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July, 2025

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Surface VS. Faction and Liberty VS Icelantic

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eastcoastfilmer
Posts: 66 - Karma: 342
Looking for a new pairs of skis for this upcoming season (seeing my other skis are fucked). What do you guys recommend between surface and faction, What is better? Any help would be appreciated. Will also take views on liberty and icelantic. But over all what company is better

Obviously looking for Park/(something that will work all mountain)
11 years ago
110 88
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..=
Posts: 548 - Karma: 1,224
Out of all those companys I'd go with Faction. The 1.0 or 2.0 are both great for park, depending on your width preference. Also the Prodigy and Silas are nice skis as well
11 years ago
4 0
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first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781
bought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2
11 years ago
14 6
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first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781
bought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2
11 years ago
2 23
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first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781
bought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2
11 years ago
1 24
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first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781
bought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2
11 years ago
0 28
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.lencon
Posts: 6753 - Karma: 17,196
Yeah surface is super inconsistent on durability. Some skis last year 2+ years other last you 2+ days. Not any specific model of surface just all their skis are iffy.
11 years ago
3 1
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lurking
Posts: 2227 - Karma: 6,876
Did he just quad post?
11 years ago
24 0
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galardogod
Posts: 1716 - Karma: 5,336
Liberty
11 years ago
9 0
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lurking
Posts: 2227 - Karma: 6,876
galardogodLiberty


I like you
11 years ago
8 1
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japanada
Posts: 13785 - Karma: 1,959
icelantic! US made, 2 year warranty, even after that period you get a hell of a discount if you get another pair. BOMBER! The gypsy and the keepers are awesomely fun shapes depending on your style of skiing.
11 years ago
10 0
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TheWeaz
Posts: 803 - Karma: 1,903
Out of the four you listed I would go with Faction or Liberty, both are solid, I have little time on factions and none on libertys. But will be skiing on factions this year, Hopefully some 3.0s and 2.0s.

surface skis have questionable durability at best, I had a pair of old watch lifes that were really fun and lasted while, but my friend had a newer pair of watch lifes tail snap and received no love from them.

Icelantics are by far my least favorite skis to tune in the shop because the bases are never flat. Take that as you will, They probably ski fine, but are a pain to try to get a good pattern in the base without grinding most of the base away so that it is flat.
11 years ago
4 2
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eastcoastfilmer
Posts: 66 - Karma: 342
So looks like no surface. Now its down to Liberty, Icelantic, Faction

Thank for the input
11 years ago
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
Been riding surface for 4 years now. Best skis I have owned. I been riding watchlifes since bought a couple pairs of the latest versions so they have lasted a while. Turn really well hold an edge nice...obviously decent in park. Fat enough for all mountain / EC pow days / occasional trips out west. Cant say good enough things about them.

I know they stopped making the watchlifes but they have the same specs in a different ski (forgot name). I have been riding 95 mm waste ( I think they are or 93 maybe 100) in that range and I would personally go up to 110 next time. I think they are quick enough to warrant a jump up to that waste since I also own a pair of carving skis.
11 years ago
1 0
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kim_jong_ill
Posts: 1019 - Karma: 3,147
first_rodeobought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2


first_rodeobought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2


first_rodeobought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2


first_rodeobought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2


How the fuck did you manage this?
11 years ago
6 0
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freeballer
Posts: 739 - Karma: 1,079
japanadaicelantic! US made, 2 year warranty, even after that period you get a hell of a discount if you get another pair. BOMBER! The gypsy and the keepers are awesomely fun shapes depending on your style of skiing.

Liberty has a 3 year warranty and will stand by it. That's insane.

Get Liberty.
11 years ago
2 0
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lurking
Posts: 2227 - Karma: 6,876
Liberty Morphics are my favorite skis i've ever ridden. They perform everything well, but don't excel in any one area. But the Antigen and Transfer look great.
11 years ago
1 0
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SkiCoca
Posts: 382 - Karma: 351
Faction, Liverty.
11 years ago
1 0
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BennettAllen
Posts: 187 - Karma: 692
Liberty Antigens are the softest most fun ski out there, but not very durable. Ive gone through 3 pairs in 3 seasons but Liberty always hooks it up with a replacement so ive only paid for one pair. Greatest customer service out there for sure.
11 years ago
0 0
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Hoffman_
Posts: 153 - Karma: 277
I bought a pair of Faction Silas skis and they are awesome. They are a great park ski for jibbing and are solid enough to hit the jumps. They are a bit more flexy that the 1.0s and are a bit more stiff than the Kenedys
11 years ago
0 0
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Bum.Life
Posts: 507 - Karma: 2,608
Icalantic niggy
11 years ago
1 0
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averageMIskier
Posts: 600 - Karma: 1,385
I have had the same pair of liberty LTE's for 4 years. They only had edge cracks after 3 years and only blew out one edge hitting a concrete ledge this past year. They are tanks. Even my double helix have been through the wringer and are still going strong. Amazing customer service. Bombproof planks. and dope graphics.
11 years ago
1 0
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J_Steez
Posts: 1167 - Karma: 4,239
first_rodeobought surface skis last season.. I need new skis.


quality and performance were terrible compared to Armada Line K2


the infamous triple post
11 years ago
0 1
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J_Steez
Posts: 1167 - Karma: 4,239
jahh_rulethe infamous triple post


*quad post
11 years ago
2 0
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Faction
Posts: 336 - Karma: 15,966
HI guys,

Obviously I will not give you a direct answer as I might have a slightly biased opinion, but I'd like to mention we are offering a 2-year warranty as well, if you register your skis on our website.
Also, I dare you to broke our new Candide 1.0, with carbon reinforcement and thicker edges, they really are bombproof.

