Versatility and power meet up nicely in the 2024 Line Blade Optic 96. This ski has all you need for a successful and fun day on the hill, creating deep and clean carved turns to go along with a floaty nature for when things get deep. Line has been making incredibly fun skis for years, and now that they’ve established themselves in a variety of different applications, the Blade Optic line is the next natural progression. This ski returns unchanged from last year except for a graphic update. This is great news for those who didn’t get the opportunity to try it out last year. For aggressive skiers looking for a mid-width freeride ski that can handle it all, this ski is an absolute blast.

It all starts with an aspen veneer wood core, and these stringers of aspen combine to make a smooth and poppy ski that’s also on the quiet side. For the energy and weight, it’s surprisingly stable and silent. On top of the wood core, we get Line’s Gas Pedal Metal Overdrive laminate. This follows the layer that we see in the Line Blade, but with some more freeride-oriented tweaks that allow for extra power and damping skills. There’s a wide central spine to the metal laminate, with branches reaching off and to the sides. This allows for greater torsional stiffness and edge grip while keeping the ski surfy enough for soft snow and powder. One of the other interesting aspects of the ski is how they shape and mill the core to be thicker underfoot and thinner in the tips and tails. This practice aligns well with the metal, making the ski agile and maneuverable when you want it without losing power. In the 177, we're getting a weight of 1880 grams per ski, so while it’s getting up there in heft, it’s still not nearly as heavy as some other mid-90's skis with metal in them.

The mid-90's is truly the place to be when it comes to all-mountain versatility. When you add the freeride shape and profile to the mix, it makes for an even more playful and floaty ski. At the same time, the metal and the thick underfoot zone allow this ski to carve fantastic medium radius turns. With an 18-meter arc in the 177, it’s right there in the middle-zone that puts more emphasis on the skier and their willingness to either let it run or tighten it up. Mostly, we’ve found that the ski is happy in the middle, and we’re cool with that, too. The rocker profile is ample enough to make it look like a freeride ski, with moderate to progressive splay in the tips and tails that lines up with the thinning of the sidewall to cap. This is on purpose, and it works to make the ski feel light and floaty in the ends while keeping it business-like in the back.

While the Blade Optic 96 could be considered the benchmark model of the series, it’s more like the front side version, mainly because it’s the narrowest with metal, and therefore is the smoothest and strongest carver. Given that it carves well, though, does not take away from its versatility in an all-mountain and freeride format. We’ve loved our time on the Blade Optic 96, as it gives a think-free ski experience. It’s very natural and intuitive, showing you the way down the mountain without complaints or issues.