Katana 108 - the resurrerection

**MagnificentUnicorn** · 02-11-2020, 07:12 AM

Kai and I hugged it out and shared a beer. All is well.

**SnowCreekChad** · 02-25-2020, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by GoldenBC

Skied the new Katana. My biggest takeaway is it is a very turny ski. Feel like it has a 16m turn radius despite what the specs say. Doesn't like to be let loose and run, wants to be worked and turned constantly, and across the fall line. That being said, it does turn well. It is soft and damp and holds and edge through chop. It is heavy. It is energetic. It is loud as hell. Like a carbon dps, but a few notes lower. Like riding a Norco VPS loud. I think the skis I skied could be more detuned, so I will reasses after I do that.

I regularly ski the Corvus in the same length. The Corvus is definitely a dead feeling ski but I want that in a freeride ski. Yes, when doing tight turns on flat groomers, it feels boring and dead but do Super G turns down a 30 degree groomer or charge fans in chop and I don't want a spring loaded ski. The Corvus has a much longer (and longer feeling) turn radius than the Katana. It is much more comfortable letting it run and doesn't feel like it needs to be on edge and finishing it's turns all the time. The Corvus flexes stiffer and feels stiffer.

I wouldn't buy the Katana. They have made it a fat carving ski.

FYI: 5'6" 155lbs. Skied the 184 Katana with no detune. I regularly ski the 183 Corvus with no detune, although at this point it has done it itself. I loved the 190 Corvus as well but didn't want a touring ski in that length. Would be curious about the 191 Katana.

Not sure we skied the same ski, as my experience was totally different. This ski is a beast! I can lay down GS turns in anything. I know have 7 days on the 184 K108 and have had it in everything from boiler-plate to 35cm's of fresh. Sure, you can turn the ski easily but this hardly makes it a "turny" ski. It is definitely not noisy either.

Maybe you should try this ski in a smaller size? At your weight, maybe you just aren't capable of flexing the ski? I own this ski in 184 and am a powerful 200Ibs skier. It would make sense... With the 3D radius, if you can't flex the ski, you can't take advantage of the bigger turn radius.

**1000-oaks** · 02-25-2020, 10:52 AM

^ What? Being too light to flex a ski makes it "turny"?

Lol.

**SnowCreekChad** · 02-25-2020, 12:44 PM

If you're speaking about a ski with three radius, then yes. If not flexed, then you can't engage the big radius of the tail and shovel... Or so I understand the technology. Of course I could be wrong... I'm just trying to figure out how the K108 could be reviewed as a turny ski.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paihpBeQMTk

**GoldenBC** · 02-25-2020, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by SnowCreekChad

Not sure we skied the same ski, as my experience was totally different. This ski is a beast! I can lay down GS turns in anything. I know have 7 days on the 184 K108 and have had it in everything from boiler-plate to 35cm's of fresh. Sure, you can turn the ski easily but this hardly makes it a "turny" ski. It is definitely not noisy either.

Maybe you should try this ski in a smaller size? At your weight, maybe you just aren't capable of flexing the ski? I own this ski in 184 and am a powerful 200Ibs skier. It would make sense... With the 3D radius, if you can't flex the ski, you can't take advantage of the bigger turn radius.

The k108 is a considerably softer ski than anything I've been on regularly. Have you flexed it? Including my 2002 1080s. When you flex the 3 radius shape, the ski becomes more turny. Also, basic ski sidecut science says you flex any ski and it becomes more turny. The entire point of 3D radius is so the ski isn't hooky. You are detuning the tip and tail. Running flat or doing casual long radius turns, you aren't bending the ski so the short radius isn't engaged and the ski is easy to handle. Really rail it and flex the ski and the short radius gets engaged and the ski moves fast. Think about how much harder you work the ski doing slalom turns. The level 4 instructor demoing with me was commenting the same thing, how the small radius would engage when he wasn't expecting it as he was railing big turns...

I haven't yet talked with anyone who hasn't said this ski isn't loud. Perhaps you are just thinking about the 25cm day.

We have repeated commented how this ski will suit a much larger audience because of how easy it is to ski. That old fans won't like it as it seems to thrive doing lots of turns instead of letting 'er buck. I'm not saying it's a bad ski at all. Just different.

**GoldenBC** · 02-25-2020, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by SnowCreekChad

If you're speaking about a ski with three radius, then yes. If not flexed, then you can't engage the big radius of the tail and shovel... Or so I understand the technology. Of course I could be wrong... I'm just trying to figure out how the K108 could be reviewed as a turny ski.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paihpBeQMTk

That video hardly shows someone doing big, fast turns. It also shows a ski that is wandering around when they try and open it up at all...

**rod9301** · 02-26-2020, 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by GoldenBC

That video hardly shows someone doing big, fast turns. It also shows a ski that is wandering around when they try and open it up at all...

Yeah, the downhill ski was moving all over the place. Hard to believe volkl would let out a video like this.

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk

**SnowCreekChad** · 02-26-2020, 08:22 AM

We will have to agree to disagree. I own this ski and it is neither soft to flex or loud to ski. Of course, I would be putting the sound against my current quiver. 184 Mantra M5, 184 V-Werks Katana, 186 Volkl Two and 185 Kuro.

I'm not sure how much time you put on this ski before deciding to post. I have 7 full days on the ski and totally disagree with everything you have written. I am an old Katana fan and see this ski as completely worthy of the Katana name.

**stuntmanbo** · 02-26-2020, 08:25 AM

How is it vs the Katana V-Werks ? Regarding float ? I love the Katana VW, I like also the 2017 flat Mantra. The old 2014 Katana Metal has a bit too much swing weight for my taste.

**1000-oaks** · 02-26-2020, 08:27 AM

The Mantra M5 video is pretty funny, most clips are clearly sped up.

