Main difference is the C-Zone membrane. The Fall Line doesn't use a membrane, instead relying on leather wax to keep out moisture. So the upside to the membrane-less Fall Line is that it breathes so much better than any mitt with a membrane. That's why I love it for CO where we rarely get truly wet ski days. The Freeride is a better option for wetter climates, though the exterior is still gonna soak up some water, it's just that the membrane prevents that moisture from getting all the way to your hands. The downside is that the membrane also makes your hands sweat more, so I've found my hands actually get wetter on an average day in the Freeride than the Fall Line due to breathability.
There are plenty of mitts that are quite good and that cost a 3rd or 4th or 5th the price of Hestras. That said, I got 5 seasons, and I'd guess around 300 days, in my Fall Lines before I finally wore a hole in them. I've worn through some $25–$80 mitts in anywhere from 20 to close to 100 days.
I'm a big Fall Line fan, but I've also been really impressed by cheaper options, and I think they make sense for the vast majority of people. Especially if you're really hard on mitts (e.g., you ski rope tows, or just tend to quickly wear through gloves and mitts) and therefore don't want to invest $100+ in a pair that may not last drastically longer than something so much cheaper, it'd make sense to just get a cheaper pair. Whatever you get, I'd recommend something with a full leather palm.
