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While the Salomon QST Lumen 99 is a far superior ski to previous options from Salomon, it just didn't stack up against the abundance of tough competitors. If we could just ski powder every day, this ski would be a winner. It has excellent flotation and an energetic way of making quicker turns in the fresh snow, rather than big mountain straight lines. Unfortunately, in reality, we will always ski in a variety of snow conditions, and the QST Lumen 99 isn't quite up to par in other types of terrain. And while they've also got very reactive rebound and love to get airborne in easier conditions, the confidence we lost in tougher situations tipped the scales against them.
REASONS TO BUY
Lively
Quick for its size
Master in powder
REASONS TO AVOID
Not super stable
Flappy tips
Gets thrown in crud
Editor's Note: We updated this review for the Salomon QST Lumen 99 on March 6, 2022, with an unbiased recommendation for this ski and a direct comparison of similar options if this isn't the model for you.
The latest version of the QST Lumen 99 has new topsheet graphics, shown above. The dimensions and specifications remain the same as the ski we tested. Updated: October 2021
Our Analysis and Test Results
If you truly only go out on powder days, and you go back inside as soon as it starts to get tracked out, the Salomon QST Lumen 99 would be a great choice. In that case, however, you'd probably just opt for a powder-specific ski instead of a top women's all-mountain ski. If you know you'll be skiing on soft groomers and enjoy making quick short turns with fun rebound energy, this Salomon model does that well, too.
Performance Comparison
While great in the powder, this ski didn't give us a solid foundation on which to go as fast as we wanted on the hardpack.
Credit: Nate Greenberg
Stability at Speed
The massive rockered tip of the QST Lumen 99 makes it the perfect powder hound, but this detracts from its stability. We found that the tips were constantly flapping around when we skied at speed on hard-pack or groomers, which is always a little unnerving, even if it doesn't necessarily point to real instability. However, we also found that the ski would chatter and skid out when we tried to push it in the steeps. One tester said she felt that up to a certain speed, it was OK, but at faster speeds, there were several uncomfortable moments where they just didn't have the edge-hold we desired.
Carving Ability
While the QST Lumen 99 does have a nice rebound effect at the end of the turn, thanks to a consistent flex pattern along the ski, it just doesn't have the edge-hold capabilities in harder snow to feel confident setting an edge and riding it. For those who appreciate quick turns, it seems to want to make a shorter turn than the 19-meter radius would suggest. You may need to widen your stance to carve this ski properly since the tips are quite fat and can get in the way!
The Lumen made a much zippier turn shape when set on edge than we expected from a 19-meter turn radius.
Credit: Nate Greenberg
Powder Performance
The QST Lumen 99 shines her brightest in powder. It is incredibly floaty - you can always see the big purple spatula tips soaring out in front of you, or if it's very deep, you'll still see the waves of snow created by them. These are reassuring signs that you'll be staying on the surface. This ski loves to make a short, bouncy turn in the fluffy stuff, which many of our testers appreciated. As opposed to the typical fat-ski arc of one turn in 300 feet of powder, our lead tester tends to think you get more joy out of the snow if you're turning more often. Quick turns are also preferable for those who are just building confidence in fresh snow. This ski was very maneuverable in the trees and quite deep snow (we skied this model in up to 18 inches depth).
Bouncing their way back to the surface of deep snow is what these Salomons are best at.
Credit: Nate Greenberg
Crud Performance
Those big old spatula tip that makes the QST Lumen 99 a perfect powder-eater is its downfall in this metric, constantly being deflected and tossing the rider off balance. This ski just doesn't feel stiff enough to plow through choppy snow.
Terrain Playfulness
The exhilarating rebound it offers, particularly in a short, poppy turn, makes it a relatively playful ski. It also feels pretty lightweight, and it seems very easy to get airborne. It's just that when we got back down to the snow again, this ski wasn't nearly as predictable. But its surprising agility, given the size and turn radius, definitely gave us a second thought.
We got a bit thrown around in the crud, but this ski's quicker turns helped us out in the bumps.
Credit: Nate Greenberg
Bumps
The QST Lumen 99 startled us with its abilities in the moguls as well, mostly because it looks like such a lumbering brute, but it turns with lightness and grace. Despite being 99 millimeters underfoot, and supposedly having a 19-meter turn radius, this ski is quick and responsive in the bumps. It is relatively forgiving in this terrain for the uninitiated.
Should You Buy the QST Lumen 99?
If you love skiing powder – but don't necessarily want the bulk of a true powder ski underfoot – then the Salomon QST Lumen 99 is the niche ski you've been waiting for. This ski is fun anytime fresh snow has fallen, even on groomed terrain, and is surprisingly forgiving through a mogul field for those looking to improve their bump skiing abilities. But for most skiers, there are other skis out there that offer greater versatility at a similar price point.
What Other Women's All-Mountain Skis Should You Consider?
A playful ski that thrives in powder, the Salomon QST Lumen 99 is a forgiving and fun option – just don't expect too much of it in other environments. For hardpack cruisers, the damp and reliable Nordica Santa Ana 98 can carve up groomers and still offers similar performance in the soft stuff. If powder skiing is your jam, then the Elan Ripstick 94 W offers similar performance in a more playful package.
