{"id":9448,"date":"2025-12-10T08:16:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T15:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/?p=9448"},"modified":"2026-04-08T15:25:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T21:25:57","slug":"salomon-qst-106-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/salomon-qst-106-review\/","title":{"rendered":"2026-2027 Salomon QST 106 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Editor&#8217;s note: The QST 106 comes back unchanged for 2026-2027, except for a graphics update. The &#8220;almond milk&#8221; color returns, and a black\/pink color replaces the purple &#8220;nirvana&#8221; color. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It&#8217;s a QST thing.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since they introduced the QST 106, Salomon has enjoyed re-introducing the ski with fresh updates every couple years. For 2025-2026, they redesigned the full QST collection, giving each ski a more distinct personality. The 94 goes more directional. The 100 goes more playful. What does that mean for the 106?<\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%;\">\n    <iframe \n        src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kgVlAgKMVaw\" \n        style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" \n        frameborder=\"0\" \n        allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" \n        allowfullscreen>\n    <\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<br>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/qst106pink-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"salomon qst 106 review\" class=\"wp-image-19501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/qst106pink-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/qst106pink-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/qst106pink-rotated.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Top: The almond milk color returns for 2026-2027. Bottom: The new graphic that replaces &#8220;nirvana.&#8221;<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Salomon QST 106 Review: Field Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First impressions matter less in skiing than, say, dating. But I thought two things the first time I saw the new QST 106. One: I don&#8217;t know about those graphics. Two: The updates sound like they make sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It turns out my first reaction to the graphics didn&#8217;t stick; they have grown on me and look exponentially better on snow than on an iPhone screen. And it&#8217;s what&#8217;s inside that really counts, right? So here are the updates Salomon made to the new QST 106:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Construction. <\/strong>Salomon ditched C\/FX laminate and embedded basalt into the fiberglass, a layer that sits atop a full poplar wood core. The basalt is supposed to dampen vibrations and add some liveliness, and we&#8217;ve seen that check out with skis from other brands. A bigger deal: New cork inserts in the tips and tails, which extend further toward the body of the ski than you might think. Salomon hopes these laminates will improve the QST 106&#8217;s smoothness in mixed conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Profile<\/strong>. The new QST 106 features more tail splay and longer rocker\u2014and also a little more camber. Salomon adjusted the taper, too, which slightly lengthened the skis&#8217; radius (19.5m instead of 19m). Notably, the 106 has held strong with a longer radius than the other QSTs (more of a big-mountain profile), and that continues in the new version. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Flex<\/strong>. It&#8217;s worth mentioning (spoiler) that the tails of the new QST 106 flex stiffer than the previous versions. This was an athlete-driven update, intended to make them more stout for big-mountain skiing and landing drops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sizes: <\/strong>157, 165, 173, 181, 189 \/\/ <strong>Dimensions: <\/strong>140-106-129mm \/\/ <strong>Recommended Mount: <\/strong>-9.1cm <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tester: <\/strong>I skied the 181cm size. As a human, I spec out at 5&#8217;7&#8243; and 170 lbs (those IPAs have stacked up). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So&#8230;how&#8217;d they go?<\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DGy-YkDsCAg\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DGy-YkDsCAg\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DGy-YkDsCAg\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Powder7 Ski Shop (@powder7)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Groomers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Past versions of the QST 106 have typically done a better-than-average job of skiing groomers for a mid-fat ski. Not the chargiest but plenty reliable on edge down firm runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The newest edition follows suit. If anything, it levels up. Despite the loss of the double sidewall, these skis still feel solid underfoot, with plenty of power and torsional rigidity to handle high-speed carves. The stiffer tails, which are also more squared-off than in past versions, feel relatively locked-in compared to other models with this much rocker and splay. They will skid and smear if you want them to, but they won&#8217;t give out if you don&#8217;t want them to.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Compared to the previous QST 106, these skis still, obviously, angle toward freeride. So if you love carving directional sticks, you&#8217;re still going to prefer metal-laminate skis like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/Blizzard-Anomaly-102-Skis\/for-sale\">Blizzard Anomaly 102<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/Nordica-Enforcer-104-Skis\/for-sale\">Nordica Enforcer 104<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/Volkl-Mantra-102-Skis\/for-sale\">Volkl Katana 108<\/a>. This will unlikely be a dealbreaker unless you prioritize firm-snow groomer performance in your mid-fat skis (which I do not). