All the qualities that made the original QST 106 such a fabulous off-trail ski remain intact in the 2019 edition. It still has a smeary smoothness that makes skiing powder and crud idiot-proof. What changed for this year is the QST 106’s comportment on hard snow, which now has more bite and energy. The componentry that adds an aggressive side to the QST’s personality include a shock-dampening layer of basalt and a cross-weave of carbon and flax (C/FX) fibers that reinforce the original’s longitudinal C/FX.

The latest improvements fill the only gaps in the QST 106’s resume. It was always better than expected on hard snow; now it’s just plain better. The tip stays unperturbed even on groomers, and the top end of the speed range is safely out of reach for most skiers. If you have any concerns about the new QST 106’s stability, try the 188cm out for size. It will change your mind about what skis without metal in their make-up can do. Greg from Footloose says the new QST 106 “feels more stable and damp than previous model. Strong ski without being demanding,” he adds, highlighting the ski’s quintessential attribute.

Another Footloose tester contributes this personality profile: “A fun, high performance mixed-snow powder ski that has good groomed snow performance. The QST is lighter than some of the other skis in the category but it’s not a noodle. It has a nice balance between heavy and light.”

Part of this heavy/light equilibrium is the QST 106 doesn’t ski as wide as it measures because it’s light enough to flip edge to edge without a fight. In chopped-up snow where it’s expected to perform with aplomb, the QST 106 shifts into “Drift,” smearing over manky terrain so unctuously the variations underfoot are barely perceptible. Back on the groomed runs that inevitably interrupt a resort powder day, it kicks into carving mode and holds like a terrier.

For the way it confronts every off-piste condition with confidence, we again award the QST 106 a Silver Skier Selection.