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.
