The Fischer Orbiter is a fantastic option for what Fischer calls the “fitness cruiser” category. For skiers looking to cover a lot of distance with minimal effort, the Orbiter is a great choice. It’s a pretty simple design for a ski, and one that will span the test of time. Built with a Vario Crown for strong grip and an Air Core Basalite for light weight and glide, the Fischer Orbiter is a good solution for a large number of Nordic skiers. There’s a little bit of sidecut shape, giving you more directional control and precision. Fischer’s Efficient Forward technology makes the front of the ski easier to bend, resulting in a smoother and easier kick and glide. As such, it’s a great choice for intermediate, recreational, and fitness-level skiers who are looking to cover a lot of distance over anything else. Our testers were generally impressed with the overall versatility and fun-loving nature of the Fischer Orbiter.
Lauren Lepage found that her Orbiter was a bit higher-performing than she expected. With scores of 4 out of 5 given for her 174 cm test length for speed, grip, glide, and overall impression, Lauren pegged it as a higher-level ski than what she should probably be on for her ski style. “The Orbiter is a faster ski with a great glide, but didn’t feel as stable as some of the softer/slower skis.” That’s a great point, and that the faster skis aren’t necessarily for everyone.
Also on the 174, Jeffrey Siegel found it to be a bit shorter than he would get himself, but still had a favorable impression of the ski, and especially in the grip and glide areas. Jeff utilized the IFP plate on the binding allowing him to move it back or forth for either more grip or more glide. He notes that he “felt like the ski gripped and slid well enough when the binding was back, but the ski was less stable and harder to control. Aside from the shorter size, I felt the ski was fast, climbed well, and would probably be stable in the correct length.”
Owen Hall-Kocho was also on the 174 length and found the stiffness to be about medium. All 3’s and 4’s from Owen for these skis, with speed, maneuverability, glide, and weight each earning the 4. Owen calls it “light weight and easy to use in most snow packs. Middle to advanced skiers will get the most out of this cruiser. The wood core is nice and poppy while being stable with a narrow platform.” Nice writeup from Owen, there!
Peg Lackey, like Owen, scored all 3’s and 4’s for her 176 cm tester. She notes that the Orbiter has “good grip within the track as well as out” and in terms of speed, it was “faster than I thought it would go. It has good downhill speed pickup but stays in control—very stable.” For a basic to above-basic Nordic touring ski, Peg was pretty impressed with the Orbiter.
Jake Inger notes the overall feeling of the ski in terms of its own class, and calls his 176 cm length Orbiter “top of the line all-around fish scale ski from Fischer. They are surprisingly light and easy to maneuver. You can easily turn on soft as well as hard snow.” In terms of the power generation, Jake notes it has a “relatively good kick, but I mostly needed a bigger and stiffer ski.”
Adventurous and athletic skiers will love both the in and out of track capability of the Fischer Orbiter skis. They’re truly a great option for mid and upper-level fitness skiers.
