Gear Reviews

2024-2025 Salomon QST Blank Review

[Editor’s Note: The new Salomon QST Blank returns unchanged again, besides a graphics update. This review was originally published in April 2021.]

Testers: Andrew, Jonathan, Matt

The Claim: Waist Width Doesn’t Matter

At a time when Salomon can seemingly do no wrong, they are releasing a brand new freeride ski for the 2021-22 season: the QST Blank. According to one Salomon rep, the moniker is a sort of commentary on ski buyers’ obsession with waist width. “Rather than worry about a millimeter here and there,” he said, “Salomon is just concerned with making an incredible ski.”

The 2022 Salomon QST Blank is making serious noise in the freeride world. PHOTO: Robin O’Neill, courtesy of Salomon

Salomon’s presentation of the QST Blank doubles down on that sentiment. In replacing the QST 118 as the widest ski in the lineup, the Blank needs to fill the powder-skiing gap. So Salomon calls it a “pillow-popping, powder-loving” ski and happily lets athletes like Cody Townsend and Drew Peterson prove it on Instagram. But the brand also notes that the Blank shares some design elements with the narrower and widely popular QST 106, meaning that it holds up as a legit all-mountain ski, too—at least for people who generally prefer wider skis.

Salomon QST Blank Review: Field Notes

Two things before we dive into the QST Blank’s on-snow performance. One, we have to admit our immediate obsession with the skis’ psychedelic, color-splashed bases. As a hack ski photographer, I immediately looked forward to snapping shots of buddies in the air.

And two: The answer to one of your initial questions is 112mm. That’s the Blank’s measurement underfoot, placing it smack-dab in the middle between the QST 118 it replaces and the QST 106. And while Salomon’s right that a few millimeters here and there don’t matter as much as several other traits in a ski, the number does highlight a key point about the Blank. It’s an amalgamation of those two other QSTs. The aggressive kick in the tail rocker was one of the most distinctive features of the 118, while the less-tapered tips more closely mirror the 106. The rocker profile looks like the midpoint of the two; less than the 118 and more than the 106. Salomon’s C/FX blend (carbon and flax) dampens the ride, and cork in the tips (and for the Blank, in the tails, too) reduces vibrations.

So, how does all of it translate to snow?

Groomers

I’m weird. I love nuking down groomers on wide skis. It’s like asking a left-field question during an interview or a date, like, “what flavor of pizza are you, and why?” It immediately throws people, or skis, out of their comfort zone and shows you how they respond.

This was the first order of business when I first tested the QST Blank, though admittedly not by choice. It just hadn’t snowed in a while. On the long, rolling groomers at Copper Mountain, I immediately noticed two things. One, the Blank is surprisingly easy to throw on edge for a ski this wide. And two, it is very strong underfoot. This likely has a lot to do with the skis’ “double sidewall,” a second layer of ABS underfoot. Like just about every ski in this category, the Blank doesn’t exactly give you a long effective edge, but this ski does respond to being aggressively driven or casually skidded. It’s fine with making a wide variety of turn shapes, and it doesn’t feel like it’s driving you (at least on smooth/packed or firm groomers).

Andrew says: “The Blank is more playful than chargey, but its tips and tails are not super soft. I didn’t notice much chatter, especially compared to other powder skis.”

Salomon skis 2023/2024 with the Salomon QST blank on the left
The complete 23/24 Salomon collection for 23/24.

Bumps and Trees

Mogul lines and tree alleys present the terrain where I think skiers may have the widest variety of opinions about the QST Blank.

“Swingweight” is a term that gets loosely thrown around when people talk about skis, and it’s usually used to describe how quick, easy, and light a ski feels to maneuver. The Atomic Bent Chetler 120, for example, has a low swingweight, meaning it practically turns for you in tight places and requires little input to maneuver.

