New Shift2 Binding, QST X Ski, Race Boots, & More | 2025 Salomon Ski Gear

Salomon has a LOT of new products coming for the 2024-2025 season. So at Blister Summit 2024, we sat down with Salomon’s Joe Johnson to get the backstory and details on all of them.
We cover the new powder-oriented QST X ski; how the QST X compares to the Salomon QST Blank, QST Echo 106, & previous QST 118; why and how they tweaked the original Shift binding when designing the new Shift2 binding; their brand-new Shift Alpha BOA hybrid ski boots; the new Salomon S/Pro Race boot collection; their fully recyclable Brigade INDEX Helmet; several new apparel pieces, and more.
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TOPICS:
QST X Ski 00:00
Shift2 Binding 4:03
Shift Alpha BOA Boots 10:06
S/Pro Race Boots 15:21
Brigade Index Helmet 18:07
Absolute Jacket & Mountain Flex Jacket 22:32

[@crenzoni]

What's the weight on the new boa boots?

[@patrickchase5614]

Glad to see the more solid AFD mechanism on the Shift2. I honestly didn't have trouble with the OG Shift once I figured out how to adjust the AFD mechanism for maximum engagement (i.e. to put it right on the "end" of one step just before moving up to the next), but moving to a fully-micrometric aluminum sliding wedge like that should make life easier on techs and help with overall reputation and market acceptance.
I am amused that Salonom is promoting "lowest [binding] stack height" as an advantage. Every racer since the 1990s begs to differ, of course.
Joe needs to sound less nervous / more confident while doing his marketing spiel 🙂

[@AndrewSteavpack]

Low stack is an advantage off piste for more stability in variable snow, high edge angle is the benefit to high stack on race skis for edge grip on icy race prepped snow. Hopefully it still has a neutral ramp angle and not just a lower stack heel.

[@patrickchase5614]

​@@AndrewSteavpack That was more of a joke on my part than a serious comment, but...
There is plenty of objective evidence for the benefit of high stack heights when edging ~65-mm-wide racing skis on ice. In that case the binding stack makes a non-trivial difference to edge leverage and racers are demonstrably (but very, very slightly) faster with taller bindings stacks.
When you start talking about stability of typical wider all-mountain skis in off-piste conditions then it all becomes _very_ subjective and preference-based (which is part of why I poked fun at it). The lever arm[s] that determine stability (as opposed to edging "leverage") are longer, such that a few mm or a cm of stack height is much less significant.
I know plenty of people (and I am one of them) who _subjectively_ prefer feeling close to the snow off-piste, but I also know and know of many elite freeriders who are perfectly stable and competitive with higher-stack bindings, up to and including demo-style bindings. It's not like racing where there is clear evidence of advantage one way or the other. It's just a simple "flavor preference".
If what you say were true then shorter-legged skiers would have a stability advantage as well, and there's just no evidence for that whatsoever if you look at the builds of elite freeriders.

[@ddunlop]

Great that the high-end boots are coming in a true 22 shell!
Can we start getting a touring helmet in a 63cm+ size? I have a long head and can't find a lighter weight helmet that fits.

[@MikeMyerstpt]

Aren’t your heads getting warm wearing those toques indoors? 😅

[@coreymclernon]

I don’t understand why the instep buckle is so long on the alpha?

[@christianwestling2019]

People don't eat meat as much = weaker hands = Need bigger buckles.
:D

[@WillsRagland]

What’s with the random lamp?

[@Benzknees]

Have they improved the brakes on the Shift bindings, so that they actually work?!

[@scottlaird1650]

Only one riser height!? A big miss…. Again!

[@peterross1071]

Yea