Anyone used Salomon QST boots?

[Sharko]

I've been using Dalbello Il Moros for 10 years ago, got fitted in 2007 (I think?) for Il Moros and they served me well for a long time. Now the liners are worn out, the ratcheting upper buckle has teeth missing so it no longer tightens far enough, but the biggest problem is my foot seems to have changed shape so that they now crush my big toes.

After much trial and error I was put in a Salomon QST 130. It feels great, excellent heel retention and no hot spots. The flex feels much softer than 130, feels more like 110 to me, pretty much the same as my old Il Moro (which is billed as 120, but is softer than other 120's I tried).

Has anyone here used the QST boots? Any experiences to share positive or negative?

How was it after heat molding?

Also, the Salomon website seems to indicate that the shell is moldable but doesn't say how it is done, does it need to be done by a shop or can it be done at home?

thanks all

 

[Sharko]

bump

 

[JWillySkeez]

Id probably have a shop look at it if you're going the heat molding rout. Although if you feel compelled to diy I'd check out blister gear review, I think they have a guide.

 

[RodgersSkiMaine]

Salomon and Atomic use a specific memory fit oven to heat mold their boots. Check with your local shops to see if they have one - we do //claim. In my experience it makes a difference for pressure points and even slightly with the width in the forefoot. In a way it feels as if it breaks the boot in a little bit for you. I agree though, imho the 120 feels like a 100.

If you haven't yet, ski them before you heat mold. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Sharko]

If you haven't yet, ski them before you heat mold. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

This is probably sound advice, I'll take them out for a few days before making any changes

 

[tomPietrowski]

This is probably sound advice, I'll take them out for a few days before making any changes

Its always worth getting the liner molded before skiing even if you dont do the shells. In the heat mold boots the cuff alignment is done via the shell mold so even if you are not needing more space it may be worth doing the shell too. Make sure you mold it with whatever footbed you will be using (hopefully a custom) and mold the shell with a neutral stance. I then like the mold the liner after the shell has cooled as you can then flex forward into the cooled shell and mold the heel of the liner well. That is the one slight issue with custom shell boots currently I think that you cant mold both the shell and liner well at the same time.

 

[RodgersSkiMaine]

Its always worth getting the liner molded before skiing even if you dont do the shells. In the heat mold boots the cuff alignment is done via the shell mold so even if you are not needing more space it may be worth doing the shell too. Make sure you mold it with whatever footbed you will be using (hopefully a custom) and mold the shell with a neutral stance. I then like the mold the liner after the shell has cooled as you can then flex forward into the cooled shell and mold the heel of the liner well. That is the one slight issue with custom shell boots currently I think that you cant mold both the shell and liner well at the same time.

What he said. We usually throw the liners on some stacks while the shells are in the oven, but it's definitely a process getting them back in before cooling.

 

[Mattgeraghty3]

Hey man work I work in a shop fitting mainly Salomon and atomic boots you're porbably best getting them fitted in a shop but you can do the shells yourslef pretty easily:

Take out the liners

Just heat in an oven at 80-90 degrees C for 10 mins

Pop the liners back in the boots and put the boots on

Only do up to the first or second buckle you want to have some room to tighten the boots after they're moulded

stand upright and still in the boots without moving for 10 mins

After the 10 mins use ice packs or bags of frozen peas or whatever to cool them way down

When the boots are at a normal temperature walk around in them for 5 minutes

You're done

 

[Sharko]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm probably going to give them a few days before molding to see what needs fixing, then I'll look for a shop.

If I can't get to one and end up doing it at home, would you advise using toe caps and padding prominences like when you're molding a liner?

 

[Mattgeraghty3]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm probably going to give them a few days before molding to see what needs fixing, then I'll look for a shop.

If I can't get to one and end up doing it at home, would you advise using toe caps and padding prominences like when you're molding a liner?

Firstly definitely wear them for a few days first and if they're not giving you any problems don't mould them at all

Secondly, its personal preference but I would usually don't bother with toe caps or any other extra material I have only had to use these in extreme cases you still want the boots to be very snug

 

[tomPietrowski]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm probably going to give them a few days before molding to see what needs fixing, then I'll look for a shop.

If I can't get to one and end up doing it at home, would you advise using toe caps and padding prominences like when you're molding a liner?

get the liners done before you ski them. the beauty of a heat mold liner is you can set the foot into place before you ski them, then once you ski them the foot just continues to ed in further in the correct position you molded it. Toe caps are never a bad idea for liner molding asd they help set the heel back in the liner which is always good. Check the cuff alignment of the shell before molding and if its off even with footbeds, it may well be worth molding the shell before the liner just to get the alignment right.

 

[Sharko]

yeah, I saw what you were saying about the cuff alignment being done by shell molding, but it looks like there is a way to do cuff alignment by turning the screws over the pivot point (sorry, not sure what to call that part of the boot), no?

 

[tomPietrowski]

yeah, I saw what you were saying about the cuff alignment being done by shell molding, but it looks like there is a way to do cuff alignment by turning the screws over the pivot point (sorry, not sure what to call that part of the boot), no?

you will be able to get a small amount with that yes, see weather its enough or not for your needs. Honestly if done right there is no hard in molding the shell and the shop you are buying from will most likely offer to do it for free anyway as its part of the fitting process.