Salomon QST 98 vs Atomic Maverick 96 CTI: Same Family, Different Personalities

Here's a fact that most ski shoppers don't know: Salomon and Atomic are both owned by Amer Sports. Same parent company. Shared R&D resources. Overlapping factory access. And yet the QST 100 and the Maverick 96 CTI are genuinely different skis built for different skiers.

The Salomon QST 100 leans freeride. More rocker, cork damping at the tips and tails, and a slightly wider waist. It wants to be in soft snow, in trees, in the parts of the mountain where conditions change every twenty feet. The 2026 version is a full redesign — the old QST 98 it replaces was the playful one that gave up some power, and Salomon put a lot of that power back. The Atomic Maverick 96 CTI leans directional all-mountain — a stiffer, grippier build with a Power Woodcore and CTI (carbon plus titanal) layup, HRZN 3D tech in the tips, set up to rip groomers Monday through Friday and explore off-piste on the weekend.

Same price neighborhood. Similar waist width. Corporate siblings. But if you bought the wrong one, you'd feel it immediately. Let's break down where they split.

Construction: Same Metal, Different Recipe

First, let's kill a common myth. People assume the QST is the “no-metal” ski and the Maverick is the “metal” ski. The reality is more mixed. The QST 100 runs a full poplar woodcore wrapped in basalt and fiberglass, with a small titanal plate underfoot where the binding mounts, and Cork Damplifier 2.0 — a cork-and-TPU insert that now rides the tips andthe tails. The Maverick leans harder on metal. So the difference isn't metal versus no metal. It's how much metal, where it sits, and how the ski is tuned around it.

The Maverick 96 CTI is built on a Power Woodcore of ash and poplar with Atomic's CTI layup — carbon and titanal worked together for a stiffer, more planted feel from tip to tail. Atomic's HRZN 3D tech shapes the tip to reduce swing weight and add float in soft snow without adding width. Compared to the QST, the Maverick runs a firmer flex, less rocker, and a titanal package tuned to hold an edge on firm snow rather than to flex and surf through it.

The recipe tells the story. The QST 100 lets the tips rocker and breathe, so it pivots and floats — but the new layup is stiffer underfoot than the old 98, so it tracks a cleaner line than the QST used to. The Maverick stiffens the chassis and plants the contact patch with its metal, so it still carves and grips a step harder. Same family of materials, two different jobs — just a smaller gap than this matchup used to have.

Head to Head: Six Dimensions

1. Groomer Carving

Winner: Maverick 96 CTI.

This is where the Maverick's stiffer flex and firmer titanal tune earn their keep. It bites into hardpack and holds a clean arc through the turn. You can lay it over on groomed corduroy and trust that the edge will hold, and it'll change turn shape without arguing. The Power Woodcore and CTI layup give it the torsional stiffness that carving rewards.

Here's where the redesign matters. The old QST 98 really only had one turn it wanted to make on a groomer. The new QST 100 carves more turn shapes and rolls up cleaner on edge — it's a real step up on firm snow. It still doesn't lock in like the metal-backed Maverick, and on afternoon hardpack or scratchy ice the Maverick is the one that bites harder. But this is closer than it was a generation ago.

2. Off-Piste and Powder

Winner: QST 100.

The QST was designed for this. The wider 100mm waist provides more float than the Maverick's 96mm, and the rockered tips let the ski ride up in soft snow rather than dive. In trees, in tracked-out bowls, in variable conditions where every turn is different — the QST adjusts naturally. It pivots when you need it to pivot and floats when you need it to float. The stiffer new build hasn't cost it that freeride feel; it just holds together better when the snow gets chopped up.

The Maverick handles off-piste capably — the HRZN tips help in soft snow and the overall construction is versatile. But it's clearly more at home on groomed terrain. In genuine powder or challenging off-piste, the QST has a noticeable edge.

3. Edge Hold on Hard Snow

Winner: Maverick 96 CTI.

Both skis carry titanal, but the Maverick leans on it harder, and its stiffer chassis puts more edge into firm snow. On ice and wind-scoured hardpack, it grips with a confidence the more rockered QST 100 still gives up a bit of. For skiers who run into icy conditions a lot, this is a real reason to lean Maverick.

The QST 100 closed some of this gap — it grips firm snow better than the 98 did, and Cork Damplifier 2.0 at the tips and tails keeps it from getting nervous. But absorption and grip aren't the same thing. The QST smooths out the vibration of hard snow. The Maverick bites into it and holds.

4. Quickness Underfoot

Winner: QST 100.

Let's be straight about weight, because the easy assumption is wrong. These aren't pulling apart on the scale — the Maverick 96 CTI comes in around 1,800 grams per ski, and the QST 100 lands in the same neighborhood, give or take. The QST isn't the featherweight here.

What it is, is quicker to redirect. That's the rocker and the freeride shape talking, not a weight gap. You feel it most in bumps and tight trees, where the QST swings and resets faster. The Maverick's firmer, more metal-backed tune makes it feel more planted underfoot — a feature at speed on groomers, but it's why the QST gets the nod for quick, low-effort handling.

5. Playfulness

Winner: QST 100.

The QST pivots, smears, and redirects with a freedom the Maverick doesn't quite match. It's a ski that encourages exploration — duck into that tree line, drop into that chute, take the creative line through the mogul field. The rockered tips give it a lively feel that rewards active skiing across varied terrain. The new build is stiffer than the old 98, so it's a bit more ski to move around, but it kept the playful character that made the QST a QST.

The Maverick handles a wide range of conditions, but it does it from a more directional, point-it-and-go place. It goes everywhere; it just prefers the maintained surface and a committed turn over a smeared one.

6. Stability at Speed

Winner: Maverick 96 CTI.

