This one stands out in the Blade Optic series. The 2024 Line Blade Optic 114 is an amazing example of a hefty, sturdy, and incredibly fun-loving freeride ski that has a lot of surface area, a good deal of rocker, and a very long turn radius. This mix of attributes allows the 114 to be a prime choice of experts, pro skiers, and other progressive and creative skiers that are looking for a powder ski with power. Line makes some amazingly fun and unique skis, and this Blade Optic 114 is no different. There aren’t many skis out there like this, so if you have a specific set of requirements for a ski, this one is worth a look. If it fits your needs, then you’re going to be one happy skier. For 2024, the ski gets a pretty cool graphic change, but remains unchanged from a structural perspective. 

Much like the other skis in the Blade Optic line that rely on metal, the 114 also uses an aspen veneer wood core to start. This compilation of aspen stringers gives the ski a good deal of energy while retaining the smoothness and silence of a ski with full metal laminates. It’s about as hefty feeling as they come, so lighter or less aggressive skiers should approach this ski with a modicum of caution. It can certainly feel like a leg ripper if you’re not prepared for the longer radius and the weight. Line’s Gas Pedal Metal Overdrive laminate adds to the burly nature of the ski with a central chord that’s complemented by branches of metal that reach to the sides. This allows the ski to have a damp mid zone and strong torsional stiffness which is desperately needed in order to get this ski up on edge. Given the overall mass and surface area, we’re getting a ski that hits 2170 grams in the 186. This isn’t too heavy, but when the shape is taken into account, it’s not a completely agile ski. That said that heft translates to stability, and this ski absolutely motors.

It's still pretty darn floaty, though, mainly due to the width, but also the rocker profile helps set this ski apart from some more traditional skis. The thickness of the core tapers to cap in the tips and tails, and this allows the ski to be rockered where it’s capped and cambered where it’s sidewalled. This is not particularly unique to Line, but they certainly seem prouder of how they do it than most. It makes sense, too, in a ski like this, that the ends should be more agile and floaty. Even in technical zones, the camber and edge grip underfoot come in handy, making those more aggressive big mountain lines more accessible with confidence. When you get it out into open space, though, you can feel free to let this thing run. We’re dealing with a 24-meter turn radius in the 186, and for skis like this, that’d definitely on the straight side of the spectrum. Consequently, shorter turns are hard to come by, so you should be able to get this ski up to speed to get the best performance.

That puts this ski squarely into the expert range of skier. Advanced skiers who are aggressive and know that they want this sort of thing will have to work a bit harder to access the performance, but it’s not unattainable. Mainly, Line is using this 114 as their big mountain pro ski for those that are hitting the hill pretty hard, and in that sense, the 2024 Line Blade Optic 114 is a resounding success.