2026 Line Sakana

Each time we get on the Line Sakana, we find another thing to love about it. This 105 mm underfoot beaut is such an interesting and innovative ski. While the numbers alone put this ski on the softer snow and powder side of the spectrum, the fact that it carves like a slalom ski simply cannot be overlooked or understated. The shape, construction, and profile are all very, very unique and don’t exist anywhere else in the ski industry. This makes a potential skier/buyer tough to nail down, but I suspect Line likes it like that.

Built with a blend of paulownia and maple in the core, Line adds Carbon Flax Tape to the central spine of the ski. This delivers support and energy while keeping the ski light. In the 174, the Sakana sits on the scale at 1770 g/ski, which is quite light given the carving power of the ski. A lot of this has to do with the overall volume more than the actual mass/weight. With measurements of 150/105/138, this ski is unlike anything out there, and that’s before we look at the swallow tail. For our 2026 ski test, we rely mainly on Matt McGinnis, who has a lot of input as to the Sakana’s overall style and feel:

So, it’s important to note that I skied this right after the Optic 104, as the two skis have a lot in common on the spec sheets. Similar length, similar width - the Sakana has a slightly shorter turn radius. But, the builds themselves are completely different, and so too was the riding experience. The Sakana is a ski that’s nothing but fun to ride. It’s relatively soft, has a super wide shovel, and a swallow tail. You look at this ski, and you immediately know that it’s going to be incredibly playful. As it turns out, sometimes you really can judge a ski by its cover, because the Sakana proved to be exactly that. Fun, surfy, poppy - this ski was just a joy to ski without any of the demanding input required of the Optic 104. Overall, I just found this ski refreshing for its playfulness. I could see this ski being really fun in tons of snow conditions. The shovel would make it super fun in powder while also enabling it to handle chopped up trail conditions. Likewise, its aggressive sidecut leads to a low turn radius which would be really fun on fresh groomers. I will say, they likely have a speed limit, so fast and firm days might not be the best for these, but if the snow is soft, the Sakana is good to go!

Thanks Matt! I think the term “refreshing” is imperative here as it allows skiers to see into the inner workings of this ski, as well as the overall attitude. It’s not trying to be cool or something that it’s not—it's trying to be itself, and that’s the refreshing part. So many skis emulate others, but with Sakana, it’s a one and only type of ski that has no logical boundaries or comparatives.