Curated Skiing Experts Ian Hamilton and Luke Hinz got their hands on the 2024 Salomon QST 98 this spring. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every skier is different; if you have any questions about the Salomon QST 98 or need recommendations on which ski would be best for you, reach out to a Skiing Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Salomon claim about this ski? [Ian] This is marketed as Salomon's all mountain, more freeride freestyle type of ski. They do also market it as a potential hybrid backcountry touring option. It is a one ski quiver that’s wide enough to handle some powder but still has the camber underfoot to handle groomers and ski at resorts really well.

[Luke] For their all mountain lineup, Salomon has the QST and the Stance. The Stance is the stiffer, more hard charging, directional ski whereas the QST is the softer, more playful, freeride oriented ski.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of the ski? [Ian] I think it lives up to what they market it as. It’s midwidth at 98 mm and is a great all around, intermediate one ski quiver. I was lucky enough to ski this with some fresh snow, and I had a really good time on it.

[Luke] I was lucky enough to try these on a powder day, and they're super fun and versatile.

How does the shape of the ski affect the way it rides? [Ian] I really liked how it pivoted quickly. The effective edge isn't super long because it has so much early rise. The tip and the tail don't catch as much as a fully camber ski.

[Luke] These skis actually have a surprising amount of rocker in the tip and tail, and they also have a lot of taper. This makes them a lot more playful, surfy, and smeary. It’s a lot easier to pivot on these skis than a lot of stiffer, directional skis.

Carving

How does the ski turn? [Ian] It is pretty forgiving and not super stiff.

[Luke] They’re really easy to maneuver and they are not overly stiff. I really like the flexibility.

What is the edge hold like? [Ian] It has enough camber underfoot where skiing groomers is really fun.

What about dampness? Any chatter in the skis? [Ian] It has a cork damper in it so it reduces the chatter that you get from such a significantly early rise in the tips.

Freestyle

How is it for freestyle skiing? [Luke] This isn’t what I would call a freestyle ski - it’s more of a freeride ski. You can definitely take them to the park but there are more park oriented options than these. These are more built for going off piste and skiing all over the mountain.

Is it good for skiing switch? [Luke] It has a partial twin tip so you could definitely ski switch.

Freeride

How is it in powder? [Ian] It has significant early rise in the nose and the tail which helps with the float. It's not super wide so won't be a perfect powder ski but it will float pretty well. 2 feet of snow might be a little bit too much for the ski but in a foot of powder you’d be having a great time.

[Luke] These shine in powder and off piste conditions. They were super fun and easy to maneuver. I would have these skis on if there was 6 to 8 inches of new snow.

How is it in uneven terrain and chunder? [Ian] It handled the beat up crud pretty well and the kind of variable snow you get after the runs get skied out a little bit.

What terrain is this ski good for? [Ian] It's a great all terrain ski you can use on the groomers, moguls, trees, powder, or backcountry. It'll work pretty well for everything!

[Luke] The QST 98 is a great tool for powder and softer snow conditions.

What terrain should skiers avoid with it? [Luke] They can carve fine but if you want a really stable ski that you can just rip, it’s probably not the best.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend these skis to? [Ian] Intermediates all the way to experts will have a good time on this ski, and it’s a really good all around one ski quiver.

[Luke] The QST 98 would be great for an intermediate to advanced skier who wants to start building their skills off piste or wants a ski that’s easier in powder. It’s also a great powder ski for an East Coast skier.

Who should avoid these skis, there are better options out there for them? [Ian] Really, really fast skiers and heavier skiers might flex it out a little bit but a lot of skiers will have a really good time on this ski.

[Luke] They’re a little skittish if you like to drive your skis really hard, but overall I was actually pretty impressed with them.

Skis work differently for different types of skiers. If you are wondering whether the QST 98 is the right ski for you, chat with Ian, Luke, or any other Skiing Experts here on Curated, and they’ll put together free, personalized ski recommendations on the best skis for your needs.