Why we chose the Faction Agent 3.0X: Versatile, energetic, supportive
Lengths (cm): 164, 172, 180
Sidecut (mm): 134 / 106 / 124 (165 cm)
Radius: 16 m (164 cm)
Rocker Profile: Rocker – camber – rocker
Weight (per ski): 1,680g (172cm)
Price: £649 / €699 / $749
Buy here
No strangers to the freeride scene, Faction ventured into touring territory in 2019 with the launch of their Agent Series – and this line expands for the 2022 season, offering a cracking selection of touring skis. It’s been a big year for the widest women’s Agent; the 3.0X. Not only did the ski rack up multiple gear awards, it also completed the legendary Patrouille des Glaciers route strapped onto the feet of Kiwi shredder, Anna Smoothy (you can see the Agent 3.0X in action trekking from Zermatt to Verbier alongside fellow Faction athletes here).
Faction Agent 3.0X Build
So, how do Faction go about creating the award-winning 3.0X? Well, first of all, they began with a lightweight Karuba core, selected for its favourable strength-to-weight ratio. This Karuba base is bolstered by a full carbon weave, in which carbon strips are layered under and over the wood to provide additional stability and power, with little additional weight.
“They proudly state that the Agents are for those who ‘think light weight is important but durability and stability is better’”
Despite the weight-saving materials, the Agent 3.0X weighs in at a healthy (for a touring-oriented ski) 1,680g. Faction don’t shy away from the fact that their Agent skis aren’t the lightest compared to their ultra-feathery alpine-touring competitors (Atomic’s Backland 107 W, for example, is some 200g lighter). They proudly state that the Agents are for those who ‘think light weight is important but durability and stability is better’. The Agents’ thick 2.5mm edges, full sidewall construction, and reinforced topsheet might add on grams, but they ensure the Agent 3.0X is solid on the downhill and, in Faction’s words, ‘built to last’.
Faction Agent 3.0X Shaping
The Agent 3.0X’s 106 mm waist is wide enough to float down freshly covered faces, without becoming too clunky for touring ascents. Its deep snow potential is similarly aided by 3.7cm of nose rocker and slight tail rocker to prevent your tips going under.
