When Fischer made the decision to be gender neutral in its 2023 Ranger ski line – meaning men’s and women’s models would use the identical recipe and even the same names – it did so by blending the constructions (and consequent behaviors) of its existing Ti and FR designs. As the Ti designs entailed metal (duh) and the more rockered FR skis did not, the blended design was almost certain to have Titanal in it, just not as much as the Ti’s of yesteryear.
The new Ranger 102 is a product of this design union, retaining the loose and smeary extremities of the old 102 FR, with a patch of .5mm Titanal in the binding zone that palpably augments its gripping power. Of its two parents, it takes after its maternal (non-metal) side, limiting its displays of muscular power to the critical area underfoot. If you loved the retired FR for its surfy attitude, you’ll be at least as enamored of the 2023 Ranger 102. This is still a decidedly soft snow ski, as several testers lamented given that there was precious little natural snow last season. “In fresh snow, you’ll love this ski,” reassured Mark Rafferty from Peter Glenn. “Plenty wide and playful for first tracks. If no new fresh for a few weeks, the Ranger 102 will rip fast turns on the groomers. Strong for blasting through crud. A true marvel,” he raved.
Not every male tester was smitten by the Ranger 102’s soft extremities, particularly when the powder it definitely prefers is in short supply. The race-bred Jim Schaffner over-powered the Ranger 102’s forebody, undermining its edging accuracy on hard snow. “The snow was perfect for testing this type of ski,” the Start Haus owner noted, “however I found that it was too loose for my style of skiing . I can see the benefit for a skier that only seeks out the softer untracked snow and who enjoys the art of drifting and skidding. Very uncertain when I encountered some harder snow and some frozen chunder.”
As Schaffner’s remarks suggest, whether the Ranger 102 is a woman’s cup of tea depends on style and weight more than ability, although the Ranger 102’s soft flex is especially well suited to those making their first forays into sidecountry. The Titanal plate in its midsection sits astride a substantial beech and poplar core, so security underfoot shouldn’t be an issue for female skiers who aren’t as big and aggressive as erstwhile race coach Schaffner.
Our test data suggests that the unisex Ranger 102 is at least as potent a Power ski as its predecessor, while its calmer edge through the belly of a big turn helped move it up our Finesse ranks a whopping six positions. All things considered, the 2023 Ranger 102 amplified its forebear’s best assets without changing its fundamental character.
As Fischer draws no distinction between men’s and women’s models, any man who fancies a teal-green topsheet can get the Ranger 102 in lengths as long as 190cm.
For its enduring appeal to Finesse skiers with a penchant for powder, we bestow upon the new Ranger 102 a Silver Skier Selection.
