S/Max 120
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I posted a video last spring on the current state of the Powder ski genre. My principal argument was that despite being made for the same purposes, every ski in the category has its own distinct personality. Some beg to run hot, staying close to the fall line until they hit their tipping point. Others are loosely linked to the snow and are much better at smearing than carving.
The Salomon QST 118 resides somewhere in the middle, a Finesse ski that hides its power reserve in powder, where it drifts lazily through a mid-radius turn on its own volition. When the powder is kaput, so are a lot of made-for-powder models, but the QST 118 handles the transition to carving conditions as if it were a gentleman’s cruiser. It doesn’t take much edge angle or pressure to engage it, so there’s no need to exaggerate the degree of edge elevation in order to get it to hold.
QST Stella 106
Even though Salomon gave the QST Stella 106 a significant boost in edging power last season, the French brand again raised its performance ceiling for 19/20. It reconfigured its construction by switching the roles played by basalt and flax, so basalt is now entwined with carbon in a bundle of braids while the flax flies solo in its own mat underfoot. This switcheroo creates a ski that’s at once lighter and stronger on edge than ever. To give it even more on-trail stability, Salomon trimmed its tail flare and tightened up the Stella’s turn radius (from 20m to 17m @ 167cm).