2021 Salomon QST 92

A bit of a graphics refresh for the QST 92 in 2021, but other than that, it's still the same do-it all with aplomb ski that we've come to know and love over the past few years. It got a performance boost last year with the added cork and changed-up shape and that all worked out really well for the skis. At the same time, they were able to keep and maintain the easy-going and well-rounded nature of these versatile all-mountain tools. As with most skis that are designed to do a bit of everything, there's usually a lag at the top end of certain attributes. Does it carve like a race ski? Not really. Does it float like a powder ski? Not particularly. Can you put them on your feet and ski all day and have a ton of fun doing it? Absolutely. If nothing else, skiers who are stuck not knowing what they're looking for in a set of skis could click into these and never think about it again. They're just that user-friendly and capable that they set all notions aside of having multiple skis in your quiver. The shape, profile, and construction all lend to that one-ski quiver that fits the Goldilocks model of it being not too heavy, not too light, not too wide, not too narrow, but just right in all ways. They're comforting, confidence-inspiring, and just plain fun. Similar to last year, our testers and contributors loved the natural and easy-going character of the QST 92, and recognize it as one of those skis you can just do a bit of everything on.

It didn't take Mike Thomas long to realize that his 177 cm tester was "fun, fun, fun!" He did note that the 185 would have been better, but his overall impression score of 5 out of 5 certainly didn't suffer as a result of those 8 fewer centimeters. Also earning 5's were versatility, quickness, and maneuverability. These qualities are perfect for that all-mountain skier who's looking to get out there and jam. "What a great ski," Mike continues. "Solid but easy-tough to combine but Salomon nailed it with these." We think so too, Mike! Steve Sulin also skied the 177, with high scores all around. All 4's out of 5 with the exception of overall impression, which earned the coveted 5. Steve skis a lot of skis, so it takes a lot for him to be impressed in this way. These all-mountain skis that are designed for versatility should see a lot of the same scores on the card, and this is a great example of that-it shows that the ski felt well-rounded to that tester. He notes: "Wow what a surprise! A ton of fun! Fun, friendly, and rips. Loves the bumps." Steve is also the manager at our Pinnacle Ski and Sports retail location, so he sees and comments on value as well, noting that the QST 92 is "worth more than the $549 MSRP." It's great when a ski outperforms its price, as many skiers are also quite budget-conscious.

Marcus Shakun could have used a few runs on the longer 185 versus his 177-test length, I think his versatility score would have bumped up with the longer length. But overall, his scorecard is pretty darn good, with mostly 4's and a few 3's sprinkled in for things like flotation and stability. The longer length would no doubt have moved those numbers to the 4's, I'd think. Nevertheless, Marcus states that the QST 92 is "light and quick edge to edge and easy to engage and disengage the turn. Like the rest of the QST's, it's a damp ride with the construction. Best for that all-mountain skier that doesn't want the big underfoot platform, but wants some versatility throughout the day."

This thing does it all. The scores from our testers and contributors were all very consistent and that's usually the mark of a well-designed and built ski. If you're looking to simplify your ski life, it'd be hard to do better than the QST 92, they're just so fun and easy to ski.