The clever lads in the Salomon R&D department probably took a long look at all the expensive constructions vying for the spotlight in a crowded marketplace and decided to end run the lot of them.  The ace up their collective sleeve was manufacturing efficiency, a focus of Salomon R&D departments that has its roots in the brand’s binding heritage.  Whatever their reasoning, the mavens at Salomon positioned the Quest at a most-likely retail price some $200 below the norm established by the competition.

Simply making a cheaper ski isn’t much of a feat, but making a less expensive ski that still performs at a very high level is a nifty trick that Salomon has pulled off with panache.  In softer snow conditions at speeds below 45mph, most skiers would be hard pressed to detect any performance miscues but they might be able to feel the ease with which the Quest 98 steers. Its lightweight honeycomb tip and rockered baseline make it simple to steer whether you use your edges or smear. If one of your loves is making tight turns through powder-lined trees, put the Quest 98 on your shopping list.

Tech snobs sometimes sniff at the monocoque structure, but they’re missing the point about what makes the Q-98 a terrific all-terrain ski even if it were at price parity with the best of the All-Mountain West genre.  It makes all the conditions one encounters in the American West easier to negotiate.  As Matt from Footloose noted, “Out of all the skis I’ve tested in this category, this gets the award for User-Friendly Ski for the Average Joe looking for a balanced, light, off-piste ski.  Great in soft snow,” he confirmed.