At first glance, the updated Quest was easy to look at. The clean design and outward appearance demonstrated a good attention to detail that evoked efficiency. I thought buckle placement was solid, and the beefy singular upper cuff was a smart, effective feature that Salomon has kept around—a good weight savings measure that didn’t disappoint. It pulled my ankle snug into the heel pocket and secured my shins nicely for the downhill. The smooth overlap cuff design clenched in nicely as well.

The liners were posh but adequate, meaning they were comfy enough, but didn’t wow me either. I’ve become somewhat of an Intuition snob, but I don’t apologize for it.

Salomon made the lower cuff (scaffo) with Pebax plastic, admittedly, to shave weight, while the upper is still comprised of Polyethylene, a more dynamic plastic that is typically more responsive for inbounds charging. I found them to be a bit unmatched. The lower cuff was very stiff, and I wanted a bit more from the upper to drive the lower, so I could in turn drive the ski. I think the plastic recipe could be better balanced in the future. They’re on the right track, but they haven’t nailed it yet—at least for me.

By and large, the boots drove any skis I got my feet on, including the super fun Line Sick Day (110mm underfoot, twin tip). Medium radius turns through broken powder were consistent, and the Quest flexed smoothly throughout the turns. Bumps, however, were a different story, and I felt a little herky-jerky bringing the tails around.  

Now that Salomon offers both DIN and tech fitting soles upon purchase, the overall value of the boot increases considerably in my mind. What has decreased is the weight of the boot by over a pound (from the Quest 14). At less than eight pounds per pair, the Max BC was svelte enough for me to set my sights on bigger endeavors farther from the resort. If the 98mm last is in your ball park for foot width, I think the Quest has enough chops and walk ergonomics for guides and patrollers, and hucksters looking to get creative on how they hike to their launching pads.