Salomon

QST Pro 120 Ski Boot

Jumping between rowdy pow days at the resort and quiet dawn patrols in the backcountry is a more common way than ever to spend a ski season. The major players are wising up to this shift in attitude, introducing boots and boards that match your unwillingness to commit exclusively to a season spent in-bounds or out. With a fully customizable shell and liner, plus compatibility with both alpine and tech bindings, the Salomon QST Pro 120 Ski Boot stands at the front of this new class of gear.

Salomon graced the ultra-light QST Pro line with its highly agreeable Twinframe 2 shell, comprised of a polyurethane upper and polyamide chassis. The shell's 360-degrees of heat-moldable adjustability gives you the freedom to wrap the boot around your strange protrusions and that one extra-long toe without the need to go for the punch right away. Inside, Salomon's equally accommodating My Custom Fit Pro liner lends you the same opportunity to customize fit for the kind of slip-free hold that you'll need when you're diving into knee-deep trees or heading up the skintrack.

In addition to its rip-ready 120 flex, the QST Pro also comes with lateral stability to match from Salomon's beefy 24mm Oversized Pivot. Adapted to work with ever-widening skis that take a more effort to turn over on edge than their twiggy predecessors, the pivot gives you lay-them-out security and control whether you're carving frontside or smearing through the backcountry. Speaking of the backcountry, when you're ready to slap on a set of skins, swap out the QST Pro's alpine sole for a separately-sold Salomon tech sole, then switch the boot to walk mode and head out.

Three lightweight, micro-adjustable aluminum buckles and a rugged power strap let you lock down a completely secure fit before you hammer out a big line, and at the end of the day, you can thank the QST Pro's EndoFit tongue for keeping the boot removing drama to a minimum, and its waterproof gusset for keeping your feet dry. The flexible plastic design makes boot removal far more straightforward than it usually is, meaning you'll be sitting at the bar enjoying a cold one while the rest of your crew is still groaning and grimacing in the parking lot.