Any opinions on how the 184 Katana compares to the Dynastar M Pro 108 192cm (or 182cm to keep it apples to apples on length). Anyone here ridden both? Trying to decide which one to go for this season
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Any opinions on how the 184 Katana compares to the Dynastar M Pro 108 192cm (or 182cm to keep it apples to apples on length). Anyone here ridden both? Trying to decide which one to go for this season
I’m going to be comparing 191 Katana 108s to 192 MPro 108s this season. The Katanas were my “daily driver” last season, I will be buying another set probably next year. I haven’t tried the MPros yet. In hand the Katanas are noticeably stiffer. I cannot imagine the MPros being as good on firm snow as Katanas, nor as carvey as Katanas are. I can imagine the MPros being the better soft snow ski, and being better for jumping off things.
Level Nine Sports has all sizes of the 2024 Katana 108 on sale for $467 right now. Even have 191’s for you maniacs.
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The MPro 105s (I have another pair mounted up, love them) have more of a “race room” feel in hand. The MP108s are a bit softer overall, however they may actually have the more consistent flex pattern. Pro Riders have a noticeably stiffer camber section and feel stiffer through the less rockered tail, but then the tip gets as soft as the MP108s. MP108s feel pretty stiff underfoot and then very gradually get softer through the tips n tails. The most noticeable difference besides the racier feel of Pro Riders, is the MP108 has a modern swing weight feel. Feels like more of the mass is centered underfoot. Even though only 100g/ski difference, carrying the MP108s feel like tiptoeing in a garden whereas I immediately notice a lot more torque on my forearms moving the Pro Riders around.
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After spending more time playing air guitar with all of them, the Katanas are not actually that much stiffer than MPro 108s. Katanas and Pro Riders could be seen as similar in terms of overall average bending hand flex, Katanas being the more consistent, but Pro Riders torsional stiffness is unmatched in hand or on snow. On snow, Pro Riders feel much stiffer and beefier and have a higher speed limit (also a lot more locked in).
Can’t always go by hand flex. The Declivity X 115 are 2500g, stiffer than all of them in hand, but I find on snow they ski softer than Katanas and especially Pro Riders. As they should, being a lot more pow specific. But the fact that they hand flex noticeably stiffer, then have a slight “jiggle” underfoot for me when I ski them hard, makes me think hand flexing means little.
Good find! I saw those on LevelNine a few times over the summer, but I coulda sworn they were a bit higher priced and said “limited stock, available for pickup at SLC locations” or something like that.
Wow, I should snag a pair. I didn’t want to buy anymore skis this year, but then I see Corbetts price on Reckoner KFs..and now these pop up. I’ll regret not getting those this time next year when I’m looking for new-in-plastic 191 Reds. I’ll be kicking myself in the ass harder if Volkl discontinues them after this pink year, which I have a feeling they will.
Good post, forumskier. Interesting comparisons.
I know this will sound completely retarded, but part of me wants to whack a 200gr binding on an MPro 108 for big lines in NZ backcountry.
I used to ski 18x full rocker double metal 2010ish Katanas with minimal touring bindings; one of my all time favorite combos honestly. Unstoppable skis, way fun.
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I finally picked up a pair of 184 Katana 108s, used, drilled for my BSL - mounted bindings and they're unskiable. Crazy hooky, the slightest tip on edge and they want to turn sharply and immediately. Conditions are Tahoe firm right now - basically testing these on groomers, nothing else is skiable.
I checked bases for flatness (ski visions tool), set base edge bevel at 1* (they were slightly uneven), set side edges at 2* (pretty sure they were at 1*, and I do 2* in everything that isn't a pure hard groomer ski). Polished with diamond stones, de tuned tips and tails a little, and... No improvement, still hooky.
Detuned the tips and tails more aggressively. Mild improvement, still hooky. Dulled the entire edge somewhat. Still hooky.
Anyone else just not get along with this ski? It feels nothing like the original 191 Katana, which I loved. I was hoping for some of that magic feel, in a more groomer friendly package for travel ski use. This ski doesn't have it.
^^^ I wish I had an answer for you. My guess is the previous owner put a new tune on them. My pair skied beautifully right out of the wrapper, as did the Kendo and M102. When I beat hell out the M102 they came back from the shop all together different. Others here have had a similar experience. My only gripe about this line of Volkls is they seem extremely sensitive to tuning. Somebody here was looking into the solution but I don't know what came of it. Good luck
Yeah, i love the k108, maybe not as much as the previous katanas, in powder only though.
Not hooky
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I picked up a cheap pair of 184 demos to see what this ski is like and compare it to my 191 originals and Cochises. I must have gotten a cursed pair with a shitty tune also. I usually like the tunes at the shop these came from, but maybe they had some new guy practice tuning on these or something. I couldn't get them to carve at all on groomers. They're solid rocketships through crud and have that Volkl feel, but I couldn't figure them out at all. Moving the binding so I'm 1cm behind the line helped a lot, but still too much work. These will be headed to the ski swap next fall.
I’ve been skiing with family that have the same BSL, and have been swapping run to run between my M6 Mantras, K108s and VWerks Katanas, all in 184cm. All great skis, but have been most surprised at the extent to which the K108s match the bumped-out all mountain and firm groomer versatility of my Mantras, as well as the soft snow tree ninja prowess of my Vwerks. These could easily serve as my only ski.
SOLD
I'm selling my pair of Katana 108. 184 cm, drilled for STH2 @ 305. Very nice condition, skied maybe 30 days. Edges touched up with diamond stones only, never tuned. Bases and top sheets minor cosmetic scrapes and scuffs only. $269 shipped USA ski only. PM me for pics via text or email.