I could not slow them down consistently as much I wanted when in tight spots. The first thing I noticed about the QST 106 on snow was how directional it felt. Even with its skin-track-friendly weight, it could still push through variable conditions without talking back. So let’s talk first about the people I would not recommend it to: (1) Your ideal ski day involves seeing how few turns you can make down the mountain, and you like skis that are super stiff, super heavy, and that absolutely destroy everything in front of you. De QST 106 geeft vertrouwen op snelheid, is spoorvast en heel stabiel. Available at REI, 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Sam: Our QST 106 is mounted with the Salomon SHIFT bindings, and as a result, about half of the days I have on it are touring days. From the 3 skis listed (QST106, Legend 106, Soul 7 HD what are folks experiences and which is the top ski for the terrain and same% for on/off/tour use I tend to do? Keep in mind the length differences to try to keep things apples-to-apples. Mainly wondering if the QST has deeper rocker lines than the Atris? Then stay tuned for updates, and let us know in the comments section below about any questions you’d like us to address in our full review. Anyway, the real question here is, how do these changes translate on snow? I feel those two Ski mark the lower and upper boundaries of the 50/50 category. It can handle anything you put in front of it and is the I would like to put them more to the front as i do 360 and other tricks, but i don’t know if thats going to compromise floatability. MSRP $900. Weakness: Quickness Then, for the 18/19 season, Salomon made some minor tweaks to the QST 106. The 18/19 Salomon QST 106 is a pretty powerful ski that can be pushed hard for its weight, yet it is still quite easy to ski. And to clarify, the 181 cm QST 106 does still track pretty well in rough snow, especially if you put it on edge. I confess I’ve been maintaining a soft-snow-days only liaison with a QST 106 since we first met, so my bias in its favor is engrained. Become a Blister Member or Deep Dive subscriber to check out our Deep Dive of the QST 106 to see how it stacks up against the previous QST 106, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, ON3P Woodsman 108, 4FRNT MSP 107, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Line Sick Day 104, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Salomon QST 99, Liberty Origin 106, Elan Ripstick 106, G3 ROAMr 108, ON3P Wrenegade 108, Prior Husume, Black Crows Corvus, Moment Commander 108, J Skis Metal, Blizzard Cochise, and Faction Dictator 3.0. Also on some moguls these were awful (could not keep a line) and yet on others, I loved them. Probably going to be mainly inbounds setup with a few days of backcountry tossed in since I have two dedicated bc setups already. Like you, Salomon's QST 106 Ski craves those deep powdery mornings, yet it can still handle its own when you're forced to ride on-piste because everything's tracked out. Jonathan: Yep, agreed. I have the Rocker 2 100 in both 178 and 186 and they do in fact ski like different skis – massive difference between the two in terms of playfulness and stability. Just mounted my 18/19 106s in a 181. Jonathan and I have found few instances where the ski has felt wildly out of place, and that’s what you want to be able to say about a 1-ski quiver. The new QST 106’s rocker profile is pretty similar to the previous version’s, but now has more tip splay (67 mm now vs. 58 mm) and more tail splay (31 mm vs. 24 mm). We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. So I wouldn’t recommend the QST 106 to people seeking a freestyle ski, but I think it does make a lot of sense for directional skiers who want a ski that’s not “dead” and that can effortlessly switch between carved and slarved turns. Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length: 179.9 cm, Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 2096 & 2100 grams, Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 138.8-105.1-124.6 mm, Stated Sidecut Radius (181 cm): 22 meters, Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 67 mm / 31 mm, Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 5-6 mm, Core: Poplar + Titanal Binding Reinforcement + Cork Tip/Tail Inserts + Carbon, Basalt, Flax, & Fiberglass Laminate, Factory Recommended Mount Point: -8.75 cm from center; 81.2 cm from tail, Boots / Bindings: Dalbello Lupo Pro HD; Dalbello Lupo SP I.D. Nor is it nearly as heavy as those skis. We were impressed by the float of the old QST 106, and given that the new ski has a pretty similar rocker profile and more surface area in the tips, we have high expectations for how the new QST 106 will float in powder. Great review Sam ….I like your reviews. Weight 1930g @ 174 cm. I’m now seeing a 181cm 106, which strikes me as the perfect blend of flotation for soft snow and grip on hard snow. If you want a super maneuverable ski in this waist width, I’d look to something with more tail rocker like the Icelantic Nomad 105, Moment Wildcat 108, or maybe the Liberty Origin 106. A Basalt Layer has been added to the QST 106 and QST 99. I foresee these becoming more of a charger ski and less of a 50/50 ski with that much of an increase. The Atris was much more