feel like a Faction.”
The Dancer 79 Ti is a new breed for Faction — a dedicated groomer ski from a company built on freeride. But it doesn't feel like a brand trying to be something it's not. It feels like a freeride company asking what happens when you bring that construction philosophy to corduroy.
79mm waist, poplar core, two razor-thin Titanal sheets, full sidewall. On paper it reads like a competent frontside ski. What sets it apart is how light it is — around 1,640g in the 178, noticeably lighter than most metal-laminate carvers in this class. The weight savings come from the poplar core and the thin Titanal Faction calls "razor-thin." Less mass underfoot means quicker edge-to-edge transitions and less fatigue on a long groomer day. Note the metal here: this is the opposite of Faction's Agent touring skis, which use carbon and no metal.
The Elliptical Sidecut blends a longer radius underfoot with shorter radius at tip and tail. In practice you can pivot the ski easily at low speed, but it tightens up and holds when you push into a carve. The 17m radius at 178cm is moderate — not slalom-tight, not GS-long. You can snap off quick turns on steep groomers or open it up on wide blue cruisers without fighting it.
The Mustache Flex pattern is stiff underfoot and through the binding zone, then softens progressively into the tips and tails. The tips absorb crud and transition bumps; the stiff midsection holds when you drive through a turn. It rewards technique but doesn't punish the occasional sloppy turn the way a full race ski would.
Independent reviewers flagged the same thing: this ski has energy. It pops out of turns and wants to go. Skiers with good technique called it lively and quick; skiers without enough power to bend it found the edge grip underwhelming on hard snow. That's the trade — the lightness that makes it fun also means it lacks the brute dampening of a heavier frontside platform. And at Float 1/10 it is pure piste: anything deeper than a few inches of fresh and a 79mm frontside ski sinks.
Bindings we'd pair with it
Mount point: Recommended mount point (directional). Our pick: Look Pivot 13 GW.
Look Pivot 13 GWAggressive carvingTurntable heel gives long elastic travel. Holds through aggressive edge angles and hard carves. The classic choice for skiers who push hard.
Marker Griffon 13 IDAll-aroundLighter than the Pivot and easy to adjust. A solid mid-range option if the ski pulls double duty. We confirm sole compatibility at fitting, never by spec.
- Tyrolia Attack 14 GWLightweight setup
Keeps overall weight down on an already light ski. Good retention, clean release. Pairs well with the Dancer's light-and-lively character.
The Dancer 79 Ti also comes as a SYS bundle with the Salomon Strive 11 binding. The SYS is a simpler, ready-to-go option; a flat mount with a higher-DIN binding gives you more performance headroom. We set the DIN to you at fitting — never by spec.
Common Questions
- Does the Faction Dancer 79 Ti have metal in it?
- Yes. The "Ti" is two razor-thin Titanal sheets over a poplar core — Faction calls it Dual Span Titanal. The metal is what gives it damping and hardpack edge grip. This is the opposite of Faction's Agent touring skis, which are built with carbon and no metal.
- Is the Dancer 79 Ti any good for powder or off-piste?
- No. Faction rates it Float 1/10, the lowest in the line — it is a dedicated piste carver. It handles the morning-hardpack-to-spring-corn transition well, but anything more than a few inches of fresh and a 79mm frontside ski sinks. For soft snow, look at a wider ski.
- What is the difference between the Dancer 79 Ti and the Dancer 79 Ti SYS?
- The Dancer 79 Ti is the flat ski, sold without bindings. The Dancer 79 Ti SYS is a system bundle that ships with the Salomon Strive 11 binding. They are the same ski; the SYS just comes as a package. We mount and set either one to you in the shop.
- What bindings work with the Dancer 79 Ti?
- The flat ski takes any standard alpine binding matched to your boot sole and skiing. A flat mount with a higher-DIN binding gives you more performance headroom than the SYS package; the SYS is the simpler, ready-to-go option. We mount, fit and set the DIN to you — it is never set by spec.
- How should I size the Faction Dancer 79 Ti?
- Published lengths are 158, 166, 172, 178 and 184cm. Sizing follows your height, weight, ability and how aggressively you carve — a shorter length is quicker edge-to-edge, a longer length is more stable at speed. Tell us your details and we will recommend a length.
