- Joined
- Mar 5, 2017
- Posts
- 1,202
Philpug: Yes, this design has been around for a few seasons, but it is the first chance I have had to get on it. Shame on me. Say what you want about Eric Pollard, he is one hell of a skier. He is an artist, he has an accent that can impregnate a women if he so chooses, and he is a great ski designer. We can talk about the Bacons, but there are a dozen good skis that are similar in design; there is nothing out there like the Sakana (other than its brother the Pescado). It is a fun ski with a unique personality that was just as good in 12 in. of powder as it was in a wooded bump run.
FairToMiddlin: Kudos to Line for thinking outside the box (sort of like last year’s Rossi Hero Elite Plus Ti). With an unusually spicy sidecut (15m radius in both 174 and 181, says the rep) and a tip-floating swallowtail, it looks anything but ordinary in the One Oh Something class, and would seem to be an exciting ski for talented skiers wanting to slash short-radius turns all over the mountain. Sadly, the engineers didn’t rise to the challenge of the architect, and the construction of the Sakana leaves it feeling a bit numb, with a vague flex that can’t "predictable-ize" the hookiness of the shape. Like a current-gen military fighter jet (F-22, Saab Gripen, et al) that has built-in instability to enhance its quickness, some real tech is needed for the pilot to manage the difference, yet Line just pressed in average materials, and called it good.
At lower speeds, and with an able driver, this ski can provide serious grins. The response of the sidecut when tipping into the turn is something usually reserved for mid-70mm carvers, so you should have a clear idea of what to do next; but when the speed picks up and the going gets tough, the Sakana cannot match the feel and confidence of the One Oh Something golden boys.
FairToMiddlin: Kudos to Line for thinking outside the box (sort of like last year’s Rossi Hero Elite Plus Ti). With an unusually spicy sidecut (15m radius in both 174 and 181, says the rep) and a tip-floating swallowtail, it looks anything but ordinary in the One Oh Something class, and would seem to be an exciting ski for talented skiers wanting to slash short-radius turns all over the mountain. Sadly, the engineers didn’t rise to the challenge of the architect, and the construction of the Sakana leaves it feeling a bit numb, with a vague flex that can’t "predictable-ize" the hookiness of the shape. Like a current-gen military fighter jet (F-22, Saab Gripen, et al) that has built-in instability to enhance its quickness, some real tech is needed for the pilot to manage the difference, yet Line just pressed in average materials, and called it good.
At lower speeds, and with an able driver, this ski can provide serious grins. The response of the sidecut when tipping into the turn is something usually reserved for mid-70mm carvers, so you should have a clear idea of what to do next; but when the speed picks up and the going gets tough, the Sakana cannot match the feel and confidence of the One Oh Something golden boys.
Insider tip: These ski their full length and then some. I had a ton of fun on the 174, it never felt lacking.
- Awards
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- Who is it for?
- Nothing against Cindy Lauper, but these are for guys who also want to have fun. Skiers looking for the quirky and out-of-the-ordinary will find it here.
- Who is it not for?
- The close-minded. The tail could turn some off, which is their loss. Skiers seeking refinement and predictability won’t find it here.
- Skier ability
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- Beginner/Novice
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Expert
- Ski category
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- All Mountain
- Powder
- Ski attributes
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- Moguls
- Off Piste
- Trees
- Segment
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- Men
Specifications
- Available sizes
- 166, 174, 181
- Dimensions
- 150-105-138
- Radius
- 15m@166cm
- Rocker profile
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- Camber with tip rocker
- Construction design
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- New graphics
- Binding options
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- Flat
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