Why we chose the Volkl Katana 108: Metal laminates, great charger, all mountain performer
Lengths (cm): 170, 177, 184, 191 cm
Sidecut (mm): 146-108-129 mm
Radius: 19m (184 cm)
Rocker Profile: Rocker-Camber-Rocker
Weight (per ski): 2397g
Price: £TBC
Roll back the clock almost 15-years and German-based Volkl skis were creating the now legendary fully metal Katana. We were huge fans of this ski, here at Mpora, due to its ability to handle its own through whatever you threw it up against. Chop, powder, ice – this ski would quite literally cut through anything, the same way a Japanese Samurai might slice up their foes.
Fast forward five years and Volkl sort of began to phase out the Katana. We say ‘sort of’, as they kept the shape and rocker profile of the original Katana but removed it metal spirit and replaced it with a slightly more twitchy carbon build. This ski, the V-Werks Katana became a fantastic touring ski thanks to its combination of a carbon construction and generally weight saving design. As much as we liked it, however, it felt like it didn’t quite deserve the Katana name.
“This ski would quite literally cut through anything, the same way a Japanese Samurai might slice up their foes”
Now, after years of ski nerds reminiscing amongst themselves / begging Volkl to change their ways, we’re chuffed to say the brand are back in everyone’s good books with an all-metal Katana. Say hello to the Volkl Katana 108, a ski that retains the full-metal heart of the OG. Yes, there’s been a few changes to the shaping and rocker profile, positioning this ski towards a slightly wider audience but, all in all, by heck the boy’s back.
Volkl Katana 108 Build
Right, first up has to be talk of that metal laminate returning to grace the Katana. This laminate is what Volkl are calling their “Titanal Frame”, a combination of two contoured 0.7 mm and 0.3 mm thick metal sheets that run all the way down to the tips and tails.
Volkl has sandwiched this frame together to cover highly stressed areas, just where you’re going to want the power and energy transmission of metal. The sections of the ski not covered by the Titanal Frame which have been removed are replaced with a carbon fibre sheet, resulting in lightweight tips that can still track well through 3D snow.
