Salomon QST 92 (2017)
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Rating: 2.87 / 5
Price: $600.00
Year: 2017
Level:
Gender: Female
Waist Width: 92
Tip/Tail/Waist: 130-92-113
Lengths: 161, 169, 177, 185
Stability at speed: 2.38 / 5
Hard snow performance: 2.08 / 5
Crud performance: 2.61 / 5
Flotation: 2.96 / 5
Forgiveness: 3.20 / 5
Overall: 2.87 / 5
Value priced, the new Salomon QST 92 offers all the key technologies of the big boys in the freeride line (minus some of the metal underfoot) along with a real-world 92-mm waist width for those who want a little fatness in their lives but still expect to ski more hardpack than powder.
It’s part of the new QST series of men’s freeride skis, which replaces both the Quest and Rocker2 collections of years past in a single broad series. The QSTs are a showcase for Salomon’s Spaceframe construction. There are five models, ranging from a big-mountain-surfing 118 mm down to an affordable 85-mm frontsider. Salomon builds in plenty of power: All models are wood-core, and a layer of CFX Superfiber (twitchy carbon mellowed by flax) adds energy. But the Spaceframe layup can be tuned to different needs at different widths. In the wider skis (118 and 106), the core is shortened and narrowed to allow some surf-friendly flex both longitudinally and laterally (Bi-Directional Spaceframe). Where the core ends, airy koroyd honeycomb inserts take over tip and tail, reducing swing weight. In frontside skis (99 and 92), the core is full-sized for maximum edge support and energy transmission (Directional Spaceframe). The two widest models are rockered tip and tail, for maximum float and drift; the frontsiders are tip-rockered for shock-absorption and occasional deep-snow encounters. The top three models (99 and up) get a layer of metal in the binding area for both durability and a little extra power. Hook Free Taper (the widest points of the ski are moved closer to the foot) promotes a loose quickness in all models. All models are sold flat (no binding).
Salomon has been headquartered in Annecy, France, since its founding there in 1947. Along with sister brands Atomic and ArcTeryx, it is a division of Amer Sports of Finland, which acquired it in 2005. Its U.S. headquarters are in Ogden, Utah. -J.C.