Introducing the 2012 Volkl Shiro
This 2011 season turned into one of the most powder filled seasons in the history of skiing. The “Season of Powder” continued long into June, with local skiers still getting face-shots on the 6th of June. Needless to say, the Volkl Shiro was the perfect tool to for those insanely deep days we had Squaw and across the country this year.
My first day on the Shiro was in February during one of the biggest storms of the season. To put this into perspective I’m 6’5” and the snow was above my chest. Although the Shiro is not the widest powder ski on the market it provided an unrecognizable amount of float. The tips of these skis are nearly impossible to burry! This ultimately is due to the tech that Volkl has associated with the Shiro. Volkl has brought together the best tech within powder skis to build the Shiro. So let’s brake this down the Shiro has fully rockered construction, giving you maximum float without feeling “planky”. From there Volkl knows that taper in a ski like this is key. The taper of the Shiro is what allows it to provide more float than almost any other ski within the category. This allows the skis to feel extremely “surfy” in even the deepest of snow. Top it off with some additional carbon fiber and a sensor wood core and you have one of the raddest powder skis……ever. However most importantly I left Squaw Valley that day with a smirk on my face that lasted for days to come.
Later in the season I had the opportunity to go cat skiing with the local Volkl crew and the Pacific Crest Cats. That day led to the coining of the term “Shiro’ing” (the distinct act of shredding powder on the Volkl Shiro), a name that is very well deserved. I cannot imagine a better ski to take on a trip like this; we had tight trees, wide open faces, steep spines and endless amounts of fresh powder. The performance of the Shiro was phenomenal. It smears a turn when you tell it to, it has the performance to rip big turns on open faces and the ability to stomp any cliff you may drop. This ski has the potential of becoming one of the most sought after powder skis within the industry. The Shiro makes skiing powder effortless. Whether you are looking for your first ski to venture into the deep stuff with or you are ripping spines in Alaska, the Shiro should be part of your quiver.