2023 Volkl Katana 108

Beastly, wide, and full of metal, the Volkl Katana 108 gets a graphics recharge for 2023, but remains the same burly ski for advanced and expert skiers who value strength and stability over pretty much anything else. Built with a multi-layer wood core, titanal frame, and a 3D radius sidecut, the Katana has most of the technology found in the narrower skis of Volkl’s all-mountain freeride division, while remaining a bit different due to the more tapered shape and rockered profile. That shape goes on to generate a tighter arc underfoot because the widest parts are brought closer together, but the tips and tails generate longer shapes, ranging from 34 to 39-meters in the 184. This allows for smoother plaining and smearing even though the ski is built for charging. All of our testers found themselves on the 184 cm length.

Bob St.Pierre noted that the 184 was just right, with the 191 likely being “off the table” in terms of sizing. He scored the ski 5 out of 5 for stability, and that was the lone 5 on the scorecard. 4’s were given for overall impression and flotation. A lowly 2 for forgiveness isn’t terribly surprising, and the rest of the scores were 3’s. Bob states that the Katana 108 is “Very metallic, strong, and stable. You really have to push it to make it go. Getting it in softer snow helps the process a whole lot. Not a great choice for intermediates or lollygaggers. Needs to be driven like a rally truck in order to come to life. Very specific set of parameters needed to operate this machinery. No drugs or alcohol.” Skiers really do need to pay attention out there, especially on a ski like this that requires every inch of focus. Mike Anglin noted that the 184 “Skied a little long, but I don’t think I’d size down.” Mike gave it 5’s for flotation, stability, and overall impression. 4’s followed close behind for playfulness, torsional stiffness, edge hold, and versatility. Mike has “always wanted to try these monsters, and finally got the chance. The Katana 108 did not disappoint, bringing its wide sword and slaying everything I threw at it. Short turns were a bit much, but still felt playful especially when the speeds increase. These quietly blasted through the manky deep corn with no speed limit, and provided a solid confident platform while doing so. Katana feels at home with wide open spaces, but can be a bit scary when things get tight. Going to reserve this one for the expert-to-expert pro as the Katana is a sword that needs to be handled by the most skillful ninja ripper.”

Matt McAlary, in terms of sizing, notes that “It felt pretty true to length. I think most of this could be attributed to the weight of the ski, as you can really feel the ski all the way through the tip. I'm not too sure if I would go with this size or one shorter. I think If I lived out west and was skiing super-fast, the 184 would be good, but for anything else I would go with the smaller size... I'm short.” On paper, he’s likely a 177 skier, but preference is more important than stats. Matt had some variation in his scores, as one would expect from a fairly specific ski, with 2’s out of 5 given for quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, and forgiveness. On the other hand, we see 5’s for flotation, stability, torsional stiffness, and edge hold with a 4 for overall impression. In his mini-novela about the Katana 108, Matt states that “This thing is a powerhouse of a powder ski that actually links up on firmer snow quite well. It's a beast that takes quite a bit of effort to tame. Heavy, stiff, and wide, this ski has difficulty understanding the meaning of the words quick and agile, but it's not really designed to be that type of ski. This thing CHARGES. It likes making wide arcs at fast speeds, and as fun as that is, you really can't get complacent or lazy on this ski. I wouldn't say you always need to have the thing on edge, but when you get it up to cruising speed, you had better make sure you're in the driver's seat with two hands on the wheel. It busts through chop and crud very easily, but what I found out pretty quickly was that it didn't feel forgiving or absorbing enough if you hit a big or very abrupt bump. It felt like all of the shock just went into my body, where a ski that had a slightly softer shovel did a better job at mitigating the forces being transferred into my body. In smaller, choppier bumps where you'd see higher-frequency vibrations, this ski felt very smooth and insanely confidence-inspiring. The Katana 108 released easier than I thought and I could actually make some rounded-off turns if I wanted to. Where I think people would have difficulty doing that is just based on its weight. There's very little versatility to be talked about with this ski. You could definitely ski it on a groomer, but anything aside from that or other wide-open terrain, pick another ski. In terms of terrain, this ski seems best suited to wide-open terrain with softer snow where you're able to ski fast. In tight trees or bumps, this ski would be a nightmare for most people. If you want a powder ski that feels like a World Cup GS ski, then this is the ski for you. If you tend to have more playful tendencies in your ski style, I would point you toward another ski. This ski is pretty obviously geared towards the upper echelon of skiers and requires both good technique and an aggressive style.”

If you’re blasting around the mountain and are looking for a wider ski to complement something more all-mountain/front-side oriented, the Katana 108 is a beefy place to start. There’s a whole lot of good stuff going on here, it’s just that it’s a whole lot of stuff, and skiers need to be ready to drive and be active on this thing or else they’re just going for a ride.