Katana 108 - the resurrerection

[glademaster]

That’s good, just get some 192 m Free 108s now. $419 with free shipping last time I checked


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

I'm 5'7", weigh 150 pounds and ski hills with lots of bumps and tight trees. If I was going to get MFree 108's it would be the 182 for sure.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

I'm 5'7", weigh 150 pounds and ski hills with lots of bumps and tight trees. If I was going to get MFree 108's it would be the 182 for sure.

I assumed you were man sized, the 182 would be perfect


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[glademaster]

Nope, I'm short and light, but I make up for it with my hirsuteness.

I can't help but think that skiing for me and skiing for someone who's 100 pounds heavier and 6 or 8 inches have to be two very different sporting experiences. I.e. a pile of slightly set-up crud that you can just pulverize would be something I could pop a nice little air off of.

[Lord Thomas]

If I'm gonna "pop a nice little air off of" something it had better be made of either granite or basalt. My hirsuteness doesn't seem help in that regard. Gravity is gravity...and I got a lot of it.

[glademaster]

Hahaha, that confirms my suspicions.

[Shorty_J]

How are folks tuning these? Any major changes from the factory tune w/r/t bevels, just a quick detune of the tapered sections, something in between?

I wonder if some people who think it's hooky had a bad tune or didn't detune?

I don't own K108s but I did just buy a pair of Blaze106 and they are dead flat under foot but a little bit edge high towards the front and back, didn't appear to have a base bevel (though I'm not 100% on this), and are razor sharp. That sounds like a recipe for "hooky" to me.

Mine are getting flattened and re-bevelled now before I mount and ski them for the first time. I will detune a little as well when I get them back.

Sent from my SM-A505W using Tapatalk

[Mustonen]

I didn’t find them hooky, though I thought the side cut was a little weird. I didn’t detune at all.

[diggins1712]

For those that might be interested, a few pairs of demo Katanas for sale. I messaged the guy about the 191’s and apparently there’s only 3 days on them. Shipping with FB is only $25:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...1594683386092/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AEV]

I have seen maybe 10-15% of people say they feel the skis want to pull across the fall line in certain situations, when compared to a ski with a longer radius. I'm normally in that small-ish percentage of people that feels that kind of stuff. And I'm broke, so I can't take that risk. If I was flush, hell yah I'd take the risk for this ski, since Volkl did put that Katana badge on it and I do somewhat trust Volkl more that other brands.

I guess it depends on how you weight the ski with this K108? That's what I've seen some people say. Have any of you tried Asym on firm snow, and not liked it, but then liked this Volkl 3-integrated sidecut stuff?

[Bandit Man]

I have seen maybe 10-15% of people say they feel the skis want to pull across the fall line in certain situations, when compared to a ski with a longer radius. I'm normally in that small-ish percentage of people that feels that kind of stuff. And I'm broke, so I can't take that risk. If I was flush, hell yah I'd take the risk for this ski, since Volkl did put that Katana badge on it and I do somewhat trust Volkl more that other brands.

I guess it depends on how you weight the ski with this K108? That's what I've seen some people say. Have any of you tried Asym on firm snow, and not liked it, but then liked this Volkl 3-integrated sidecut stuff?

I skied my K108's in 12-18" of super light snow on top of a very firm/icy crust. It is fair to say that I did feel the edge dig into that icy layer below right under foot more quickly than when I was skiing the same conditions two days earlier on the Cochise 106. So, yeah...not hooky but the ski definitely engages more readily and actively in those steep, firm conditions. I can see where that may be off-putting for some styles. Because of this, the Cochise 106 feels more agile and easier to throw around/change direction. The odd thing is that the minute I decide to point it and charge the pow with that funky crust underneath, the Katana becomes the better ski, as it floats better, is more damp, and just crushes the irregularities in the snow conditions. Then you get it one to a groomer and it just cruises effortlessly.

I do wonder what would happen if they opened up the sidecut of the K108 under foot. Since the 191 is 21-m under foot, maybe I just need one of those?

