THE GEAR PICKER
skis / compare
Head-to-head · all-mountain

Faction Studio 2 vs Nordica Santa Ana 102

The Studio 2 and the Santa Ana 102 compared. They share 102 mm underfoot. The Studio 2 is 160 g lighter at the default length (1,800 vs 1,960 g). Turn radii are 19 m and 17.5 m.

Faction Studio 2 — topsheet
Studio 2
$829 MSRP 5 lengths · 166, 173, 178, 183, 188 cm
Nordica Santa Ana 102 — topsheet
Santa Ana 102
$900 MSRP 5 lengths · 155, 161, 167, 173, 179 cm

Where each ski sits across every ski we carry

Studio 2
Santa Ana 102
Waist
102 mm
102 mm
Narrower · firmer-snowWider · powder
Weight
1,800 g
1,960 g
Lighter · playfulHeavier · damp & planted
Tip taper
29 mm
28.5 mm
Straighter · grippyMore taper · loose
Turn radius
19.0 m
17.5 m
Shorter · quickLonger · stable

Head to head, by character

Each ski's own read, side by side — the same three things that define how it skis.
Turn & shape
A 19.0-meter radius draws medium-to-long turns and holds a line through them; a moderate taper keeps entry manageable without giving up much grip mid-arc.
A 17.5-meter radius draws medium-to-long turns and holds a line through them; a moderate taper keeps entry manageable without giving up much grip mid-arc.
Stability & dampness
Built without metal on a poplar wood core, it's lighter and livelier underfoot — easy to release from a turn and quick edge to edge. At 1,800 g it stays light and maneuverable.
Titanal is placed in specific zones of the ski — targeted dampening that settles the ski without the full weight of a sheet, keeping more life in the tips and tails. At 1,960 g there's real mass behind it.
Float & width
At 102 mm it leans toward soft-snow float while keeping enough edge to hold when it firms up. Rocker at tip and tail lets it smear and release easily, while the camber underfoot keeps an edge.
At 102 mm it leans toward soft-snow float while keeping enough edge to hold when it firms up. Rocker at tip and tail lets it smear and release easily, while the camber underfoot keeps an edge.

Full spec comparison

SpecStudio 2Santa Ana 102
Waist 102 mm 102 mm
Sidecut 131·102·127 mm 130.5·102·120.5 mm
Weight @ default 1,800 g 1,960 g
Weight range 1,690–1,950 g 1,750–2,160 g
Turn radius 19.0 m full-length 17.5 m full-length
Metal None Terrain specific titanal
Core Poplar wood core Performance wood + pulse core
Lengths 166–188 cm 155–179 cm
MSRP $829 $900