The Gist
This boot checks a lot of boxes, one tester said. Another just said, I want this boot! For two years in a row, the women's Ranger has been on the podium for its gold medal pairing of stunning range of motion in hike mode (best in test) with true Alpine descent qualifications, all wrapped in a noticeably lightweight package. This year the Ranger 115 W returns with an updated cam buckle power strap, a stronger lower shell and slightly stiffer build, making it even more appealing to those demanding a dominant descent--and it manages to simultaneously increase the smoothness of an already friction free touring mode. Fitwise it remains one of those tight-mediums, testers say, right on target for a 99mm last and ideal for average to slender calves. Its sneaky hike mode switch location remains a tester fave.
The Fit
Our test team continues to place this right between a medium and narrow—so pretty much what you'd expect from a 99 mm last. They repeatedly give it very even fit scores throughout the lower boot and upper cuff, meaning that it grabbed the foot and leg with a firm grip but in a contoured way that didn't offend bony bits or wide spots. They liked how easy it went on and off and that it buckled up in a straightforward, alpine sorta way without goofy overlaps and ladder straps. Not only has the women's Ranger gotten the highest scores of the Freeride medium width group for Anatomical Fit and Initial Feel, it has also outscored every Freeride boot in that criterion, regardless of its width group.
Performance
Bankable, regular and reliable from turn to turn, on every kind of terrain and snow surface is how testers described the lady Ranger. They said it was more a steady-Eddie than it was lightning quick, but they praised the way they could count on this one for a powerful, smooth descent regardless of how they might have gotten to the top, whether by chairlift or sweat equity. The option to earn ones turns with this boot are the real deal, they said, citing its (still) light weight (1650 grams in a 26/26.5) and a long-ranging, friction-free stride while in hike mode.
Cool Features
The Ranger 115 W ticks all the boxes for a modern, high performance All-Mountain Freeride boot: Grilamid shell and cuff, tech binding compatibility (Dynafit fittings), full-thermo liner, rockered soles (GripWalk), minimalist buckles and a superior cuff release and cuff rotation range of motion. And it does all of that with top shelf fit and performance. Well done, Fischer!
Kudos