2025 Salomon QST 106

Salomon’s QST 106 was already pegged as a star product when it was introduced in 2016/17, and Salomon has been enhancing the QST flagship on a regular basis ever since. One trait that has been preserved in the QST 106 over the years is that it maintains the right blend of stability and agility, so it doesn’t ski as wide as it measures. If a typical expert male were to ski a QST 106 in a 181cm while blindfolded (which I am not encouraging), after a run he probably wouldn’t guess he was on either a 106 or a 181, as it has the quicks of a narrower ski and the quiet ride of a longer one. It just doesn’t feel fat, even though its weight and width are roughly average for the genre. “It’s a 106 that skis like a wide 100,” as Jim Schaffner from Start Haus condensed its character. It’s the epitome of an all-terrain ski, in that its competence and comportment don’t change as it moves from corduroy to trackless snowfields and yes, even bumps. In Schaffner’s words, the QST 106 is “very well blended, a true all-mountain all-star!” Skiers of all abilities, please take note: just because the 2025 QST 106 climbed into the top echelon of our Finesse ratings for the Big Mountain genre doesn’t mean it’s a soft ski meant for posers. Au contraire, its huge performance envelope includes edge grip at least as precise as all but one Power pick and off-piste proficiency that’s unparalleled in the genre. As befits an elite Finesse model, the charms of the QST 106 are accessible to almost any ability. It never hurts to be a better skier, but in a shorter length the QST 106 won’t remind the less skilled of their shortcomings. Female skiers should be advised that the QST 106 and QST Stella 106 are the same ski in a different graphic and size run. Should a lass pine for a length longer than 173cm, she can traverse the gender divide without penalty. Because of its brilliant balance between Power and Finesse virtues, we again award the QST 106 a Silver Skier Selection.