As one of the lighter freeride skis on the market today, the 2024 Line Vision 98 caters to those who value maneuverability and agility above all else. These skis love to be used in a quick and playful manner, offering up excellent on-trail performance to go along with simply effortless off-piste acumen. Line goes about ski building a bit differently than everyone else, and that’s by design. They put fun and creativity above all else, and there aren’t many skis out there that can claim this combination of attributes. While somewhat of a twin tip, it’s mainly a freeride ski that falls under 100 mm wide underfoot, putting it at the more well-rounded end of the spectrum while still offering excellent flotation and backcountry skills. The weight puts this into serious touring consideration, but that’s not really the intention, more of a happy accident. Mostly, this ski is directed at resort-oriented skiers in an alpine format, and in that realm, it’s one of the most agile and surfy skis out there.

Built with a blend of paulownia and aspen wood, this ski returns unchanged for 2024. We get a graphics refresh, but other than that, it’s the same light weight ski that loves to be used in a fun-loving format. Line adds their THC stringers to the mix, consisting of carbon and aramid in a fiberglass laminate. This combination of wood and bonus material keeps the weight down for sure, creating a ski that comes in at just 1515 grams in the 179. When you pick them up, they feel impossibly light—so light that it seems like they wouldn’t perform well as skis, but the reality is quite a bit different. The energy is very surprising, and while heavier skiers won’t be able to drive hard or be aggressive, most others will find a whole lot of happiness on these great freeride skis.

While there’s moderate splay to go along with a nearly symmetrical rocker profile, the Vision 98 is more of a twin tip in a freeride sense, rather than a freestyle one. Switch riding is accepted, for sure, but isn’t the focus point. It’s more about seeing the mountain in a different manner, going along with the terrain and snow conditions, and just having fun out there. The taper shape is on the round side of the spectrum, with slightly sharper points at the tips and tails. This allows the ski to slice and cut through the snow with ease, increasing the smoothness in what otherwise isn’t really a naturally smooth ski. It’s all about balance, and this Vision certainly adheres to that attribute. With an 18-meter turn radius, it’s right in the mid-range of turn shapes and styles, allowing the skier to dictate how the ski will go about its arc.

Skiers looking for a versatile ski that bridges the gap between all-mountain and freeride will love the playful nature of the Line Vision 98. You can either call it a narrower freeride ski or a wide all-mountain ski, and in both cases you’d be correct. You can also call it one of the lighter skis in this class, and that would be a full truth as well. The blend of energy and light weight is truly remarkable, putting yet another Line ski in a class of its own, as that’s where they seem to like skis to be.