To grok the essence of the new Fischer RC One 86 GT, think of it as a carving ski with wanderlust. As an Austrian brand, Fischer’s collective mind rarely meanders far from the racecourse, so it’s natural that the RC One 86 GT is a carving machine first and an off-trail implement second. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. All a ski this wide really needs to navigate most off-trail conditions is a dash of tip rocker, aka, early rise.

The tip-off that Fischer envisions the RC One 86 GT in Frontside environs is that it’s the head of a mostly Frontside (75mm-84mm underfoot) family. Furthermore, its construction is all about maintaining snow connection, a classic Frontside obsession. The tip and tail are outfitted with Bafatex®, a synthetic compound meant to muffle shock and keep every cm of the 86 GT’s fully cambered baseline plastered on the snow. Not to mention .8mm’s of shaped Titanal to further cow hard snow into silence.

A tester for Joe’s Ski Shop (MN) came away impressed. “Handles quite nicely, really strong underfoot, pretty snappy with good pop,” he writes. “A nice, strong Frontside-oriented, all-mountain ski. Would be a great ski for the Midwest hardpack and serve as a good western resort ski for the non-powder days.”

Ward Pyles of Peter Glenn describes the RC One 86 GT as “a go-to for any day inbounds; likes to be pushed but just as happy on an easy cruise.” For a ski with all-terrain dimensions, the RC One showed a decided preference for carving over drifting and hard snow, technical skiing versus flotation. If your everyday snow surface is groomed, but when powder appears you want to pounce on it without restraint, Fischer’s latest spin on a Frontside ski with off-trail pursuits deserves your attention.