2022 Salomon QST 98

Salomon has done away with the QST 99 and replaced it with this new QST 98 for 2022. In the grand scheme of things, the idea of the ski stays the same. It’s a versatile all-mountain ski with some freeride influence. While the idea stays the same, the ski itself changes quite a bit. Most obvious is the slight change in waist width from 99 to 98. That’s not a major change, but there are some significant differences. First, the QST 98 has a lot more rocker than the 99 did, specifically in the tail. The shape is somewhat derived from the QST 106, although the 98 even has more tail rocker than that ski, almost sharing an identical rocker profile with the new QST Blank. That change has increased its maneuverability and playfulness. It could almost even be described as a twin tip, as it shares a similar shape to ski that fall into that category, but as Salomon isn’t quite going as far as calling it such, we won’t either. Impressively, despite the new shape, Salomon has retained a strong feel underfoot thanks to their new Double Sidewall Technology and a sheet of metal in the binding area.

Bob St.Pierre tested both the 183 and 189 cm lengths in the QST 98, ultimately landing on the 189 cm length as most appropriate for his size and ability level. Very impressive scores from Bob. Nothing under 4 out of 5, with versatility and overall impression both earning that 5 out of 5 score we’re always looking for. “I was really impressed with this ski. I've liked the QST's 92 and 99 in the past, and this new 98 just takes it to another level. They've done a great job separating the QST 98 from the Stance skis, and it's mostly due to the rocker profile and taper shape. I love the cork and the edge amplifier of the ski, as they make it very stable and stout. They carve really clean turns, mostly because of that shorter radius, and I'm all about it. Great in the trees and bumps, and a very agile ski for its shape and weight. It's a bit on the heavier side, much like the QST 99 and 106 are, respectively, but they don't feel heavy on your feet, and for a lot of advanced and expert skiers, that playfulness will really stand out as a strong point of this ski. It's just a great blend of business and pleasure. I would think that skiers will lean to upsizing rather than downsizing on this ski, and I don't see a ton of touring versatility, even though it's marketed as such.” Great feedback from Bob. While we wouldn’t want to completely turn someone off from touring on them, Bob does bring up a good point that it’s not exceptionally lightweight for the ascents.

Jeff Siegel tested the 183 cm length, which he liked, but also mentioned that the shape makes it ski a touch short, similar to Bob’s reaction. “There are some skis that like to go through everything. This one likes to go over everything. I love this shape. It skis and floats so much wider than most skis at that 98 to 100 range. The tip just lifts it over everything. Keep the ski flat and it give you a stable but quick base to wiggle and surf wherever and however you’d like. I found it to be stable when locked into a carve too. 183cm would normally be a perfect length for me, but I found it felt a little shorter than I wanted.” Jeff Neagle also skied the 183 cm length, and for him, it felt perfect. Both Jeffs had similar scores for the QST 98, with quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, and versatility earning high marks. We only saw one score drop below 4 out of 5, that being torsional stiffness from Jeff S. Jeff Neagle’s feedback focused mostly on the changes to shape in the new QST 98. “This new shape is sweet. I didn’t really know what to expect when I first saw it. It looked like it was just going to be incredibly playful, but not very stable. My expectations were half correct. It’s very playful, but it’s way more stable than the shape would suggest. Great job with the construction from Salomon to give it the stability it has. It’s not nearly as powerful as the Stance skis, but it also doesn’t feel completely floppy at higher speeds. Love how agile it is in the trees. Super fun here in tight VT trees. I also like that I can ski it switch. I understand that’s not necessarily something a lot of skiers will do, but I like the idea you can do that if you want to and I think a hanful of other skiers will too.”

By increasing the amount of rocker and early taper in the QST 98, Salomon has improved upon its already-good maneuverability. It’s one of the best skis on the market for those looking for a quick, agile, and responsive ski to take into technical terrain. We kept coming back to the idea that it’s an extremely well-rounded ski for an eastern skier who loves to go off-piste. It would also work really well as a daily driver ski for a western skier who’s not concerned about having a long effective edge and instead values float and maneuverability more than raw stability. All in all, a great new ski from Salomon!