The Salomon QST Myriad 85 might not have all the fancy technology found in the wider QST models, but it still benefits from Salomon’s awesome shape concept and a poplar wood core. It offers up a more forgiving level of performance compared to the QST skis that use carbon fiber. While it might not have the same energy and responsiveness, it is super versatile, very maneuverable, and a whole lot of fun for less aggressive skiers. An 85 mm waist width, a 16 m turn radius, rockered tips and tails, and early taper all suggest that the ski will perform well both on firm snow and soft snow and should be able to handle all sorts of different types of terrain.
Mar Kuhnel found the QST Myriad 85 to be very forgiving, scoring it 5 out of 5. She also gave it a high score for quickness, which is pretty much exactly what we expected. Mar was on the 161 cm length, which is definitely on the short side for her, but she did say that it didn’t ski short and felt like a 161 cm should. According to Mar, “the Myriad 85 is a perfect ski for the advancing intermediate who is looking to improve on making a variety of turn shapes.” We like that recommendation and agree that this shape lends itself to all sorts of different turn shapes. It has enough torsional stiffness to hold an edge while carving, and the rocker and early taper allows you to release the tail edge more easily than on a full camber ski with less or no early taper. Mar definitely seemed to like the shape, continuing her comments by describing the shape: “the taper in the soft tip is nice and gradual. There’s no sudden hook up, making it very forgiving and easy to vary turn shapes.” That’s a fantastic performance characteristic for skiers who are still working on improving their technique and ability across the whole mountain. It allows you to pivot and smear easily, which is a confidence inspiring feeling for those who are still learning.
Pascale Savard also skied the 161 cm length, which is a more appropriate length for her size. She “enjoyed this versatile ski, which could be that one all mountain ski for a solid intermediate.” What Pascale is saying is that most intermediate skiers will be able to buy a QST Myriad 85 and use it for absolutely everything. No need to worry about having different skis in your quiver thanks to the versatility of the Myriad 85. Pascale found that it had “good edge control,” and that it was “lively enough, but also quite stable.” Pay attention to tester size here. Pascale gave the QST Myriad 85 higher scores for stability and edge grip than Mar, so skier size will play into performance. Of course, that’s not surprising to us, as we’re a strong believer that ski performance is relatively subjective.
Whether you’re an intermediate that’s looking to improve, or a less aggressive advanced skier that wants a relatively relaxed all mountain ski, the QST Myriad 85 offers valuable performance within the Salomon collection. Not everyone needs the latest and greatest ski construction. In fact, getting a ski that’s too much for you can be a deterrent to progression and just make skiing harder and less enjoyable. The Myriad 85 is user-friendly, forgiving, a whole lot of fun to ski, and has plenty of performance. They’ll bring you all the way to linking carving turns, floating and bouncing through soft snow, and anything else you’d like to accomplish on skis!
