2012-2013 Fischer Big Stix 110
Ski: 2012-2013 Fischer Big Stix 110, 186cm
Dimensions (mm): 139-110-124
Actual Tip-to-Tail Length (straight tape pull): 183.52cm
Sidecut Radius: 24 meters
BLISTER’s Measured Weight Per Ski: 2,174 grams & 2,140 grams
Boots/Bindings: Atomic Redster Pro 130 / Marker Jester (DIN at 10)
Mount Location: Recommended Line
Test Locations: Las Leñas Ski Resort
Days skied: 3
First, if you haven’t yet read our preview of the Fischer Big Stix 110, you should take a look.
So far, I like this ski quite a bit, and I think it will be a very good choice for certain skiers out there.
Hardpack Performance
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Big Stix 110 is how well it carves. This makes sense, given the modest tip rocker, minimal tail rocker, and major camber underfoot. Couple that with the medium-to-medium/soft flex of these skis, which makes them very easy to bend, and you’ve got a fairly fat ski that is a serious pleasure to carve and to go very, very fast on groomers and hardpack.
Bigger, stiffer skis don’t bend as easily, and skis with more pronounced rocker rarely feel this locked down. Having skied so many rockered skis that are merely marginal when things get firm, it was fun in Las Leñas to finish a big line, then get on edge and rip the hell out of one of Las Leñas’ many long groomers, all the way back to the lift.
(Apologies to all the ski patrollers at the “DESPACIO” signs. We really were trying hard to remember to slow down.)
If I had to compare the Big Stix 110 on hardpack, I’d definitely put it up there among the best-in-class-on-hardpack, ~110mm underfoot, tip and tail rockered skis on the market, like the Nordica Patron & Helldorado. The Fischer Big Stix 110 is not as heavy as—nor does it have the monster rebound of—the Helldorado. But the Big Stix feels more precise and…smoother; it’s sort of like the difference between a Pontiac GTO and a Porsche 911.
Given how much camber the Big Stix 110 has, I was actually a little surprised that I wasn’t getting even more rebound out of them. But reviewer Will Brown and I both agree: this is a seriously fun carving ski that you can bend and drive, it tracks well and finishes a turn really well, and it is totally confidence inspiring—both Will and I were fully able to trust them once up on edge. Very cool.
Carving / Smearing
Off piste, the Big Stix 110 maintains its propensity to carve rather than smear, and it does its job quite well. These skis feel light and are easy to swing back and forth in tight chutes or bumped-up terrain. But, again, compared to a lot of other tip and tail rockered skis, they seem to shine when skied more on edge rather than with a bases-flat, pivot-fest style.
But given the Big Stix 110’s modest rocker and major camber underfoot, it should come as no surprise that they aren’t as eager to be thrown fully sideways as skis with less camber and more pronounced tip and tail rocker, like the Blizzard Cochise or Praxis MVP.
And yet: having said all that, you can still pivot the Big Stix 110 easily—you just need to detune the edges just beyond the rocker lines of the tips and tails (which I did before taking them out).
And another thing: I haven’t yet detuned these skis even further. But I’m confident that an even sweeter spot could be found where these skis would still hold an edge well, yet pivot and smear even better (you know, if you’re into that sort of thing). There is definitely room here to tweak and adjust to personal taste.
Off-Piste
The Big Stix 110 handled the rest of Las Leñas well, too. Las Leñas has a lot of tight, pretty steep entrances that ultimately give way to enormous, wide open aprons. I’ve liked the Big Stix in some of these steep, icy entrances. They are easy to maneuver, but also provide enough running length and edge to bite better than more heavily rockered skis when you really need them to.
Jonathan Ellsworth on the Fischer Big Stix 110, Las Leñas.
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Questions? Comments? Tell us what you think.
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January 4, 2013 at 2:32 pm
Well I pulled the trigger on a these skis based, in part, on your review Jonathan. Couldn’t be happier at this point.
I was looking for a everyday lift-serviced ski. So basically 60% in-bounds or side country powder and 40% groomers. While I am a powder hound at heart, the unfortunately reality is that you have to get to the stashes and back to the lift. I picked these (mounted w/ Knee Carbon bindings) based on a couple of reasons: (1) my experience with the original Big Stix 106 and (2) review comments basically confirming this ski would be a good fit with my skiing needs and style. The original BS’s has the air carbon chassis and the new one maintains this. There’s something about this construction just clicks with me. Tried to love a pair of Dynastar Legend Pro 106′s as my everyday ride last year and they were a complete disaster.
This will become part of my two-ski quiver with the Big Daddys getting the nod on those “special” days. Got to ride the Salomon Rocker2/115′s for half a day in some decent “full bodied”, shin deep coastal AK powder. Put the Big Stix on for the afternoon on the excact same runs in the exact same snow – no comparision, the BS’s smoked the Rockers. The only plus factor for the Rocker2 was straightlining on the groomed runouts. Less edge contact made the skis less “squirrely” but then you have the obnoxious tip flap to deal with.
Keep the reports comings. Would like to hear about the BS 120s someday.
January 6, 2013 at 11:58 pm
Many thanks for the feedback, and glad to hear that these have been a good fit for you. We’ll see about those Big Stix 120s…
March 30, 2013 at 8:35 pm
I didn’t get these into any 12″-18″ of fresh, or even not so fresh pow, but I did get them into some mank and chop. Basically I really liked these skis a lot. I still own the original Fischer Atua 96, and these remind me very much of my Atua’s, which I still ski as my rock ski. I grew up with that carve technique, honed on 200 cm K2 GS skis as a 6′, and 140lbs noodle.
Having read your review, it pretty much sums up exactly what I was thinking about these skis. Although, I had no issus with the balance in the chop and crud. I guess part of that is my technique, and maybe a bit of the old Atua, just seemed to click with me. I had no issues skiing these in moguls. Certianly not as quick edge to edge as my Atuas. Nor as quick ast the Watea 106, which I think would make a good quiver pick, if you wanted to go with a bigger 115mm+ more powder specific tool.
I think at the end of the day, what I really liked about the Big Stix 110 was that natural medium flexing, light carving, crud busting ski. For it’s size it was a great carver. IMO better than the K2 Annex 108, or the Nordica Patron 185, which had that tip flapping issue.
I agree it does not go mach looney down the slopes like the Salomon Rocker 115, which they now call the Quest115. That is a stiffer ski, that has baiscally very little tip flap but can’t carve, or ski moguls like the Bix Stix 110.
April 4, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Thanks for the feedback. Really glad to hear how others found this ski. It’s an interesting one.
April 17, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Ordered myself up a pair of Big Stix 110′s. Thanks to all this new snow we are still getting in the PNW, I’m thinking I may still get these into some Cascade cement before the season is closed out! I’ll post more once I get a chance to get these into some real pow, and put a few thousand vert into them.