Ski Canada Test 2019 On-Slope Reviews
BETTER FLAX, BETTER PERFORMANCE
To make its freeride-inspired all-mountain skis perform better when conditions are less than ideal, Salomon tweaked the construction of the QST 99 and 106, and the women’s QST Stella 106 and QST Lumen 99. It’s still using a mix of carbon and flax fibres laid together, but instead of running parallel they’re now a transversal weave. Salomon also added basalt powder into the mix. The changes add more torsional rigidity, important for edge hold, and vibration dampening so the skis bite better. (from $599; salomon.com)
SALOMON QST 106
$699 * BEST FOR: Outlasting your buddies on powder days.
LENGTHS: 167, 174, 181, 188 * RADIUS: 20@181 * SIDECUT: 140/106/126
Salomon tweaked the sauce that made the QST a popular off-piste pick. Tester James Jamieson summed up the new QST 106 after taking a test spin at Whitewater: “A Kootenay one-ski for your quiver. It carved up the groomers and floated in the pow. Snappy but stable at speed, and light enough for those who want to earn their turns with a touring set-up.” George Terwiel took note of skiing the groomers on the 99mm-waisted model: “The ski had positive edge grip, and was confident carving at speed.” In softer conditions it kept on pleasing, turning on a dime in the trees and floating in powder and crud. As expected, the 106 was more comfortable in powder, where it felt almost brainless, said Bob Brett: “It made skiing off-piste easier than I’ve ever experienced. I could ski all day without my legs falling off.”
