From powerful skis to playful skis to the notorious pink top sheet from a few years back, the Fischer Ranger family has been through a few different phases and has gained a following over the years. Off the jump, Rangers were generally known to be stiff, burly skis designed to be driven by the hardest-charging skiers. Then in what some would call an overcorrection, the FR or freeride series, which included the beloved pink 102s, were released as playful skis designed for more freestyle-oriented skiers. No matter the Ranger, Fischer has always produced a successful and popular ski, but before their most recent overhaul, the ski was never a great fit for a huge range of skier types. That problem was solved when Fischer released the current generation of Rangers a couple of winters ago. The skis were redesigned from top to bottom to make the most versatile group of Rangers yet. For this winter, along with the rest of the family, the Ranger 102 remains unchanged from the previously mentioned upgrade. Soft in the shovels with just enough beef underfoot, the Ranger 102 achieves an impressive balance of being a playful ski that doesn't get nervous at high speeds. It skews to the more playful side, so it's more comfortable with a skier who likes to explore off-trail, pivot their skis through tight terrain, and get a little more technical with their turning. The ski's construction consists of a wood core with titanal (metal), or Shaped Ti as Fischer calls it, laid out toward the center of the ski. This design makes the ski feel very nimble toward the tip and tail, but provides a little bit more of a stout feel underfoot than you'd expect. This helps the ski engage on harder snow and stay sturdy toward the center at higher speeds. It's not the best ski in this category for either of those things, a Nordica Enforcer 99 or Blizzard Rustler 10 are gonna hold up better in terms of stability, but the Ranger is more playful than both those skis. If you'd prefer something that pivots quicker and is gonna take less work in the trees or back bowls, the Ranger is probably your answer. This is a playful ski that's more burly and can handle more than most skis that check that box, it's not the most powerful, but it's an absolute blast all over the mountain.
