33 comments on “2015-2016 Salomon Q-Lab”

  1. Which niche do you think salomon is trying to put this ski on? From what I’ve heard before it looked like it would be a crud buster, but based on this review it’s really far from belafonte/cochise/katata and I’d think the same compared to vicick or wrenegade. So looks like it doesn’t bust crud as well as others, and it doesn’t really reserves a place in tight, groomers, pow… not really sure what salomon is going to accomplish here. Think this won’t be any close to the BC version in terms of number of users.

    • Salomon positions this as a freeride, 1 ski quiver, and it is a ski that can be pushed hard, it just has a flex pattern that didn’t feel as balanced to me as some of the other skis in the category. But while I’d give the nod to the Belafonte / Cochise / Katana in roughed up groomers and steep bumps, I’d take the Q Lab over the Cochise and Belafonte in deeper pow, and would probably take it over the regular Katana, too. So I think it depends what you’re looking for.

      Also – it’s important to note that the Katana no longer exists, the shovels of the Cochise get softened up, too, and the Belafonte has been modified – we’ll see how similar or different it skis. And as for the 13/14 Wrenegade I reviewed, it is WAY softer than the 190 Q Lab all around.

  2. Nice review Jonathan,

    I spent a little bit of time on a 183 demo and a shop owners 190 up here in the PNW this spring. I was expecting just a beast to work through some of my favorite steep big mogul runs but found the 183cm quite fun and the 190cm tolerable. Spring slush bumps helped I’m sure but I thoroughly enjoyed the green machine on numerous other runs as well. The 190cm was a blast on late afternoon slushed up groomers. I typically don’t prefer stiff heavy skis as a daily driver but found enough fun on both sizes that I’m looking forward to more time on them next season.

  3. Thats a pretty centered (forward) mount point compared to something like the Katana. I wonder how much of your impression was because of this. Did you try it mounted further back? From testing next years Wailer 105 T2, and playing with mount points, it can really affect a ski’s personality.

    • Hey, Brian – check out the section in my review of the Quest 105 re: Salomon’s forward mount points. It’s something they did on the Quest 105, the Rocker2 108, and the Quest / Rocker2 115. It’s clearly an intentional decision on their part, and the truth is, the fore / aft position felt good / less peculiar on the Q Lab 190 than it did to me on the Quest 105. I really didn’t feel out of balance on the Q Lab (too little tip, too much tail), it was just the flex pattern. Having said all that, the Q Lab 190 truly skied well in many conditions & terrain types, so I hope my review makes that clear. Still .. I’ll try to find the time to tinker a bit with the mount point over the next week and a half.

      (BTW, I’m getting back on the Wailer 105 this weekend & coming week. Curious what mount point you ended up preferring?)

  4. Wow, that surprises me about the wrenegade, and it got softer for next year. Interesting… when are you guys gonna be in the remodeled belafonte?

    • Just to be clear, while the Wrenegade is softer all around, I thought it skied great. Love the shape, love the flex pattern. And if Brian is right that ON3P is stiffening it up a bit, that’s fine by me – so long as the consistency of the flex pattern doesn’t go out the window.

      As for the new Belafonte? I’ll begin A/B-ing it with the old Belafonte at Alta tomorrow…

  5. Actually, next year’s Wrenegade 112 is back to the 11-12 stiffness, so noticably stiffer than the last few years. Still somewhat softer than the burliest of skis though (of which the only one I’ve been on are next year’s Wailer 105s, which is comparable to my old Head 103s and PM Gear Kusala extra stiffs).

  6. How would you compare the 190 Q lab to the 190(?) Rocker 2 115 when it comes to bumped up terrain?
    And how are the showels on the Q lab compared to the 115?
    I had the first gen el dictator as my every day ski and switched them out with the 115, something I really regret because the showels where way to soft for me..

  7. sounds like just another piece of crap ski from salomon. I like they the way you tried to make it sound useful in certain situations, but it only sounds O.K. at best.

  8. this is the best ski ever made…carves on tussock patches and stomps everything. makes normal life feel boring.

  9. Jonathan, how does the 183 Q Lab compare to the 182 E100? Their descriptions/stats would make them seem similar in a lot of ways, but there’s gotta be some things that set them apart, I reckon.

    • I need more time on the 183 Q Lab, but my impressions were that it is an all-around easier ski to ski than the E100. When skiing the 183 Q Lab in those same messed-up bumps at the bottom of Hunzinger that I mention in my E100 review, the 183s were more forgiving, for sure. But I didn’t get the 183 Q Labs on Reforma or in the steeps of West Basin, so I can’t say yet how hard they could be pushed in that type of terrain. But if a question remains about how hard you can push the 183s, I will again say that they will likely be the easier, more forgiving ski all-around the mountain.

