The QST 106 is part of Salomon’s collection of all mountain freeride skis. While the shape is unchanged for 2019, the construction of the ski has been updated. Salomon has introduced their third version of C/FX Superfiber, which blends carbon and flax fibers, which strengthens, energizes, yet also quiets the ski. The 106 is one of two skis for 2019 (the 99 being the other) that also received a layer of basalt underneath the core of the ski. The combination of these two updates improve the ski’s performance in a wide range of conditions, terrain, and situations. The Ti Power Platform still remains to further reduce vibrations and give the ski a smooth, powerful feel. This construction is designed to be relatively lightweight, significantly lighter than traditionally constructed skis.
Marcus Shakun tested the 188 cm length and described the QST 106 as “light and lively.” He thought “versatility is its strength,” and didn’t seem to find any significant downsides to the ski, as he didn’t give it a single score under 4 out of 5 in any category. Marcus thought the QST 106 “gives great energy back and has a smooth transition from high speeds to quicker turns.” That’s something we’ve found in previous testing on the QST 106, its ability to change turn shapes is impressive. Marcus thought it would be a great choice for “advanced to expert skiers that want a wider all mountain ski to do it all,” and also added that it’s “light enough for touring,” especially if you’re using Salomon’s new Shift binding.
Hans Von Briesen also tested the 188 cm length and his scores were very similar to Marcus’ with every single criteria getting a 4 out of 5, and overall impression coming in with a 5 out of 5. Those are the type of scores we like to see for a ski that focuses on versatility. Hans started his comments with “one word: planted.” He continued to describe it as “a very well rounded ski. Solid, balanced, and agile. QST 106 will be an awesome one ski quiver for an advanced skier that wants to charge, but also loves that mellow spring party.” What Hans is saying is that the QST 106 performs well when it’s skied aggressively, but can also relax and won’t punish you for not being on it all the time.
Jake Inger also thought it was a very versatile ski, commenting that it felt like a “fun and light powder ski.” Jake found that he “was able to carve and jump through bumps proficiently.” Jake got to test the QST 106 with a new Salomon Shift binding on it and thought “the new touring binding skied really well and felt light overall.”
Dave Marryat gave the QST 106 5 out of 5 for flotation, stability, quickness, and playfulness, which really hits the key points of its performance in our opinion. “If you like a wide platform ski that can still flick and rip, it’s a great choice.” Salomon’s construction is really quite impressive as it hits an impressively low weight, while still performing at a high level, something that Dave definitely noticed. “Very light and yet sound and stable.” He also added that it would be a “great choice for an AT setup.”
If you value versatility in your all mountain skis, you’ll likely love the Salomon QST 106. It’s wide for an all mountain ski by traditional standards, but holds an edge quite well and is very fun to ski in a variety of terrain and snow conditions. It’s light enough to justify using it as an alpine touring ski, where its downhill performance far exceeds most touring-specific skis. Lightweight, stable, energetic, playful, quick… there are a lot of ways to describe the QST 106, but we can’t think of any negative adjectives to use.
