2023 Salomon Stance 90
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Ski Stats

Sidecut 126/90/108
Radius 18m @176cm
Lengths 168,176,182,188
Weight 1775g @ 176cm
MSRP $800
FIND
Power Score: 8.55

Finesse Score: 8.55

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If you digest all the brochure copy expended on All-Mountain East models, you’ll find somewhere in every model description that it’s a “50/50” model, meaning it’s equally suited to skiing on-trail or off. What this seemingly innocuous shorthand term for a versatile ski masks is that no ski can ever truly be half-and-half, for every model is part of a design family that’s inherently biased to one side of the mountain or the other. This prelude explains why Salomon felt compelled to create a second off-trail line, named Stance, when they already had a successful freeride series in the QST’s. The latter are unmistakably meant for the off-piste, so the QST 92 has the shape and construction of the series’ flagship, the QST 106. This means, among other things, that the AME QST 92 strives to be wide beam-to-beam along its entire length and aside from a mounting plate it has no metal in it. The Stance 90 tilts the 50/50 equation in favor of Frontside features, beginning with two sheets of Titanal and a shallower sidecut with a more slender silhouette (126/90/108) that’s quicker edge to edge. Its square tail in particular is appreciably narrower than the norm in the AME genre, which keeps its orientation down the fall line. Because of its build, the Stance 90 is a better short-turn ski and more confidence-building hard snow ski than the QST 92 it shares the AME space with. It probably has a little higher speed limit, too, but it’s not quite the rock star on fast, icy conditions that our top Recommended models are. But the skier looking for that relatively rare All-Mountain East ski that’s based on an on-trail template, the Stance 90 is a solid contender for your affections.

If you digest all the brochure copy expended on All-Mountain East models, you’ll find somewhere in every model description that it’s a “50/50” model, meaning it’s equally suited to skiing on-trail or off. What this seemingly innocuous shorthand term for a versatile ski masks is that no ski can ever truly be half-and-half, for every model is part of a design family that’s inherently biased to one side of the mountain or the other.

This prelude explains why Salomon felt compelled to create a second off-trail line, named Stance, when they already had a successful freeride series in the QST’s. The latter are unmistakably meant for the off-piste, so the QST 92 has the shape and construction of the series’ flagship, the QST 106. This means, among other things, that the AME QST 92 strives to be wide beam-to-beam along its entire length and aside from a mounting plate it has no metal in it.

The Stance 90 tilts the 50/50 equation in favor of Frontside features, beginning with two sheets of Titanal and a shallower sidecut with a more slender silhouette (126/90/108) that’s quicker edge to edge.  Its square tail in particular is appreciably narrower than the norm in the AME genre, which keeps its orientation down the fall line.

The impression of quickness off the edge is enhanced by its lightweight design that in fact weighs less than the QST 92 and far less than Salomon’s former Frontside flagship, the S/Force Bold.  Its lightweight structure certainly contributed to our testers giving it identical aggregate scores for Finesse properties and Power attributes, which is a bit unusual for a ski with a Frontside orientation.

Because of its build, the Stance 90 is a better short-turn ski and more confidence-building hard snow ski than the QST 92 it shares the AME space with. It probably has a little higher speed limit, too, but it’s not quite the rock star on fast, icy conditions that our top Recommended models are. But the skier looking for that relatively rare All-Mountain East ski that’s based on an on-trail template, the Stance 90 is a solid contender for your affections.

For emphasizing ease of operation in a lightweight yet high octane construction, we again recognize the Stance 90 as a Silver Skier Selection.

Test Score Data

Total Score: 85.75
Early to Edge:
Continuous Carve:

Rebound/Turn Finish:

Stability/Accuracy @ Speed:
Short-radius Turning:
8.75
9.13
8.25
8.88
8.13
Off-piste Performance:
Low-speed Turning:
Forgiveness/Ease:
Drift/Scrub:
Finesse/Power Balance:
7.75
8.50
8.88
8.50
9.00