Specs and Tech
The shape of the ski, even ignoring the convex tips, is pretty extreme, with a 107mm waist flaring out to a whopping 147mm in the spooned tip. A 16m average turn radius in the 184 length is the result.
Hand flexing them, they are soft in the tip and tail but still decently solid underfoot, much like the previous model. I’d say they are a touch softer than the outgoing Bacon but stiffer than the versions that came before that. They have a relatively average amount of rocker for a ski in the category, with plenty of camber underfoot. The early taper is fairly minimal, leaving you a long running length when the ski is put on edge.
On-snow review
They have a short turn radius, and Line/Eric have clearly built this ski by taking huge cues from the Sakana. If you’ve skied the Sakana, then you kind of have a feel for what these skis feel like on edge, i.e. incredibly fun. Sure they are more directional, with a more centered stance required, but the new Bacon is essentially an evolution of that ski, built for doing tricks. Which means they rip on groomers. The deep sidecut is so much fun for carving, even in the long length and even center-mounted.
The 176 version felt like an overgrown slalom ski, I had so much fun just cruising around on those, but even the 184 felt super quick.
Crud is really the only all-mountain condition I didn’t find these impressive in though, and even on ice they were better than they should be (though obviously not great). Overall, the combination of sidecut, convexity, and rocker really seems to work to deliver a very versatile ski. Chapeau Eric/Line.
Durability
The skis I skied were still a sample of the first attempts at convexity so it is really hard for me to gauge what the durability of the production skis will be like. My edges held up ok despite skiing rails every day of the 12 days that I rode the Sir Francis Bacon. I had one or two cracks but no signs of anything serious. I’m glad to see the fatty base and edge re-introduced to the Pollard series, and I’m sure it will help improve durability in the park over the previous models.
