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One of Salomon's most popular freeride skis, the QST Lumen 99 had an overhaul last year and is unchanged for 2020-21. We tested it against the current crop.

salomon qst lumen 99 2020 21 ski
Level
Advanced
Terrain
Freeride
Best for
Anyone skiing off piste - it can be a confidence builder as well as a hard charger
Price
£500
Season
2020/21
lengths
153, 159, 167, 174, 181
Bindings?
No
Float
10
Versatility
9
Playfulness
10
Energy
10
Value
9
Stability
9
Overall Score
9
+
Full of fun and versatility
Piste performance can be fractionally better even in freeride skis

Boasting a full poplar wood core with carbon flax weave for dampening and torsional flex as well as an attractive - albeit unchanged - topsheet graphic, and Salomon genes, the QST Lumen 99 appears a freeride no-brainer. The construction allows for a ski stiff enough to perform to high level, while simultaneously being noticeably lightweight. At 1570g per ski, it isn't far off some models that are marketed in the 'touring' category, and certainly bears consideration as a freeride/touring hybrid which is how the Salomon rep sold it to us.

In practice this is a very playful ski - perhaps not surprisingly for Salomon. It's stable in powder, and although it got a bit stuck in the crud, it loves long fast turns. In fact it strikes a difficult balance between being playful and aggressive and there's no reason to fear cranking it up.

The QST Lumen 99 is very reactive and fun and seems to want to ski anywhere and anything you can throw at it - including any opportunity to get airborne. This is very much at home in the off piste, despite being a little unforgiving in the crud or cut-up on piste snow.

For anyone that wants to build confidence off piste and freeriding this is a very playful and exciting ski.

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