Salomon Group

Salomon Group is a French sports equipment manufacturing company based in Annecy, France. It was founded in 1947 by François Salomon in the heart of the French Alps and is currently the European leader in outdoor sports equipment.[1][2] Salomon constitutes a part of Amer Sports, owned since 2019 by the Chinese group ANTA Sports [3] with sister brands Wilson, Atomic, Sports Tracker, Suunto, Precor, Arc'teryx.

Salomon Group
TypeSubsidiary of Amer Sports
IndustrySnowsports, Hiking. Retail
Founded1947 (1947)
FounderGeorges Salomon
Headquarters
Épagny-Metz-Tessy
,
Key people
Heikki Takala (CEO)
Revenue683 million (2004)
Number of employees
2,800 (2004)
ParentAmer Sports
(Subsidiary of ANTA Sports)
SubsidiariesMavic
Websitesalomon.com

Company information

Salomon was founded in 1947 in the city of Annecy in the heart of the French Alps. François Salomon launched the company by producing skis edges in a small workshop, with only his wife and son to help. More than 70 years later, Salomon has become a global leader in outdoor sports, with a diverse range of products that enable consumers to play outside 365 days per year. Along the way, the brand has developed products for trail running, hiking, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and snowboarding. [1][4]

Salomon's current CEO is Jean-Marc Pambet. Heikki Takala is the CEO of its mother group, Amer Sports, headquartered in Helsinki (Finland). The US operations of Salomon are located in Ogden, Utah.

Market

Landmark Salomon skis: the 1080 and the Axecleaver

Salomon produces products for various sports markets, including trail running, hiking, climbing, adventure racing, skiing, and snowboarding in over 40 countries on five continents. They used to manufacture inline skates, transferring technologies from their ski boot range, but have not released any in recent years (possibly due to an infringement judgement).[5] Many in-line skaters consider these to be some of the highest quality skates for street and vert skating.

Design

A Salomon alpine boot (2010).

After a five-year research project, the SX series of ski boots was introduced in the beginning of the 1980s. The boot was the result of collaboration with the French designer Roger Tallon.

The SX91 ski boot was launched in 1984, the result of collaboration with the young French designer Roger Pitiot. The boot contained a number of innovations such as the sliding forward-flex control.

Salomon's dedicated design center is in Annecy, France.

Salomon QST Skis

QST are freeride skis that go closer to all mountain category the narrower you go. QST construction is more flexible than Salomons piste oriented all mountain range XDR. XDR 84 and 88mm models have full Titanium layer in them, QST only has Titanium under foot on some models.

QST surpassed Salomon Quest range of skis. Worth mentioning is also the Salomon BBR range skis that pioneered the big shovel ski design.

Salomon QST 118

Pure powder ski with aggressive rocker (26% tip / 22% tail), doesn't carve easily on slopes, but his large rockers allow it to be really an all-mountain ski. Have stayed physically almost unchanged and only color scheme has been updated over the generations. Exception to this is added cork to the tips and tails of the mk3 model.

QST 118 mk1 2016/2017 and 2017/2018

Blue tops and grey/blue bases.

Length cmTip mmWaist mmTail mmRadius mWeight g mk1/mk2 Weight g mk3
171139118126"24"
178140118127"24"
185142118129"24"
192143118130"24"
QST 118 mk2 2018/2019

Brown/green tops and brown/yellow bases. Graphics update only.

QST 118 mk3 2019/2020

Dark grey tops and black/yellow bases. Dimensions unchanged. Added cork to the tips and tails to aid dampening.

Salomon QST 106

Off piste ski that has more traditional shape and can carve a turn on piste. Every generation has updates compared to previous one.

QST 106 mk1 2016/2017 and 2017/2018

Orange tops and blue/orange bases. Core: Flax / Carbon Spaceframe Wood Core

Length cm Tip mm Waist mm Tail mmRadius mWeight g
167 136 106 124201770
174 138 106 125201820
181 140 106 126201870
188 142 106 127201920
QST 106 mk2 2018/2019

Red tops and orange/red bases. External dimensions unchanged to mk1, but construction is stiffer. Core: Poplar + Titanal Underfoot + Koroyd Tip/Tail Inserts + Carbon/Flax/Basalt Laminate. This ski was well praised and won several recommendations.

QST 106 mk3 2019/2020

Green tops and orange/black bases. New shape and construction again. Rocker 25% tip and 17% tail. Hevier than mk2, but better damped with koroyd changed to cork on the tips and tails.

Length cmTip mmWaist mmTail mmRadius mWeight g
167137106123171800
174138106124181930
181139106125192080
188140106125202200


Salomon QST 99

QST 99 sits in the middle of the range and is the "do it all" ski of the QST range. This is considered a ski that you can do touring, off piste and piste skiing.

QST 99 mk1 2016/2017 and 2017/2018

Blue / gray tops and black bases. Core Construction: Poplar + Titanal Layer + Carbon & Flax Laminate

Length cm Tip mm Waist mm Tail mm Radius m Weight g
167 134 99 116 19.0 1815
174 136 99 118 19.2 1990
181 138 99 120 19.4 2025
188 140 99 122 19.6 2110
QST 99 mk2 2018/2019

Black/saffron tops and black bases. Added a basalt layer. Shape and dimensions unchanged.

QST 99 mk3 2019/2020

Dark Blue tops and black bases. New shape with 20% tip rocker and 15% tail rocker. Poplar wood core now with added cork that helps dampening. Carbon Powered C/FX and basalt for rigidity. Mk3 QST 99 new construction is heavier than its predecessors, trade of between high speed caving stability and touring.

Length cm Tip mm Waist mm Tail mm Radius m Weight g
167 134 99 116 19 1700
174 136 99 118 19 1830
181 138 99 120 19 2090
188 140 99 122 20 2295

References

  1. Hogen, Jackson (December 2010). "Georges Salomon". Skiing Heritage: 44.
  2. Sirak, Ron (September 17, 1997). "Organizers announce field for Skins Game". Ocala Star-Banner. Florida. Associated Press. p. 6D.
  3. Salomon, Owner update, 2019 [China’s Anta Sports closes in on €5.6bn takeover of Finland’s Amer] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/07/22/1885922/0/en/Change-in-Amer-Sports-Corporation-s-financial-reporting-schedule.html | https://www.chicagobusiness.com/consumer-products/wilson-sporting-goods-parent-be-acquired-52-billion | | https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/15393732
  4. Lipe, Gordon (November 1968). "Salomon atni-sgock-competition step-in". Skiing. p. 100.
  5. Judgement Forces Salomon to Cease All Sales of Alleged Patent-Infringing Skates from thefreelibrary.com
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