playful but not enough backbone for me in mixed conditions/groomers at the resort. And to tip my hand here, I am quite curious about the 181 cm QST 106 in general. Salomon's QST 106 Stella is an all mountain ski, don't let the waist width make you think it's not. I’m coming from a Meridian which was plenty stiff for me but a little nerve racking when skiing flat or slow (with kids) so hoping the Atris is a nice compromise. I would be quite interested in a comparison to the 181cm length. It can be driven fairly hard through the shovels, and the harder I push it, the more energy I get out of the turn. :-D. I would be interested in a comparison of the 19/20 QST 106 and the 19/20 Liberty Origin 106. Strong, predictable, and quite easy to ski. But I would agree with Sam that the QST 106 can be pushed a bit harder than similar skis in its weight class — it just lacks the power and damp feel of metal laminate skis that weigh a whole lot more (and that I would have no interest in touring on). While it isn’t the most playful ski in this category, it is among the most predictable. How would this ski compare to the Kastle BMX 105 HP ? If not, I’ll definitely look into the QST 106. lol… My line up of skies that I was hoping to get some feedback from and that I’m considering are these. Measure (Tip/Waist/Tail): 140/106/126 mm Turning radius: 20.00 m Weight: In really tight, steep, and inconsistent bumps, I would’ve preferred a longer ski, which is a bit odd (I tend to prefer shorter, more rockered skis in bumps). So just how much of a difference will the new ski’s updated shape make in those regards? The Atris tips on the ’18 were VERY soft and would get deflected quite bit leaving you at times feeling like you were only skiing on 155cm portion of the straighter/stiffer portion of the ski under foot. I ski the QST 99 in 181 and find it much more maneuverable and comfortable for me. Sam: I like the QST 106 in a lot of terrain, tight terrain included. (And yes, it’s a fact that more tip splay will facilitate more flotation.) The men's Salomon QST 106 skis are versatile enough to handle anything you throw at them. I thought the 188 would be better for powder but I just find myself having to exert too much effort to turn especially in more confined areas. I am 5’11” and 170 lbs. De rebound van de rocker2 vond ik namelijk te heftig in steile hangen. Because as Sam said, I already think the QST 106 is a good pow ski for its width. We haven’t yet skied the new Atris so we can’t say anything right now, but the rocker lines between the two aren’t all that different, apart from the Atris having a higher, twinned tail. The QST Stella 106 can handle anything you put in front of it and is the most versatile platform we’ve ever made. Want a one quiver to mount to switch bindings here in the Pac NW for days at Meadows resort and backcountry touring that isn’t as extreme as in my youth. As for the question of whether it Is a 50/50 backcountry / resort ski, that one is not more complicated than it was with the previous generation of the QST 106 (which was one of our go-to suggestions for that category). For the QST 106, I like the recommended mounting point but I would say that it feels rather directional mounted there. You’ll have to decide if you want something lighter for the touring you do, but the QST 106 + SHIFT binding is a very impressive combination. Newly updated from last year, the QST 106 is a perfect in between for both powder and crud perfection. And that’s one of the things that has impressed me most about the 188 cm QST 106: it feels quite predictable and manageable in most of the terrain and conditions that I’ve had it in. We have tested this free skis for ladies. At speed they are a bit busy underfoot. Hi! It’s quite light and easy to flick around while maintaining a great suspension and versatile shape. The Routes with Tectons will be lighter and more tourable, the QST's with a SHIFT would be heavier and more oriented towards skiing downhill. The rocker is also on point. To be honest, the new QST 106’s tips don’t look more tapered than those of the Cochise. How would you rate the pivot on the 188/106 vs the 185/118? I owned the ’18 Atris and now own the ’20 QST 106. A pure flax laminate was placed directly underfoot and we added Cork Damplifier technology in the tip and tail creating an unmatched damp and stable snowfeel. The ski handles soft snow and off-piste terrain extremely well, but still retains some performance on firmer snow. While the QST 106 is pretty easy to pivot for a ski of its width, it’s definitely not as loose / surfy / pivoty as the 118. Sam, you are spot on. How would this ski compare in terms of top end stability and playfulness to a Head Kore 105? The unchanged QST 106 offered testers respite from the heavy metal hitters in this category, providing an excellent amount of playfulness and smear-ability in dynamic terrain. I ski nunataqs backcountry 178 and Atomic snoop daddy 174. That seems pretty out of the ordinary in terms of weight variation — I’d be willing to bet that their customer service rep was looking at stated weights for the old (pre-19/20) QST 106, which probably did come in around 1840 g per ski for the 181 cm length (our pair of the older 18/19, 188 cm QST 106 came in around 2050 grams per ski).