Salomon allowed brother brand Atomic to steal the new product headlines for 2016, while they focused their efforts on two areas we at realskiers largely ignore: Frontside system skis made more to match a package-ski price point than to fulfill a performance expectation, and backcountry models (we don’t hike). In the package market, Salomon whipped up a couple of less expensive X-Drive set-ups, while BC adventurers should look at the MTN Explore 95, which impressed those members of our cadre of testers who dabble in BC skis.
The one alpine ski category that Salomon thoroughly revamped for 2016 is women’s Frontside, introducing the Constellation series. The emphasis, naturally, is on weight reduction, in the core, in the structure and in the integrated Lithium 10 W binding. The standard Constellation construction is also not hard to guess: a monocoque spin-off Salomon calls Semi-Sandwich Sidewall, wherein the structural top shell (or cap) rests on a square sidewall underfoot and extends all the way to the edge elsewhere. This creates a soft-flexing ski with firm edge grip in the mid-section, just what the lighter weight, Finesse skier needs.