  10. I skied the 183 and enjoyed it albeit it felt a little short. Not necessarily in how it skied more so in look at the lack of ski in front of my feet. I’m 6′, 190 isn, ski 8 of 10 on the aggressive scale and definitely don’t seek out bumps, however they are inevitable in the locations that we all ski (SW Colorado, New Mexico, Utah on occasion).

    Debating about buying the 190 even though I haven’t skied it yet. My usual everyday ski that this would be replacing is a beat pair of 185cm Cochise’s as a resort charger. Any input as you’ve been on both?

    Thanks!

  11. I’d be really really interested in a review of the Salomon Q BC Lab. At 114 underfoot and only 1.7 kg it sounds like a killer (pow) touring ski. Unfortunately very few reviews out there. Any chance you guys will be getting on it soon?

  12. How do you think this ski compares with the Q105? I am pretty torn between the two of these, but worried the Q-Lab may be a little on the too stiff side. Curious which you prefer.

  13. Hi Jonathan,

    Last season I had the Q105. A stone that took out my edges forces me to look for new ski’s this season. Since I will occasionally do Alpine touring on the ski’s as well and also like to charge a few groomers now and then as well along the way I, as well as trees and bumbs I was considering to maybe opt for the Q98 to replace them. This because for me there was very little not to like in the Q series of last year. Still your review made me thinking. I’m quite a heavy guy (98kg) so I immediately got interested in the Q-lab after reading your review. I am heavy but fit and like to ski aggressively and fast now and then. I had the Q105 in 188 and that performed quite well for me. Although on speed the edge grip, which was normally fine in most conditions, could for me still be a bit better on hard snow and I thought the Q105 did have a speed limit. Since I will want to use this ski for all mountain purposes (I have the AK JJ for deep days), will do occasional AT, like bumps and trees but also to ski fast. Would you recommend the Q105 /98 or the Q-Lab in this case? Your view would be much appreciated. Thanks, Joost

  14. What do you think of this ski compared to a devastator for a daily ski? Been on the devastator for the past two seasons and I am thinking hard about the 190 q-lab for a replacement. Not that the Devastator was bad in anyway but to try a little different flavor out. Thanks.

  15. Hello, If you were skiing Crested Butte everyday would you prefer the Q-Lab 190 or the Scott Punisher 189?
    Advanced skier 6’3″ 175 pounds rips the entire mountain and likes to huck cliffs

  16. rode the 190 a bit last season, gotta say i wasn’t very impressed. don’t really know what they were going for with this thing. i’ve been on the cochise and 4frnt renegade for the last 4 seasons, love a ski that has no speed limit, that crushes everything in it’s path. after flexing this ski i thought it would be that type of ski, but the extreme sidecut and massive shovels really killed it for me. the renegade has a 135 mm shovel, and a 122 mm waist. q lab comes in at 144 in the tip, and 109 waist. everytime i got this ski up to the kind of speeds this flex pattern wants i would get slowed down by the ridiculously hooky tip and super tight turn radius, the dimensions just don’t make any sense. a whole slew of better skis for the job in my opinion.

      • Tragically Salomon stopped making these skis in 2016, succumbing to the industry trend of floppy skis, early rise tails, long turn radiuses etc. etc. etc. I’ve bought ALOT of skis trying to find a suitable replacement for my aging Q Labs. (A stiff, traditional camber ski with a flat/powerful tail, turn radius in the low 20s, and 105+ waist)

        To Jonathan, the entire Blister crew, and anyone reading this. If there is something similar to this ski currently being made – please reply to this comment.

        – A desperate skier

        • You should definitely check out our review of the Fischer Ranger 107 Ti. It’s (of course) not *exactly* the same ski as the 190 cm QLab, but there are a whole lot of similarities, and I feel confident in saying that it’s the closest thing to a 190 QLab that we’ve reviewed.

          And if you still have questions after reading, then I recommend becoming a Blister member, sending us an email, and we’ll get you sorted out.

          • Blister is without a doubt the most valuable gear resource available to the ski/snowboard community – Thank you for everything you guys are doing!

  17. Hi- I was wondering if you put any more time on the 183? I’d be really interested to know more about what separates it from the 190 and maybe how it compares the Cochise. Thanks!

  18. Knowing they’re discontinued I think you should really get back on the 190’s again, this time mounted at -8 or even -9 cm. Just do it!

  19. Hi, guys!
    Like John Zordell, I’m also a huge fan of Q-lab (183). Looking for replacement (one season on Q-Lab, but returned to my friend few days ago).
    And I’ll check the Fisher Ranger 107 Ti.
    BUT, what about Salomon Stance 102 vs Q-lab (183)?
    I lot of similarities… What do you think?

Leave a Comment