Katana 108 - the resurrerection

[MD12]

What length B97 do you have?


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183. I’m 6 2 and 200 lbs. sometimes question if I should have got the 177 - 183 is fantastic and seems like right length most of the time, but the unforgiving tail and long effective edge is a lot in steep tight bumps and tight trees - Not tub-manageable, but really need to be on my game.

[Bandit Man]

The Blister Gear review finally dropped for the Katana K108: https://blisterreview.com/gear-revie...lkl-katana-108

I usually align with Ellsworth on his reviews, but tend to align with Luke Koppa this time around...

Anyways, certainly worth a read...




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[Mustonen]

Not sure I really align with any of those guys....

[cstefanic]

Nothing really to contribute that hasn't been already stated, but because of this whole thread I picked up 184s from the Corbett's sale and have 3 days of groomers and chalky off-piste on these skis and immediately sold my 177 2013 Katanas.

[swissbro]

The Blister Gear review finally dropped for the Katana K108: https://blisterreview.com/gear-revie...lkl-katana-108

I usually align with Ellsworth on his reviews, but tend to align with Luke Koppa this time around...

Anyways, certainly worth a read...




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I weigh 186 and for me the Katana 108 is a wonderful carver on groomers. I find it better than my Brahma 180 or Bonifide 187 2017 model. What I find unique is the ability for one to start a long carve by loading up the tips and then with a subtle shift to the center of the ski you can tighten up the carve seamlessly. A groomer zoomer for me as long as it’s not icy. I also find it very easy to noodle about with minimal input by skiing it from my ankles. In general I’m much more aligned with Luke’s review. It’s now my all time favourite ski for steep, complex terrain. It just does so many things well.

And thanks Bandit Man for your opinions on the Katanas. I didn’t need another ski, but your posts created a want.


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[Mustonen]

Still have a pair of 184 for sale. Don’t let a couple holes in a big burly metal ski scare you away from saving a couple hundred bucks....

[Mustonen]

Still have a pair of 184 for sale. Don’t let a couple holes in a big burly metal ski scare you away from saving a couple hundred bucks....

[singlecross]

Fischers are the winner, after moving them back 1cm from recommended. Does everything the Katana does, but smoother and more powerful. The Katana has a looser feel and gets slapped around a little by chop (compared to the Ranger). Katana is much more nimble and easier to toss around, and I’m tempted to keep them for tight spaces and long days.... but not sure that actually makes sense.

I have the 184 Mantra 102 and really enjoy it, but just bought a 182 Fischer 107ti on a killer deal. Interested in your thoughts if your 107ti was less nimble than your Katana due to being longer. I hear the 107ti seems to ski "long"... looking forward to it if it is more powerful than the M102.

[Bandit Man]

Nothing really to contribute that hasn't been already stated, but because of this whole thread I picked up 184s from the Corbett's sale and have 3 days of groomers and chalky off-piste on these skis and immediately sold my 177 2013 Katanas.

[emoji16] glad they are working out for you.

Really the best “resort-friendly” Katana to date. The last full reverse camber version was burlier and better for dedicated off-piste use, but this new one just does everything else better and with less effort.

[Bandit Man]

Just noticed the speed...71-mph!! You’re moving on those boards!!

[cstefanic]

Just noticed the speed...71-mph!! You’re moving on those boards!!

they're funnnnnn

[Bandit Man]

Had the Katanas out today after skiing on more “spring-specific” skis the last few weeks. Conditions were 1-6” of new snow on top of a variable spring layer which was mostly an icy crust.

Katanas did okay on the really firm and crusty groomers but the M102 would have been less effort and more precise on edge.

That being said, the Katana made the off piste dust on crust conditions more than passable and actually enjoyable. I love the ability to get an edge on icy steeps combined with the looseness in the soft and variable snow. I took several laps in conditions I would have thought to be jarring on other skis. The really ski much like a full rocker ski in those conditions but with more edge grip.

I have some significant arthritis in one of my knees from an injury 25-years ago which makes skiing variable conditions suck. Today, on the Katanas, my knee was fine. They made the marginal to lousy off piste conditions fun.

[AEV]

How do these things compare to the old Katanas? Can they hold their own? I'm a little afraid of the sidecut technology going on with them, and then Blister saying they can be hooky in harder off piste conditions.

[Mustonen]

I have the 184 Mantra 102 and really enjoy it, but just bought a 182 Fischer 107ti on a killer deal. Interested in your thoughts if your 107ti was less nimble than your Katana due to being longer. I hear the 107ti seems to ski "long"... looking forward to it if it is more powerful than the M102.

Sorry...lost track of this. Partially it’s length, for sure. I think most of it is just that the Katana is looser, which isn’t to say the Ranger is locked in. Katana is a lighter touch and is more sensitive to rotational input.

