The Salomon QST 92 has risen from humble origins to its new position among the elite of the genre. Originally conceived to meet a lower price point ($500) and therefore underserved in the technology department, Salomon has been steadily enhancing its construction to match the latest innovations already added to pricier models, like the flagship QST 106. This year, the QST 92 adopted two features introduced last season in the QST 98, Double Sidewalls and full-length C/FX, Salomon’s signature carbon/flax combo.
While the latest improvements no doubt contributed to the QST 92’s stellar performance, the bones they’re built on were pretty stout to begin with: an all-wood (poplar) core, full sidewalls (i.e., no cap), cork inserts to muffle shocks and a central Titanal plate that makes the entire ski feel more substantial. The 2023 QST 92 also mimics the slightly lower rocker profile launched last year in the QST Blank and 98, so it feels more connected on all snow surfaces.
Once you put it all in motion, you wouldn’t guess you’re piloting a price-point ski intended to retail at $675. The security on edge is fantastic on anything softer than boilerplate, it feels energetic crossing the fall line and it can switch between a carve and a drift on command. A lower-skill skier can’t find a more tolerant ski with such a high-performance ceiling. For a ski whose DNA is all about off-trail conditions, the QST 92 feels right at home on groomers. It feels light and quick off the edge in bumps and placid as a glacier in long, spooling GS turns.
Jim Schaffner is a strong skier whose race background is evident in his every arc. The QST 92 he essayed was a 176cm, which I feared might fold up like a soft taco, but Schaffner stepped off the QST 92 with the bemused smile of the positively impressed. “The QST92 was very nicely balanced. I was feeling comfortable at all speeds, all turn shapes, on all snow conditions. I found that I could apply pressure to anywhere along the edge and get the ski to turn well.”
Schaffner’s tidy yet pungent review describes a ski that would make a good match for thousands of recreational skiers. Just look at the skis around it in this all-important genre: the Enforcer 94 and Kore 93 are two of the most brilliantly balanced skis ever made, suitable for skiers of elite ability. That the bargain-priced QST 92 is in such exalted company speaks volumes about its potential to help the less skilled make giant strides in their confidence and ability.
Because the QST 92 delivers exceptional performance with minimal skier exertion, we award the latest QST 92 another Silver Skier Selection.
