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2021 Völkl Katana 108

SkiTalk Test Team

Testing skis so you don't have to.
Admin
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Mar 5, 2017
Posts
1,202
Drahtguy Kevin: Sweet mother Mary, what a ride. This new offering doesn’t have a traditional damp feel, but the dampness is there. It has an almost carbon feel. The Katana 108 is a mover and shaker that doesn’t try to run away. It is a snap to stay on top of in variable snow and groomed, and you can drive it hard and not get punished. The strong and predictable nature combined with quickness made me forget the width.

Insider tip: This is a strong ski for strong skiers.​
 
Awards
Who is it for?
Strong skiers wanting a wider all-mountain ski will find a friend in the Katana 108.
Who is it not for?
Lightweights may find this ski a bit much.
Skier ability
  1. Expert
Ski category
  1. All Mountain
  2. Powder
Ski attributes
  1. Off Piste
  2. Trees
Segment
  1. Men

Specifications

right ad
Available sizes
170, 177, 184, 191
Dimensions
146-108-129
Radius
34/19/39m@184cm
Rocker profile
  1. Camber with tip and tail rocker
Construction design
  1. All new
Binding options
  1. Flat

Drahtguy Kevin

Après aficionado
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Nov 9, 2015
Posts
1,817
Location
Northern Colorado
Please compare and contrast the Katana 108 directly with the 100-eight.

The Katana is a much stronger, stiffer ski. It begs to be driven and trucks through chop like few other 1-0-something skis. It’s a more serious ski that you can let off the gas on and still have a good day.

The 100Eight, which I own, is a better pure powder ski with more natural float. It is more playful and pivots easier. It’s much softer in the tip and doesn’t feel as quick when carving back to the lift. It is lighter as well and the top-end can be reached when pushed.

Both are fine skis that could exist together in a large quiver.
 

GregK

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Mar 21, 2017
Posts
4,018
Location
Ontario, Canada
A more similar comparison to the 100Eight is the new Volkl Blaze 106 which replaces it. Added some low camber, the 3D radius for more versatility and it’s been getting great reviews.

Anxious to get on the Katana 108 as it looks like a great extension to the Mantra series that I’m a big fan of.
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
Admin
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Nov 1, 2015
Posts
42,624
Location
Reno, eNVy
A more similar comparison to the 100Eight is the new Volkl Blaze 106 which replaces it. Added some low camber, the 3D radius for more versatility and it’s been getting great reviews.

Anxious to get on the Katana 108 as it looks like a great extension to the Mantra series that I’m a big fan of.
While I didn't ski the K108, I do agree the 3D sidecut Völkl skis are fantastic.
 

Paul Frede

Getting on the lift
Industry Insider
Joined
Mar 29, 2017
Posts
112
I asked my Volkl rep about the difference between the Mantra 102 and the Katana 108. He said “The Katana is a meat stick for bad asses.” Nuff Said.
 

anders_nor

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Posts
2,597
Location
on snow
My rep/importer said the diff was there, but not that drastic, so hmmmm...

the mantra 102 for me has worked as a early morning ski to rip before people wakeup, I've taken it for gromed runs at 06:45 when I've usually taken FIS GS skis and late in afternoon when everyhting is just piles of shit/ice as it doesnt seem to care and just rail through.

the mantra 102, 191cm has honestly been the only ski I haven't been able to fold except for race GS stuff in.. a very long time. So many skis claim "no speed limit" but has a very definte speed limit when going in bumps on carve makeing them fold.

If the 108 is indeed even more stick, I really want to try it,but not really something I want on demo bindings :eek:
 

anders_nor

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Posts
2,597
Location
on snow
Sooo to get back on this, the "carbon feel" nailed it.

they are friendlier for going slow than the mantra 102 for sure, they feel surpringly unlike and not related at all really. They also ski shorter than the M102 by quite a bit.

I have demo bindings on my 191cm katana 108 so will play around.

