Review: carbo katana vwerks 184

**verbier61** · 03-26-2013, 09:53 AM

http://coreshot.tumblr.com/post/4634...klcarbonkatana

**Adrider83** · 09-27-2013, 02:17 PM

Surprised there hasn't been more talk on this ski...I know it's expesnive...but any word for the field on what it's like?

**lepistoir** · 10-26-2013, 08:46 PM

how much does the ducking thing weigh?

**ulty_guy** · 10-27-2013, 12:53 AM

Thanks for the review! It'll be interesting to see how the performance and reliability stacks up through a full season. It's pretty impossible not to come away impressed after a quick handfukk, but seems like they also perform.

The obv downfall of the genre being lightweight + high surface area = bouncing around seems to have been addressed?

**jerr** · 10-27-2013, 01:53 AM

I'm utterly underwhelmed by this ski. I looked at it in NZ a few months ago. It's a shape that's been really well covered, made with "carbon", which is thoroughly embraced throughout the industry, for twice the price of a normal Katana. Who gives a fuck.

**verbier61** · 10-27-2013, 03:38 AM

It's way too expensive for me but I've a rich friend in verb who bought them, so I'll report about duability and satisfaction throughout the winter

**schindlerpiste** · 10-27-2013, 09:34 AM

I will not be buying a pair, but I don't get the hatred. I see it as a ski similar to small USA/China indie and other pricey "carbon" companies, but they are manufactured by a dependable "mega" company. After skiing just about everything made in the US, China and Europe, I would rather ski a ski from a major, reliable manufacturer, than an upstart Indie. This is not meant to take away from the smaller manufacturers mentioned, but to give props to the big guy.

**bfree** · 10-27-2013, 01:07 PM

I fondled a pair last week and was pretty impressed with the construction and weight. Funniest part was the print on the topsheets requiring the use of Marker bindings

**splat** · 10-28-2013, 07:05 PM

The design is interesting as a cap/duo core ski. The core is in the center, sloping up to the mount area, widening out and thickening underfoot, meaning the shovel and tail are pretty much straight composite only out to the edges. My carbon guy saw it at a tradeshow for carbon fiber people and gave me the rundown on the weave in the carbon. Not a very expensive weave, he said, but it appears sufficient for the job. I thought I saw some fiberglass in the layers at the cut along the edge. It might have been the thread used to hold the weave in place. Not sure what the specs are on it. I could appreciate the engineering twist on the narrow core/flat composite cap to edges characteristics of the ski from a material usage and simplified construction standpoint. The molds used are a bit more complex than small guys have the resources to make and are more justified for large volume production. Is that ski made in China or Austria?

**SiSt** · 10-29-2013, 02:11 AM

Originally Posted by splat

The design is interesting as a cap/duo core ski. The core is in the center, sloping up to the mount area, widening out and thickening underfoot, meaning the shovel and tail are pretty much straight composite only out to the edges. My carbon guy saw it at a tradeshow for carbon fiber people and gave me the rundown on the weave in the carbon. Not a very expensive weave, he said, but it appears sufficient for the job. I thought I saw some fiberglass in the layers at the cut along the edge. It might have been the thread used to hold the weave in place. Not sure what the specs are on it. I could appreciate the engineering twist on the narrow core/flat composite cap to edges characteristics of the ski from a material usage and simplified construction standpoint. The molds used are a bit more complex than small guys have the resources to make and are more justified for large volume production. Is that ski made in China or Austria?

I see the transverse profile primarily as a way to make it easier to ski and less "carbon-y". The very thin parts are essentially cantilevered from the thicker core which provides the longitudinal stiffness, but since they are so thin, they are much less stiff both longitudinally and torsionally. The effect should be roughly like building it with tip and tail taper, but if they did that it would no longer be a Katana and a lot of the marketing potential and ego-massaging of the customers would be lost.

They claim that a lot of the weight loss comes from the thin profile, but that's bs. The weight loss comes primarily from the change of laminate.

Very interesting ski, look forward to testing it.

**ACH** · 10-29-2013, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by splat

Is that ski made in China or Austria?

Neither...

Finstah · 11-01-2013, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by jerr

I'm utterly underwhelmed by this ski. I looked at it in NZ a few months ago. It's a shape that's been really well covered, made with "carbon", which is thoroughly embraced throughout the industry, for twice the price of a normal Katana. Who gives a fuck.

