Faction Agent 2 Skis

The Agent 2 Skis uses Faction’s Microcap Full Strength Sidewall construction which is a hybrid of a sandwich sidewall construction through most of the ski and a lightweight, durable cap construction at the tips and tails where the rocker begins. This hybrid construction provides optimum edge hold and torsional stability while protecting the ski’s fragile sidewall by wrapping the top sheet around the sidewall at the tips and tails where they typically see more damage.

Under this Microcap Construction is a Karuba wood core with a full-carbon weave layup. Like Paulownia, Karuba wood is lightweight with good strength properties, and excellent flex and vibration absorption capabilities. The full-carbon weave consists of 8 to 12 strips of carbon which sandwich the ski’s wood core on either side. They are laid unidirectionally and woven into the fibreglass to provide strength and stiffness over the full length of the ski which provides extra stability to the ski, without adding weight to the build. This combination makes for an ideal construction for a touring ski which performs just as well on the up as it does on the down. To add additional strength under the binding area of the skis and ensure that binding screws will not pull out, Faction has added a Titanal Binding Plate which adds considerable strength and minimal weight gain.

Using a familiar Rocker-Camber-Rocker profile the Agent 2 Skis can float in deep snow with minimal chatter and maximum stability. They have a progressive early rise in the tips that gets more aggressive towards the tips of the skis to minimize any chatter.

Underfoot, there is minimal rocker to maximize ski and snow contact allowing for a versatile skiing style depending on your preference and conditions.

In the tails, there is a small but aggressive amount of rocker to maximize the ski’s running length and effective edge for more precise long radius turns while still being touring-friendly thanks to their built-in skin notch which helps ensure your skins stay centred and attached to the skis. You get maximum edge grip and control throughout the turn while the slight amount of rocker allows you to slash and slarve your turns at will in fresh snow without hooking up.

At only 96mm underfoot the Agent 2 Skis is one of the most versatile skis in the Agent line as it is 10mm wider underfoot than the Agent 1 at 10mm narrower than the Agent 3, and 20mm narrower than the Agent 4. This means it has a nimble, maneuverable feel while still providing some float on powder days. It is lighter than the Agent 3 and 4 so it is ideal for ski touring while still having enough chops to be a capable all-mountain ski at the resort.

Faction has integrated an elliptical sidecut into the Agent 2 Skis which is made up of a longer radius underfoot and shorter radii in the tip and tail of the ski. This long radius underfoot allows you to pivot the skis faster with less effort while the shorter radius in the tips and tails means that it is easier to initiate a turn which is crucial in challenging terrain and snow conditions. Their relatively short 19-meter turn radius allows for a wide variety of turn lengths and ensures that you can transition the skis from edge-to-edge relatively fast for fun flowing short radius turns.

Faction’s commitment to the environment means that they use electricity generated 100% from renewable sources and that they use sustainable wood cores which are sourced from forests close to the factory to eliminate any carbon from transporting them over long distances. They are also a 1% For The Planet member and mix base, sidewall and top sheet material scraps back into the raw material which is then used for producing new skis as this further helps to reduce carbon emission.

• Lightweight Caruba Wood Core
• Full Carbon Weave
• Sandwich construction
• Rocker / Camber / Rocker
• Touring skis that focus on downhill feel and control
• 96mm waist width is quick edge to edge and stable at speed
• Camber underfoot provides traction on the up, edge hold on the down
• Rocker in the tip and tail floats over snow and lets you pivot
• Short turn radius offers easy control in tight chutes
• Carbon fibre laminates provide torsional rigidity
• Sintered bases skip effortlessly across long flat areas

Given that the Agent 2 Skis are a hybrid all-mountain touring ski we decided to mount them with the Salomon Shift 13 Bindings (which are identical to the Atomic Shift Bindings) since they are a tech touring binding on the way up and a full alpine binding on the down. They conform to the TUV Certification for alpine binding standards, making it the first non-frame binding to do so. They are priced at $599.96CAN and have a Din of 6-13 and weigh 885g for the pair.

• Hybrid Toe - Ultimate elastic travel allowing for the boots to be held back when shocks get bigger. Compatible with all the normed boots with no compromise on safety or performance.
• Hybrid Heel - POWER Aluminum lever for a rigid construction allowing enhanced power transmission. LIGHT Made with Carbon-Infused PA for a light, yet strong construction.Elastic travel - The ultimate elastic travel on the wings. It holds the boot back when faced with bigger shocks and minimizes the risk of pre-release.
• TÜV Compatibility - Binding tested and certified by the TÜV safety monitoring agency, the reference entity for safety certification.
• XL Wings - Long wings that envelop the tip of the boot perfectly to provide increased power transmission and confidence in freeride bindings.
• Low profile Chassis - Low stand height for increased terrain feedback and enhanced power transmission.
• Easy climbing aids manipulation - Ensures easy switch with the poles between climbing aid positions. Possibility to attach dedicated crampons to the binding.
• Made with Aluminium which is a rigid and strong construction that allows enhanced power transmission. They also use Carbon-loaded PA which is a very lightweight and resistant alloy of carbon and polyamide to fulfill the need for very lightweight, extreme resistance and rigidity.

The Agent 2’s are a versatile hybrid ski that I found to be very adept at in-bounds skiing as well as ski touring. They were light enough to make uphill travel easy with no loss of performance on the down. These are relatively stiff skis for how light they are with good stability and edge hold underfoot with a smoother more progressive flex in the tips and tails. This makes the Agent 2 skis ideal for carving but also allows them to absorb any bumps or broken snow that might get in your way.

Their contemporary shape combines a medium flex with a generous sidecut which allows for a fairly easy turn initiation with their flatter tails providing a solid and supported finish to your turns. This allows the Agent 2 Skis to be very confident on soft groomers which is where I found them to be the most fun. It was very easy to link up short radius turns thanks to their 96mm waist and 19m turn radius which they could still churn out longer GS style turns at speed. I did find that most of the ski's grip came from under the binding and that the tips could slide out if you didn’t balance your weight properly and drive the skis with confidence. Their minimal rocker underfoot also means that in softer snow it was easy to smear my turns and have a little fun.

While the early rise tips help the Agent 2 Skis float above the snow and easily initiate a turn I did find them a little narrow underfoot for the 25cm of fresh pow that fell the day before I went touring. Thanks to how pronounced the tip rocker is there was minimal to no tip chatter on firmer snow but when the pow got broken up it was a little more challenging to control the Agent 2’s and they tended to deflect more easily mainly due to their light weight and narrower dimension.

I thought the reduced camber and skin notch on the tails were very touring-friendly but I do prefer a ski with almost no camber in the back end but that is just my skiing style. If you are looking for a ski with more presence and ability to float and plow through obstacles then the Agent 3 would likely be better suited to you, but be aware that you will pay a slight weight penalty on the skin track. The Agent 2’s were fun in all snow conditions and a competent all-around ski, especially if you live out east where power days are less frequent and less deep.