The 2022 Line Blend, a park ski. A review of Line's freestyle team’s favorite ski, plus weight and full specs.
Specs and Tech
The 2022 Line Blend is unchanged from last year, except for the graphic.Yes, it’s still 100 underfoot, but that is fairly normal for a park ski now. The main change comes to the sidecut and contact points, both of which are pushed forward. The old Blend was originally designed around a pretty traditional mounting point, and although most people center-mounted, that put them way off sidecut center. The modern ski for the modern park skier.
The core construction and edges remain identical to the previous model and the flex is pretty indistinguishable to me. They still have a medium flex section under the binding but the tip/tail are as soft as they come. Still a pretty stable ski minding it's soft flex pattern.
On-snow and park review
One thing that always surprised me about the old Blend was how well they skied given how soft they were.
In fact, the extended sidecut skis better on hard snow than the old model and felt very consistent through the turn, providing you kept your weight centered of course. The nose and tail are so soft that you really can’t be throwing your weight too far forward though, because you will fold the skis in the turn.
It does still ski groomers quite well but Line is well aware that most Blend buyers are using these skis as a soft, playful park ski. And so the changes to the new model are unsurprisingly moving it in that direction. A more central mount. Stubbier tips that feel better on noseblocks and an even more surfy feel thanks to a touch more rocker.
I did feel like the modern Blend had a touch more ‘snap’ or pop out of butters, and maybe it does give you a touch more stability. But, for me, it feels like it’s a great buttering ski for beginners and for top-level skiers who land perfectly, but those in the middle might have some issues. Although, the swingweight is still super low, despite the wider tips/tails, and the ski feels even lighter than the older model. In fact, rails is where the Blends truly excel.
Durability
I didn’t have any issues to write home about with the durability of the modern Blend. I skied them for a while, mostly in the park and the edges held up great (I did detune heavily). I have no signs of delam or edges cracks. The topsheet held up well too (Line’s new textured topsheet is really good).
Click here to read our full review of the 2022 Line Blend | The Roofbox Reviews
Sizes: 171, 178, 185 cm
Dimensions: 133 / 100 / 122 mm
Radius: 20M - 178
Weight: 1940g /ski - 178
Profile: 4 - 4 - 4
Our freestyle team’s favorite ski, the Line Blend continues to re-imagine what is possible on a park ski. Ideal for anyone looking to add some serious creativity into their bag of tricks, the Blend combines a solid platform with a snappy feel to make them the optimal ski for buttering, ollieing, and sending.
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