Qst blank team review

Overview

The Salomon QST Blank Team is the junior and team member of Salomon's QST Blank freeride family, scaled down for kids and teens who want to ski the whole mountain and the park on one pair. It's a true twin-tip all-mountain freestyle ski, built to be playful and forgiving rather than demanding. On paper it sits at the accessible, progression-friendly end of the range — a first "real" freeride-freestyle ski for a growing skier rather than a specialist.

On-snow performance

The geometry points to an easy, agile ride. In the 146 cm the sidecut runs 123/92/113 mm with a short 12 m radius, so the shape suggests quick, low-effort turn initiation and a ski that comes around willingly for lighter riders. The waist steps from 88 mm on the shorter 128 and 137 lengths to 92 mm on the 146 and 152, keeping float and stability in step with size and weight. A rocker-camber-rocker profile — tip and tail rocker with camber underfoot — should give forgiving, catch-free tips in soft and chopped snow while the camber section still bites for edge hold on groomers. Expect a butter-friendly, spin-friendly feel off jumps and side hits rather than a locked-in, high-speed charger; the modest waist and limited powder float mean it's happiest on piste and mixed terrain rather than deep days.

Construction & specs explained

Underneath is a full poplar woodcore with full sandwich ABS sidewalls — a genuine grown-up layup rather than a cap-construction toy. Sandwich sidewalls transmit energy directly to the edge for cleaner grip and a more damp, planted feel than most junior skis, while poplar keeps things light and lively. A durable Corund topsheet and a dedicated tail protector address the reality of how kids treat skis: dropped tails, rock scrapes and rack rash. Four lengths (128/137/146/152) cover a wide age and height span, and the ski ships with the Salomon L6 GW junior binding, so it arrives as a ready-to-ski system.

Who it's for & comparisons

This is a natural pick for a progressing junior who lives between the park and the rest of the mountain. Cross-shop it against the Black crows Camox jr and the K2 Mindbender jr, both junior all-mountain skis, and the Armada Tantrum 92 freeride, a junior freeride twin with a similar playful brief. The Salomon leans a touch more freestyle than the all-mountain juniors thanks to its true twin shape, while staying more forgiving and piste-friendly than a wider powder tool.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• True twin-tip shape and a playful, forgiving character make it park-friendly.
• Full poplar core with sandwich ABS sidewalls gives real edge grip and a damp feel.
• Short 12 m radius and light build suit smaller, lighter riders.
• Corund topsheet and tail protector target junior wear and tear.
• Ships as a system with the Salomon L6 GW binding.

Cons

• The 88-92 mm waist is piste-and-mixed focused, not a deep-powder float ski.
• System L6 GW binding limits DIN range and rules out an aftermarket setup.
• The soft, playful character won't satisfy a heavier or hard-charging teen.

Verdict A well-built, forgiving twin-tip for progressing juniors who want one ski for park laps and all-mountain cruising — playful and confidence-building rather than a high-speed specialist.