All-mountain skis are popular because few skiers want highly specialized tools and like the freedom to ski powder, moguls, or early-morning groomers on a single pair. While most of the Salomon QST skis are considered freeride planks, the new QST 94 are squarely in the all-mountain camp, capable on both groomers and in soft snow without specializing in either.
The QST 94s cover a lot of ground in terms of terrain they can handle, but they will also work for a wide range of skiers, from progressing beginners to experts. The build is stiff enough to carve all but the hardest frontside snow but playful enough to please freestyle-minded skiers as well.
Compared to the rest of the QST lineup, the 94s aren’t as capable in soft snow, but that’s not surprising given their comparatively modest width. If you ski a lot of powder and mixed soft snow, you’ll likely opt for one of the fatter QST models, but for East Coast skiers and frontside-first all-mountain folks, they deliver a lot of versatility.
In short: The redesigned “skinny” member of the QST family is the perfect all-rounder for frontside skiers. The stiff-but-friendly construction makes them a capable all-mountain ski for anyone from beginner to expert, as long as they don’t need a ton of soft snow float.
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Capable carver away from ice -
Outperforms its width in soft snow -
Energetic flex
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Has a speed limit -
Narrow for powder skiing
Salomon QST 94 Overview
Salomon’s QST line has been around for less than a decade, but has undergone a ton of tweaks over those years. The new QST 94 replaces the QST 92 from years past with some slight but important changes beyond adding 2 mm underfoot.
The build is surprisingly traditional for a ski in the QST line, which is a lineage of all-mountain freeride skis with plenty of camber and rocker. The camber and rocker are still there, but the tail is squared and the rearward mounting point encourages carving over freestyle.
Still, these are hardly dedicated carving skis with softer tips and tails that, paired with ample rocker, are built for staying afloat in mixed conditions rather than railing turns on ice. Like most all-mountain boards, these are all-rounders, but compared to most QST skis, they’re much more of a frontside option with some nods to soft snow.
Construction and Shape Changes
The changes from the predecessor QST 92 to the new QST 94 tested here are small but change the ski’s characteristics in some important ways. For one, the Cork Damplifier tech used in other QST skis that was absent in the 92s now appears in the QST 94. This makes the tips lighter and softer, which helps swing them around and with soaking choppy conditions.
The tails are square, and though the tips are rounded, there’s a fairly tight 16.5m stated turn radius; I found it easy to arc a variety of turn shapes. The longer effective edge in the QST 94 means they don’t feel as short as some other all-mountain skis with more tapered tips and tails.
The construction overall is fairly simple with a poplar wood core that runs nearly tip to tail. Poplar is light and soft, which gives the ski a playful feel and helps put their overall weight at the lower end of the spectrum for similar all-mountain skis of their width.
What I noticed most was the predictability of the flex throughout the ski, which I chalked up to the full wood core, and I was thankful that the QST 94s rarely did anything unexpected.
Unexpected Frontside Fun for All Abilities
Even though there are better dedicated carving skis if all you do is stack vertical on groomed runs, the most fun I had on the QST 94s was on more forgiving groomers. Initiating turns is effortless, and the setback mounting point and squared-off tail give you plenty of effective edge for holding turns.
For skiers like me who enjoy carving but aren’t former racers, the QSTs let you have fun carving without requiring maximum effort and force to get the most out of them. Dedicated carvers might find their limitations, especially on really hard snow and ice, but these skis weren’t made for them.
On fresh or softened groomers, I was able to rail a variety of turn shapes and confidently soak chunder when conditions deteriorated or I stumbled outside of the groomer’s path.
Because the QSTs are fairly light for their class, they’re also easy to swing from turn to turn, and the sizable camber underfoot gives you good energy coming out of a turn. Again, the weight and build make it easy for less-practiced carvers to look and feel good in arcing turns.
For this reason, we also recommended the QST 94s in our guide to the Best Skis for Beginners. Because they’re stiffer than many entry-level skis, they’re better-suited to folks moving from beginner to intermediate than first-timers. But, they excel on the frontside terrain where most beginners spend their time, and are capable enough to grow into all the way to expert status.
Capable Enough in Shallow, Soft Snow
The Salomon QST 94s wouldn’t be my first choice for someone who skis a lot of soft snow, such as folks out west. For those skiers, Salomon makes QST models in 100 and 106, and their width, combined with the rocker found throughout the line, gives them much better float.
I skied both the QST 94 and the QST 106 and, not surprisingly, loved the 94s on groomers and the 106s off-piste. The 106s are a freeride ski that’s passable on groomers, but nowhere near as fun and confidence-inspiring as the 94s.
Likewise, the 94s are fine in shallow pow, but I’d much rather be on the 106s. For a frontside all-mountain ski that does much better in soft snow, consider Atomic’s Maverick 96 CTi, which isn’t quite as fun on groomers, but far outperforms its width in even deep snow compared to the QST 94.
Despite limited powder performance, the QST 94s are still really fun in mixed conditions off-piste. In testing, I preferred to keep them to marked trails, but was never afraid to veer off into trees or edges looking for side hits or even short stretches of moguls.
The playful flex gave them surprising pop for small airs off rollers and side ridges. The rearward mount point and relatively flat tails mean they’re no freestyle or park ski, but they’ve got good energy for creative directional skiing.
Conclusion: Salomon QST 94 Skis
This is the ski I’d reach for when uncertainty is on the menu for a ski day and I’m not sure if I’ll be searching for leftover soft-snow stashes or carving up groomers all day. These aren’t specialized sticks, but that’s their strength, and it plays to the preferences of a wide range of skiers and ski abilities.
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