For the lighter or less aggro skier, the QST 92 is a bargain. At only $499 at most retail locations, it’s a terrific step-up ski for the intermediate to advanced skier who has yet to try a ski this wide. Larger skiers whose daily regimen includes trying to break the sound barrier will overpower it, but those without the extra avoirdupois will be pleased with how well it holds onto an arc on groomed snow.

But while the QST 92 isn’t daunted by firm snow, flat terrain isn’t its native habitat. It’s most at home in about of foot of new, or at least recent, snow, where its tapered tip and double rockered baseline do their best work. As I mentioned in last year’s review, that it’s as light as a salad for lunch makes the QST 92 all the easier to toss around in tight quarters like trees and chutes.

If the QST 92 sounds appealing, be aware that its bigger brother, the QST 99, uses a similar construction reinforced with a Titanal platform underfoot. It possesses both more carving power and greater facility off-trail. The only trade-offs are the 99 is wider, ergo slower edge to edge, and costs an extra Benjamin at retail. It’s worth the investment, particularly if you spend more than half your time off-piste.

While no one would describe the QST 92 as burly, neither is it a shrinking violet. “Very light and lively,” notes a regular Cal Ski Co tester, “but doubles down at speed. More ski than you expect.” A Viking foot soldier detects the same power reserve, saying “Can ski it easy, but when the skier pushes harder, it pushes back.” A Sport Loft evaluator is among a majority who feel the QST 92 is “the best in powder and crud, plus it holds on hardpack,” the underlining connoting a element of pleasant surprise.