**SnowCreekChad** · 02-26-2020, 09:14 AM

Stuntmanbo,

It obviously isn't as light as the V-Werks ski... But it definitely isn't as heavy as the old 2014 Katana. In saying that, I think that it is more stable and well-mannered than the V-Werks because of the extra weight. Easily the most stable ski I have skied on. Also, the Katana is super agile when you need it to be... Something the V-Werks lacked. Don't get me wrong... I love my V-Werks. Until the new Katana, it was my daily driver and by far my favorite ski. I will be keeping my VW ski in my closet for touring.

With regards to float, I reluctantly took this ski out on a 35cm day instead of grabbing my Volkl Two. My new Katana was brand new and I only had one day on it, so I decided to try it out in the fresh snow and it was awesome. Way better float than I expected. I was concerned about the Katana dropping from 112 to 108 but the ski floated beautifully.

I am so impressed with this ski, that I am selling my M5 as I no longer have a use for it. Everything the Mantra did on hard-pack days, the Katana does better.. My Volkl Two will be relegated to only deep pow days.. The new Katana is a quiver killer.

**Lord Thomas** · 02-26-2020, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by SnowCreekChad

Stuntmanbo,

It obviously isn't as light as the V-Werks ski... But it definitely isn't as heavy as the old 2014 Mantra. In saying that, I think that it is more stable and well-mannered than the V-Werks because of the extra weight. Easily the most stable ski I have skied on. Also, the Katana is super agile when you need it to be... Something the V-Werks lacked. Don't get me wrong... I love my V-Werks. Until the new Katana, it was my daily driver and by far my favorite ski. I will be keeping my VW ski in my closet for touring.

With regards to float, I reluctantly took this ski out on a 35cm day instead of grabbing my Volkl Two. My new Katana was brand new and I only had one day on it, so I decided to try it out in the fresh snow and it was awesome. Way better float than I expected. I was concerned about the Katana dropping from 112 to 108 but the ski floated beautifully.

I am so impressed with this ski, that I am selling my M5 as I no longer have a use for it. Everything the Mantra did on hard-pack days, the Katana does better.. My Volkl Two will be relegated to only deep pow days.. The new Katana is a quiver killer.

With the limited time I have on the K108 and bulletproof surfaces, I will reiterate how shockingly strong it was on edge. Vastly exceeded expectations at high speeds and high edge angles. Haven't had it in pow but I did take the 191 M102 out in bottomless last year specifically to test float. Again, vastly exceeded expectations, even with me at a tender 220lb. Bounced up and down and the tips came right back up to the surface. I have a special gift for torpedoing tips and going over the handlebars and would be comfortable skiing the 102 in 20" if I had to. More specialized skis would be preferred but I wouldn't hesitate to attack a stash when I found one. The K108, being essentially the same design, only wider, will be better. Volkl's new rocker profile that is being used on several of their skis floats way better than you would expect, even on the narrower models like the M5.

**bry** · 07-11-2020, 04:13 PM

Got some 191 K108s in the mail today. Pumped. Wife was like WTF. Told her I'm a collector now. Retail therapy from early Covid.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

**ChunderBumps** · 08-18-2020, 04:58 PM

It seems like there is divided consensus on this ski. Some people think it’s a charger, in the same light as the old Katanas, others don’t think it deserves the name. Some think it’s great for long radius turns, others say it turns too tight against the fall line and won’t run free. What did blister gear say about it in their flash review, after they called the Mantra 102 a charger?

**SnowCreekChad** · 10-29-2020, 09:19 AM

ChunderBumps

I don't have a blister account.. But I just found this posted by Powder 7.Best Skis of 2021: Big-Mountain

https://youtu.be/2txJaBQxX2k

They talk about the Katana at 2:50 in the video.

**TahoeBC** · 10-29-2020, 10:35 AM

Was running the BC version of the Katana last year, loved it so much when I saw they brought out a resort version this year I just ordered a pair right away without really looking at the specs. Was disappointing to see it was not a full reverse ski like my BC version but look forward to trying it out this year.

**turnfarmer** · 10-30-2020, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by TahoeBC

Was running the BC version of the Katana last year, loved it so much when I saw they brought out a resort version this year I just ordered a pair right away without really looking at the specs. Was disappointing to see it was not a full reverse ski like my BC version but look forward to trying it out this year.

I haven't seen the new Katanas, but most current Volkl free ride skis have so little camber(1-2mm) and it is relatively soft, that they are basically flat.

**SnowCreekChad** · 11-02-2020, 03:00 PM

**smooth operator** · 11-03-2020, 02:11 AM

^ That does look like a sweet profile. Allthough i am a bit bummed they didnt bring back the old one, I am very curious about this new ski, especially after all the praise the mantra 102 has been getting.

**gaijin** · 11-03-2020, 04:31 AM

The only thing I regret about buying a Mantra 102, and then skiing it in ultimate shit-fuck conditions, is that I bought it a year before the K108 was released.

I find it really hard to believe, should I ever be on a K108, that I would wish it were 6mm narrower.

That said, the M102 is also my heavy side-country touring rig. Also hard to believe that I'll wish it were 6mm wider in any kind of pow I'll find to counter the weight on the uphill to get to said pow.

I guess both skis serve their purpose but we are surely splitting hairs at this point.

**SnowCreekChad** · 11-03-2020, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by smooth operator

^ That does look like a sweet profile. Allthough i am a bit bummed they didnt bring back the old one, I am very curious about this new ski, especially after all the praise the mantra 102 has been getting.

Smooth Operator... They still have the Katana V-Werks. It remains unchanged this year.. Still 112 and full rocker... But I own both and the new 108 is better in almost every way... Except weight. The V-Werks is much lighter.