The Fischer Ranger series is aptly named, for over the relatively long arc of its career it has ranged from one end of the design spectrum to the other. It began several seasons ago as essentially an all-mountain ski with racing in its bloodlines, beefed up with square sidewalls and a classic wood and metal make-up. For a skilled skier with strong legs they could pulverize anything in their path, but as a helpmate to the so-so skier looking for an easy way down a crud field, they were overkill.

So Fischer tacked back in the other direction, tapping into its expertise in cross-country ski design – where the brand has reigned for decades – to re-outfit the Ranger line with an elaborately milled out core. This move was in keeping with the overall trend to lighter constructions, but for the most part this collection lacked the power and energy to match the performance of the top models in the Big Mountain category.

For 20/20 Fischer has again re-designed the flagships of it Ranger Ti series, returning to a lay-up with twin Titanal laminates for stability and liberal use of carbon to make it responsive. Carbon inlays in the tip and tail help make the extremities thin and light, so the new Ranger 107 Ti is easier to foot steer when necessary. “It’s user-friendly but still can be skied aggressively,” notes one admiring tester. “You can take your foot off the gas and it’s still responsive.”

Compared to the Ranger 108 Ti that preceded it, the Ranger 107 Ti has a slightly less shapely silhouette and a longer contact zone underfoot, giving it more directional stability and an overall calmer disposition in the sloppy seconds that prevail on so-called powder days. Its new sidecut favors the skier who can maintain momentum through a series of rhythmic, mid-radius turns that neither enter nor exit the turn too suddenly.

The improvements in the new Ranger 107 Ti are emblematic of a new emphasis on product at Fischer, particularly in the neglected realms of Big Mountain and backcountry skiing. We don’t think it’s a coincidence that significant improvements in the Austrian brand’s ski and boot collections happened to occur during a period of regime change at the U.S. subsidiary. While all ski design and manufacture is a collaborative enterprise, it helps to empower a visionary. I believe what we’re seeing is the first fruits of Mike Hattrup’s involvement; if I’m right, Fischer’s immediate future is looking brighter by the day.