2025 Salomon QST Stella 106

Freeride enthusiasts rejoice-the Salomon QST Stella 106 is back for the 2025 season with the same great look and build, ready to pop, float, and smear through the soft stuff. This ski has maintained a dedicated following season after season so it’s no wonder Salomon decided to keep things going. It’s hard not to see why so many gravitate to this ski as it has proven itself time and time again. With a 106 mm waist width, more dramatic rocker profile, and fun-loving personality, soft-snow enthusiasts who value silky smoothness and energetic rebound have everything they could want in this one ski. Surprisingly versatile and strong performing on-piste, the edge grip and carving capabilities are not what you would expect from this wider-bodied ski, and we love to be surprised. Predictable and easy to turn, you can truly take this ski anywhere on the mountain.

The high-quality build of this ski sets the tone right from the start. It’s lightweight, highly maneuverable nature is the result of a full poplar wood core from tip to tail, maximizing agility while also offering optimum stability. Salomon adds their C/FX material blend which consists of both carbon and flax stringers with a fiberglass laminate. This unique construction element provides incredible energy and snappiness while also enhancing the flex and overall feel. Contributing majorly to the signature Stella personality, this feature is most noticeable when loading up for a turn, boosting you in and out with loads of energy. To provide dampness and smooth consistency, cork damplifier is used in the tips and tails to reduce chatter and dampen vibrations, all the while keeping the weight down. To provide edge grip and extra stability, Salomon incorporates double sidewall technology which uses a stiffer portion in the sidewall and does an exceptional job balancing out the agile nature of the ski. Tester Allison Kozar commented “when the powdery conditions transitioned and became more condensed and demanding, this ski was still able to feel decently stable. The rocker helped it stay afloat going through a few inches of powder, but also held an edge on the firm stuff.”

Right off the bat, the shape speaks for itself. Designed to float and surf through soft snow, with dramatic early taper and deep rocker lines, the performance is unparalleled. Shining in off-piste terrain, given the shape, there is a slight loss of effective edge but thanks to the double sidewall technology, it is not terribly noticeable. If anything, it’s surprising how well this ski carves and performs on-piste. Equally as capable in deep snow as they are in firmer conditions, the cork damplifier contributes to the dampness and ability to plow through variable snow. In the 165 cm length, it generates a 17-meter turn radius, which aligns well with the slarvy, surfy nature of the Stella. Given the shorter effective edge, it has no problem making shorter, quicker turns as well.

The Salomon QST Stella 106 continues to maintain its spot in the rankings for wider-bodied all-mountain skis for advanced to expert female skiers. Sitting amidst quite the competitive market of freeride powder skis, the Stella stands out for its ideal blend of construction, shape and personality, delivering energy, strength, and versatility like no other.