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

Faction Studio 2 vs Völkl Mantra 102

The Studio 2 and the Mantra 102 compared. They share 102 mm underfoot. The Studio 2 is 340 g lighter at the default length (1,800 vs 2,140 g). Turn radii are 19 m and 18 m.

Faction Studio 2 — topsheet
Studio 2
$829 MSRP 5 lengths · 166, 173, 178, 183, 188 cm
Völkl Mantra 102 — topsheet
Mantra 102
$950 MSRP 4 lengths · 170, 177, 184, 191 cm

Where each ski sits across every ski we carry

Studio 2
Mantra 102
Waist
102 mm
102 mm
Narrower · firmer-snowWider · powder
Weight
1,800 g
2,140 g
Lighter · playfulHeavier · damp & planted
Tip taper
29 mm
40 mm
Straighter · grippyMore taper · loose
Turn radius
19.0 m
18.0 * m
Shorter · quickLonger · stable
* A flagged radius is the underfoot figure from a multi-radius sidecut, measured differently than a single full-length radius — the positions are not strictly comparable.

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 three-radius sidecut blends a shorter radius at the tip and tail with a longer one underfoot, so turn shape changes with how hard the ski is driven — tighter entry, longer and steadier through the 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.
A partial titanal frame stiffens the core — targeted dampening that settles the ski without the full weight of a sheet, keeping more life in the tips and tails. At 2,140 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 2Mantra 102
Waist 102 mm 102 mm
Sidecut 131·102·127 mm 142·102·124 mm
Weight @ default 1,800 g 2,140 g
Weight range 1,690–1,950 g 2,020–2,310 g
Turn radius 19.0 m full-length 18.0 m underfoot · multi-radius
Metal None Partial titanal frame
Core Poplar wood core Multilayer woodcore
Lengths 166–188 cm 170–191 cm
MSRP $829 $950

* The two skis may measure turn radius differently. A multi-radius sidecut publishes a separate radius per section; the figure shown is the underfoot radius, which reads tighter than the ski's real all-mountain turn shape. We show each as published rather than forcing a false match.