The Line Chronic 101 is a versatile all-mountain freestyle ski designed for skiers who want to take advantage of all the mountain has to offer in the morning, followed by afternoon hot laps in the park. It's the Line Chronic 101, maaan! This versatile all-mountain freestyle ski features the same durability superpowers as its little brother down to the beefed-up sidewalls, tips, and core.
But how do Line skis stack up for all-mountain skiing? Typically, free-minded jibbers and skiers with playful styles answer with a resounding hell yeah! Other skiers sound more meh. For 2023-2024, Line makes some upgrades to the line aimed at improving how its all-mountain and freeride skis handle varied terrain and snow.
Key Features and Construction
The new Line Chronic comes in two waist widths: 94mm and 101mm. Each version is built with the same eco-friendly and dampening Bio-Resin we’ve seen in K2’s new skis. “Thick Cut” sidewalls aim to beef up the ski underfoot and make it more durable (which matters when you’re sliding rails, airing rocks, and skiing with reckless abandon). That extra thick profile underfoot tapers to an exceptionally thin construction in the tips. There, Line removed all the material from the ski except fiberglass. They say that simplicity reduces tip delamination, lowers swingweight, and improves the skis’ environmental footprint. Line serves up the Chronic 101 in sizes ranging from 165cm to 186cm. For reference, this tester measures 5’7″ and a couple spicy pickles north of 160lbs.
Last year saw the introduction of two new Chronics the 101 & 94. Both skis have Line’s new Thin Tip 2.0 construction which bonds the topsheet in the tip and tail directly to the base, resulting in a stronger bond to reduce delams. The skis are virtually identical, different only in width specs. The Chronics are characterized by generous tip and tail rockers combined with tight sidecuts, making them ultra-responsive and playful.
Read also: Line Blade: Carving and Off-Piste
Performance on Varied Terrain
The Chronic 101 isn’t the softest ski out but it’s certainly not stiff. However, the wider profile does lend a little more stability to the Chronic 101 than its narrower sibling. Both skis have tight turn radii and both have that very Line characteristic of turning way better than they possibly should. Skied from the center, the Chronic 101 is a ton of fun to carve on. The radius and soft flex combine into a ski that you can bend into some very aggressive turn shapes. Of course, the soft, rockered tip does not favor being driven, so that comes with the disclaimer that you have to ski with a centered stance not to overpower the ski.
The Chronic 101 is not a carving ski, and it doesn’t pretend to handle firm snow with the same chops as, say, a Stockli Stormrider. But for an all-mountain freestyle ski, especially one with soft tips and tails, it’s surprisingly capable on groomed runs. The short turn radius (16 meters in the 178cm size) allows for quick and precise carves, while the sturdy feel underfoot makes you feel like you’re in charge of where the ski goes. The Chronic 101 is much more rigid torsionally than I would have guessed, and that breeds confidence when you drop the hammer on the way back to the lift. Thank also the aspen in the core construction, which keeps the ride smooth without adding a bunch of weight or a planky feel.
I tested the Chronic 101 alongside two other new all-mountain freestyle skis for 2023-2024: the Armada ARV 100 and the Elan Playmaker 101. On firm snow and at high speeds, the Chronic proved to be the strongest.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The Chronic 101 is many things, but it isn’t a particularly strong powder ski. You can make it work on jumps into pow because the rocker does pop you back out, but it doesn’t like to travel sideways with those blocky tips and tails, and the short turn radius can feel hooky. It lacks much power for crud skiing or blasting through chopped-up snow. This is a ski with a focus on fun, playful skiing not charging. They have enough width and rocker to feel good landing in moderate depths of pow, and can handle switch landings but they aren't the most comfortable turning.
Read also: Comprehensive Ice Line Overview
The park is where the Chronic 101 shines, it’s a very good modern-day park ski. It has lots of rocker and a poppy feel from the camber and medium flexing central portion of the ski. The tips and tails soften off making for easy buttering, which doesn’t require much force to initiate yet the ski has enough backbone not to wash out. There are more energetic skis out and there are much softer ones too, but the Chronic series does a great job of balancing things, making them a very versatile park ski. They are playful enough at slow speed to be fun and yet have support to ski all but the biggest jumps. The only downside is they aren’t the lightest as far as park skis go. Line deliberately beefed these up to improve durability, which they did, but it has come with a weight penalty, though with the thin tips, the effect on swingweight has been minimised.
Deep tip and tail rocker plus healthy taper lines keep the Chronic 101 pivoting and smearing through tight places. Compared to the Playmaker 101 and ARV 100, though, it does require the most skier input (ie, effort) to move around. That thick cut underfoot keeps you planted, but it also gives you more heft to maneuver through tight alleys and chutes. Strong fall-line skiers won’t mind, but people who expect a buttery, intuitive feel may be surprised.
I did notice, as you may have guessed, that those slim tips get deflected most when powder sets up into firm chop. Here, I prefer skis with a more consistent flex pattern. The Chronic 101 can finesse through these types of conditions, but I wouldn’t recommend hauling through chop Freeride World Tour style (hint: I tried).
Line Chronic 101 Review | 2026 Forecast Ski Test @ Red Mountain Resort
Expert Opinions
Our testers really enjoyed the skiing both skis in the Chronic series, and the 101 was usually the preference (though the 94 also had fans). Ultimately, the two Chronic skis have very similar properties just in different widths and therefore when it comes to choosing between them, it’s simply a question of how much ice do you have to ski (if lots, lean towards the narrower) and how tech do you want to get on rails (again, go narrower if you like lots of switchups). We were testing at Sunshine Village where the snow is almost always great, so our preference for the wider makes sense. 16.6m avg.
Read also: All About Twin Tips
Here's what some testers had to say:
- Twig: “One of the most surprising skis to turn on out there. Looks like a park noodle but these things crank as long as you ski centered."
- Bailey Lahure: They have enough width and rocker to feel good landing in moderate depths of pow, and can handle switch landings but they aren't the most comfortable turning.
- Rylee Hackler: A very playful ski and still so stable on the jumps. All-around amazing ski for any park rider. One of my favorites of the test - Lukas Duckworth.
Are These Skis Right for You?
As with plenty of skis (and brands) who buck playful-only stereotypes to seek better all-mountain performance, the Line Chronic 101 might alienate some of its previous followers. If you’re looking for the poppiest, lightest jib sticks on the market (and always prioritize playfulness), you might find the new construction off-putting and too bulky. And, if you want a traditional all-mountain ski, these may still swing too far on the playful side for you.
Simply put: With the upgrades, Line improves the Chronic in every way versus its predecessor. The new Chronic 101 is more durable, more capable in every snow type, and more worthy of an “all-mountain” label. While the previous version appealed to park skiers who dabble in all-mountain skiing sometimes, the new version adds a tasty option to the market for skiers who want a different sort of flavor. By-and-large, the new Chronic 101 will check the right boxes for most freestyle skiers. But it also shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re an intermediate through expert skier who wants a more fun option than the all-mountain models that typically win ski tests. Case in point.
Line Chronic 101: Pros and Cons
Here's a summary of the pros and cons of the Line Chronic 101 skis:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|