2021 Fischer Traverse 78

The Traverse 78 from Fischer is designed for skiers who want to go off trail, explore the backcountry, and have an adventurous experience on their XC skis. Fischer uses their Air Tec construction, which utilizes air channels within the lightweight wood core. The Traverse 78 has full-length metal edges, guaranteeing consistent edge contact with the snow and good edge grip even on firm, icy conditions. You get Fischer’s Offtrack Crown climbing system built in, and the ski is also designed to work with the potential add-on Easy Skin system for really demanding climbs. The 78 mm width is too wide for groomed classic tracks, so you likely won’t want to use these at your local Nordic center, rather take them out to find your own tracks and make your own trails.

Jeff Neagle described the Traverse 78 as “a versatile ski that can handle a wide variety of terrain.” We saw high scores from Jeff for stability and versatility, both coming in at 5 out of 5. Speed and glide were his lowest scores, which isn’t surprising as the Traverse 78 isn’t necessarily designed for speed. Grip and stability are far more important in a ski like the Traverse 78. “What I like about the Traverse is it’s a backcountry ski that you can really take it anywhere. It’s too wide for groomed classic tracks, but anything other than that is fair game. It’s wide enough for soft snow conditions if you’re heading out after a big storm, and the little bit of tip rocker really helps in that application too. On the other hand, if you’re a little snow starved, it’s still a lot of fun, and narrow enough that it has good grip on icy snow.” Jeff’s analysis of the Traverse 78 is pretty much spot on. The 78 mm width is wider than a groomed track, so it’s not the best for a Nordic center, but it’s really good if you’re looking for a trustworthy ski for the backcountry, golf courses, power lines, and anywhere else you’re going to be making your own tracks.

For those skiers who are going to use the Traverse 78 for more demanding backcountry use, Fischer has an optional add-on Easy Skin system. You can add a climbing skin to the ski using their quick attachment system and drastically increase the ski’s grip. This really comes in handy if you’re skiing somewhere with a lot of vertical gain. Without the skin, on steep terrain, you’ll be making a lot more switchback turns. Slap the skin on and you’ll find yourself taking more direct lines up steep slopes without any worry of the ski slipping or losing grip.

The Traverse 78 is a great ski for adventurous skiers. It’s appropriate in your backyard and on the local golf course, but you can also step it up a notch and use this as more of a backcountry adventure ski. We love the fact that Fischer includes a little bit of tip rocker. It helps a lot in softer snow conditions and gives the ski a more intuitive feel when you’re maneuvering through tricky backcountry terrain.