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Last season saw Salomon introduce the Quest ski boot. A hybrid AT boot with the performance of an alpine boot, but with a walk mode to open up the boot the growing number of alpine skiers freeing their heels and skinning up the mountain.
The more alpine biased models of the Quest alpine/AT hybrid were aimed at a clear target audience; occasional to moderate tourers who want a more stable and performance orientated boot for the descent, and alpine skiers looking to start hiking up the mountain to seek out great snow with familiar feeling and performing hardware on their feet.
 Salomon Quest 14The toe and heel alpine DIN pads are interchangeable with matching touring equivalents designed for use in dedicated touring bindings from the likes of Fritschi and Marker. The Pro and Pro Pebax come complete with touring pads, whilst the Quest 8, 10 & 12 (and for 2012, Quest 14) come equipped with the DIN alpine pads.
A safety note while on the subject; while you can use boots equipped with the standard DIN blocks in a touring binding, do not use the Quest equipped with touring pads in a regular alpine binding!
With some of the more freeride and inbound focussed touring bindings available now, together with the Quests, a real low compromise package is emerging for a 70/30 or an 80/20 lift served/skinning skier.
The Quest range already has high end and super lightweight Pro, and Pro Pebax models, along with the 120 flex Quest 12 for the inaugural season. For 2012 Salomon are adding a Quest 14 with a flex of 130 to satisfy those with a need for something a lot stiffer. The extra rigidity in the 14 comes courtesy of a longer and higher magnesium backbone. myCustomFit Race liners and a white and yellow colour scheme complete the look. It’s a serious boot for a serious skier. RRP £380.
The current ladies Quest Women now morphs into two separate models, with the current model becoming the Quest 8 Women with a flex of 80, and the introduction of the Quest 10 Women with a firm flex of 100.
A single last* of 100mm, a single oversized cuff buckle and a similarly beefy powerstrap come as standard across the entire Quest ski boot range in addition to the Biovent “liner exhaust” system which allows moisture to wick away from inside the boot.
• We get asked this a lot, “last” is the technical and fairly non-descriptive term for the width of inner ski boot where the front of your foot rests. An average range market wide of approximately 95mm through 105mm provides the average user with racing snugness and high performance/responsiveness at the narrower end through to a more comfort orientated fit at the wider.
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Ski News 
