Review: Line Blade

Model year: 2021-2022
Sidecut: 154-95-124
Size: 181 cm
Radius: ‘tight’
Technology: wood core, full sidewall, some metal and TPU reinforcements, tip and tail rocker, camber underfoot

About this ski

Line Skis is an American freestyle and freeride brand. Sure enough, they’ve ventured out into the realm of harder snow-oriented skis too, but at heart, I feel they are still very much a playful bunch. And they make that kind of skis: fun, playful, not too serious, sometimes a bit crazy. 

This Blade is no exception. For ski advice, people often ask for a ski that can carve like a slalom ski, but that can ski deep powder as well. Usually, I have to disappoint them by explaining that what makes a good performance-oriented, snappy shot turn carving ski is quite the opposite of what makes for a floaty and stable powder ski. This Blade, however, could be the answer to their question. Or could it?

Weird and different

‘Weird and different’ is what Line themselves call the Blade. And I think they are right. 95 mm underfoot, the huge wide shovel and the strangely curled-up tail, the ridiculously short radius – it actually is weird and different. Even though this could be the answer to all those skiers looking for that powder ski that carves like a slalom ski, but it simply lacks the stability, edge grip, tenaciousness, bityness and performance in every department.

The ski is so soft, that is it more flappy than buttery. I know people who absolutely love it, though. It is playful. But if you want to ski a clean carve, it just flaps about and the width doesn’t help in either the edge hold or edge to edge quickness department. In softer snow, the super-soft flex makes the ski fold up underneath you. 

In conclusion

Interesting concept, but in my view the worst of two worlds. It is too wide and flappy to carve well; at the same time the small radius makes it grabby and unpredictable in soft snow too. For me, this is not the answer to all those people, but proof of why slalom turns and powder skis don’t combine well.

Characteristics

Playful		Stable
Forgiving		Punishing
Lively		Damp
Skidding		Carving
Low speed		High speed
Short turn		Long turn
Soft snow		Hard snow