VWerks Katana- How do you REALLY use it and what binding did you mount?

[Core Shot]

I came up racing and coaching in the era of Derbyflex PLUS risers PLUS boot shims for GS and speed skis before FIS regulated height off the ski. We were WAY up there, so the height of a frame Fritschi has never bothered me.

Thanks all for the continued feedback... good points to consider. Whatever I mount, it will be with inserts and epoxy to help secure the mount and aid retention.

I get it. But stack height only helps edge angle on hard pack.

On a soft snow ski, flat is where it’s at.

[singlecross]

I'm fortunate to have the metal Katana and an M102 in addition to the VWerks versions of both. Obviously the VWerks were meant to be strictly touring rigs, but I like the idea of making them more versatile (DIN toes) so I can be covered for all scenarios when traveling.

That said, neither of the VWerks skis to 100% of their metal relatives so I won't be getting rid of those any time soon anyway. Too many skis, not enough time.

Yep, My M102 is a great resort and travel ski with an alpine binding, a keeper for sure. It's performance prompted me to buy the VWerks Katana as a sidecountry, powder, occasional touring ski ($525 shipped to my door end-of-days sale was what really sealed it) I'm thinking these two should compliment each other well and be a great two-ski travel quiver.

I also just read all 17 pages of the "Swiss Cheese Experiment mounting thread". Danger.

Whats worse... 17 inserts per ski, or a Fritschi frame binding?

[stuntmanbo]

Do you use a shorter pair with the Atk's? Curious as to why or why not.

No I have both in a 184, but I hesitated to take 177 for the pair with the ATK. However that new pair of Katanas / R12 replaced a pair of BMT 109 176 which were a bit short. So I took 184. Actually I don’t size down for my touring skis, I just take the size I’m confortable with for the down, since I’m light I don’t need the big lengths.

[rod9301]

Intuitively i would say:
Metal Katana: Cast and an alpine boot
VW Katana: shift and whatever boot you like.
VW Mantra: pins

Why not pins on the vw katanas?

I have the mtn and it works great

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[rod9301]

No I have both in a 184, but I hesitated to take 177 for the pair with the ATK. However that new pair of Katanas / R12 replaced a pair of BMT 109 176 which were a bit short. So I took 184. Actually I don’t size down for my touring sticks, I just take the size I’m confortable with for the down, since I’m light I don’t need the big lengths.

Same here 184 resort and bc.
A little though for kick turns, but the down is good.

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[rod9301]

Same here 184 resort and bc.
A little though for kick turns, but the down is good.

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A little tough

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[cmsummit]

184 w/G3 Ions as my primary touring rig.....I like it.

[ciki62]

V weeks katanas are my favorite [emoji1305]. For anything fresh more than 10 cm. [emoji3]. I use ATK for touring and Tecton for resort and time to time touring. My katanas and mantras v Werks are my “heavy” resort and free touring skis so mounted with Tecton. It is trusted. Light and Safe. 3rd year on this binding.


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[rod9301]

All my bc skiing is on katanas with Salomon mtn.

Great everywhere, including steep firm couloirs.

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[phattypowpow]

V weeks katanas are my favorite [emoji1305]. For anything fresh more than 10 cm. [emoji3]. I use ATK for touring and Tecton for resort and time to time touring. My katanas and mantras v Werks are my “heavy” resort and free touring skis so mounted with Tecton. It is trusted. Light and Safe. 3rd year on this binding.

All my bc skiing is on katanas with Salomon mtn.

I'm have unmounted Mantra VWerks and am considering either Salomon MTN or Tecton but have been hesitant to drill since both of those binding patterns are borderline with the Vwerks mounting zone (H). Sounds like you guys have had success with both of those bindings so nothing for me to worry about? Also considering the same question for a pair of Katanas VW that will buy when the too-good-to-pass-up deal comes my way. Thanks!

[stuntmanbo]

We don’t really know if the « H » reenforced area is true or just marketing.

On the Mantra VW there is a layer of titanal so there should be no problem.

The ATK R12 / FR14 2020 is 100% inside the H.

I have a R12 on both my Mantra VW and Katana VW and no problem, great combo !

[rod9301]

Yeah, i was in the shop then the tech mounted the mtns and he cranked really hard on the screws, so no worries

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[zion zig zag]

I mounted VW Katanas w/MTN's using GFlex epoxy. I've got to have over 100 days on them at this point. 175 with no pack, not super aggressive but have skied all conditions with them.

[mrkbrnblm]

and have a NOS pair contemplated for the VWerks.

Yeah, he's high.

[Wetdog]

We don’t really know if the « H » reenforced area is true or just marketing.

On the Mantra VW there is a layer of titanal so there should be no problem.

The ATK R12 / FR14 2020 is 100% inside the H.

I have a R12 on both my Mantra VW and Katana VW and no problem, great combo !

The H shape binding area is real. Not sure if it was meant as marketing, but they recommended Marker bindings because the H pattern was designed to accommodate their hole pattern and they could only guarantee the integrity of mounts within that area. Marker and Volkl are partnered like Look Dynastar etc.

If you look at any of the volkl touring skis where the top sheet is clear, like the old Nanatuq’s, you can actually see the harder beech wood reinforced binding mount area as the wood is a different colour from the poplar wood that make up most of the rest of the ski. It is most definitely an H shape. You can see this in the graphic on their site when you click on the wood core option in specs under each ski.

Volkl mills groves in the softer poplar wood cores of their touring skis to create hollow spaces to save weight rather than using lighter less rigid woods, though they are using some Paulownia in the rise series. These milled grooves are shown in the graphic on their site as well. The area in the H shape mounting area is not milled. So softer wood and the potential to be drilling into air at one of the milled grooves is why they recommend mounting in the H pattern. Lots of people do it, just like lots of people ignore other recommendations and get away with it. I guess it’s testimony to the construction of Volkl’s skis that there have been no known issues. I personally have chosen bindings like the Dynafit Radical 2/Rotation, G3 Ion and Marker Kingpin that have mounting patterns which align with the H shape reinforced area. I understand that some of the free ride ATK bindings do now too.


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[sruffian]

purely anecdotal - I've put dynafit st's and atk r10's on bmt's with no problems. I mounted marker kingpins on the bmt 122's and the toe pins sheared off...

[Wetdog]

purely anecdotal - I've put dynafit st's and atk r10's on bmt's with no problems. I mounted marker kingpins on the bmt 122's and the toe pins sheared off...

Are you suggesting the BMT 122’s had something to do with the binding failure? The binding didn’t pull out of the ski did it?


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