Salomon QST skis and shift bindings: Best performance!

The Salomon QST Series consists of award-winning freeride skis with added stiffness, dampness, and maneuverability. The QST series from Salomon closes the gap between all-mountain or freeride skis and touring skis. With these skis, the whole mountain is yours. Regardless of whether you are on the slopes, off-road or on a ski tour – with the QST under your feet you have the ski for everything. With the Shift binding, Salomon delivers a hybrid binding that delivers the best performance in classic alpine skiing, freeriding and ski touring alike. Your all-in-one ski set is perfectly rounded off with the Salomon Shift Boots. Flex up to 130 for downhill performance, pin inserts for ski touring bindings and low weight make the ski boots the perfect companion for the whole mountain. You can find all products at the bottom of the article.

Since bursting on the scene in 2016, the Salomon QST range of freeride skis has become recognized as a true all-mountain performer that thrives no matter what you ask of it, whether it’s in-bounds, off-piste tree skiing at a resort or a day of ski touring in a big-mountain setting. From ski magazine and consumer tests to the most discerning audience out there—the athletes of the Salomon freeride team—the reviews on QST skis have been unanimously positive. For the 2022-2023 season, the task was to make those skis even better and allow skiers to charge the steeps in whichever QST model they choose.

To do so, Salomon’s experienced team of ski developers set out to increase the stiffness of the ski, improve its dampening qualities and make it easier to maneuver. To do one of those might be a relatively straightforward task, but to do them all simultaneously required the implementation of a host of new technologies.

To improve the stiffness, the new QST skis use a carbon-powered C/FX technology, with twice more carbon in the skis. For better dampening qualities, Salomon engineers used a cork insert that absorbs vibrations significantly better than koroyd, which is the insert often used in many skis and in the previous versions of QST skis. Finally, the shape was re-worked at the wider extremities (the tip and tail) so that the ski has slightly more sidecut to make it more maneuverable.

Salomon qst 106

The QST 106 is the centerpiece of the QST range; a true all-rounder with the versatility of an SUV that pushes steep performance to the highest level. Slash through soft snow, lay trenches on hardpack and conquer the steepest lines without a second thought. A new tip-to-tail carbon-powered (and patented) C/FX layer takes Salomon’s supercharged construction to the next level with two times more carbon for increased power and edge grip. To balance the extra carbon, the ski uses basalt to maintain its superior dampening and vibration absorption properties. The integration of Salomon’s exclusive Cork Damplifier technology in the tip and tail delivers confidence-boosting stability. With an all-new shape, the QST 106 offers smoother turn initiation, better flotation and is easier to roll edge to edge. The Full Sandwich Sidewall construction guarantees stability and precision and enhances performance by providing a good edge grip and smooth ski-to-snow contact. Finally, a light Poplar full wood core helps keep the weight of the ski down.

Within the QST range, skiers can choose between the QST 92, QST 99, QST 106, each model also comes in a women’s version, and the QST 118 for those dreamy powder days.

salomon s/lab shift mnc

The Salomon S/LAB SHIFT MNC binding ushers in a new generation of freeride capability by delivering downhill performance, touring capability and lightness so skiers can earn their turns by touring uphill, then confidently charge big lines and stomp big air on the descent. It blends the freedom and touring efficiency of a pin binding with the power and transmission of a Salomon alpine binding. With MultiNorm Certification (MNC), Shift is the only hybrid binding that is compatible with all norm boots on the market (from traditional alpine boots to touring boots). The Shift is also TUV-certified, delivering the safety a skier needs regardless of the type of ski boot he/she uses.

By creating an alpine toe piece that integrates pins, the company created the first hybrid binding that delivers ultimate versatility. On the uphill, the pin enables the skier to move efficiently and conveniently by placing the rotation point close to the metatarsal area of the foot and offering a 90-degree range of motion. In addition, a variety of simple manipulations can be used to adapt to terrain changes as the skier climbs. For the downhill, the binding can be switched in seconds from touring mode to ski mode. A lever in the toe is the key to allowing the toe piece to transform from a touring setup to alpine. By lifting the lever up into ski mode, the wings close into a traditional alpine binding shape. Then the skier steps into the binding the same way he/she would to a traditional alpine binding, and with the same confident feeling. On the heel piece, a lever switches from touring mode to ski mode in one movement. Even at just 1.7 kg per pair (3.7 lbs), the Shift’s strong combination of carbon-infused PA, steel, and aluminum delivers a reliable construction. The DIN setting on the S/LAB Shift ranges from 6-13. Watch a video on Shift featuring Salomon athletes Cody Townsend and Chris Rubens.

The QST skis for men:

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