2022 Line Sir Francis Bacon

The 2022 Line Sir Francis Bacon is a fun-loving and floaty ski that will capture the imaginations and creativity of some of the best skiers on the mountain. Whether you use them in a freestyle format or freeride, or something totally out of left field, the Sir Francis Bacon has the shape, build, and profile to keep skiers interested and engaged in a wide variety of snow conditions and terrain. The shape of the ski is very round. So is the profile. So are the bases. Everything about this ski takes its inspiration from a sphere, and that’s how it skis. It feels like you’re just drifting down the mountain, taking all the good vibes from the top to the bottom, and then bringing them right back up again. Built with Line’s Partly Cloudy core, the SFB has a blend of maple and paulownia wood in order to get the ski to be energetic, snappy, and still stable. It’s all about having fun out there on the hill, and these skis do it just about as good as any. The shape is on the round side, with measurements of 143/107/139, leading to a 16-meter turn radius. This is short, and helps keep the ski maneuverable, quick and agile through a variety of conditions and terrain. The bases are convex in the tips and tails, and this makes the ski float even better than the shape and flex do already, as it provides additional surface area to the ski without making it wider. The ski, in the tips and tails, acts like a boat hull going through water, as it planes up and stays afloat on any depth of snow. More flexible than most, the SFB has a playful, surfy, and smeary personality to it that is super-appealing to freeride skiers who are looking to max out on fun while keeping the ski on the business-side of the spectrum as well. It’s tough to categorize, but easy to ski, and advanced and expert skiers will love the playful versatility of the 2022 Line Sir Francis Bacon.

On the 184, Matt McGinnis notes that it skis true to size, giving the ski all 4’s out of 5, and an impressive overall score. For something with such a wide waist, it’s crazy seeing all these high scores, but that’s what Line does, and we’re all about it for sure. “The sir Francis bacon is a ski that really hits the sweet spot between playful and serious. Featuring a medium flex, this ski is there for you when you need it and can power through chopped up snow with ease. But, it’s not too serious either. You don’t need to bring it up to speed or worry about skiing it a certain way. It’s just there for you, however you want to ski it. I’d recommend this ski for intermediate or advanced skiers looking for an all-mountain, capable twin tip that’s also able to keep up on a powder day. Overall, I’d simply describe this ski as capable, no matter what the conditions are.” What a nice way to state it, Matt—these skis can, quite simply, do whatever is asked, and that’s mostly the reason for their success over the years.

Bob St.Pierre got on the longer 190 cm length and noted that while it felt true to size, it almost felt a bit long. He gave the ski top marks of 5 out of 5 for flotation, playfulness, and forgiveness, with 4’s for versatility, quickness, and maneuverability. “While I really enjoyed my time on the SFB, I couldn’t help but notice that it was very slidy. I liked it, but even in the woods, where it’s supposed to slide around, it was hard for me to get the ski to come around. I just felt like it was a bit too soft and flexible to hold an edge on firmer snow, but when it got softer, this thing is a total blast. I’d definitely put it more squarely in the soft snow category, with hard snow not really being an option for bigger skiers like me. But in the softer spring mush, these skis were as playful as they come, and it was even more impressive given the width of the ski and the amount of board that had to be pushed around. Very squirrely at higher speeds, but super-fun and entertaining when I was going slow to moderate. I think a lot of skiers who want that smeary feeling will love, love, love these skis, it’s just not totally my style, but that doesn’t mean they’re not surprisingly amazing.” The fun part of skiing is that it’s never the same for two skiers, so what doesn’t work for one might be the best thing in the world for another.

Difficult to label, but easy and fun to ski, the 2022 Line Sir Francis Bacon is a unique ski with an alternative personality. It’s like a wide, fat, park ski that can smear and turn with the best of them, and it loves to be in softer and deeper snow. Whether you use them as a snow day ski or a daily driver in a softer-snow locale, the SFB will be a good friend to you day in and day out.