Better in tighter terrain & float, worse for the other stuff. They feel lighter than the M102.

To test the theory I put my 172cm GF on the 191 katanas, she actually skied them very well, but of course said they were to stiff.
 

chris_the_wrench

Spinning wrenches and throwing spokes.
Skier
Joined
Dec 20, 2020
Posts
1,368
Location
Chinook Pass
the mantra 102 for me has worked as a early morning ski to rip before people wakeup, I've taken it for gromed runs at 06:45 when I've usually taken FIS GS skis and late in afternoon when everyhting is just piles of shit/ice as it doesnt seem to care and just rail through.

the mantra 102, 191cm has honestly been the only ski I haven't been able to fold except for race GS stuff in.. a very long time. So many skis claim "no speed limit" but has a very definte speed limit when going in bumps on carve makeing them fold.
First off, your lifts turn at 6:45 in the morning!?!?!?
I just got my first day on my 191 m102's and wow was I loving them. Can't wait for more snow and more terrain to open up. I really liked the M5's but I like these better!

Sooo to get back on this, the "carbon feel" nailed it.

they are friendlier for going slow than the mantra 102 for sure, they feel surpringly unlike and not related at all really. They also ski shorter than the M102 by quite a bit.

I have demo bindings on my 191cm katana 108 so will play around.

Better in tighter terrain & float, worse for the other stuff. They feel lighter than the M102.

To test the theory I put my 172cm GF on the 191 katanas, she actually skied them very well, but of course said they were to stiff.

Like I said, I really enjoyed the M102 during our short relationship so far, except when I had to ski off the mountain down this very narrow, trees and shrubs sticking through the snow, very shallow pitch cat track. They love making those high speed turns, but I had to really focus and work at low speed tight turns.

I haven't skied a Katana in years(wanted to, just never found any), but based on your description I'm definitely going to keep watching for some!

-Chris
 

anders_nor

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Posts
2,597
Location
on snow
yeah, officially 07:00 for the local wednesday runs, but they do like to start them even earlier, you dont see many people not doing 50mph runs then, nobody standing under stuff, and its not frowned upon to let the skis run. Its usually "experts only" for the first 1 hour or so, sometimes 2.

yeah I did 1 day in tight trees with wet heavy deep snow on the 191 m102. NEVER EVER AGAIN, but might take the katanas...

I did find the katana 108 to feel a bit like m-free 108 when going fast, maybe a bit better than m-free, but worse for pivoting, so something in between, need to test the katana 108 more against the CT 3.0 which is my current favorite in that segment/width
 

Nicksouth

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Posts
3
Location
Wanaka
Sooo to get back on this, the "carbon feel" nailed it.

they are friendlier for going slow than the mantra 102 for sure, they feel surpringly unlike and not related at all really. They also ski shorter than the M102 by quite a bit.

I have demo bindings on my 191cm katana 108 so will play around.

Better in tighter terrain & float, worse for the other stuff. They feel lighter than the M102.

To test the theory I put my 172cm GF on the 191 katanas, she actually skied them very well, but of course said they were to stiff.
Hi. How tall are you skiing the 191? Cheers nick.
 

Nicksouth

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Posts
3
Location
Wanaka
Awesome, I'm 183cm but we don't get a lot of vertical to let them run at the resorts here in NZ, so might go with the 177. All the Volkl 177's I have owed previously mysteriously measure closer to 179, so never much of a gap to the 184's.
 

Nicksouth

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Posts
3
Location
Wanaka
Drahtguy Kevin: Sweet mother Mary, what a ride. This new offering doesn’t have a traditional damp feel, but the dampness is there. It has an almost carbon feel. The Katana 108 is a mover and shaker that doesn’t try to run away. It is a snap to stay on top of in variable snow and groomed, and you can drive it hard and not get punished. The strong and predictable nature combined with quickness made me forget the width.

Insider tip: This is a strong ski for strong skiers.​
Sounds like an awesome wider option daily driver
 

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