In regards to the history of the telemark bindings, first there were three-pin bindings, then, three pins with spring loaded cables, followed by rigid toe bar bindings with compression springs, which evolved into free-pivot bindings that allowed telemarkers to truly enjoy the feeling of non-restrictive movement when ski touring, and then NTN (New Telemark Norm) tried to re-invent the wheel after that. So, what’s next you ask? Well, how about a telemark binding made with half of an AT binding?
Photo courtesy of EarnYourTurns.com.
Yes, the telemark industry is talking one step closer to realizing the fact that telemark skiing is nearly dead and is now starting to succumb to the technology found in AT bindings to keep the sport alive. There is currently a new breed of telemark bindings out there, called the Telemark Tech System, that now incorporate a Dynafit (or tech) style toe-piece combined with cables for the heel, which allows telemark skiers to get a little closer to true enlightenment simply called, Dynafit.
Yes folks, I’d say the writing is on the wall when telemark binding developers start using half an AT binding in order to fill their needs for a reliable, simple and efficient design to keep their boots clamped to their skis and kind of adds a new meaning to the old saying, half a binding, half a brain.
If it was easy, it would be called alpine touring.
maybe…but with this binding it’s half alpine touring now. so what does that say?
It is good to see telemark finally moving in a direction that allows the best of both worlds. I have been cramming my tele boot in a Slivretta binding for steeper and firmer tours for several years now. Options are good Steve.
Fix the heel you’ll fix the problem!
“Yes, the telemark industry is talking one step closer to realizing the fact that telemark skiing is nearly dead…”
Well said Steve. It’s only a matter of time before the word “nearly” is removed.
It’s all full circle Steve. Do I need point out that the AT genre is evolving back to Tele? I’m yet to see an “LTL” skier throw down hard, aggressive gs turns on steep, technical terrain without arms windmilling and thier stance wider than a bull-rider’s. (a.k.a. Tele-technique).
What is with all the jingoistic ATers hating on the telemark turn?
Its like audi wagon drivers hating on subaru outback drivers, it makes no sense.
Let the silly little subaru outback drivers be. Gosh.
Like most hardkore ATers you are somewhat behind the curve. Over three and a half years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-1H3BC0rK4
These things come and go – such is the rhythm of forward-thinking.
As someone who sees a lot of good in both tele and AT, these digs are super old and boring. For anyone interested in getting out of our current moment, I’d encourage you to look at Roland Hunterford’s Two Planks and Passion.
His version of skiing starts 20,000 years ago with man as a travelling animal, and skiing as a means of survival. He goes on to look at skiing as leisure, sport and a military pursuit. A lot of the book will seem remote, even skattershot, but the main lesson I learned was that whenever someone tries to pigeonhole skiing the end result is that skiing loses. Just a thought.
The difference between telemark and AT? The telemark skier does not care what’s on your feet.
Please, like Tele skiers don’t care. I’ve heard over and over:
Randonee is french for can’t ski. How soulful the tele turn is. How easy AT is. Real men wear leather boots. Tele skiers get more face shots blah blah blah
Now that Tele is dieing, tele skiers are just free spirits enjoying the outdoors with no concern for style? It has been like a religion. Turnabout is fair play.
I forgot the big one: free the heel, free the mind. LOL
I have been doing both for 30 years and love both ways of traveling in the mountains. The only BS sticker you will find on my teles says “nobody cares that you tele”. It’s the smile on the face that counts not the binding on the foot.
The BD 01’s or the Voile counterpart, when in ski mode, work fine for doing alpine turns whenever I choose (or need!). The heel is almost locked too the ski anyway when not in free pivot. Free-heel alpine turns are easy to do with some practice and balance. It’s nice to ski either style and I embrace the freedom it gives me to be different. I can’t wait to learn to snowboard someday.
I would not advise trying to tele on AT, cause you can’t and it looks ugly. That is called “mcleaning” (based on a true story) which I am sure every AT skier has tried on accident or on purpose.
Embrace non-denominationalism. All turns are good turns. Peace, powder and diversity.
I like snowy’s comments. The reality is that the persons that complain must be jealous that they don’t take the time to learn or have the option to do both. i have owned both set ups for years, and cannot imagine having to be limited to one form or the other. with that said, skiing with my little kids would not be nearly as fun if i wasn’t on my tua neges with front throw cables and leather boots. Isn’t it challenges that we strive for?
