2014 Volkl V-Werks Katana Review

One of the most unique skis that's got everybody at the Start Haus excited for next year is the Volkl V-Werks Katana, a cutting edge evolution of the popular Volkl Katana big mountain ski.

V-Werks skis from Volkl typically blend high tech materials like carbon fiber and titanium to get the best performance and the lowest weight possible for a ski.

In the case of the V-Werks Katana, Volkl created an innovative structure with a wood core sculpted into a Carbon Fiber frame, resulting in what looks like a rail extending down the length of the ski, leaving the sides of the ski super thin.

Like the regular Katana, the Carbon Katana features a subtle full-length rocker profile. Most skiers here at the Start Haus like a little camber in their skis, which is why so many of our testers were surprised at how much they liked this ski.

Backcountry guru and Start Haus ski tester Craig Dostie was the first on the V-Werks Katana at Outdoor Retailer in Utah. Firm conditions weren't ideal for a ski of this type, but they still ended up as his top pick. "I couldn't believe how well it held an edge for a ski this wide with no camber," Dostie said.

Volkl included climbing skin attachment points in this ski, which makes sense because they're so light - but we'll have to wait to see how they do in the backcountry - check back soon.

Phil (Philpug) and Jim (Sierra Jim) both had similar experiences testing this ski at Mammoth Mountain a few weeks later - impressed with their versatility in a wide range of conditions.

Next up, Volkl was nice enough to give us a test pair for a week, and a foot of fresh snow on the mountain meant they were never on the rack long.

Greyson took them into the trees, through cut-up powder and down soft groomers at Sugar Bowl. "These skis were great in the powder, the knife-thin edge profile sliced through the soft snow making for easy pivoting through the trees, and the rocker profile was unsinkable. Despite their light weight, the moderately stiff flex didn't get deflected in the chopped-up snow, and lay them over on some corduroy and they'll arc a great turn."

Paired with a super light binding like a Dynafit, these will be a great powder-chasing option for the backcountry, or paired with something like a Marker Tour F12, they're a solid candidate for a soft-snow oriented all mountain ski great both in-bounds and out.

Volkl V-Werks Katana Specs
Dimensions: 143-112-132
Lengths: 184, 191