The Salomon QST 118 is like the A student who doesn’t want to go to class; it knows how to carve, but it would rather skip all that carving pedantry and smudge its way through life. If challenged to etch a series of clean, long-radius figures it can rise to the occasion, but why carve when you can smear? The QST 118 is so crazy-simple to foot-steer, drifting from turn to turn feels like being carried down the hill.

A Finesse ski that won’t wilt when the snow turns crappy, the QST 118 can get down groomers without sliding off the trail. It responds to early edge pressuring and tilting and can be easily driven from an upright stance. It makes both light pow and heavy slop mindlessly simple.