Line Blade Optic 104 Skis  

All of the skis in the new Blade Optic line except for the 92 version use what Line calls their “Gas Pedal Metal Overdrive” construction. This is comprised of a layer of Titanal running longitudinally from tip to tail across the ski to provide increased edge grip and torsional stability while maintaining a lively feel along the length of the ski. Two independent tip and tail Titanal pieces add extra power and energy to the skis while chevron shapes are cut out of the Titanal underfoot which then expands into the forebody and rear of the ski making the skis much stiffer underfoot than at the tips and tails. This provides additional grip underfoot where the skis have the most contact with the snow and allow them to carve with precision. Gas Pedal Metal Overdrive provides all the benefits of a full sheet of metal without diminishing the ski’s energy or releasability of the tips and tails for when you want to smear and drift them. In addition to Gas Pedal Metal Overdrive, the Blade Optic 104 Skis are built on a wood core of Aspen Veneer. These Aspen Stringers are lightweight and give the skis their snappy, responsive feel.

Line has integrated a 5-Cut Multi-Radius Sidecut into the Blade Optic 104 Skis to allow them a variety of turn shapes depending upon terrain and conditions. They combined this with a directional flex pattern that is softer in the tips for better float in deep snow and turn initiation while relatively stiffer tails provide the Blade Optic Skis with more power, stability & high-speed control.

The Blade Optic 104 Skis also have a Thin Tip design which means that their core and sidewalls are thinner in the tips, saving about 100 grams per pair for a reduced swing weight and less tip chatter.

An early and very pronounced rise in both the tips and tails of the Blade Optic 104 Skis bring the contact points closer to the centre of the skis which allows the ski to float on top of deep and broken snow. This ensures that the Blade Optic Skis to go over and through more challenging snow conditions like crud and chunder while floating in powder and being able to lay down an edge quicker on hard pack and groomers.

While not a dedicated backcountry ski the Blade Optic 104’s are adept at big mountain lines in bounds and out as snow conditions change and terrain challenges arise. Here’s what Line has to say about their new Blade Optic 104 Skis:
“The most versatile ski in the Blade Optic Collection, the Blade Optic 104 is right at home charging big mountain laps to cruising smooth turns on early morning corduroy and everything in between. Equipped with our Gas Pedal Metal Overdrive tech, you’ll harness the power of an innovative layup of titanal to feel enhanced edge grip, stability, and control under your feet. Get ready to kick it into top gear and ski with confidence on the Blade Optic 104.”

• 5Cut Multi-Radius Sidecut
• Directional Flex Pattern
• Gas Pedal Metal 
• Thin Tip
• Early Rise

Line’s new Blade Optic 104 skis are a metal laminate freeride ski that defines the word ‘fun’. While I am not a huge park or freeride skier I can appreciate the merits of a ski that can carve groomers, slay pow and just make the entire mountain your playground. The secret to the Blade Optic 104’s is the ski’s profile, its progressive, yet aggressive early rise in the tips and tails with subtle camber underfoot allows for good grip on groomers and float in deep snow and challenging crud. The tips and tails are quite soft while underfoot the skis are stiffer which allows them to lay down a solid edge and grip in any snow condition. Their moderate flex pattern allows the skis to be super playful, especially when compared to similarly heavy, yet stiffer metal-based skis.

We’ve reviewed Line’s Vision 108 Skis, Vision 118 Skis, and Pandora 110 Skis and the new Blade Optic 104’s are definitely not in the same lightweight category but for a ski of this size, they are not limited to inbounds adventure and also perform well on side country sojourns. Given their short effective edge (due to their progressive early rise tips and tails) the Blade Optic Skis do ski shorter than their length but are still impressive in how they can provide such a solid grip on the snow. I’m 6’1” and skied the 185cm length skis and found them nimble in the trees and bumps with the ability to transfer from edge to edge with relative ease. While they were super fun carving long high-speed GS turns as well, I did find myself wishing for a little more length to further improve stability at speed, totally understanding that this would ultimately sacrifice their versatility in tighter turn situations. Most of their edge hold is found underfoot whereas less rockered and less tapered skis provide this along the entire length of the ski.

This is a really fun ski that is quite forgiving and gives back what you put in without being overly demanding. While the turn initiation and power are ample it is not as abundant as more directional, less rockered, and more cambered skis. The Blade Optic 104 Skis are not the most ‘poppy’ out of a turn and more rebound would be nice but they are designed to feather out of a turn rather than carve out of it given that the tails are so aggressively rockered and soft. 

With a heavier weight than most touring skis, the Blade Optic 104’s can plow through variable snow, deep pow, and anything in their way. This is of course also their curse from a ski touring perspective as they are quite heavy on the skin track and big vertical days are more work. With little tip chatter given how aggressive the early rise is up front, they provide a surprisingly damp ride even in stiff broken snow and chunder. I don’t normally say this about many skis, but the Blade Optic 104’s are a super fun ski, they will bring out the kid in you again and enable you to get your slarve on should you grow tired of carving them.