Every year it seems that a ski company comes out with a new 'revolutionary' design that is supposed to change the industry.  Some of these innovations stick, others fade away as quickly as they came.  As for the 2013/2014 ski season, Volkl is the company in question as they unveiled the new Volkl V-Werks Katana, "The World's most technically advanced big mountain ski." Weight is the name of the game with the new V-werks Katana, with a reduced weight of 15% and carbon fiber layers, this ski will most definitely change the game in the backcountry.

The unique construction catches your eye immediately, with a carbon fiber topsheet, and paper thin in the tip and tail, it is unlike any other ski before it.  Once you stop staring at this weirdly shaped future ski, the next thing you notice is the weight.  The carbon fiber layers make this ski feather light, ideal for soft snow and touring.  With a pair of dynafits these things would be unstoppable in the backcountry, a lightweight and solidly built ski would kill it.

Last spring one of our backshop techs, Mike, got to test these weird looking future skis out at Alpine after a couple inches of fresh.  The first couple of runs were weird, this ski is unlike anything you have ever skied before, and takes a while to get used to.  However, after those few initial runs, Mike was ripping down the mountain with a giant smile on his face.  Mike ended up loving the skis, and would highly consider buying a pair, they are a "super fun ski, lightweight, and they just rip soft snow."  We got similar reviews from everyone who tested the skis last spring, the new Katana is a super lightweight and fun ski.

With full rocker, a wide turn radius, and at 112mm underfoot, the new Volkl V-Werks Katana is going to change the face of big mountain skiing.  While some innovations prevail, and others seem to fade away, we're pretty certain that the V-Werks Katana is here to stay.  "It's new, it's cool, and it's fun, it's the ski Batman would ski."