2012-2013 Volkl Shiro
Dimensions (mm): 151-119-135
Turn Radius: 26.4 meters
Actual Tip-to-Tail Length (straight tape pull): 182.0 cm
Boots / Bindings: Nordica Supercharger Ignition / Marker Jester (DIN) 12
Mount Location: recommended
Test Location: Niseko, Japan
Days Skied: 3
2012-2013 Volkl Shiro
With the addition of the Shiro for the 2011-2012 season, Volkl added a new dimension to their Freeski lineup. Since its inception, the Shiro has been a hit with both weekend warriors and Volkl team riders alike, and as a result, returns unchanged for 2012-2013 except for a new graphic.
This ski is meant to bridge a gap between the versatile Gotama and the enormous Kuro, which is designed for “phat powder turns.” (No, really, that’s what Volkl’s website says.) I think the Shiro does a good job of fulfilling this purpose, offering a nice blend of versatility and powder performance.
My first run on the Shiro I found myself in the tightest trees the Super area at Grand Hirafu had to offer. In these close quarters, the Shiro was very intuitive and easy to handle. Feeling confident in the foot of sparsely tracked snow, I quickly accelerated to speeds that I hadn’t felt comfortable reaching on the Blizzard GunSmoke or the Line Influence 115.
Andrew Gregovich, Super area, Niseko Grand Hirafu.
Carrying speed out of the trees into a wide open bowl, I was pleasantly surprised by the Shiro’s performance. I was able to rip turns comfortably through the moderate chop in this area. Large splay and carbon fiber in the core gave the Shiro a snappy yet smooth and predictable feel from edge to edge in this snow.
The Shiro provided a comfortable ride on consistent, firm off-piste trails and groomers, producing this same smooth, snappy sensation. Both in chop and on firmer snow it was easy to slash and quickly get back on edge.
Quick turns were fun in cut-up conditions, but I wanted to see how the Shiro handled a little additional speed. I picked a direct route down one of the steeper fall lines in Mizuno no Sawa for the test.
After opening up my first couple of turns off the top, I wasn’t inspired to point it down the rest of the face. I felt rock solid when engaged in Slalom- and GS-length turns, but it felt like I was getting knocked around a bit when I was going straight. As the chop got firmer and the ruts became deeper, I definitely felt the need to make more turns in order to stay in control. I couldn’t rail in this snow as well as I was able to on the Blizzard Bodacious (no great surprise), or even on the more comparable Blizzard GunSmoke.
I also wasn’t able to rage down chopped up, late-day groomers. The Shiro had a hard time getting a solid edge on the icy patches and got bucked around by the cut-up mounds of snow that separated these patches. Skiing with bases flat and straight-lining didn’t feel comfortable either; I just had to take it slower in these conditions.
In wind-blown, variable-density powder, I felt the Shiro working against me at times. It took a little while to find the right balance point in this snow, as I was feeling the skis pitch forward and back like a boat pointed into an ocean swell. The tips would dive a little as I hit denser patches, forcing me to shift my weight back slightly; then, as soon as I broke into lighter snow, I would feel myself slowly rolling back onto my tails.
Rocking back and forth prevented the ski from optimally floating through the snow and slowed me down. This was particularly frustrating when cruising through low-angle glades. I eventually settled into a balanced, centered stance trying to anticipate these transitions. Working with the ski’s finicky tendencies, I was able to float fine.
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March 4, 2012 at 11:00 pm
I would be interested to know what you thought of the difference between the bent chetler, ak jj, shiro, and squad 7. Which is best for pow skiing?
March 5, 2012 at 12:57 am
Unfortunately I have not taken more than a few runs on any of those skis except the Shiro, so I can only recommend that you consult this review and our reviews of the AK JJ and squad 7.
March 8, 2012 at 11:25 am
Spencer, I’ve spent time on all of these skis, so I’ll take a stab at your questions. For pure pow skiing, these are all 5 stars, and it really comes down to personal preference and style more than anything. The Bent Chetler and AK JJ are the more playful skis, the Shiro and Squad are more directional, less center mounted.
Personally, if I was going to be skiing deep untracked all day, I’d take the AK JJ. The 183 Ben Chetler and 183 Shiro are a bit short for me, but I think I’d be really happy on the 192 and 193 versions of those skis.
But if I also needed this ski to do well in tracked out, chopped up conditions, I’d take the Squad 7.
March 8, 2012 at 10:57 am
Seeing a lot of talk about the Shiro of late and not much about the 12/13 Katana. Does this mean that the Katana is not coming back or perhaps staying the same for next year?
