[The Line Bacon 108 was treated to new graphics for the 24/25 season but is otherwise unchanged from its launch in 23/24. This review was originally published in May 2023.]
All the Bacon.
For a decade, the Line Sir Francis Bacon has been one of those coveted, culty skis that build a devoted following among skiers. Cool top sheets, cool name, fun, and fairly unique on the snow—it’s easy to see why people liked it. This ski tester owned a pair of the 2014 version (the blue tree, if you’re in the know).
It’s always interesting to see how brands approach overhauls of legendary models. Line’s move? More bacon.
Line Bacon 108 Review: Field Notes
The new release drops the “Sir Francis” (sorry bud), adds a model (the new Bacon 115), and features a revamped construction. According to Line, the Bacon 108 is more sustainable and more durable than the previous version.
How, you ask? By using more bio-resin and less plastic, Line is pushing forward with more sustainable ski building. Plastic comes out of the tips, where it’s replaced by glass, which bonds better and lowers the skis’ swingweight. Line calls this “Thin Tip” tech, and the new tips do look quite a bit slimmer than average. That glass should also improve durability. So, too, should Line’s Thick Cut Sidewalls. Extra material underfoot should boost edge grip (a la Salomon’s Double Sidewall) and make the skis tougher.
Checking additional tech specs, a couple other numbers pop out. The skis’ 17.4-meter radius (in the 184cm size) keeps in line with the short radius from the previous version. Notably, though, the new Bacon is, well, thick cut. It gains weight versus its predecessor, weighing in around 400 grams heavier at 2,180 grams per ski.
So, what does it all do on snow? Let’s jump in. Note: I stand 5’7″ high and weigh a couple IPAs north of 160 pounds. I skied the 184 cm and the 178 cm for this test at Loveland Ski Area and Crested Butte.
Groomers
One surprising feature of the Sir Francis Bacon was its groomer performance. For a soft-flexing and playful mid-fat ski, it could kind of rail. If, that is, you don’t object to carving wider skis with progressive flex patterns.
The new version can too. It feels much more damp underfoot, thanks to that extra heft and added materials. Laying trenches with a centered stance was a downright blast (as long as the snow was soft-ish). Driving the shovels, you notice the reduced mass and soft flex up front, and in the 178cm size, I felt close to going OTB more than once. My recommendation: Stay centered and lay into these puppies with everything you’ve got. That pronounced sidecut and progressive flex will show you a good time.
With adding durability, the extra beefy sidewalls—which is becoming a design trend I can get behind—also improve edge grip. I skied the Sir Francis Bacon many times down the windswept upper reaches of New York’s Whiteface Mountain, so I’ve felt the point when its edges were done gripping. Though all my testing of the Bacon 108 was done in the West (and not on much ice), I can confidently tell you the difference is a big one. The new Bacons feel much more reliable underfoot on firm stuff.
Bumps and Trees
One look at the Bacon 108’s deep rocker lines and you know it’s going to pivot and smear. So when you need to scrub speed, slash a wind drift, or throw them sideways to avoid a shark, the Bacon 108s will facilitate. I had a blast descending chalky bumps down Crested Butte’s Headwall, where these skis’ meaty platform felt planted and reliable. Their low swingweight and pivot-ability gave me a lot of confidence negotiating steep, tight places and changing my line as-needed. Underfoot, they feel more like a big-mountain ski than the Sir Francis Bacon, thanks to the extra mass.
In soft, more forgiving bumps, the Bacon 108 was also a blast. Maintain a dynamic, shock absorbing ski-position, and they give you a nice blend of stability underfoot with playfulness in the tips and tails. The sidecut profile helps keep them nimble rather than clunky.
In firm bumps, those tips get deflected much easier. You still can hold onto your line thanks to the solid platform below you, but plenty of skiers will prefer a more consistent and predictable flex pattern for this type of terrain. Namely, they’re the folks who like to ski bumps fast and straight and attack the fall-line regardless of snow conditions.
Powder and Mixed Snow
I had the good fortune of skiing the Bacon 108s on a powder day at Blister Summit, where I took them into Spellbound Bowl for some fresh steeps, airs, and tree shots. This is the kind of terrain where the Bacon 108 really thrives—the playground zones.
Again, I dig that stout platform underfoot for landings and spicy spots (and when you get yourself into trouble). The tails aren’t the most supportive among skis in this category. But you do trade tail stiffness for pop and play. When you’re airing everything in sight with soft snow flying around you, the Bacon 108 hollers from under your feet to remind you that this is how skiing is supposed to be—fun! Like, who actually cares if you wheelie once in a while? I’m no steeze-master, and my nose butters don’t look pretty even when they occasionally work, but the Bacon 108 is made for skiing loose and free.
When conditions trend toward chop or heavier pow instead of soft and light, you notice that the Bacon 108 wants to be skied more precisely. It’s not the type to blast everything out of its way. Rather, it likes to skip across the top through soft chop and edge or smear around heavier, mankier snow piles. Again, I think the flex pattern, mass distribution, and sidecut profile have a lot to do with that. The Bacon 108 likes to be driven with a centered stance that engages the platform underfoot. It prefers to be turned—carved or smeared—rather than straightlined. In other words, it likes to be doing something rather than just pointing it.
When you do engage the ski and bend it, you get a surprisingly precise, lively ride with a unique feel. The Bacon 108’s short radius and low swingweight combined with that planted feel underfoot inspire dynamic tip-and-go skiing. Slice and dice, baby!
Downside
Nothing new here. The folks who may not get along with the Bacon 108 are the ones who prefer (or demand) a stiffer and more supportive ride in the tips and tails of their skis. If jibbing, airing, smearing, slashing, or slicing ‘n dicing mean nothing to you, the Bacon 108 probably isn’t your ticket to ride. Or, at least, not your one-ski-quiver. I’d argue that if having two skis in this category is a reality for you, the Bacon 108 is a sweet choice as the more playful, zesty option. Think niche rather than universal.
Bottom Line
Even with all the aforementioned updates, the Bacon 108 targets loosely the same skier that the Sir Francis Bacon did—adventurous freeride skiers who like to play around and explore. By rolling out the Blade Optic series a year ago, which are built with metal and more directional shapes than the Bacon, Line gave themselves some room to experiment with the Bacon redesign. They landed on a ski with more personality that’s more unique, yet arguably a little less versatile, compared with its predecessor. In a world where it’s easy to feel like all the skis are the same, the Bacon 108 stands out. That on its own says something.
The people who will enjoy the Bacon 108 as a one-ski-quiver are the folks who usually ski soft snow, like softer skis, and approach the mountain with a loose and playful style. In that context, they’ll find it more capable in most snow types than lots of comparably fun-oriented skis. Where I see the Bacon 108 fitting best, though, is as a sidekick to your daily driver. A way to sample a new spicier flavor and add variety to your winter. Thick cut, please.
