I doubt that this was your intent here, but you’ve written yet another review of a ~105-110 charger that makes me feel like I absolutely, positively have to get on a pair of Monster 108s this season. And maybe buy them before Head decides it’s time to mess with or discontinue a good thing.
Wow, sounds like the ski for me…if I was younger, stronger, better, and insane!! And not married with kids and had a lot more life insurance. Yeah, perfect.
Great review, made me cringe for you guys.
Ha, you definitely shouldn’t cringe for us, Rich, because Sam and I both had fun on this ski — it’s fun to jump on a ski that asks you to step your game up, since so many of the skis we review will let you get away with murder. We just think the 3.0 really shines in some pretty specific applications, and it calls for a strong, high-level skier. Hopefully we made that clear.
Thanks for the update! Any feelings on how these compare to the DPS Wailer 105 in the metal layup that you reviewed, other than the weight? I’ve got a couple hundred days on the 105s, patrolling and freeskiing. While I think they’re definitely fun (the 105), I’ve often found them to be fairly demanding and “game on”. Looking at the 3.0 as a replacement. Thanks for any insights.
If I’m 6’5″ 190 lbs and I love the 190cm metal Volkl Katana for high speed charging and medium speed carving and pop out of carved turns, but don’t love the 193cm Blizzard Cochise because it doesn’t give any energy out of medium speed turns and it slarves more than carves, where does the 186cm Dictator 3.0 fall? I’m thinking of running it with CAST bindings (or the new Salomon Shift?) as a Colorado backcountry ski.
Have you spent time on the Dictator 1.0 or 2.0. If so, how do they compare to the moment Tahoe?
Just bought 174’s in Revelstoke, BC. Need something to ski the groomers. I am an old lady (born in 1961), who grew up skiing Stowe, VT. I love how these skis hold. Feels like an old fashioned race ski. I am completely comfortable. You can rely on these to be right under foot. Don’t let the young boys and their reviews scare you away. They won’t be my powder ski.
Why Dictator 3.0, and not 2.0 or 1.0 for groomers?
Though I know most of the reviewers on this site are of more modest proportions, have you received any feedback for this ski from any bigger dudes? I’m 6’4″ and usually ride between 220 and 230 lbs and am looking at this as my 1-ski quiver. My current sticks are Kastle XX110 in 190cm which are definitely not enough ski for me.
Hi, I’m going heli skiing in Kamchatka end of April and can choose between a Faction Dictator 186 or a Salomon QLaB190 as a rental. What would you suggest?
Thanks in advance!
Any chance you guys will try the 2019-2020 version? After reading your review, it looks like the new one is quite a different beast. Spent a week on the 180cm one (I am 1.81 / 86kg) and absolutely loved it, not sure I would even go for the 188. Found it demanding the first couple of days, but once I adjusted to it, it got very manageable in all sorts of snow (except deep and fresh sadly) and found myself having a lot of fun mobbing down all kind of things, very reactive ski with substance. Easy to maneuver for that sort of rigidity, even at lower speed. Great edge hold. The tail is definitely there but in a good way.
Re-reading my confusing self: read the “(except deep and fresh sadly)” above as “sadly I didn’t get to try it in deep and fresh”. I imagine that the ski would float decently with a bit of speed, the tip is not that rigid.
Any ETA on when the full review will be up?
Now! :)
How does this ski compare to the Head Kore 105 as another lightweight, yet very stiff, ski?
Hi, Jason – that answer is living in our Deep Dive Comparisons article:
http://blistergearreview.com/deep-dive/deep-dive-faction-dictator-3-0
I doubt that this was your intent here, but you’ve written yet another review of a ~105-110 charger that makes me feel like I absolutely, positively have to get on a pair of Monster 108s this season. And maybe buy them before Head decides it’s time to mess with or discontinue a good thing.
Wow, sounds like the ski for me…if I was younger, stronger, better, and insane!! And not married with kids and had a lot more life insurance. Yeah, perfect.
Great review, made me cringe for you guys.
Ha, you definitely shouldn’t cringe for us, Rich, because Sam and I both had fun on this ski — it’s fun to jump on a ski that asks you to step your game up, since so many of the skis we review will let you get away with murder. We just think the 3.0 really shines in some pretty specific applications, and it calls for a strong, high-level skier. Hopefully we made that clear.
Thanks for the update! Any feelings on how these compare to the DPS Wailer 105 in the metal layup that you reviewed, other than the weight? I’ve got a couple hundred days on the 105s, patrolling and freeskiing. While I think they’re definitely fun (the 105), I’ve often found them to be fairly demanding and “game on”. Looking at the 3.0 as a replacement. Thanks for any insights.
If I’m 6’5″ 190 lbs and I love the 190cm metal Volkl Katana for high speed charging and medium speed carving and pop out of carved turns, but don’t love the 193cm Blizzard Cochise because it doesn’t give any energy out of medium speed turns and it slarves more than carves, where does the 186cm Dictator 3.0 fall? I’m thinking of running it with CAST bindings (or the new Salomon Shift?) as a Colorado backcountry ski.
Have you spent time on the Dictator 1.0 or 2.0. If so, how do they compare to the moment Tahoe?
Just bought 174’s in Revelstoke, BC. Need something to ski the groomers. I am an old lady (born in 1961), who grew up skiing Stowe, VT. I love how these skis hold. Feels like an old fashioned race ski. I am completely comfortable. You can rely on these to be right under foot. Don’t let the young boys and their reviews scare you away. They won’t be my powder ski.
Why Dictator 3.0, and not 2.0 or 1.0 for groomers?
Though I know most of the reviewers on this site are of more modest proportions, have you received any feedback for this ski from any bigger dudes? I’m 6’4″ and usually ride between 220 and 230 lbs and am looking at this as my 1-ski quiver. My current sticks are Kastle XX110 in 190cm which are definitely not enough ski for me.
Hi, I’m going heli skiing in Kamchatka end of April and can choose between a Faction Dictator 186 or a Salomon QLaB190 as a rental. What would you suggest?
Thanks in advance!
Any chance you guys will try the 2019-2020 version? After reading your review, it looks like the new one is quite a different beast. Spent a week on the 180cm one (I am 1.81 / 86kg) and absolutely loved it, not sure I would even go for the 188. Found it demanding the first couple of days, but once I adjusted to it, it got very manageable in all sorts of snow (except deep and fresh sadly) and found myself having a lot of fun mobbing down all kind of things, very reactive ski with substance. Easy to maneuver for that sort of rigidity, even at lower speed. Great edge hold. The tail is definitely there but in a good way.
Re-reading my confusing self: read the “(except deep and fresh sadly)” above as “sadly I didn’t get to try it in deep and fresh”. I imagine that the ski would float decently with a bit of speed, the tip is not that rigid.