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that said, these QST 106s outpace most of the competition for mid-fat non-metal skis. They&#8217;re much more energetic carvers than the previous version. If you give them enough juice, they return plenty of rebound and smooth turn linking. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-image-9449\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" src=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/IMG_7904-2-1024x769.jpg\" alt=\"2023 salomon qst 106 review\" class=\"wp-image-12462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/IMG_7904-2-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/IMG_7904-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/IMG_7904-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/IMG_7904-2-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/IMG_7904-2.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Kudos to Salomon for pushing the envelope and releasing the 106 in TWO unisex size runs. SKIER: Alex Stettner PHOTO: Matt McDonald<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trees and Bumps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In our last two reviews of the previous QST 106s, I wrote that the skis &#8220;absolutely shine off-piste.&#8221; Well, I need to triple-down on that comment for the 2026 version. Does that mean I should write absolutely-ly-ly? <em>(Editor&#8217;s note: adverbs are gross).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The liveliness I mentioned above also shows up when you&#8217;re skiing bumps or hunting airs. These QSTs bring significantly more pop and energy to the table versus the previous version, so they&#8217;re more apt to double moguls and throw spread eagles at the bottom. Again, I don&#8217;t notice any lack of stability underfoot, despite the loss of those double sidewalls. These skis stay planted to a mogul line, and are just as happy to zipper bumps as they are to navigate them with a more finessed approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The caveat there is this: The stiffer tails and new profile make the skis a little more demanding than any QST 106 I&#8217;ve skied. They&#8217;re not <em>hard<\/em> to ski, but you need to give them more input to make them perform how you want. That might be confusing, considering the extra rocker and tail splay. Yes, those updates help give these skis extra playfulness and freeride character. But if you just expect to cruise around, standing on these skis and sliding your turns, you&#8217;re not going to access those characteristics. Rather, the new QST 106 could feel less forgiving in bumps and tree alleys than you&#8217;d hoped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For that reason, I&#8217;d pause before putting intermediate skiers on the QST 106. If you&#8217;re athletic, advancing quickly, and want to ski hard more often, go for it. But if you want a ski that will feel light and no-drama when you&#8217;re cruising around, or one with easy pop and jib, you&#8217;ll get along better with some other options. The QST 106 is much more &#8220;big-mountain&#8221; than &#8220;all-mountain freestyle&#8221;. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/qst-steepgullies-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18979\" style=\"width:602px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The new QST 106 is at home hunting for powder in every corner of your favorite big mountains. Exhibit A: Arapahoe Basin&#8217;s Steep Gullies.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Powder and Mixed Snow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Still here? Well, then the QST 106 will probably check all your boxes and then some. I noticed the biggest differences between this version and the last one in powder and mixed snow on big-mountain terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First: The shape updates give the new 106 quite a bit more float. I&#8217;m low-key always looking for mid-fat skis around 105mm-109mm that float like a wider ski. It&#8217;s one reason I loved the 108mm version of the Black Crows Atris. You could have convinced me that thing measured 120mm underfoot with how well it motorboated (Weird verb to use? I&#8217;m sticking with it). While I might not go that far with this ski, it&#8217;s the first QST 106 that I&#8217;ve thought of as legitimately <em>floaty<\/em>. Motorboaty. Ok, I&#8217;ll stop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether the snow is powdered sugar or mashed potatoes, these QSTs want to stay on top. While all of those metal laminate skis I mentioned above feel like they want to sink, the QST 106 wants to savor. So you get more playful character and more flotation, along with stout tails and a mid-long radius. To me, that&#8217;s kind of an ideal recipe for a big-mountain ski. Enough <em>grr<\/em> to attack the fall line and rail long arcs, yet the right rocker, taper, and splay to deviate from your line and hit a drop or slash a wind drift. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In mixed snow (firm chop, soft chop, heavy stuff, wind buff, etc) the QST 106 feels intuitive and smooth at slow and medium speeds (<em>if<\/em>, again, you&#8217;re living in the fronts of your boots and driving it). Particularly at high speeds in those less-than-ideal snow conditions, I noticed the extended cork inserts in the tips and tails. They do some serious lifting when it comes to quieting the ride and keeping things smooth and <em>simpatico. <\/em>That matters in consequential, pucker-worthy terrain where you need the right blend of predictability, stability, and maneuverability to avoid a bad time. Sorry for the adjective salad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One note on the character of this model. With that 19.5-meter radius and those stiffer tails, I still <em>think <\/em>I&#8217;d categorize these QSTs as more directional than playful. The real answer is that, in my opinion, they&#8217;re one of the most well-balanced mid-fat skis on the market. <em>Ie,<\/em> they can be your everything if they match your ski style. But they would rather haul than jib (see the non-progressive mount point). They&#8217;d rather devour the cupcake in one bite than nibble. If that makes any sense whatsoever. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Webp.net-resizeimage-2.jpg\" alt=\"2023 salomon qst 106 review\" class=\"wp-image-12463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Webp.net-resizeimage-2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Webp.net-resizeimage-2-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Webp.net-resizeimage-2-768x523.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Our biggest takeaway from skiing the new QST 106: It&#8217;s exceptionally well-balanced.<\/em> <em>SKIER: Matt McDonald PHOTO: Alex Stettner<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Downside<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The newest QST 106 has undoubtedly closed the gap between the QST collection and bonafide chargers, like the ones I mentioned earlier. It&#8217;s probably not a gap that needs to get any tighter, to be honest. Still, technical skiers who want technical skis will still prefer to look elsewhere. See: flatter tails and metal laminates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the extra big-mountain chops, I also think the QST 106 is no longer an everyman&#8217;s mid-fat ski, like some previous versions were. So many models exist in this category that less aggressive, mellower skiers can find the perfect ski for them without needing to get on something that will require a certain level of input to access its best performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2025-2026 QST 106 retains the character of its predecessors, but it doubles down on the traits that make aggressive powder-hunters the happiest. More stability. More playfulness. More <em>zhuzh<\/em>. If that describes what you&#8217;re looking for, you&#8217;ve found your new daily driver in the mid-fat category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not that anyone asked, but to me this is the best QST 106 yet. As someone who loves to attack the fall line but sometimes frenetically deviates when he sees a fresh stash or inviting lip, I feel like this ski gets me. I&#8217;ve never raced, and I&#8217;m a few light years away from &#8220;steezy.&#8221; But I like skiing fast and pretending I&#8217;m good at airs. So the new shape, cork inserts, and stiffer tails add up to a near-perfect recipe for my style and preferences. Chef&#8217;s kiss. <\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/Salomon-QST-106-Skis\/for-sale\" style=\"border-radius:5px;background-color:#00a1cb\"><em>Shop the QST 106<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Editor&#8217;s note: The QST 106 comes back unchanged for 2026-2027, except for a graphics update. The &#8220;almond milk&#8221; color returns, and a black\/pink color replaces [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":18979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[681,1629],"tags":[1133,1357],"class_list":["post-9448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ski-reviews","category-latest","tag-salomon-qst-106","tag-salomon-qst-stella-106"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>2025-2026 Salomon QST 106 Review -- Powder7 Lift Line<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In our Salomon QST 106 review, we highlight why this version of the QST 106 is the best yet. 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Like perfect red wine, it&#039;s all about balance.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/salomon-qst-106-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-10T15:16:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-08T21:25:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/qst-steepgullies-rotated-e1765408637107.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"832\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Matt M\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Matt M\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/salomon-qst-106-review\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/salomon-qst-106-review\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Matt M\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/10d6d576524e2faf438c5ecaa41f24ef\"},\"headline\":\"2026-2027 Salomon QST 106 Review\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-10T15:16:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-08T21:25:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/salomon-qst-106-review\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1640,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/salomon-qst-106-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/04\\\/qst-steepgullies-rotated-e1765408637107.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"salomon qst 106\",\"salomon qst stella 106\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Gear Reviews\",\"Latest\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/salomon-qst-106-review\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/salomon-qst-106-review\\\/\",\"name\":\"2025-2026 Salomon QST 106 Review -- Powder7 Lift Line\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/salomon-qst-106-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/salomon-qst-106-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/04\\\/qst-steepgullies-rotated-e1765408637107.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-10T15:16:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-08T21:25:57+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.powder7.com\\\/ski-blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/10d6d576524e2faf438c5ecaa41f24ef\"},\"description\":\"In our Salomon QST 106 review, we highlight why this version of the QST 106 is the best yet. 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