“Nimble” is probably the wrong word to describe what I’m talking about. When I A/B the two skis it takes a little bit to dial back my input to the Katanas to keep them in line and not oversteer. Interestingly, switching to the Rangers I don’t experience the same transition in reverse. It’s not a negative thing, necessarily, but it does make them feel like they buck around a bit, especially in crud. On the positive side, they’ll twitch around to wherever you want them with minimal input. Almost like a full reverse. In steepish tightish trees yesterday with thin icy snow, I’d have been happier to have the Katanas, but mostly I was just worried about fucking up my new Rangers; they weren’t really a problem to maneuver other than the chance of catching a tip or tail on a tree or bush or rock or IAS.

Ranger in 189 is probably not the most fair comparison to Katana in a 184, but while both had a high top end, I don’t think I’ve even sniffed it with the Ranger, even on refrozen roughed up groomers, while in certain conditions I couldn’t quite relax on the Katana.

If I find a good deal on a 191 Katana I’ll probably give them a shot.

[singlecross]

^^^ Thanks for the insight. Looking forward to mounting the 107ti a couple cm behind the line and giving it the gas.

[Mustonen]

^^^ Thanks for the insight. Looking forward to mounting the 107ti a couple cm behind the line and giving it the gas.

Curious to know what you think. If I had them to mount over I’d still put them at 1cm back. Fun ski....

[/hijack]

[SnowCreekChad]

How do these things compare to the old Katanas? Can they hold their own? I'm a little afraid of the sidecut technology going on with them, and then Blister saying they can be hooky in harder off piste conditions.

I have about 50 days on my K108 and can honestly say that I NEVER find them hooky in any conditions. Perhaps this comes down to ski style? But for me, the K108 is the most stable ski I have ever skied in any conditions. I take them out every day in all conditions. The only time this season that I didn't grab the K108 was cat skiing. DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE SIDE-CUT... It is intuitive and takes very little time to figure out how to ski these weapons. You won't be disappointed!!!

[Bandit Man]

Skied my K108’s in soft spring groomers today. Crazy how quick they can be when it is soft but also how stable they are when blasting through piles of spring snow. They were a ton of fun today.

[singlecross]

Curious to know what you think. If I had them to mount over I’d still put them at 1cm back. Fun ski....

[/hijack]

Fischer Ranger 107 is a powerful weapon on spring groomers. Directional and precise with a tail that is all business. Sensitive to mount point... Anywhere behind the line and they would run away from me. I ended up on the line on my 182cm to get back into the pocket of the sidecut and get the tip back. Carve harder and not as loose as my Mantra102. Love them!

[//hijack]

[AEV]

Is anyone who's ridden them wishing they were still 112mm underfoot and full rocker? I guess in terms of platform to stand on in different types of crud or for float in powder.

I'm looking for a new daily driver, and wishing these were wider.

[Bandit Man]

Is anyone who's ridden them wishing they were still 112mm underfoot and full rocker? I guess in terms of platform to stand on in different types of crud or for float in powder.

I'm looking for a new daily driver, and wishing these were wider.

No. Skis like the K108 or MFree108 are more versatile and less soft snow specific. Yeah, owned four pair of the 112-mm version. Great skis but small market.

[jackattack]

Skied my K108’s in soft spring groomers today. Crazy how quick they can be when it is soft but also how stable they are when blasting through piles of spring snow. They were a ton of fun today.

Sounds like pretty much any metal charger in spring conditions.

[Bandit Man]

Sounds like pretty much any metal charger in spring conditions.

True...but they ski easier than many of those other metal chargers. That’s what is so amazing about the M102 and K108. You don’t have to be the strongest or biggest skier on the mountain to be able to manage them.

[AEV]

Bandit Man you are convincing me. How much easier are they than the 2011-2014 Katana 112, and how much stability do they give up? 10% ish, or more? Sorry to make you quantify it like this.

[YoEddy]

Looking forward to Bandit's perspective, but if I may ...

I've owned a few of the 112mm Katanas (198cm), two VWerks Katanas (191cm), one pair of the K108 (191cm), and one of the M102 (190cm), and just about every version of Mantra before it. I'm a bit of a Volkl nut and have been since the late 80's.

My current quiver is the K108 (Jester), Katana VWerks (Duke PT), and Mantra Vwerks (Kingpin).

For me the K108 isn't necessarily 'easier' than the K112, but just way more versatile and definitely more playful. The K112 and K-Vwerks are both 'notoriously' rearward mounted and directional skis whereas the K108 is not so much. That said I mounted my last pair of K112's and Vwerks at +2.5cm forward, which made a HUGE difference in how they ski, but mounted the K108 right on the factory line.

The K108 and Vwerks both definitely give up some stability over the K112 because, well, the K112 was just a special beast of board that isn't likely to be recreated (like the Explosiv before it). That said I'm comparing a 198cm K112 to a 191cm K108 (both with Jesters and same boots), which were the longest versions of each model. I haven't ever skied a 191cm K112 but imagine the difference to the same length K108 would slightly less (?).

Anyway, I'd say the K108 is 95% of the ski the K112 was/is in terms of stability, but way more user friendly and versatile. On the other hand nothing I've ever been on powers through everything like the OG K112.