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11-27-2016, 07:22 PM #1Here Now
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Salomon QST Pro 130 as a pure touring boot?
Skied in Maestral RS the past couple of seasons. Fairly happy with them, though I've had trouble with the walk/lock mechanism. East coast touring, not always great snow unfortunately.
Thinking of trying the Salomon QST Pro 130 as a pure touring boot with Dynafit Tech bindings. The fit pretty goog out of the box, better than the MTN Lab. The QST is a little heavier than the Maestrals (1550g vs 1650g claimed weight) . I'm mostly concerned with the walk mode. In the shop the walk mode feels ok. Definately not the ROM of a TLT, but wondering if it will be enough?
And, I'll need to swap out the soles for the tech binding version, The attachment seems fine, hope they get the tech fittings right this time.
Anyone tour with these yet?
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11-27-2016, 10:21 PM #2
A decent bootfitter can make the MTN Lab fit like the QST Pro, and it's got a better walk mode and tech fittings already.
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11-28-2016, 05:27 AM #3Here Now
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Yes, I'm sure.
But, in trying the two in the shop the MTN Lab felt like a touring boot. Great walk mode, walks nice, and the flex was off in that way that touring boots often have. The QST 130 just felt like a "real" ski boot. Much smoother flex, beefier and solid feeling for not much more weight. The secret of New England Backcountry skiing is that the snow is often less than ideal. I'm wondering how livable the QST's touring shortcomings are.
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11-28-2016, 06:33 AM #4
Have you upgrades to the new Maestrale walk mode mechanism?
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11-28-2016, 07:49 AM #5
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11-29-2016, 08:16 AM #6Registered User
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I put the Qst 120 and the MTN Lab on my feet at the shop this week, and I'd second what Preserved said. Range of motion and weight are better on the Lab, but to me it had an abrupt stop when flexed forward in ski mode. The flex felt a lot like my old Cochise 130 Pro. The QST was more progressive and even felt a bit softer in forward flex, but more like a real alpine boot.
As aside, I thought the Lange Freetour 130 had the best heel hold and most progressive forward flex in the shop. New Cochise line isn't bad either, just too much instep height for my flat feet.
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11-29-2016, 01:48 PM #7
Gotta disagree with that last part. As someone who skied OG Cochise 130 for years and really wanted new Cochise to fit I ended up with Freetours because there is not room for my medium/high instep in the new Cochise last. No issues with the Lange and that's with my low volume HD Race liners in both shells
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11-29-2016, 08:51 PM #8Registered User
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Interesting. Different strokes for different feet. For me, the Cochise 120 had more room above the instep especially towards the rear of the foot. This was exaggerated when flexed forward, so that I could produce a noticeable gap in the Cochise above the instep/in front of the ankle when flexed hard at room temp. The Lange Freetour held my heel more securely and I didn't experience that gap in front of the ankle when flexing forward.
But I have flat insteps, 101 mm wide flat forefeet, narrow ankles and heels, and am a pronator. So YMMV of course
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11-30-2016, 06:46 AM #9Registered User
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I just placed an order for the quest 120 that I plan on using for only touring but with at soles, not tech. Tossing my factors that destroyed my feet. I need a 100+ last which limits options. MTN Lab only has a 98 while the QST is 100-106. My Alpine boots are salomon and I really like them. Bit biased as an old friend spent years at salomon and recently moved back east as a distributor. He skied the QST last year as a resort boot with good sucess. I'll gladly trade a bit of range for my feet not going numb from bad fit.
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12-02-2016, 01:00 PM #10
This. Replace your walk mode. Warranty them through Scarpa. They turned mine around in less than 2 weeks. Totally worth it. https://www.scarpa.com/GeaRS-Maestra...1-Ski-Walk-Kit
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12-02-2016, 11:35 PM #11Registered User
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12-03-2016, 12:01 AM #12
I own 2 pairs of these. One is my exclusive touring setup with kingpins, one is mounted with alpine soles. As has been said above: they are a little heavier and less ROM than the MTN lab or TST, but they ski like a hard charging alpine boot. I liked them enough after a season to buy a second pair. Only way I would *need* something lighter is for skimo.
The Hardest Workin' Man in Snow-Business
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12-05-2016, 07:26 AM #13Registered User
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12-07-2016, 04:55 PM #14Here Now
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I bought a pair of QST Pros and carpet skiing reveals a very odd flex. In walk mode the tongue folds at a weird spot higher than where my foot bends, up on my shin. After 5 minutes if flexing forward it is already irritating. I think hours of this would seriously suck.
Too bad, they feel great when in ski mode and a very good fit out of the box.
Going back.
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12-08-2016, 02:02 PM #15Registered User
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Tried on a pair today. Not 100% sure but I think that flex problem would be cured by releasing thi liner tongue from the plastic tongue by detaching the Velcro at the top of both tongues. Didn't have time to do that. Can you try that and report back. Anyone know how this boots instep fit would respond to the custom shell process. I would need a fair bit of room there.
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12-08-2016, 02:05 PM #16Registered User
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If that doesn't help I bet removing that rivet right where your problem is would help a lot. But then you're probably beyond the point of returning them.
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12-08-2016, 03:59 PM #17
I just picked up a pair of these. Out of the box, I got hotspots on my instep (I have a high instep). The fitter cooked them and they feel great.
Planning to use these for touring and alpine, so I'll be swapping soles frequently. Salomon officially says the soles can only be swapped 5 times. Going that to the test...
That being said, the new tech sole blocks seem to have solved the safety issues from the old version. They lock into place with plastic tabs and screws instead of just screws like the 2010 version.
If a significant amount of play develops, I will probably try and T-nut the screw holes for the soles.
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12-08-2016, 06:07 PM #18
Anyone got a link to a pic of these boots with tech soles? I can't find one anywhere...
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12-09-2016, 05:01 AM #19Here Now
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12-09-2016, 05:44 AM #20Registered User
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Thanks for update on tongue
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12-09-2016, 06:14 AM #21
I got mine from Next Adventure in Portland OR. They have an online store, but only had a few pairs left in November. Give them a call, or maybe Salomon's website has them in stock? They were out of stock a month ago.
http://www.salomon.com/us/product/touring-tech-pads.html
FWIW the tech soles didn't fit flush under on the bottom of the boot (under the ball of the foot) like the stock alpine soles, but I added 2 washers that pulled it in tight.Last edited by thefortrees; 12-09-2016 at 06:18 AM. Reason: Add quote
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12-09-2016, 07:24 AM #22
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12-09-2016, 07:35 AM #23
No, Plum Guides. I attached a pic of my boot/heel piece interface below. I haven't used Beasts, but based on the pictures here (https://www.wildsnow.com/10631/boot-...ting-beast-16/) I'm not sure they will work. The screws on the side of the Beast mod look like they go right into a plastic track that clips the soles in place.
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12-09-2016, 08:52 AM #24
well "officially" they should work because they apparently fixed the problems with earlier walk soles/earlier quest boots. I was just waiting for some real world experience. oh well then I am going to be the lab rat. next week when my walk soles arrive.
btw. I just heated them and adjusted them to my feet and they are quite different from the fromer quest boots. they are wider in the front (even my square feet have lots of space!) and apparently lower in the middle foot, so they do not fit my weirdo feet as perfectly as salomon boots used to.It's a war of the mind and we're armed to the teeth.
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12-09-2016, 10:15 PM #25
I messaged this Aussie bootfitter in a video he did on the qst 120 about showing the boot with the tech pads installed and he made another video on it. Check it::
https://youtu.be/xw7kEvtnfYc
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