The QST Blank feels bulkier, particularly underfoot, than lightweight freeride skis like the Bent Chetler with “low swingweights.” There are places on the mountain where this is an awesome trait and other places where the Blank could become a little more demanding and cumbersome for some skiers. Bump runs and tighter trees would be the latter, especially when they’re firm rather than fresh/soft. Advanced/expert skiers, especially those used to skis with more heft, won’t have any trouble driving it. I like that the Blank feels planted and strong underfoot and smeary up front and in the tails. But if you prefer to turn on cruise control and chill out, the Blank may not be the easiest ski to use in firm, bumped-up snow.

The caveat here is that the Blank’s deep rocker lines and tapered tips and tails do allow for smooth and easy pivoting. That offsets the heft of the double sidewall and, again, creates a feel that should appeal to strong skiers. Also, the Blank has a 17-meter turn radius, which is pretty short for a ski this wide. That helps it drift and maneuver quickly. It also means that a lot of skiers can confidently size up in the Blank. (Update: Although, when I bought my pair, I did not size up and am very content with the 178cm size).

Andrew says: “I was really surprised. I thought the Blank would be a lot more burly. I was able to control it easier than I thought. It doesn’t feel like it’s 112mm underfoot. It feels more nimble than that.”

Jonathan says: “The Blank is easy to pivot and ski in trees and bumps with soft snow. It never really feels demanding, but it’s not very buttery or soft either. It also never feels punishing or hard to ski.”

salomon qst blank review
You shouldn’t choose a ski just for the bases. Or should you?

Powder and Mixed Snow

There’s no doubt that the QST Blank is more at home across the entire mountain in a wide variety of snow types and terrain than the QST 118. But there’s also no doubt that this ski feels most alive in soft snow.

The tapered tips and tails and the deep rocker lines, paired with that extra bulk underfoot, make for a perfect blend of playfulness and backbone in powder and mixed snow. The Blank is lively, and it doesn’t hesitate to pop, smear, and slash. Yet when you hit chopped-up or mashed potato snow, it still feels planted and stable. In short: It will take your best days of the season and make them that much better—just like a true powder ski should.

Jonathan says: “When you get it in any amount of soft snow, the Blank goes from being a Swiss army knife ski to being a really sick soft snow ski. It flows through chop confidently. It’s not playful in a jibby way, like a Line Sir Francis Bacon, but it’s easy to throw sideways or slash when you’re attacking the fall line. You can ski it hard and directionally or reign it back and drift around.”

salomon qst blank topsheets
The QST Blank is offered in 178cm, 186cm, and 194cm sizes.

Downside

In our recent reviews of some of the most anticipated skis of 2022, like the Volkl M6 Mantra and Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, we’ve been hitting a similar refrain about one downside of “do-it-all” skis. As jacks of all trades, they are the masters of none.

That is true of the QST Blank. You can find more playful and easy-skiing powder skis. You can also find more bomber big-mountain/powder skis (hint: look for metal).

But as the dude framing that commentary as a criticism, I’d like to argue with myself for a second. After testing the QST Blank, yet another well-balanced and versatile freeride ski, it occurred to me that in the skiing world of 2023, being a “jack of all trades” has in fact become a trade of its own. Because so many skis are trying to do everything, a hierarchy has formed in which some skis are better at “doing everything” than others.

With that in mind, we should probably transition out of the “downside” discussion.

salomon qst blank bases
The bases are particularly cheeky this year.

Bottom Line

The QST Blank may be the best “do everything” freeride ski I have tested in recent memory. On one of my better days, I might describe myself as a skier who skis just loosely and playfully enough to be underwhelmed by many “chargers” yet directionally enough to want more backbone out of some noodley/playful powder skis. So I guess that means I am in fact looking for a “jack of all trades” freeride ski. But, like, a really good one.

I found it in the Salomon QST Blank.

Andrew says: “The Blank is a jack of all trades, but it’s also hands-down the most fun QST to date.”

Jonathan says: “I would say like the whole QST series, there wasn’t anything I thought this ski was bad at. Intuitive is the most accurate word for the Blank.”

Comments

Similar Posts

© Powder7 2009-2025