There’s always something to compromise on in the Nordic world. The Fischer Affinity Crown skis are pretty much a good compromise of everything. They have a good weight for both fitness and stability, they’re wide, but not too wide for in-track skiing, they’re grippy but also glide really well, and they’re fun and exciting, but also stable and business-like if needed. It’s this type of dual nature of the Affinity Crown skis that make it so appealing to a huge audience. There’s a bit of a sidecut so that skiers can learn to turn and maneuver properly. It’s all about building skills and confidence out there on the trails, and our testers certainly picked up on the act that skiers like to have a little bit of everything built into their skis.
Shelby Parenteau liked the shape of the ski, and her 169 cm test length seemed to fit her well. Her highest scores were a 5 for stability and a 4 for overall impression. Her low score of a 2 for weight isn’t that surprising, as a lot of skiers like to have a good blend of stiffness and control. She comments: “I liked this ski because it was a bit wider and more stable. They were on the slow side, but still the skis were able to glide well and maneuver pretty easily, especially for a beginner. They seem pretty versatile and able to handle a bit of fresh snow.” Definitely sounds like for beginner skiers looking for a confidence boots, the Affinity Crown is a good place to start.
Some skiers clearly are able to over-power skis, and Mackenzie Rizio does that with the Affinity. That didn’t stop her from pointing out all of the benefits, not just for someone like her, but for the intended audience as well. On the 169, Mackenzie noted that the skis had a lot of stability, maneuverability, and glide. She calls it a “very solid fish scale structure in the base. It was really good and helpful for speed and glide. Kicked really well up the hill without slowing down. Was a bit skeptical of the tip shape at first, but it held up against some light powder on the trails.” In terms of intended audience, Mackenzie states that the Affinity “would be a good ski for someone who maybe is new to the sport but looking to advance. Easy skiing on groomed trails are best for this ski.” Well it’s a good thing that describes a huge percentage of the Nordic population!
Allison Ruschp calls the 169 Affinity a “strong beginner ski that glides really well but has a lot of grip when needed. No problem going up hills and stable on the downs.” Alli scores the ski 5’s out of 5 for stability and kick grip, so those are some nice categories for an easy-going ski to have high marks in. Most of her other scores were 4’s, showing that Alli found it to be a pretty well-rounded Nordic ski.
There’s definitely a lot to like about the Fischer Affinity Crown skis, from first timers to fitness-level skiers who want a bit of extra stability. They’re light, easy to use, and have a bit of a sidecut to help with turning and maneuvering. Our less-experienced testers seemed to find more to like about it, but again, that’s a pretty big portion of the Nordic population, so the Affinity is going to check a lot of boxes for a lot of skiers.
