2027 Line Blend

The 2027 Line Blend returns as the bendiest ski on the market that we know of. We get a graphic update for this year, but the ski returns otherwise unchanged. These skis are simply crazy when it comes to creativity, groundwork, butters, presses, or any other type of creative skiing that you can conjure in your mind. They bend and curve easier and more predictably than anything else out there, offering freestyle skiers something way different than the normal park twin tip. With a 98 mm waist, these also have a soft snow component to them, allowing skiers to use them in spring, powder, or other non-firm snow conditions. With a pure freestyle focus, the on-piste or all-mountain aspects of the Blend take a bit of a back seat.

Line doesn’t need a whole lot of sophistication here, but they do make this feel quite unique. Built with an aspen wood core, we get a bit different of a feel versus the older maple sapling core. The aspen is a bit lighter and more mobile, even though the 180 sits on the scale at a stated weight of 1990 grams per ski. Added to the Blend is a mix of a carbon ollieband and a butter zone flex pattern. All of this goes to making the Blend incredibly flexible and capable of strange skiing. Tester Eli Moskowitz states that “The Blend was an easy ski to ski, it turned well and I felt at home right off the bat. I was expecting the blend to be very soft and “noodly” however was surprised at how well it skied. The blend feels at home shmeering tight turns, wiggling between moguls and jibbing around the trail.” If you are centered as a skier it is very helpful.

The shape of these skis is a bit more traditional than the flex. While the width helps with softer snow and balance, it doesn’t add up to a whole lot of quickness. That’s what the straighter shape is for. With measurements of 129/98/120, these skis produce a 20-meter radius in the 180 cm length. That makes shifting between turns really fun and easy, and you don’t have to have a super skill set in order to do so. There’s symmetrical rocker here as well, even though the shape does not come up as symmetrical. Tester Colin Wiedersheim notes that he’s “Very impressed with the Blend. A great ski for someone who wants a wacky and bendy ski. Can handle adverse conditions well, is smooth and fun.”

The Line Blend continues on its path of uniqueness and specificity. This ski does fall on the specific side of the spectrum with such a generous flex. While freestyle-oriented skiers will gush over its ability to bend and move more than most, if you’re looking for performance and support, you may have to look elsewhere. Line does a fantastic job making skis that other companies won’t, and we’re all about the variation here. With freestyle as a large component to the success of Blend, we’re thinking that it’s a very unique ski with a somewhat limited audience.