2013 Line Prophet 98 Review - All Mountain Staple
If you've been following along with our ski reviews, you may notice we've spent a lot of time on all mountain skis - particularly at about 98 mm underfoot. That's because it's the sweet spot for a do-it-all, quiver-of-one ski for so many western skiers - something you can count on in almost any conditions.
One of the top contenders in the category is the Line Prophet 98. The Line Prophet series of skis have been around for a while now, and have always been popular. The latest version, the Line Prophet 98, is definitely one of the most versatile all mountain skis in its width range.
Sierra Jim first got on these skis in Winter Park, Co on very firm snow - here's what he thought:
Skis in this width range don't often excel in hard snow - but they need to be confident enough to get around. The Line Prophet 98 definitely had very good grip for this category. The very low tip rise made it easy to initiate short radius turns while still hooking up when leaned over into the snow. On firm snow, the Line Prophet 98 definitely leaned to quick, nimble turns rather than long, powerful turns.
Then in Mammoth, Ca, Jim found mixed conditions that make for a good challenge to really test a ski:
On one run, I skied chalky, half-formed bumps, followed by a cruddy, re-frozen sidehill, then some soft, blown in snow. It was easy to initiate turns with the Prophet 98, and it preferred slicing and dicing through the rough stuff, rather than trying to charge straight though it. It definitely had enough power and grip to keep up without being overly-burly to toss me around in the mixed conditions - definitely forgiving.
The Line Prophet 98 is a great choice for a good skier that likes to split time between hard snow and powder. Given how light they are, they also make for a good choice in the backcountry with a good alpine touring binding.
PhilPug was also impressed:
I was really surprised when I skied the new Line Prophet 98 - it handled better than the previous version despite having similar dimensions, most likely because it has a flatter tail and early rise in the tip. The new Capwall construction also seems to be a big step forward. This is definitely one of the top contenders in the 98mm waisted all mountain ski category.
So if you're looking for an all mountain ski that's light and playful, preferring quick turns over big super-G turns, the Line Prophet 98 may be the perfect ski for you.
