The unusual look of the new QST Pro models suggest that they’re hybrids of a sort, and indeed they are. Made from equal parts of MTN and X Pro elements, QST Pro boots are an amalgam of on-trail and out-of-bounds properties. On the OB side, the skier is dropped as close to snow as he’d be in a rock-climbing shoe, and the Surelock hike-mode mechanism provides more than adequate range of motion when open and unyielding support when latched.
From the perspective of the in-bounds skier looking to expand his options, the QST Pro is an everyday boot that’s equipped for those extraordinary days when the OB beckons. It’s like owning a BMW SUV: you might never take it off-road, but you’d be in good hands if you did.
The tip-off that the stock QST Pro is made for an in-bounds skier with OB ambitions lies in its sole, made to the ISO5355 standard for alpine boots. Ninety dollars buys a set of rockered ISO9523 soles with Tech inserts that can be used with multi-norm bindings or full-on touring set-ups.
Since 1978, boot and binding standards ensured that any adult boot could step into any alpine binding without intrinsically impairing the latter’s functionality. The proliferation of AT and BC options in recent years has re-introduced the possibility of boot/binding compatibility. Salomon will provide point of purchase posters to explain what boot sole norms works with which bindings. Expect Realskiers to draw further attention to this important safety issue as the 2017 progresses.
Getting back to the skiing, the unassailable virtues of the QST Pro models are lighter weight – always less fatiguing whether aimed uphill or down – and better sensitivity to what’s up underfoot. Skiers using wider skis in mixed terrain are the best QST Pro candidates; if you prefer to cruise groomers on narrow skis, the standard X Pro collection is a more likely field of candidates. Note that both the updated X Pro models and new QST Pro boots use the Twinframe2 chassis with a polyamide foundation for lighter weight and greater resilience.