Pros: With the massive 111mm underfoot, slight reverse camber, and reduced tail size, these skis are unstoppable on anything soft! They float high in powder, smear and slash pretty well, and bust trough any type of crud. These things even carve amazingly well on soft groomers! I would find any excuse to ride these skis.
Cons: The only conditions I wouldn't use these on are icy or hard pack. They suck. Can't keep an edge. Also they are not durable. I skied these 10 times (5 just touring) and the top sheet started peeling off, the edges cracked out in two separate spots, and the powder channels started chipping out. I took excellent care of these skis and yet they couldn't hold up. Lame.
Excellent ski for soft snow, but doesn't stand up to much.

Mounting: If you are a hardcore big mountain only skier, then the standard mounting marker is for you. If you do this, the ski has NO TAIL. For more of a freeride ski mount it 4-6cm forward.

Totally love these skis on a powder day. Haven't skied them in anything other than the occasional deep day at Mammoth when my visits coincide with a nice fat storm, but they are awesome performers in the deep stuff. So can't speak to groomers (what are those?) or even crud. But can't go wrong if you're looking for a solid powder ski.

theses things rip when there is some snow on the ground. i would not recommend them as an everyday ski nor even consider telling someone that sticks to groomers and the reg. inbounds runs to consider them. i checked them out when silver mtn id got 30' and needed something to keep me on top of the pow. they feel huge at first but after a couple runs i got adjusted and got some props on the tracks i made on them. the tails are slightly reverse camber and dove tailed so it makes it easier to ski switch and really just turn in general. they float when needed and blasted through the crud later in the day. if you are looking for a ski that can handle its own in the freshies and off the groomers check this mammajamma out. if you like the mantra, check out the katana on a freshies day and you wont be disappointed. however, if you dont want to put a little work into commanding this beast, dont bother....its not for the little guys or the S turn stylist. this b*tch aint no joke. super solid in some new snow but a little sluggish on groomers and lame terrain.

There is no doubt that this is a deep powder ski that you will also love in only 4 inches of snow. It is very easy to initiate a turn on these skis because this was Volkl's first foray into a "reverse" camber ski, the most noticeable aspect being the flat tip. It also completely destroys any crud or cut up powder you encounter. While I agree this ski works on the groomers, that is obviously not their preferred venue. Deep snow is where this snow excels. But, if budget constraints limit you to a powder ski primarily, this will get you through the dry spells better than many other "pure" powder skis. The Katana is also very versatile for a big ski - you can ski tight trees like you find in Eagles nest at Alta, or you can ski the the Cirque at Snowbird in three turns - your choice - both will be really fun on this ski.

These are hands down the best all round ski's I've ever ridden!! They are very fast, but can pivot on a dime in tight trees with softer snow. They are much more versatile than they look for their width, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy these as a one ski quiver in the west or pnw. I have the 190's at 6'1'', 210 lbs.

I am 6'2" and 240lbs, and these skis are amazing in deep powder and the groomers back to the lift. I have skiing on these for two seasons and they have been, the best overall ski I have used in years. I have a pair "06" Mantras that have since been put away in favor of the Katanas. I put Marker Baron's on these and with some skins, have been skining out tot the backcountry at Alta, and Jackson Hole for some real deep powder. Get a pair and jump in.

I was very surprised with how versitile this ski is in all types of snow conditions. I bought the ski for PNW powder,and deep crud. I waited for the right snow conditions. Boy was I disappointed I hadn't taken my Katanas out sooner. They were good on the groomed, very stable in powder and crud and even made it through soft bumps fine.

I bought these for my 62 year old father, in a 183. He skis like a typical person of his age, quite well, but cautiously, no drops or anything over about 40 degrees. In ten days on them he's had a delamination, bent both skis, and damaged the sidewall. Meanwhile I regularly nail rocks on my obsetheds, and skied my hellbents over about 2 feet of exposed rock at solitude and have had almost no damage. It would behoove you to avoid these skis. Thank god backcountry is so awesome about warranty replacements.

I have been riding the Gotamas for the last two years and thought they were perfect. I found these in a shop and was amazed at how good they looked. They are the best looking skis I have ever seen. I love how you can see the titanium through the top and bottom sheets, and the clear sidewalls with the honey comb pattern look sweet. But it is not about how it looks. I am 5'11" 180 lbs and I got the 190, they do seem to ski a little bit short because of the way Volkl measures length and also because of the very subtle rocker. I would recommend you get them a little bit taller than yourself because the extra length makes them more stable when you are just straight lining it and the slight camber keeps them easy to manage. This is not a good ski for beginners, but if you have some good technique then they will really let you charge. I like the dual titanium construction because it makes them really stable at high speeds, and provide a super stable landing. I have not skid the pow yet but I am sure they will perform even better than my Gotamas because they are fatter and have the reverse camber. Over all these are superior to the Gotamas.

And I love the old school, these are big mountain killers that dont play by the new reverse camber rules, they are great all around as well as in the pow pow.

The Katana is sweet! It is definitely fat enough to shred anything off-piste, yet still enough shape to carve your way back to the chair. The new graphics look good and the ski is one of the best big mtn skis I've ever ridden on.

sorry ole boy but i could not understand a word of what you wrote. Care to explain? Pip Bin

This ski is sick! It is great in the powder. Where it really accelerates, and I mean you will be flying past your friends, is the day after a storm. It is incredibly damp and will plow through any chopped up snow or crud. It is pretty good on the groomers/ice, but that's not what it is designed for.

FYI - If you take to the shop, warn them about the powder channel, it will melt.