Fischer Hybrid - "Click" and Carver becomes Rocker

According to its Latin meaning, the term "hybrid" is understood to mean a hybrid. In automobiles, a hybrid vehicle is understood to be a car with two different forms of propulsion (electric and gasoline). In the case of Fischer's "hybrid" ski, a hybrid is understood to be a hybrid of rocker ski and carverski. What is impressive about this new winter innovation 2012/2013 is the fact that it also works in practice.

by Rolf Fleckenstein

When I was first approached by Fritz Minder, Country Manager Switzerland at Fischer Sports, about their new "hybrid" ski, my initial reaction was skeptical. With one click you could turn the carverski into a rocker ski and vice versa, he said on the phone. Sounded a bit like magic and reminded me of the numerous bells and whistles I had experienced in the sports business in recent years, which promised a lot and achieved nothing. In principle, I am always open to new ideas, but the question with innovations is always how practical they are and whether the consumer really benefits from them in the end, because often such special stories don't really work or you forget as a consumer how you have to "act" i.e. adjust it so that you feel an effect, otherwise it is pure ski ski.

It works! That's why I was very skeptical about the new Fischer innovation at the beginning. During my visit to the new address in Stettlen, Bern, the owner personally demonstrated the hybrid ski to me. The basis is a conventional carving ski, which is bent up with conventional pretension when viewed from the side. In the front part of the ski there is a visibly installed metal rail. In order to change the bending line of the ski, one pushes the latch of the metal rail upwards into the O position, pushes the ski through the top until it engages or until it "clicks" "et voilà" we have a rocker ski. So push the lever, bend, click, done. And amazing about the whole thing: You can clearly see that the ski is bent up more further down and now a longer shovel is created as with a commercial rocker ski. The contact point of the ski has clearly shifted in the direction of the binding, and the contact surface is noticeably shortened. The effect is impressive - for once, not a rocker ski - the technology of the "hybrid" ski works impressively. If you want to cancel the rocker mode again, you do it the other way around. You push the control down to position 1 (=rocker off), bend the ski at the top until it clicks, and we have a conventional carver ski again. With the "hybrid" you can switch back and forth between carverski and rocker ski with a click. Super idea and super implementation! Compliments to it. Market opportunities How this changeover affects the ride can only be determined on a test ride, and everyone experiences this differently, which is very subjective. However, the testers are unanimously enthusiastic so far, because in both settings (rocker or carver) the Fischer Hybrid delivers the desired performance. Whether the ski will establish itself on the market and whether the idea will become established will already be seen this winter. The consumer alone will decide, but I see good chances here, because you can really recommend this ski with a clear conscience without blushing. On the one hand, depending on the setting, the ski exhibits a real, visible and noticeable change in the bending line, and on the other hand - and this is a key argument - the playfully simple handling is certainly convincing. You don't need any tools, no course, no manual, but the whole adjustment is conceivably simple, you can do it with your gloves and it's lightning fast. A really practical and smart thing. The added value for the consumer:....

 

You can find the whole article in the issue Sportguide Winter 2012
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