2022 Salomon QST Lux 92
Although it’s technically part of their “freeride” collection, the QST Lux 92 from Salomon is a highly versatile ski that falls squarely into what we consider to be “all-mountain.” It’s 92 mm underfoot and uses a nice blend of camber and rocker. There’s not as much rocker as wider skis like the QST 106, but enough to help with softer snow conditions and help boost its float a little bit. The camber underfoot gives you responsiveness and edge grip while on firm snow. Salomon’s construction is both unique and impressive. They use a full poplar wood core with their Cork Damplifier and C/FX technologies. By integrating cork into the tip of the ski, they drastically reduce vibrations initiating in the extremities of the ski where you need it most. C/FX combines carbon with flax to provide energy, responsiveness, and more vibration damping all at the same time. It’s an impressive material and one that’s been integrated into Salomon’s QST construction since the line went from “Q” to “QST” a handful of years ago. We’ve had the QST Lux 92 in our tests before and it always seems to impress, let’s see if it continues to do so.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber / Rocker
CORE MATERIALS
C/FX, Cork Damplifier
PREFERRED TERRAIN
All Mountain, Groomers, Powder
Pascale Savard tested the 169 cm length in the QST Lux 92, which happens to be the longest available length. A quick note on Salomon: most of their skis are built the same regardless of the “men’s” or “women’s” tag. So, if you’re looking for a longer length, just hop on over to the men’s, or rather unisex, models. Pascale awarded the QST Lux 92 some very impressive scores. Nothing dropped below 4 out of 5, and quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, forgiveness, torsional stiffness/edge grip, versatility, and overall impression all earned full 5 out of 5 scores. “A winner as an all-mountain ski for me. Very lively and playful, yet it felt stable and responsive. I really liked this ski. Fun and forgiving in the bumps, yet decent edge control on the harder stuff.” The versatility of Salomon’s QST skis has always impressed our testers, and with its narrower width, the QST Lux 92 is arguably the most versatile. We also love how Salomon achieves a high-end feel with an approachable and forgiving nature. Combine that with the versatility for different terrain and you have a ski that can work for a huge range of skiers.
Alli Ruschp also skied the 169 cm length and had a very similar reaction to the QST Lux 92. “An easy-going, fun, playful ski that works all over the resort. Felt stable and smooth at speed and skied right over crud without feeling anything. Confident on edge. I feel a wide variety of ladies would like this ski, it’s very approachable, and fun!” Once again, that combination of feeling stable and smooth while also being approachable and forgiving is extremely noteworthy. Another sign of a well-rounded ski? Alli’s scores: full 4 out of 5 across the board. Lexi Hildreth actually owns a pair in the 161 cm length, but we had her test it anyways. All 4 and 5 scores from Lexi, with flotation, playfulness, forgiveness, and overall impression all earning the 5 out of 5 treatment. “I own this ski and really love it. It floats well in softer snow, but holds a good enough edge on groomers. It’s a great all mountain ski for intermediate to advanced skiers. Very versatile and fun ski!” Alix Klein got a couple runs in on the 169 cm length and once again we didn’t get a single score under 4 out of 5. Stability and playfulness were the high scores from Alix at 5 out of 5, with all other criteria at 4. “Playful, great at different turn radiuses, great at high speeds. Good in the chunder, snappy and easy to get around in a pinch.”
With some new entrants into the women’s all-mountain category, we wondered if the QST Lux 92 would continue to shine. Turns out, it most certainly does. Our testers continually marvel at its versatility, both in the sense that it can be taken anywhere on the mountain regardless of snow conditions and in the sense that a wide range of ability levels can not only ski it, but benefit from its performance. Hands-down, it’s a valuable ski to have on the market and to be honest, it’s one that we’re surprised we don’t see more often.
Looking at these for my wife. She likes her black Pearl 88s (which are now early season/rock skis) but didn’t like the 97s. Same construction/diff top sheet between 2021 and 2022?
Also titanal binding plate or no? I keep seeing conflicting info.
Thx!
Hi Brett!
21/22 are same skis in the Pearl and the QST. The Pearls do have a titanal plate underfoot. The QST does not–it’s a bit heavier and more stable than the Pearls, though, as their use of Carbon and Flax do a great job of keeping the ski smooth and quiet. Have fun!
SE
I drilled through metal when mounted bindings on my QST 92s. So pretty sure that it has titanal binding reinforcement plate.
I’m looking at these for a friend of mine. She learned how to ski in the East, but now lives in the PNW. She wants a ski that she can teach her kids on while also having some fun off piste. She demoed this ski last year and enjoyed it, do you guys have any other recommendations of skis to look at? Also just to confirm that the QST 92 are the same in women’s and men’s?
Hi Christy!
Same ski as men’s, correct, just different graphics and lengths. In that ~90 zone for skis that work well with and without kids, I’d also take a peek at the Blizzard Sheeva 9, Rossignol Stargazer, and Elan Ripstick 94. Have fun!
SE
I’m planning on purchasing a pair of QST Lux 92’s, but I’m stuck deciding between the 161 cm and 169 cm lengths. I’m 5’7″/170 cm tall, 125 lbs, an intermediate-advanced skier, but I have weak legs and core which is my main concern with going for the longer 169 cm length. What length would you recommend?
Thank you for the very detailed ski reviews and comparisons you guys do!
I’m deciding between 161 and 169 lengths in the QST 92 Lux for my 13 year old daughter, 5’8″ and 130 lbs, strong intermediate to advanced skier in the East with yearly trips to the West. She likes to ski all over – groomers, trees, bowls.
The Salomon size chart puts her on the 169, but I’m concerned that will be a big jump from the 148 skis she had last year. On the other hand, if she continues her growth spurt the 161 may be too short soon.
Thanks for your help, and your reviews are great!
I feel that the general sturdiness of the ski means you don’t have to size up to access stability or performance. In that light, I feel the 161 is a better choice given her age, stats, and application. Have fun!
SE