On another note, congrats first_rodeo on the quad post. It's been quite a while we are on NS and never seen that before. Hats off !
11 years ago
7 0
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haggis_hunter
Posts: 399 - Karma: 207
loganschnurLiberty Morphics are my favorite skis i've ever ridden. They perform everything well, but don't excel in any one area. But the Antigen and Transfer look great.


There great soft snow skis but they suck the moment you try and ski them on any firm slope at speed. Fischer Wateas are a far far better all rounder if you don't want a full twin.

I demoed them in the spring slush and the 1st week I had out them it was nothing but pow all week, in these conditions they were excellent. A week later with firm hero snow they were awful. They do not like to lay an edge down properly on harder snow (not ice, just a week after the last freshies), they sucked that much I went into the hire shop and hired some some Salomon race skis for the week.

Their strength is also their weekness they have a nice even flex but its very very soft and they do not handle lateral power transmission well. Personally I want to try the Factions next (Candie 3.0) as my current quiver is all very chargey.
11 years ago
0 0
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asapCferg
Posts: 3057 - Karma: 358
HanSoloBurgerLiberty Antigens are the softest most fun ski out there, but not very durable. Ive gone through 3 pairs in 3 seasons but Liberty always hooks it up with a replacement so ive only paid for one pair. Greatest customer service out there for sure.



This is really good to know considering mine broke last season....
11 years ago
0 0
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freeballer
Posts: 739 - Karma: 1,079
Lordf*There great soft snow skis but they suck the moment you try and ski them on any firm slope at speed. Fischer Wateas are a far far better all rounder if you don't want a full twin.

I demoed them in the spring slush and the 1st week I had out them it was nothing but pow all week, in these conditions they were excellent. A week later with firm hero snow they were awful. They do not like to lay an edge down properly on harder snow (not ice, just a week after the last freshies), they sucked that much I went into the hire shop and hired some some Salomon race skis for the week.

Their strength is also their weekness they have a nice even flex but its very very soft and they do not handle lateral power transmission well. Personally I want to try the Factions next (Candie 3.0) as my current quiver is all very chargey.

This sounds like a bad tune.
11 years ago
0 0
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haggis_hunter
Posts: 399 - Karma: 207
freeballerThis sounds like a bad tune.


Doubt since it I tune all of my own kit and I've never had an issue with any of my other skis. Its a simple fact they were not that great on hero snow, yes I am more of an extreme end user (I'm 6'4 and 220) and usually use race stock on piste.
11 years ago
0 0
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Spiri7o
Posts: 2163 - Karma: 1,100
Just bought some Surface Labs, guess i'll se where the durability stands, i can only hope
11 years ago
0 0
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freeballer
Posts: 739 - Karma: 1,079
Lordf*Doubt since it I tune all of my own kit and I've never had an issue with any of my other skis. Its a simple fact they were not that great on hero snow, yes I am more of an extreme end user (I'm 6'4 and 220) and usually use race stock on piste.

Could it be they were too short for your size? I had a set a while back and thought they held an edge really well on hardpack, but I weigh 145lbs and was on the 181s.
11 years ago
0 0
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lurking
Posts: 2227 - Karma: 6,876
Lordf*There great soft snow skis but they suck the moment you try and ski them on any firm slope at speed. Fischer Wateas are a far far better all rounder if you don't want a full twin.

I demoed them in the spring slush and the 1st week I had out them it was nothing but pow all week, in these conditions they were excellent. A week later with firm hero snow they were awful. They do not like to lay an edge down properly on harder snow (not ice, just a week after the last freshies), they sucked that much I went into the hire shop and hired some some Salomon race skis for the week.

Their strength is also their weekness they have a nice even flex but its very very soft and they do not handle lateral power transmission well. Personally I want to try the Factions next (Candie 3.0) as my current quiver is all very chargey.


Really? I use them in the park after I snapped some Atomics and was strapped for cash, and they perform very nicely taking speed into jumps. If anything, they are better on hard pack than in the pow, as I constantly have to basically tail butter to keep them even remotely floating.
11 years ago
0 0
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haggis_hunter
Posts: 399 - Karma: 207
loganschnurReally? I use them in the park after I snapped some Atomics and was strapped for cash, and they perform very nicely taking speed into jumps. If anything, they are better on hard pack than in the pow, as I constantly have to basically tail butter to keep them even remotely floating.


Speed in the park compared to the speed I lay a carve down on piste is very different. There not pow sticks by any means either but then lack of float has never bothered me since I grew up on parabolic skis, I've ridden chest deep days in Europe on FIS spec GS sticks so lack of float from Liberty's wasn't much of a challenge. /claim

I don't doubt I over powered them as the chap I sold them too was about half my weight and he quite likes them but they are a very weight sensitive ski.

I also have Head JON's in a 181 like the Liberty the tip to tail pull is more a 178 but the JON's are a lot nicer on the harder snow. The Morphics were my 1st twin tip so I mounted them with Jester Schizos so mount point wasnt at fault as I put them on Cab4 so I could set them at center or traditional as required.
11 years ago
0 0
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