March 8, 2012 at 11:12 am
Hi, John – The Katana comes back unchanged for 12/13, which we think is a good thing.
March 8, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Awesome thanks. One more katana question. How much stiffer is the ‘athlete’ flex than the ‘human’ flex. I ski a 2010 mantra (no rocker) in a 184 which i love as a daily driver. Looking at the katana for a big mountain ski (i.e. jackson trips with 20% OB) that can still slash trees and tight spots like my mantra. I’m 6’1″ and 195, been skiing since I could walk. Can’t decide 183 vs 190. Leaning toward 190 figuring it would ski shorter due to the full rocker, but the hint of a pro level stiffness has me a little spooked. Any suggestion?
March 23, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Hi John,
I can tell you the 191 Katana is seriously stiff (especially through the tail), though I have not skied the 184. One of the most impressive characteristics of the 191 is that it doesn’t act like a complete 2×4 at low speed (though it still feels like a big ski). The super gradual rocker profile you’ve mentioned makes the Katana surprisingly forgiving in tighter spots, but it certainly can stand up to a “Pro level” of riding. Ian McIntosh helped design the ski, which makes a lot of sense when you open things up on it.
If lots of trees and moguls are in the picture, I personally wouldn’t take the 191 as an everyday ski for in-bounds riding. However, I’m a scrawny 6’2″, 160lbs. For a strong skier of your height and weight looking for a big mountain board that can stand to make the occasional venture into tighter terrain, I think the 191 fits the bill well (especially if you have your Mantras to grab for those hardpack/bump days).
If you haven’t done so already, I’d encourage you to take a look at my review of the 191. I put some time on the ski in the wide open terrain of Las Lenas and later the tighter chutes and trees at Taos.
Hope this helps you out,
Will B
March 24, 2012 at 5:39 am
Will B, thanks for the reply. Exactly the feedback I was looking for. Great site – best ski review forum I’ve seen. Picked up my 191′s yesterday – can’t wait to slay it.
March 23, 2012 at 3:04 am
John M – if you can’t demo then I’d wager the athlete flex is a little bit of marketing hype. At your weight and height you’ll easily be able to drive the 190. I’m 155lbs and 5 foot 10 and the 183 would be perfect for me for the use you describe – I cannot imagine a taller and heavier gentlemen on the 183.
Pics of the new 2013 Katana here: http://www.ski-review.com/ski_news/article/volkl_ski_2013/
March 24, 2012 at 5:41 am
Thanks Tinchy, you and Will have confirmed my thinking. Much appreciated.
March 23, 2012 at 3:11 am
Oh and one more thing – any reason why you are not considering the Gotama instead of the Mantra in the 186 if the 194 is too much ski?
March 24, 2012 at 11:05 pm
The Shiro absolutely shreds on groomers which I think for some is it’s absolute best quality and the reason folks should give it a try. Not all of us are sending it off 50 footers and landing them switch…some of us just don’t want to blow another knee in windblown chop or crud and want to not have an “epic” journey from the bottom of our pow stash back to the lift. I have skied the Rocker 2, Obsethed, and the Super 7 and none of them remind me of my Rossi race skis except the Shiro…their rocker system really throws down some insane edges which I find hard to believe with the Shiro at 119 underfoot. I ski 60 days a year and more often than not they are in more “variable” conditions not pure pow plays. I want something that is a crud killer first and a pow ski second…I think the Shiro is this in spades!
October 24, 2012 at 4:54 pm
I’m hearing the Shiro needs to be mounted in a forward position, 2 or 3 cm of the mark and some of the women are going 3 to 5 cm forward, and the whole pitch thing disappears.
October 29, 2012 at 2:11 pm
Schwannson,
That makes a lot of sense based on my experience with the ski. Thanks for sharing!
Andrew
January 31, 2013 at 2:38 pm
I rented the 194cm Shiros last year for a day at Snowbird in variable conditions and fell in love with them (I have since purchased the 2012-2013 193cm Shiros). I haven’t mounted bindings on them yet, because I am questioning mounting them +2 or even +3 from the mounting point. I plan on mounting Rossi FKS 180s with MFD ALLTIME plates on them, so I am hopeful that this setup won’t affect the ski flex too much (Joe Augusten’s MFD review sold me on the MFD). As I am 6’5″ and 235lbs, would mounting at +2 or +3 be of benefit to me on the Shiros?
February 12, 2013 at 8:08 am
Hi Cole,
Yes, I think that mounting the binding at +2 or +3 would be a good idea. I would have preferred that mount position on the Shiro and I know that many of Volkl’s athletes prefer a more forward position as well.
AG