Brands send us the sticks and we spend a solid chunk of our own seasons shredding them.
For 18-19 theres an all-new, completely redesigned Line Chronic.
Thats a pretty big deal.
The Chronic was first seen back in 04-05, and back then it was an 80mm waisted park ripper.
The new version, however, is a pretty big departure from the tried and tested formula.
It now has an early taper, its wider and more shaped towards all-mountain performance.
Jib, arc, and blast both in and out of the park.But how does it perform in reality?
Shape/flex/construction:
The new Chronic shape is entirely different from any previous version.
Both the tip and tail splay are markedly low, and the tip/tail angle is as well.
Weighted, the entire ski is very close to flat.
It also has a short turn radius, at 16m.
In fact, its sort of like a narrower, lower rocker/higher camber version of the new Bacon shape.
Its not soft like the Blend or an EDollo, but softer than theARV 96for sure.
Not much new there.
So how do they ski?
On-snow:
Simply put, the new Chronic is a super fun all-mountain ski.
The one instance in which they did feel a bit too jittery was on long carving turns.
The radius of the Chronic simply doesnt naturally lend itself to that jot down of skiing.
Look, it’s the Matterhorn.
Photo: James Coates
Park/jibbing:
If theres one characteristic that defines the new Chronic, its POP.
They will launch you off rollers and allow you to pop up and over most things in your path.
That makes them, in my opinion, a decent jump ski.
And those low profile tips cause issues in other aspects of park skiing too.
When you dont fully rotate a trick the edges like to catch rather than letting you swerve it out.
In general, these are more precise feeling than surfy, despite the soft flex.
Its actually one of the best compromises between buttery-ness and stability that Ive tried.
I had no issues to speak of with these over the ten days I skied them.
They look pretty much new in fact.
Line use a 2.2mm x 2.5mm edge and a 1.7mm base which is significantly larger than most brands.
The 2.2mm measure is across the base, which generally is the less important dimension in my experience.
Conclusion:
The new Chronic is a stark departure from the previous model.
To me, its an all-mountain ski, not a park ski, first and foremost.
Primarily they are designed for going skiing, making lots of turns and having a blast.
Skiing more funner if you will.
I actually struggle to know which skis to compare them too.
To me, the closest relation I’ve actually tried is actually the Sir Francis Bacon.
I think a lot of people are going to really love skiing these, because I certainly did.
They also feel like something truly new and different to what is already out there.
Line have never been afraid to try new things and the new Chronic is another bold move.
