Line Sakana Skis 2024 174cm

A previous Ski Of The Year from Powder Magazine and proof that the ski world is hungry for different shapes and product inspiration. The Line Sakana is a versatile all-mountain ski like no other on the market. With a 105mm waist and signature swallowtail design, the Sakana offers unmatched carving abilities paired with deep snow float. This is the best ski for all mountain carving, slashing and just generally having a great time. Grab yourself a pair of Sakana's and start drawing your own lines down the mountain. Terrain Type & Ability Level Terrain Type It's a different take on an all mountain ski, as happy ripping out tight carves on groomed pistes as it is slashing turns on deep powder or popping off natural features. It's certainly different and it's definitely fun. Skier Type All mountain skiers who want a fun, playful ski that also has bags of performance for turning and burning. Maybe your park skis just don't have the zip you require or the ability to keep up with your buddies on piste, or maybe your traditional all mountain skis don't have the fun factor and pop of your favourite twins. The Sakana covers this, so if you want one ski to do everything, even powder laps, and you want to do it with blend of park pop and piste turning then look no further. Overview Shape The shape is certainly a head turner, with the deep sidecut and the swallowtail. 105mm might sound wide in the waist but with the 15m (174cm) radius, and the clever shape and construction, the Sakana remains playful at all times. A 5Cut Multi Radius Sidecut blends 5 different radii so that the ski is comfortable in a variety of turns and keeps an intuitive feel. Early Taper at the tip means the widest point of the sidecut begins tapering earlier which reduces hook-ups in powder. Rocker Early Rise at the tip means it lifts away from the snow to bring the contact points closer to the centre of the ski. This increases the ski's lift in deep snow and allows it to engage more quickly on hardpack when rolled over on edge. Core Line's Partly Cloudy core uses stringers of paulownia and maple. The paulownia is a lively, flexible wood with excellent weight to strength ratio; the maple is a dense, hardwood with excellent power transfer and stability. This combination helps keep the weight down without sacrificing performance. Carbon Stringers add pop but are offset by Flax Taping with the result that stiffness is added without the pingy, deflective properties of carbon. Construction Sidewall Construction uses an ultra-high density polyethylene over the edges to absorb vibrations and provide powerful energy transmission. Key Features Swallowtail The most striking element of the design is the swallowtail. This is a dramatic tail knockout that de-couples the farthest reaches of the effective edge while simultaneously forcing the tail of the ski down in soft snow. The result is a ski that can be ridden at shorter lengths without sacrificing performance. An eye-catcher for sure in the lift line but it's not just eye-candy, designer and skier Eric Pollard pushed for this feature after experiencing its advantages in surfing and snowboard designs. The swallowtail is as important as what it is, as what it's not! The absence of material in the tail drastically reduces weight while the shape maintains a long effective edge for arching turns and staying in control. In powder, the tail drops you back in the snow lifting your tips for ample flotation while maintaining a neutral skiing stance so you're not in the backseat trying to stay afloat. For those concerned about durability have no fear, the tail is reinforced with titanal so stay in once piece. Directional Flex The softer tip floats and initiates turns easily while the stiffer tail provides power, stability and high speed control. EB tester’s comments: Luke (Buying Team) I was luckily enough to use these on a powder day, dipping off the piste for some fresh turns and back on lower down. They floated with ease, never felt like you had to work to keep the tips up. You could really feel the tail spit you out of turns with tonnes of energy and life. Probably the most fun I had during the whole week. Size (cm) Tip Width (mm) Waist Width (mm) Tail Width (mm) Radius (m) Weight (g) 166 150 105 138 13.3 1622 174 150 105 138 15 1770 181 150 105 138 16.3 1928 General Information Skier Ability: Advanced|Expert Terrain Type: All Mountain|Freeride Rocker: Tip Rocker Radius: Short Bindings: Ski sold flat DIN: n/a Construction: Full Sidewall Core: Wood Demo: No Sizing Description: Nose level to forehead height is ideal, but longer length is important if there is a bigger rocker or you're spending more time off piste where the extra stability and float a larger size provides will be beneficial.