Most skis that aren’t awarded a Recommended medallion are left off our A-list because their scores are too low.  Line’s Sir Francis Bacon, however, scored extremely high (how appropriate for a Line), but only attracted one tester, whose impressions you are reading now. What a pity, as the new SFB might be the most fun Big Mountain ski I’ve ever been on. Its tip and tail are bent into a spoon shape called Convex Base™, which makes the extremities virtually friction-free. Crusty crud that tried to trip up less forgiving models didn’t faze Sir Francis Bacon one bit.

Of course the SFB is unspeakable delight in light snow, which it seems to ride higher than its 107mm waist ought to allow, but its star shines brightest when the snow is at its nastiest. I’d classify the SFB as a Finesse ski, as it’s so damn easy to ski, but I can’t imagine it would disappoint a Power skier.  Short-radius turns in powder are virtually automatic, and its calm comportment on groomers will surprise you. Between mainstream suppliers and boutique brands, there are more than 100 models over 100mm underfoot in the U.S. market alone. None of them ski powder better than Sir Francis Bacon.