The Lowdown

There are many skis that claim to achieve light-weight touring capabilities without sacrificing performance. And many are capable of holding their own on the downhill but often this genre is a bit lifeless. The Faction La Machine Mega, however, stands out as not just another carbon-reinforced stiff light ski. It is light, very light, and it is stiff enough to be powerful and stable, yet it somehow carries on the playful, poppy, surfy characteristics you expect from Faction to have fun everywhere. Its unique construction combined with a near-fully rockered shape and lots of tip and tail taper make it a blast to slide around in any kind of soft snow, be it cold pow or wet corn. The La Machine Mega combined with a pair of Shifts is perfect for taking on a ski trip where you only want to bring one setup and you might be touring, you might be skiing inbounds freshies, and you might be taking some spring park laps.

Ride Impressions

Right off the bat, I found these to be super fun gliding around on groomers and mixed soft snow. I’m a big fan of fully rockered skis beyond their ability in powder, and I’m a firm believer that many will enjoy them too. These skis are easy to pivot, fun to go sideways at high speeds, and the rocker makes for smooth glide when breaking trail on the skin-track. I often find carbon touring skis to be okay at handling speed and chop (especially for their weight) but to fall dead when it comes to playfulness and pop. I typically will sacrifice some weight savings if it means I get a better-skiing ski. That is where the La Machine stands out since they do have a softer flexing core that paired with the double layer of carbon keeps the skis snappy and powerful so you can still lay boost out of a turn, launch off knolls, and blast through chunder. Plus the low swing weight is fun in the air.

At their width, the Mega would be a great fresh snow tour ski. I have only had the chance to tour on them in NW wet “pow” and Colorado sun-baked snow. The wide, rockered shape with ample tip and tail taper made grabby snow a breeze as they easily sliced in and out of heavier and crusty snow, and stay on top when you let off the brakes. Combined with a pair of Salomon Shifts and evo x Pomoca skins, this will be my go-to ski to grab for pretty much any trip as I know I will have what I need for deep days, playful resort laps, and touring in a mix of conditions.

The one place that I didn’t love this ski was in truly solid snow. I had numerous spring days at Aspen with them. In the morning until things softened up, they just didn’t have that damp, rock-solid feel of a heavier downhill ski. And, that is just not what these are intended for especially in the Mega's 109mm width. I loved them in any kind of soft snow and even a nice groomer, just avoid the refrozen boiler plate – which I try and avoid anyways.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Who's It For?

This is a great setup for anyone looking for a 50/50 ski to spend some time touring and some time at the resort. It’s light enough to handle longer tours but built to be a playful all-mountain ski, perfectly paired with a Shift, Duke PT, or Cast system. I would recommend it for those that like a loose, surfy feel rather than someone who wants to make one consistent turn all the way down. The Mega can be your one ski to handle the deepest days while still holding its own in most other conditions. If you never plan on touring, I’d opt for a Prodigy 3 or Agent 3 instead.