2027 Faction Studio 3

With only graphic changes for this year, the 2027 Faction Studio 3 is a wide-bodied twin built for creative powder skiing, backcountry booters, and fresh big mountain lines. Studio, as a line, is known for having a relatively round and symmetrical build and shape to go along with a sturdy and damp feel. Faction does a fantastic job bringing these skis to life with a playful character and a floaty feel. Flatter, yet very consistent in flex and feel, the Studio 3 is a big mountain and deep snow specialist that works great on the feet of progressive and innovative skiers. At 112 mm underfoot, it’s more of a soft snow specialist, but that doesn’t mean there’s no versatility here.

Faction does a decent job at bringing engineering and sophistication into the Studio’s construction. Built with a light poplar wood core, Faction uses carbon stringers for stiffness and a carbon/rubber stomp pad underfoot for damping. These additive materials go a long way in creating a responsive ski at this width while keeping weight down. Normally, 112’s don’t have a lot of responsiveness, but the build combined with shape and profile allow this Studio 3 to be crisper than most, despite the turned-up tail. In the 184, the ski sits on the scale at 1990 grams, so while it’s closing in on 2000, it’s still not terribly heavy compared to other skis in this range. The stomp pad helps both with landings as well as damping vibrations, making this Studio 3 a solid performer at a variety of speeds. There’s a lot of comfort here when it comes to skiing aggressively.

Faction doesn’t like to stray too far away from park-like balance even in their wider Studios. Shaped like a fat twin tip, the Studio 3 follows the more symmetrical pattern found in the Studio line. Faction lists the rocker length as 400 mm in the tip and 360 mm in the tail, which is pretty darn equal. This roughly equates to 22% in the tip and 20% in the tail. The sidecut measurements of 140/112/134 create a 21-meter radius and feature a minimalistic 6 mm drop in total taper from tip to tail. This allows for more creative and interesting skiing in deeper snow as the 112 mm waist is capable of handling multiple feet and a variety of snow types. The build combined with the shape ensures proper performance in a multitude of ranges. That said, deeper and softer snow are certainly a priority with Studio 2.

If you’re in the market for a playful 112, this should be at the top of the list. At this width, and this shape, there’s not a ton of versatility here—it's a ski that falls on the more symmetrical side, and it wants to be used in deeper snow and in more playful spaces. Those who are looking for a mainstream or directional/traditional feel at this width may want to look elsewhere, but for those who identify as more creative and freeride-oriented, this is a sweet place to be. It’s a great option for seeking out big backcountry jumps and natural features with a unique mix of energy and smoothness.