Two years ago, after several seasons of toil behind the R&D curtain, Fischer rolled out a completely overhauled Ranger line of off-trail models.  The new clan consisted of  hybrids that blended the two branches of the previous Ranger clan, the surfy FR series and the more connected Ti models.  All the new Rangers received a dose of .5mm-thick Titanal underfoot married to a fairly loose tip and tail.  As befits the family name, they all possess a decidedly off-trail bias.

Fans of earlier Rangers will find the new series are more closely related behaviorally to the easy-to-smear FR models of yore than to the metal-laden Ti fraternity. The lighter weight (all poplar) core of the Ranger 90 suggests it might be a good option for living a double life as an in-resort/backcountry, all-purpose partner-in-climb.  Its Aeroshape exterior further enables foot steering by reducing resistance when rotating a flat ski.

The Ranger 90 encourages its navigator to assume a centered stance and take advantage of a double-rockered baseline that makes it easier to drift to an edge than ride a continuous rail. If carving is more your thing, Fischer’s The Curv GT 85 is a strong and precise trench-digger you’ll find among our Power Picks. The Ranger 90 derives from the opposite side of the carve/drift schism.

Skiers who want a more substantial ski under them (in the Ranger series) should step up to either the Ranger 96 or Ranger 102, both of which mix denser beech into the otherwise poplar core.  When choosing which Ranger to ride, bear in mind that Fischer draws no distinction, other than color and size range, between men’s and women’s models. (This is actually a fairly common practice in off-trail model series.) Note also that there’s a broader size selection in the women’s versions of the Ranger 96 and Ranger 102 , so men can easily traverse the gender divide should they prefer a brighter palette underfoot.