Women's Salomon QST 110 W TR Touring Boots; Size: 25.5 (New, but scuffing; never been worn)

he 2019/2020 BRAND-MODEL was tested in the GENDER-CATEGORY at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit. The Gist The 2018 Salomon QST Pro 110 W returns mainly unchanged and in similar fashion to last season's test we found a broad spectrum of takes on this unique all-mountain hiker. From the first look at the QST Pro it's apparent that it's different. The low-slung instep of the cabrio lower with the embedded Endofit tongue looks a little spacey, and entry to this ski escape pod is different too—pull on the tongue loop and simply drive the foot on in, but don't pull too hard or the tongue can pop out of its slotted berth. Once in, testers either loved the close grip over the instep or they began thinking of a Custom Shell cook job to raise the roof a bit. The Fit Testers place the QST Pro on the snug side of the medium-width group in the lower boot, where the fit is painted on every nook and cranny. The upper cuff is more relaxed, addressing the shin with a flat but padded feel and an open-enough boot top to handle thicker calves. The stance is noticeably upright, testers concurred, and the tongue is firm against the shin, and yet the boot's flex is long-travel and springy. These fit, stance and flex characteristics either brought tears of joy to testers' eyes or the other kind in a fairly even split. Performance The upright, springy stance put many testers on their heels, but several mentioned that the long travel flex allowed them to get forward into a good skiing position. The lateral cuff geometry is a little on the knock-kneed side of neutral, which gives the QST Pro a slinky, agile attitude which was particularly fun in softer snow off-piste, testers said. Testers who rolled the edge angle up a little steeper found a stable base of lateral support. Testers liked the lightweight feel of the boot and found it to be a capable hiker-skinner. Cool Features Testers like the easy flip-switch of the sideways Surelock cuff release, though some mentioned wishing it wasn't located as high on the boot spine, hidden under the powder cuff. The QST Pro 110 W comes with alpine soles, but a rockered, tech-compatible sole set is available as an accessory purchase.