When you point it downhill and open up, the Maverick's stiff chassis and firmly tuned titanal keep things composed. The ski doesn't wander, doesn't chatter, doesn't demand attention at speed. You can trust it at the velocities most advanced skiers actually reach on a regular day.

The QST 100 made up ground here. The stiffer chassis and Cork Damplifier 2.0 keep it noticeably calmer at speed than the old 98 was — it's less nervous when the speedo climbs. But its rockered freeride build still gives up a little composure at genuine speed, the kind where you're running a steep groomer with purpose. There, the Maverick is the calmer ride.

The Scoreboard

Three categories each — but don't read that as a tie. The new QST 100 closed real ground on groomers, edge hold, and high-speed composure, which is exactly where the old 98 used to get blown out. It still doesn't take any of those three from the Maverick. What it does is make the Maverick's wins narrower. The QST owns soft snow, quick feet, and playfulness; the Maverick owns firm-snow grip and speed. This comes down to where you ski most, not which ski is “better.”

The Amer Sports Question

Some skiers wonder: if Salomon and Atomic share a parent company, are these skis really that different? Yes. They share some R&D knowledge and manufacturing capability, but the product teams operate with distinct design philosophies. Salomon has historically leaned toward lighter, more playful constructions. Atomic has leaned toward structured, precise, metal-backed performance. The QST and Maverick are textbook expressions of those identities.

Think of it like Toyota and Lexus — same family, different priorities, different customers. The overlap in ownership doesn't mean overlap in skiing experience.

Who Should Buy the QST 100?

You're the skier who checks the weather radar for storm days. You know where the best tree runs are. You ski the whole mountain but you're drawn to the ungroomed, the variable, the interesting. Groomers are transportation between the good stuff. You want a ski that's light, responsive, and ready for whatever the mountain throws at you.

• Storm chasers and off-piste explorers
• Tree skiers who need quick pivoting
• PNW skiers dealing with heavy, wet, variable snow
• Skiers who want a quick, lively ski that still holds together at speed
• Advanced intermediates to experts who prioritize feel over outright grip

Who Should Buy the Maverick 96 CTI?

You spend 60% or more of your time on groomers. You like carving clean arcs. You appreciate edge hold and stability. You go off-piste when conditions are good but you don't plan your schedule around it. You want one ski that does everything well with a bias toward the maintained surfaces where you spend most of your time.

• Groomer-first skiers who want all-mountain capability
• Skiers who value edge hold and carving precision
• Speed-confident skiers who want stability at pace
• The “one ski quiver” buyer who leans toward hardpack
• Skiers who encounter icy or firm conditions regularly

Who Should NOT Buy Each Ski?

Don't buy the QST 100 if:You live on groomers and demand maximum edge hold. You ski fast and need rock-solid stability at high speed. You frequently encounter icy, firm snow and need a ski that bites. The new 100 is better on hardpack than the 98 was, but it still won't out-grip the metal-backed Maverick in those conditions.

Don't buy the Maverick 96 CTI if:You spend most of your time off-piste and want a ski that prioritizes soft-snow performance. You want a ski that pivots and smears and plays in tight spaces — the Maverick prefers to carve, not skid.

PTO Verdict

This comparison is less about better or worse and more about where your skiing actually happens. Pull up your ski app. Look at your run history. If most of your vertical is on groomed terrain with occasional off-piste adventures, the Maverick 96 CTI is your ski. If you actively seek out soft snow, trees, and variable conditions, the QST 100 is your ski.

For the typical PNW skier splitting time between groomed runs and storm-day exploration, it's genuinely close. The Maverick is the safer choice for most. The QST is the more exciting choice for those who earn their turns in the interesting terrain.

Both are available in our shop — browse Salomon and Atomic, or check where they land in our 2026 all-mountain ski rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the QST 100's Cork Damplifier actually work?

Yes. Cork genuinely absorbs high-frequency vibration, and on the 2026 QST 100 Salomon runs Cork Damplifier 2.0 — a cork-and-TPU insert at the tips andthe tails — to calm the ski in chop and crud. Just don't read it as “no metal”: the QST still has a titanal plate underfoot where the binding mounts. What softens its hard-snow bite compared to the Maverick is the rockered tips and the freeride shape, not a missing metal layer. You get a smoother, more playful ride that gives up some edge grip on firm snow. Whether that trade works for you depends on where you ski.

What does “CTI” actually mean on the Maverick?

CTI is Atomic's carbon-plus-titanal layup. On the current 96 CTI that means a single sheet of titanal underfoot paired with carbon over a Power Woodcore of ash and poplar. It's worth knowing that this is a recent rework: the previous Maverick 95 Ti ran two sheets of titanal and no carbon, which carved hard but could feel bossy in soft snow. The CTI trades one of those metal sheets for carbon and a stiffer wood core, so the ski keeps its edge grip but releases and pivots more easily. If you skied the old 95 Ti, the 96 CTI is friendlier in variable conditions.

Which holds up better over multiple seasons?

Both are well-built skis that hold up to regular use, and both carry titanal, so neither is a flimsy build. The more metal-forward Maverick tends to hold its flex pattern a touch longer under hard use, while the poplar-cored, basalt-and-glass QST can mellow slightly faster with heavy mileage. For a 30–40 day-per-season skier, both should deliver three to four solid seasons before noticeable degradation.

What about the wider QST 106 or Maverick 100 CTI?

If you lean heavily toward off-piste, the QST 106 is Salomon's wider freeride option — more float, less groomer precision. The Maverick 100 CTI adds waist width while keeping the titanal construction, making it a wider all-mountain option. For most PNW skiers, the 96–100mm range hits the sweet spot between groomer grip and off-piste capability.