ProView – Faction Skis Prime 3.0
Faction’s Prime 3.0 ski is a well-rounded, hard-charging freeride ski. It is durable, maneuverable, and stable at high speeds. Its lightweight and stiff flex make it a go-to mid-winter backcountry ski.
Faction Skis Prime 3.0
Product Description: Built with industry-leading design materials and construction techniques as a one ski quiver for the seasoned freerider who is always on the lookout for powder exploits, the Prime 3.0 has a super-solid ride despite its light weight, resulting in a ski that will give you a new perspective of what’s possible on your mountain escapes.
Offer price: $1200 MSRP
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Float
(4)
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Maneuverability
(5)
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Playfulness
(5)
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Hard snow performance
(3)
Summary
Faction’s Prime 3.0 Skis are great all-around skis that perform best in soft snow. They are maneuverable and surfy but can be skied fast without feeling out of control. It skis best in soft snow but can bust its way through breakable crust and ski firmer conditions at slower speeds. The construction is durable and keeps the ski stiff without making it too heavy. The Prime 3.0 has become my go-to mid-winter ski for wiggling through low angle powder to skiing the steep and deep.
Overall
4.3Pros
- Lightweight
- Stiff
- Durable
- Maneuverable
- Fun surfy feel
Cons
- Not stable at speed in firm conditions
- Progressively flat tail not as good for kick turns as a true flat tail
Performance
I had the pleasure of testing and skiing the 177cm Prime 3.0 in the mountains of South Central Idaho over the past 2 seasons. I’ve experienced deep powder, breakable crust, and firm conditions– a good variety for ski testing. The ski has a 108 mm waist, which has been my go-to size for my region. I find that waist size handles powder the best but can ski firm conditions if necessary. This holds true for the Prime 3.0 ski. It has a stiff flex which helps with the variable snow conditions we inevitably run into while searching for backcountry powder. The shape makes it very easy to initiate a turn and they have a great surfy feel to them. This also helps shed speed quickly and makes the ski very maneuverable when you need to change direction quickly. The surfy and playfulness of the ski make cruising mellow powder fields a pleasure, but the Prime 3.0 also stands up to speed and steep powder descents. The early rise tip helps keep you afloat on the deeper days but also helps charge through breakable crust when you encounter variable conditions. The progressively flat tail makes the skis playful yet still stable at higher speeds. The lack of an abrupt curve at the tail makes it ideal for efficient kick turning on the way up. I found the Prime 3.0 to perform best in soft snow but I was still able to keep an edge while taking it slower in firm conditions.
Construction
The Prime 3.0 is constructed out of balsa and reinforced with flax and poplar strips to sturdy it up. It is cased in Textreme carbon, which claims to be thinner, lighter, stronger and more durable than regular carbon. I’m not an engineer, but I am very impressed with how stiff these skis are relative to their weight. There are also titanal plates underneath the bindings to help secure the binding screws. I can also speak to their durability. I’m not known to be easy on equipment (“tools not jewels”) and these have stood up well to abuse. I haven’t had any cracks in the top sheet and no core shots despite the boney early season we had this year.
Conclusion
Faction’s Prime 3.0 Skis are great all-around skis that perform best in soft snow. They are maneuverable and surfy but can be skied fast without feeling out of control. It skis best in soft snow but can bust its way through breakable crust and ski firmer conditions at slower speeds. The construction is durable and keeps the ski stiff without making it too heavy. The Prime 3.0 has become my go-to mid-winter ski for wiggling through low angle powder to skiing the steep and deep.
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Niels Meyer is a ski guide for Sun Valley Guides in Ketchum, Idaho. He has been guiding and exploring the Sun Valley backcountry since 2013. When not chasing powder personally and professionally, Niels can be found fighting fire, playing with his dog Baxter, and reveling in the beauty of south-central Idaho.