Review: 2025 Salomon QST Blank

• Size skied: 186cm
• Lengths available: 176cm, 186cm, 192cm
• Sidecut: 139 mm - 112mm - 128mm
• Radius: 19m (@186cm)
• Profile: Powder Rocker 23/57/20
• Weight: 2070g (@186cm)

Shape, Flex and Construction:

The construction of the new S/LAB QST Blank doesn’t differ all that much from the original version. It incorporates the same design elements, just in a more refined way. I actually got to tour Salomon’s Annecy Design Center and assemble one of these skis myself, learning directly from the product engineers and design team about what makes this ski do what it does. For reference, S/LAB refers to the highest-end skis Salomon creates to support their athlete team. The skis you buy are the same ones the MTN Collective team skis in the movies or on the Freeride World Tour.

Inside, there’s a full poplar woodcore (remember poplar=pop), longitudinal basalt fibers, and heavy-duty sidewalls to deliver super powerful edge grip. The tip and tail feature a new version of the Cork Damplifier (still my favorite ski industry marketing term!) that quiets down chatter and adds stability. Other than a titanal binding reinforcement plate and the edges, there’s no metal in the ski.

The flex is quite soft for a ski of this caliber, but feels very round (stiff underfoot and getting progressively softer towards the tip and tail). There’s a ton of tip taper and rocker, and a nearly equally-rockered tail that now has a much more squared-off tail with less taper. The tail shape was developed with input from the athletes that wanted a bit more power and stability for landing big airs.

For mount point, I ultimately settled on +1 from recommended to loosen up the feel a bit more.

On-Snow Performance:

I tested the new Salomon QST Blank with Salomon Shift 2.0 and Salomon Strive bindings, paired with both Salomon's Shift Alpha BOA boot and a Fischer RC4 Pro boot.

Unlike most other freeride skis, it’s not overwhelmingly stiff. In fact, the new QST Blank left me scratching my head as to how this soft of a ski could feel so stable, planted, and powerful. Flex it by hand and you’ll think it would ski like a bag of marshmallows, but get it on snow and you’ll be surprised at how well it handles speed. That’s the magic of the updated QST construction.

The first few days I had on the ski were on groomers (at Salomon’s launch event in Arolla, Switzerland and back home in Jackson during a January high-pressure period), and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so comfortable riding hardpack on a ski this big. The edge grip is absolutely insane on these. That inbounds performance also really stands out when skiing my favorite JHMR conditions: chalky bump skiing. It’s the kind of snow you’ll find during mid-winter high pressure systems where cold air and moderate winds keep the snow dry and plastered to the steep faces of the upper mountain. You’ll find it in places like Mammoth, the Wasatch, or interior BC–and the Blank makes you feel like Tenra Katsuno himself in these conditions. The soft flex really helps here, allowing you to easily bend the ski around moguls, and load it up to bounce and jump off anything in sight.

Luckily, it did start snowing again, and I was fortunate to see how these performed in two feet of storm snow at Targhee and in the Jackson Hole backcountry. My one gripe about the original QST Blank was that it didn’t actually ski fresh powder particularly well–it lacked float and felt like it would get hung up in deep snow.

The new QST Blank flips that script. It handles deep snow far better than the old version, taking that predictable and playful feel and really turning it up a notch. That’s where the ski’s huge sweet spot really stands out–its really easy to ski in powder, especially the weird kind you might find with warm storms that produce upside-down snow.

So far, the only conditions I’ve found the ski to be a bit much to handle are on super icy days. But then again, I haven’t found a ski over 85mm underfoot that handles that scenario well.

How does the Salomon S/LAB QST Blank compare?

The updated Salomon QST Blank is worth comparing to a few models we’ve loved for their ability when it comes to playful freeride skiing: Salomon’s QST X, and the blackcrows Corvus.

The blackcrows Corvus and Blank might be the most closely matched skis on the market right now. On paper, the main difference is the turn radius (a huge 25m on the Corvus vs. a mid-range 19m on the Blank), but on snow, the Blank actually wins on stability.

Compared to Salomon’s QST X, the S/LAB QST Blank feels far more directional, and will be a much better option for inbounds skiing. It’s much more stable at high speeds and in firm snow and less likely to wheelie out on awkward landings. However, despite its longer turn radius the QST X wins when it comes to both agility and float in backcountry powder. Use the Blank for inbounds charging, go touring and jump off things into pow on the X.

What type of skier is the Salomon S/LAB QST Blank best for?

Salomon’s updated QST Blank is going to make a lot of skiers happy, particularly those who seek out bigger terrain and want to ski it fast no matter the conditions. However, it’s not the kind of ski that will tire you out immediately–it’s also quite fun to just cruise around on. 

If you see yourself seeking out technical terrain at a resort like Palisades, Jackson, Crystal, Big Sky, Alta, or anywhere with a good amount of snowfall, grab a pair of these as your daily driver. They’ll serve you well when it snows, and keep the smiles going days after a storm.