The Ranger Series is in its second season of full model change. A comprehensive lineup that expands the target audience for freeriding

2023/11/10

The Ranger series has undergone major changes in its second season | The reasons for the easy-to-use characteristics of each model

With freeride as its core concept, the lineup has been completely redesigned to make it easy to choose based on your riding style and the field you're riding in. With six different models available in different waist widths (116, 108, 102, 96, 90, and 84mm), it's clear that the Ranger covers almost every situation

A key feature that distinguishes the Ranger series is "Shaped TI."
Titanium sheets are cut to varying widths, lengths, and cut angles for each model and then inserted. Wider skis have shorter sheets centered around the ski, while narrower skis have sheets that extend further forward and backward. Longer titanium sheets provide better control at the tip and tail, resulting in increased stability on groomed slopes for skis with a waist of 100mm or less, and allowing wider skis (102mm or more) to be centered and perform well on all types of slopes.

Furthermore, the center section features a "flex cut," which is a notch made in the sheet.
Wider skis have deeper and wider cuts, while narrower skis have thinner and smaller cuts. The stiffness of the flex and torsion is adjusted with this cut, and it's immediately obvious when you touch the skis: wider skis feel softer, while narrower skis respond more quickly and provide greater stability underfoot.

With its exquisite titanium layout that provides buoyancy and agility while maintaining stability during gliding, this series offers a lineup that allows for active enjoyment in all-mountain conditions.
Therefore, we'd like to explore the appeal of the "Ranger" by hearing from two individuals: a freeride skier who has been using "Ranger" skis for many years, and the queen of basic skiing who has been using "Ranger" skis for two years.

INDEX

I want to enjoy the mountains more with Ranger | Mirai Kuriyama's case, second year of use

Mirai Kuriyama

Born in Toyama Prefecture in 1985, she began skiing at the age of three, competing in the Inter-High School Championships and the National Athletic Meet as a junior. She then switched to basic skiing. Despite her small size, she is fast and boasts a large, crisp gliding style, which has earned her four wins at the All Japan Technical Championships. She currently works as the head instructor at GALA Ski & Snowboard School and as the representative of GALA Kids School

Instagram:@kuriyamamiku

"I want to pick up my skis, climb a mountain, and ski in the great outdoors."

Mirai Kuriyama, who started using Ranger skis from the 2021-22 model year, said she felt that way the moment she held them.
Having won the overall championship four times in the Ski Technical Championships, she is undoubtedly a top player in the world of basic skiing. Even she had the image of Ranger skis as being able to freely ski and jump across vast mountains and enjoy skiing however she liked. She had always thought that it was a ski she wanted to ride someday, and she finally got her hands on the "Ranger 102 (163cm)" (2021-22 model year) in a vibrant pink color.

Kuriyama usually bases his skiing at Gala Yuzawa. As the area experiences heavy snowfall, the Ranger 102 comes into play when fresh snow piles up. His satisfaction with the high performance of the skis, which allow him to ski freely regardless of the quality of the snow or whether it is packed or not, is skyrocketing

I was attracted to the color of the '21-22 Ranger 102

"I was drawn to the Ranger 102 because of its color. Just imagining the pink standing out against the white snow-covered mountains made my heart race. The color is vibrant even in low light, so it really gets me excited while skiing.
The reason it's 163cm short is because I mainly use it at Gala Yuzawa. The snow at Echigo Yuzawa is deep and a bit heavy. Plus, there are many short courses. To enjoy myself all day long in those conditions, I thought that these skis would allow me to ski quickly in both deep snow and on-piste, and that I could have the best time on well-trodden, rough slopes. I started with the color, and then decided on the length and width."

"Compared to the racing skis he normally uses, the waist width of the Ranger 102 is 2 to 3 cm wider. I asked him about his impressions of this

"The difference in waist width is quite significant, but the power of the skis and the feeling of cutting through the snow are uniquely Fischer and very similar.
Because the waist width is wider than the skis I usually ride, it feels like the skis are floating and moving together with my body. Another characteristic is the exhilarating feeling you get from the skis gliding vertically.
Racing skis give the impression of digging in and cutting through the snow, but the Ranger 102 cuts while floating. The difference becomes clearer the more you encounter differences in snow
conditions, such as when carving on hard-packed slopes or in deep powder. However, both offer stability and a solid footing. They have excellent balance and are skis suited to each situation. It's also interesting to rediscover how easy it is to ski by changing skis to suit the snow conditions and situation."