???

The V Werks carbon Katana retails for $1275-
The regular Katana retails for $1065-

But please, don't let facts get in the way of your disdain for a ski you haven't tried...

**jerr** · 11-01-2013, 03:11 PM

^^^$1275 - I take it that's the US cost? As I said, I looked at them in NZ - the cost was the equivalent of US$2066. Which is roughy twice the price of a regular Katana.

Has that cleared that up for you?

Finstah · 11-01-2013, 04:31 PM

Only cleared up the fact that I'm happy to spend my winters in the northern hemisphere.

And I have spent time on a V Werks Katana and think it's a damn fun ski.

Edit: after looking at the website of the NZ distributor of Volkl, you may want to talk to the manager of the shop you saw them at. They aren't twice as expensive...http://test.gravitysports.co.nz/index.php/skis.html/

**jerr** · 11-01-2013, 10:42 PM

We get skis 6 months before you do. Our season is over. I'm guessing that's the end of season dumping price. The cost during the season was NZ$2500.

Now, are you finished or do you have other way of being ill-informed?

Finstah · 11-02-2013, 07:38 AM

1- You are not telling the truth regarding pricing.

2- You're delusional if you think you see the new skis 6 months before we do.

Now I'm done.

**bl2000** · 11-02-2013, 09:00 AM

I say old chap, nice volley.

The 3-D shape of the top looks like Volkl liberally stole, er borrowed, from the guts of the very first generation Omeglass. Omega shaped structural elements help with edge hold: when you apply pressure on one edge, the other edge on the opposite end of the ski twists in an opposite direction. Sorry for the shitty explanation-it's easier to demonstrate than explain.

**XavierD** · 11-02-2013, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Finstah

1- You are not telling the truth regarding pricing.

2- You're delusional if you think you see the new skis 6 months before we do.

You are off on price too,
$1099 for V werks in US
$899 for reg Katana, which is unchanged and last years are avalible for $650ish, so yes almost 2x the price.

Also NZ starts selling the new gear before we do.

Finstah · 11-02-2013, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by XavierD

You are off on price too,
$1099 for V werks in US
$899 for reg Katana, which is unchanged and last years are avalible for $650ish, so yes almost 2x the price.
Also NZ starts selling the new gear before we do.

Nope. You're listing MAP pricing, which is what you should expect to actually pay. I listed MSRP.

Manufacturers base their production on the North American and European market. I expect to be seeing 2015 skis in 2-3 months with some of them available for sale at that time. You think they've been on 2015 skis in New Zealand for the last 4 months?

**ACH** · 11-02-2013, 10:42 AM

So, what is a reasonable estimate for the NZ market relative to volume?
I have a hard time excepting that timing for the season down there drives production for the rest of the planet.

Considering that there is a "pre production" run of skis that coincides with the key trade events in the EU and US, that then also provides demos for dealers to test at the mid to late Winter on-snow demos, it's possible I suppose that some product from these production runs might find their way down to markets in the Southern hemisphere. It should be noted however, that there is often tweaking that happens to skis between pre and mass production on the basis of feedback from the on-snow events and internal testing.

**XavierD** · 11-02-2013, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Finstah

I expect to be skiing on 2015 skis in 2-3 months with some of them available for sale at that time. You think they've been on 2015 skis in New Zealand for the last 4 months?

I was referring to the general public, not your special self. 2015 skis will be for sale in Sep/Aug '14 in NA. Many will be avalible over retail in NZ earlier in 2014.

No shit production is based off NA/Europe. That does not mean they won't be avalible earlier in NZ and AU.

Finstah · 11-02-2013, 03:08 PM

Many 2015 skis will be available to anyone who wants to buy them in January. Just like has been the case for the last 15 years.

Not sure when they become available in the southern hemisphere, or apparently Seattle...

Forget it... Yeah, yeah, Carbon Katanas are twice as expensive as regular Katanas and they totally suck because Jerr saw them in a shop once and wasn't impressed.

**jerr** · 11-02-2013, 06:53 PM

^^^Wow, you're quite something. Enjoy your season.

**XavierD** · 11-03-2013, 09:38 AM

I think the ski is awesome, and if weight means a lot to you it is probably worth it, but another $200 on top of $900 is not insignificant. If you were skiing on vwerk katanas all last spring, good for you all the ones I saw were in demo fleets.