Ladies looking for endless performance and versatility will love the range of this wonderful ski. With different graphics and a wider range of sizes than the 96, the 2024 Fischer Ranger 96W opens a few more doors and possibilities. In the middle of the Ranger zone, the 96W is one of the more versatile skis on the planet, especially when it comes to softer snow, trees, and agile freeride skiing. For 2024, the ski carries over, so it’s the same graphics to go along with a well-rounded ski that has just made a lot of skiers very happy over the past two years. When this Ranger 96W came out, it basically replaced a couple of legends in the Ranger 94FR and the Ranger 99Ti. Splitting the difference can be sometimes challenging, but the Ranger 96W has fully encapsulated a ski’s ability to be multiple things at the same time. Whether it’s overall a better choice than the outgoing models is still up for debate, but what’s pretty clear is that these check more boxes overall. Best when used by skiers of the advanced and expert level, the 2024 Fischer Ranger 96W is a natural-feeling ski with a drifty personality and confident edge qualities.

The build of these Rangers is pretty smart. By mixing the damping properties of metal with the energetic character of poplar and beech wood, skiers are getting the best of both worlds when it comes to poppy performance and a smooth ride. The poplar gives the ski a consistent feel from tip to tail while also keeping the front and back of the ski light and floaty while the metal underfoot solidifies the overall feel of the ski, especially on firmer snow and in a carved turn. The beech complements the metal well in terms of adding density and power. The metal laminate is Fischer’s Shaped Ti 0.5 laminate that is full-width underfoot and then tapers as it extends to the ends. By using more metal over the edges with a break in the middle, this gives the ski more of a metallic arm type of feel, keeping the edges more squarely in contact with the snow and the middle part of the ski articulable to the changing terrain and snow conditions. In the middle of the ski, the metal is removed slightly to create their Flex Cut technology that allows for more proper and consistent flex in the ski in a carved turn. While this makes the ski more natural in its behavior, it also kind of trips some skiers up that want to move the binding forward or back because it messes with the potential mount points. Overall, this isn’t a huge deal, as the ski’s general demeanor wipes away any downside this may create. At 1850 grams per ski in the 173,it’s encroaching on the 2000-gram mark, but stays light enough to remain maneuverable, and that has a lot to do with the footprint of the ski as well.

In terms of shaping, the 2024 Fischer Ranger 96W has more of a spoony tip and tail than the narrower versions, and since these regions of the ski are aligned with the wood core rather than the metal, the flotation and smeary nature is increased. Underfoot in the 173 cm length, the 96 mm waist takes advantage of the metal to make it a fairly competent carver, although there are skis out there in this width that are grippier and damper in an on-piste format. This Ranger 96W’s shape and profile make it lean more to the freeride side of the spectrum as it’s happier in softer snow and powder. The 128 mm tip and the 119 mm tail combine with the waist to create a 17-meter turn radius, and for a ski that wants to do a bit of everything very well, this is a great place to be. The arc is long enough to be able to smear and drift while remaining short enough for clean carves across the fall line. As a ski that blends all-mountain and freeride, this is what you’re looking for. This graphic is available in lengths 159 through 187, so there’sa big range here.

The 2024 Fischer Ranger 96W is the culmination of years of ski testing and development, finishing in a great place for pure all-mountain and freeride fun. The mid-90's is a good place to be for versatility, and while there are certainly better carvers and floaters out there, skis rarely mix the two as well as the Ranger 96W. Due to the weight and the somewhat damp nature of the ski, advanced and experts will be able to glean the most performance, but it’s on the accessible side for progressing or aggressive intermediates looking for a wider ski for flotation and snowy days.