2023 Fischer RC One 82 GT

The 2023 Fischer RC One 82 GT is a fantastic option for recreational carvers who are looking to make the most out of their groomer and corduroy experience. At 82 mm underfoot, these skis have a nice platform to stand on while keeping the quickness and maneuverability totally intact. Built with a wood core and two sheets of .5mm thick titanal, the skis are smooth, strong, stable, and damp. They're not as stiff or burly as the wider RC One 86 GT, so if you are interested in that ski but are looking for something a bit more user-friendly, this is a great place to be. To make it a bit gentler, they also take out the metal along the sides of the tips and tails and replace it with bafatex fibers in order to keep it stiff and responsive, just not as heavy. The 173 cm length produces a 16-meter turn radius, and any time we’re creeping into that ~15-m zone, it starts to get pretty turny, but thanks to Fischer’s triple radius, the ski can really accommodate a wide array of turn shapes and styles. Ideally suited for carving turns on smooth surfaces, the RC One 82 GT has a bit of off-trail capabilities, but is really more at home ripping GS turns on the front side.

Benny Wax skied the 173, noting that it was more stable than he thought it’d be at that length. He scored it mainly 4’s out of 5 for overall impression, versatility, forgiveness, quickness, maneuverability, and stability. This is a high spread of scores for an 82-mm system ski, and we’re all about it! Benny calls it a “Great overall intermediate skiers ski. Stable, easy to engage and disengage from the turns! Comfortable on ice, crud and slop! Able to quietly bore through it all! It’s a great transitional ski before an aggressive all-mountain ski.” That’s a good point to bring up, is that there are slightly wider, and slightly more all-mountain versions of skis like this, and before heading to that realm, most skiers will likely be happier on something like the RC One 82 GT.

Erik Timmerman skis the 180, noting it’s true to size. He scored it top marks of 5 out of 5 for overall impression and versatility. Torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, quickness, maneuverability, and stability all got 4’s while flotation was a 3. Erik notes that “if you ski every day in a place like Stowe, you need a ski like this one.” It’s got the edge grip for those low-snow times and a bit of versatility for more adventurous skiing. It’s not just Vermont or the Northeast US that calls for a low-80's front side ski—it’s really all over the place that has groomers and front side terrain that is just a lot more fun and exciting when you’re on the right gear for the conditions.

It’s not that long ago that a ski in the low 80’s underfoot would be considered fat. The fact that Fischer can package this shape inside of a front side build speaks volumes to the direction of the ski industry over the last 20 years. With the carving prowess of the skis just off the charts these days, skis like the RC One 82 GT have a strong foot hold in the front side category, all while being a bit wider and more stable for a variety of skiers, skier types, conditions, and terrain.