Review: Fischer Nightstick 104 | A Park-Proven All Mountain Freestyle Machine

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Fischer’s roots are as Austrian as it gets—long known for building some of the world’s best race skis. But things started to shift in the early 2010s, when Fischer dropped the original Nightstick and handed it off to a few freestyle up-and-comers. Some might have said the brand was playing a bit of catch up. But when Joss Christensen stomped his way to slopestyle gold in the 2014 Sochi Games, rocking a pair of Nightsticks, the brand gained some serious cred. 

Fast forward to today, the Nightstick comes in three widths, a 90, a 97, and a 104. While the Nightstick 90 is a true park skiing weapon, the Nightstick 104 fits more into the all mountain freestyle category. It’s the kind of ski that still nods to its park roots—but isn’t afraid to follow you out a sidecountry gate. 

Fischer Nightstick 104 Specs

• Size skied: 180cm, 188cm
• Lengths available: 172cm, 180cm, 188cm
• Sidecut: 139mm – 104mm – 129mm
• Radius: 18m (180cm) 
• Profile: Twin Tip, Camber Underfoot
• Weight: 1900g (180cm)

Shape, Flex and Construction

In the freestyle, all-mountain category where durability has at times proven to be a shortcoming of certain skis, one thing that stands out about the Nightstick 104 is Fischer’s durability claims. 

Fischer doesn’t mince words when it comes to the Nightstick 104’s build: they use terms like “sturdy,” “durable,” and tout its “unbelievable longevity.” Bold claims for a ski which is built to be just as good at hitting rails as it is at jumping off cliffs. If I saw that kind of marketing on certain competitor’s product page’s, I’d be rolling my eyes. But with titanal reinforcement, sintered bases, and Fischer’s long reputation of building high quality, and durable products, I find these claims…believable? 

The Nightstick 104 features a stiff layup underfoot with a balanced, and a softer tip and tail allowing for easy easy to edge transitions and progressive freestyle maneuvers like butters and spins. Testers noted how the poplar wood core gave ample pop for hitting jumps and natural features. 

One qualm I have with skis in this category is that in an attempt to make the ski more fun and jibby, they make the ski really light. I find that when it comes time to leave the park, and ski the whole mountain, it results in a ski that is really twitchy and just not a whole lot of fun. At 1900g in a 180, the Nightstick 104 strikes a nice balance that will allow riders to charge through challenging snow, while still having a swingweight that feels familiar to fans of the Nightstick line.

On-Snow Performance

The Nightstick 104 was a surprise hit among testers, combining big-mountain versatility with park-friendly energy. One tester wrote, “I love these skis so much. They’re a great all-mountain ski and keep the poppy feel of the skinnier versions [of the Nightstick.]” Testers praised the ski’s float in soft snow and ability to hold its own in the park despite its width. The Nightstick’s lighter weight and softer flex pattern in the tip and tail made it especially fun for butters and spins, even in tighter terrain. “Very easy to maneuver in tight trees and for skiing moguls. Also very light for a 104 underfoot ski—makes it easy to get spinning,” noted one reviewer.

One drawback noted by our testing team was that this ski struggles at high speeds. While there are certainly skis in this category that do better at speed, I’d say that this is a hallmark trait of this kind of ski. A center mounted, mid-weight ski is going to feel less stable at speed than a purpose built charger. But, if you want a ski that performs better at speed and you don’t mind losing a bit of playfulness, I might consider the Faction Studio 2. 

Comparisons 

Reviewers noted that this ski felt like a buttery, more playful version of the Faction Studio 2. In addition, one reviewer felt that the ski was a bit stiffer, but just as playful as the Rossignol Sender Free 100. 

Another ski that comes to mind is the Line Blend, a ski that I spent about 1000 hours staring at in my teenage years, but never actually clicked into. To me, the Blend strikes me as a park ski that can ski the whole mountain. While the Nightstick is an all mountain ski that can ski the park. 

One might also compare this ski to its more directional cousin, the Ranger. If you were a fan of the previous generation Rangers’ more progressive tail, this Nightstick 104 might be worth your consideration. 

What type of skier is the Fischer Nightstick 104 best for? 

In a particularly blunt (and hilariously Austrian) product video, the product manager for Fischer says that the Nightstick 104 is for people “ages 15-30 looking for a center-mounted twin tip.” As someone who is over 30 and who would love to have this ski in their quiver, I take a little offense to this statement. But, point taken. 

If a day spent buttering around in the powder in the morning, and ripping park laps in the afternoon sounds like your perfect day on the mountain, you should consider the Fischer Nightstick 104. And, if you’re looking for a ski that holds up to a good beating, I’d look no further. Oh, and did I mention it’s pink?