Having broadened his enjoyment of skiing, Kuriyama says that for the past two years he has been heading to Mt. Tateyama every spring. Carrying his skis for long periods of time, walking with skins on, and skiing freely down natural slopes feels completely different from skiing at a ski resort, and is refreshing and comfortable. In an unmanaged mountain, you have to think for yourself about which slope to ski, what route to take to get there, the line to ski, how fast to go, what to do if there is a risk, and so on. It gives a sense of accomplishment that is on a different level to skiing at a ski resort

In the spring of 2023, I skied down Mt. Tateyama on the fully redesigned Ranger

"When I go to the mountains and face nature, it feels like all my little worries just fly away. I feel like I want to try it again when I feel so engrossed in nature. I want to enjoy the mountains more with the rangers."

The quality of the groomed slopes is improving every year, making skiing more enjoyable. | Case of Kazushige Sekiya, a ranger with 10 years of experience

Kazushige Sekiya

Born in Obuse City, Nagano Prefecture in 1980. He dedicated himself to competitive skiing until high school, and after graduation, drawn to the freestyle movement, he studied in Colorado, USA, and entered the world of freeskiing. Currently, based in Kijimadaira Village, northern Shinshu, he runs "SKINAGANO," a private guide service targeting inbound tourists, while also participating in and photographing freeride competitions.https://www.goskinagano.com

Instagram:skinagano

Kazushige Sekiya has been using the Ranger for 10 years, even before the model change. He uses three types of the new Ranger series: 116 (187cm), 108 (185cm), and 102 (176cm), depending on the situation

"The 116 is for deep snow and tree runs at resorts, and the 108 is mainly for backcountry skiing, and is suitable for powder, ice, and granular snow. The 102 is used mostly at resorts, and is the most fun ski for groomed slopes."

What was Sekiya's impression of the Ranger, which was aimed at freeriding in an era when the lineup consisted of both directional TI and twin tip FR? We asked him to talk about the 116, which he felt was a particularly big change

"The 116 has an excellent balance of size, width, flex, and torsion, allowing for smooth skiing even in deep powder. The skis flex beautifully, creating a good rhythm of sinking and floating during short turns. In long turns, you can maintain speed while drawing precise arcs. In ravine terrain, you can extend your turns to heights you couldn't reach before, maintaining speed and making precise cuts.
The biggest appeal of this full model change is the improved maneuverability. Initiating turns is smoother, making the most difficult part of skiing—turn initiation—easier and more effortless. I noticed this when I was able to carve on groomed slopes with almost no discomfort, despite it being a twin-tip with a waist width of 116mm. There are no problems even when skiing switch."

The 116mm waist width skis provide comfortable gliding in deep snow, and the fact that they are not limited to any particular situation is testament to the high performance of these skis. Let's dig a little deeper into the feeling they have in conditions other than powder

"It's strong at speed, and even when making wide turns at high speed on groomed slopes, the skis didn't flutter at all. Since the radius is 20m, you can only really carve in wide turns. However, it has the ease of transitioning into the next turn that's common to the Ranger series, so long turns are comfortable. The 116mm underfoot means it doesn't have a particularly quick response. In that respect, you might feel a slight sense of weight.
It feels pretty much the same on rough slopes when there's no snowfall. Especially if the snow is soft, it handles without any major problems. The 116 has the largest nose and tail curve in the series." This type of ski has a soft flex, making it easy to slide and drift even in loose and rough snow conditions, and it should have good traction. However, it will feel the impact of bumps quite a bit, and it's definitely easier to feel the changes in the ski's width. On hard slopes, the 108 or 102 should be a safer bet. The movement when you take off into the air depends on the binding's mounting position. If you mount it 1cm forward from the manufacturer's recommended position on an 180cm ski, it will be easier to do spin tricks. If you're thinking about lines that focus on air tricks, the 108 or 102 are recommended."

I wonder what impression he had of BC, which involves walking

"The 116 has the least amount of titanium sheeting in the series, weighing 2150g per ski. It's not that heavy considering its width, and I don't feel like it's heavy even when hiking. When attaching skins, all Ranger series skis have skin hook supports on the tail, so the hooks are less likely to come off while walking.
I tend to go quite fast in powder, but no matter how fast I went, I never felt scared. The flex is soft and it easily handles uneven terrain. It offers the maneuverability and stability to handle everything from tight tree runs in deep snow to high-speed big turns on open slopes. It's also easy to slide and drift."

Sekiya says that his powder skiing skills have definitely improved since continuing to ride the Ranger series. In particular, since getting the new Rangers, he has been able to hit the "lip" of stream terrain that he previously couldn't reach due to lack of speed, and he is now able to make high-speed turns on slopes that were too deep to gain speed on. Sekiya says that the skis' performance has helped him in many ways. The Rangers are now an indispensable part of his riding, as he has achieved good results in freeride competitions and reliably captures images when filming