Speedmax 100HE $925
With Turnamic World Cup binding – $1055
Speedmax 100 $$850
With Turnamic World Cup binding – $980
Fischer is the only brand we work with coming out with a new cosmetic for next season. Included with the new cosmetic is a whole new branding/naming scheme. But most importantly, the skis we’ll be picking will be almost entirely established products in the configuration we have worked with for several years. There are no material changes to the Fischer skis we’ll be selecting this season. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing new.
Explanation of terminology:
Fischer defines their camber concepts with names like “610”, “812”, “902”, and now “702”. I don’t know where these names have come from, and I don’t really care. It’s an internal naming scheme that has turned into a type of marketing because it’s entered the lexicon. When Fischer produces these skis in a Speedmax (“HM” in racing lexicon) construction, they put stamps on the tip that say “61Q”, “8Q2”, “9Q2” and “7Q2”. These represent a combination of camber and construction. It may appear that I use “902” and “9Q2” interchangeably and I guess it might get confusing. But when I write “902” I’m talking about a camber concept in general, and when I write “9Q2” I’m talking about a specific model/construction.
The biggest news in ski offerings for next season is the introduction of Fischer’s new 7Q2 hardwax ski. This new ski is defined by its camber – materially it remains right in the sweet spot that Fischer has established, and that has given them the most consistently excellent classic skis in the industry for years. The new model replaces the 812 camber concept that was introduced to the market in something like 2002-3, and in racing a few years before that. At the time, it was the first camber to feature a very clearly defined pocket with short-radius segments defining the ends, creating a wax pocket that actuated all at once, instead of progressively like a leaf spring. This concept was coupled with a more forward position under the foot, allowing for very free glide at full weight in striding, a light kick trigger, and great double-pole speed (provided the pocket shape was well managed). The 812 camber was also defined by long pressure zones outside the pocket, and after the introduction of the 902 with more rolling camber through the glide zones, shorter pressure zones, and a more aggressively shaped pocket, the 812 became more of a specialty cold ski. For at least the past 15 years we have leaned heavily on the 902 to handle about 85% of the load because the “cold” characteristics of the 812 were quite limiting of its range and versatility compared to the 902. It was better to take a soft/low 902.
The new 7Q2 model ski is nothing revolutionary. We’ve found skis with similar characteristics at the ends of the bell curve of production in both the 812 camber and the 902 camber for years, and these skis have been fantastic. The problem is that reproducing skis outside the primary distribution of the range of cambers that pop out of a given mold is always going to be a hit and miss proposition. The 7Q2 skis are produced on purpose and programmed for the features we’ve been seeking out over the past ten years. They’re characterized by some 902 traits in the glide zones, including the rolling camber behind the foot that provides a decisive and digital engagement of the wax pocket. The pressure zones are elongated compared to the 902, but still short enough to provide the high-speed performance that is demanded by modern courses and race speeds. This is combined with a subtly tapered hardwax pocket that doesn’t require the kind of support, shaping, and building of the wax job that a 9Q2 ski requires. If anything, we’ll need to be careful to select 7Q2 skis with sufficient carrying capacity and shape to be good race solutions, and the 9Q2 will remain the go-to option for a single universal race ski for skiers who will be back and forth between klister and hardwax. But if you want and easy-going and fast-running hardwax ski to work with thin binder and a few layers of wax… the 7Q2 is the best looking ski I’ve seen so far.
It’s also important to note that we have access to two 9Q2 models, as has been the case for the past two seasons. The standard universal 9Q2 ski remains the benchmark for a do-it-all universal ski that can handle klister but can also kick hardwax. We also have access to a specific production of 9Q2 skis with additional strength in the reinforcing laminates, and a more klister-specific pocket. For specific klister skis – especially skis targeting coarse grained snow which requires thicker/stronger wax jobs – we usually start with this higher camber model.
On the skate side of things there is nothing new coming to the race production. However, there is a point of clarification to be made on the new branding and names. In the catalog, on the website, and in most retail stores, the flagship skis will be Speedmax (HM) construction on the classic side, and Helium (DK) construction on the skate side. These will be named Speedmax 100 and Speedmax 100HE respectively. The current Speedmax model (not Helium) skate skis will be named Speedmax 90. However, in the race department inventory that we work with, the cold model skate ski and the 61K model skate ski will be Speedmax construction, and will be named Speedmax 100, just like the classic skis. To be clear, it will be possible to buy cold model and 61K Speedmax 100HE Helium construction skis off the rack in most shops, but in racing those models will be Speedmax 100 (not Helium).
This is confusing. Why would Fischer produce race skis in anything other than their best and most advanced construction? This is because the Helium construction is still being proved at a World Cup level and it hasn’t taken over the bulk of the racing load. In our experience, the point of weakness for the Helium model skis comes at peak loading under very high and impulsive power application. World Cup skiers need to feel the skis respond to their peak power with immediate acceleration. The Helium skis don’t deliver in that instance in the way that the established Speedmax model skis do. On the other hand, most of our customer base prefers the Helium model ski. They are clearly lighter and more nimble, and they produce a distinctly joyful skiing experience. Somewhere below the peak demands of World Cup racing, the balance of preference shifts to the strengths of the Helium construction. The Helium model skis are produced in the most universal camber, and can be selected to emphasize performance in colder or warmer conditions. The best success has come for us in the broad range of universal cold conditions with a good uni-cold grind like the G4 or B363.
Last season our most consistent and highest level of positive feedback might have come from the cold model Speedmax skate skis with Fischer’s relatively new 31 base. That base material was introduced to racing in Beijing, and it has produced notably excellent performance on North American snow. As we have come to expect based on experience, a great cold base can run quite a lot warmer over here than in Europe. The Fischer race guys say that they really like the 31 base below about -8C (around 18F). Here we have seen it win testing well up into the upper 20s, and it’s been in races above freezing. We had particularly stellar luck with the cold model skis using the N310 grind that we’ve been working on developing for the past two seasons. That combination has been successful in a lot of places, and in a much wider range of conditions than I expected. If you don’t have great skis in really cold conditions, and you need something to cover a broad range, this is a very good direction to look.
It’s also important not to overlook the 61K Speedmax model. 61K is a camber designation given to a standard 610 camber with more opening in the tip and tail. In World Cup racing they have always produced these skis as part of the range of 610 camber skis – it’s only a matter of changing the screw settings in at the ends of the mold. The 61K designation makes it easier to locate those production series where they’re programming the open tip and tail. Additionally, the decision to keep that model in the Speedmax construction gives us a really good ski to deal with heavy or slushy snow, where the lighter Helium construction can feel a little underdamped and unsettled. In general, we suggest the 61K Speedmax for anybody looking for a ski for dedicated warm/wet conditions. We have also been able to select what I consider “universal” camber 61K skis for people who want something with the versatility to handle a wide range of conditions in the Speedmax construction.