[swissbro]

I skied my K108's in 12-18" of super light snow on top of a very firm/icy crust. It is fair to say that I did feel the edge dig into that icy layer below right under foot more quickly than when I was skiing the same conditions two days earlier on the Cochise 106. So, yeah...not hooky but the ski definitely engages more readily and actively in those steep, firm conditions. I can see where that may be off-putting for some styles. Because of this, the Cochise 106 feels more agile and easier to throw around/change direction. The odd thing is that the minute I decide to point it and charge the pow with that funky crust underneath, the Katana becomes the better ski, as it floats better, is more damp, and just crushes the irregularities in the snow conditions. Then you get it one to a groomer and it just cruises effortlessly.

I do wonder what would happen if they opened up the sidecut of the K108 under foot. Since the 191 is 21-m under foot, maybe I just need one of those?

And that’s the reason I much prefer my K108 over my Rustler 11. They ski most powder as well as the Rustlers and handle hard/icy snow much better. The other day I skied my OG Bodacious, OG Cochise, and my K108 in a few inches of dense powder on top of bulletproof groomers. On the K108 I could make turns where I never made contact with the underlying hard snow. Floating in 2-3”. It wasn’t possible with the other two pair unless I straight lined it.
Got them out in 16” of powder at Winter Park today. Will definitely not ski my Rustler 11s anymore. Just handles so easily in untracked and cut up chop, you start to feel your cheating. I think the long radius in the front keeps them from hooking or getting deflected. Now I want to try the M102s.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Bandit Man]

Ian McIntosh tours on his Katana K108’s.

[Bandit Man]

For those that might be interested, a few pairs of demo Katanas for sale. I messaged the guy about the 191’s and apparently there’s only 3 days on them. Shipping with FB is only $25:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...1594683386092/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These are now gone ‘cause I just bought them.

[kc_7777]

These are now gone ‘cause I just bought them.

Hahaha

One day banditman we are gonna have beers at Whistler.

On me.

Just cause you are a quiver god.

Well played.

[klauss]

He’s cornering the market Mortimer

[ticketchecker]

Hahaha

One day banditman we are gonna have beers at Whistler.

On me.

Just cause you are a quiver god.

Well played.

I would gladly chip in a round at that session

[Bandit Man]

Hahaha

One day banditman we are gonna have beers at Whistler.

On me.

Just cause you are a quiver god.

Well played.

In reality, I’m not much of a drinker, but looking forward to a day when I am able to migrate to the north and take some laps with you and some of the other Whistler Mags. The 191’s will crave some turns in the WB alpine.

[diggins1712]

These are now gone ‘cause I just bought them.

Nice!

I’m jealous of your quiver budget. Maybe I can take them for a spin at Crystal/Alpental sometime as a finders fee?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bandit Man]

Nice!

I’m jealous of your quiver budget. Maybe I can take them for a spin at Crystal/Alpental sometime as a finders fee?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That sounds more than reasonable!

[Bandit Man]

Gonna leave this right here...

https://theskimonster.com/products/volkl-katana-108/

$399...free shipping and no tax. 184’s almost gone. No 191’s.


Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums

[Bandit Man]

Gonna leave this right here...

https://theskimonster.com/products/volkl-katana-108/

$399...free shipping and no tax. 184’s almost gone. No 191’s.


Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums

Those went quick. Only 177’s and 170’s left.

[Bandit Man]

These arrived today. Only 190-cm in actual length with a straight tape pull.

[cstefanic]

^have you noticed the topsheets on the tails getting mega beat-up? My pair has 3 days on it and looks like i took a belt sander to the tails. I can only assume it's from sitting duck-footed on the lift, but still...oof.

[Mustonen]

^have you noticed the topsheets on the tails getting mega beat-up? My pair has 3 days on it and looks like i took a belt sander to the tails. I can only assume it's from sitting duck-footed on the lift, but still...oof.

It seems they wrapped the top sheet in wax. I noticed this too as I was selling them. I have skis that have 40 days on them that looked cleaner on certain areas of the top sheet. They were still minty otherwise.

[STLHD]

It seems they wrapped the top sheet in wax. I noticed this too as I was selling them. I have skis that have 40 days on them that looked cleaner on certain areas of the top sheet. They were still minty otherwise.

Minty and ski great. Still like my M102s enough to keep both pairs around, though.