Anyway, there already are reliable and efficient telemark bindings out there. one of which is local to the area of this site, [22 designs] which should get some play by the way, as their bindings are innovative and quite functional [albeit a bit heavy for the weight dorks.]
The sanctimonious attitudes of telemarkers over the last decade have earned them some of my lighthearted contempt.
I love watching my tele friends face plant in trap crust, although super fatties have cut down on that a little.
Can’t believe we are all doing this again. Should generate the usual two or three dozen comments.
A while back, after 35 years on skis both free and fixed heel I found myself on a pair of Tele Daddies in the Swiss Alps. An Italian in a fag bag called down from the lift ‘fix your heels and ski like a man!’….he had a point. Driving the struggle buggy just does not make sense sometimes.
Face shots are great, but I’d like to see a ‘leather is better’ hippy try and make a (good looking) 6,000 vert run in the typical mixed bag of conditions that is normal in the Alps.
Tele can be fun and rewarding, but when it comes to do or die turns, please be honest and admit an AT set up with fixed heel is simply more efficient and higher performance.
Steve-save your keyboard by first securing a barf bag.
It is exciting to see folks experimenting with NTN alternatives regarding Scarpa’s amphibious boot-$700 retail for slightly different shoes affords a lot of experimentation risk. After some similar thoughts-mine keeping the dynafit heel piece intact-I’ve been hung up on keeping the (turning) rear foot’s ball planted with the prominent Dynafit hinge action. Maybe it works on a flat bench, but down isn’t always flat, friction isn’t always constant on a snow slope.
Even the sideways skiers are using Dynafits to improve their split-board setups. That Telemark Tech System is missing the heel lockdown if were talking about options. I remember Jimi Zell tellying with optional heel pieces ( marker explodomats dangling behind at the ready ) on his 213 super Gs back in the last century. The real future however is split-mono 😉
“An Italian in a fag bag called down from the lift ‘fix your heels and ski like a man!”
That just made me laugh so hard I spit out my coffee …..
I will admit it , I was a Tele Skier and I couldn’t agree more for ski or die turns AT is just a better setup…. No doubt. But if you live in Yellowstone for years like me, sometimes a Tele setup is great for the long trudges to vertical. But after going to AT my Tele setup has collected alot of dust.
yellowston at is right. get both setups and see which one you use more. there is nothing elegent about a faceplant, slide for life, or being rescued by SAR.
Remember those (sticker’s and patches) Drop knees not bombs!!!! I went out with a Swedish Tele skier back in 1991… She had the patch on her jacket…
It was worth it!!!!
I use dynafit tech bindings now because they are lighter on the up, and more stable on the down. Making fun of telemarkers though just shows how new you are to the sport of backcountry skiing. 15-20 years ago, if you wanted to backcountry ski your only options were to boot-pack or to tele (unless you had some kind of amazing European connection–which most of us didn’t). Plus, the best, most-experienced skiers I have ever met tended to be doing this stuff for a while–and therefore tend to get “bored” with a certain discipline. If you downhill ski 180 days/year for 10 years, eventually you are going to feel like trying a different technique to mix it up and make you a more rounded skier.
Caveat 1) This doesn’t apply to snow borders…those guys are just douches.
Caveat 2) Matt Kinney: Stick with tele…you are ripping it up fine as is. I don’t want to read about you augering in on some unskied AK line because your toe popped loose on your new AT set-up. 🙂
To worry about how other people ski is completely ridiculous and shows how self-centered people can be. For so many people it’s all about image. They worry about how they look and what others think of them. If you are worried about if others think you rip you probably don’t. You won’t until you can drop the ego and enjoy the moment. Every set up has its advantages and disadvantages. I have had incredible days on all kinds of different gear. I have had all kinds of different bindings blow up. If the way someone else skis really bothers you realize that your bad feelings are not about them they are about you. Get over yourself and go ski or ride or sled or whatever you do. The most important thing is when you are doing what you look like your doing.
ahh you effing kids….all this bullshit again?
Technical points:
1. It does look like the screws are sure to rip out on the tech toe piece.
2. Will the wings of the tech toe hold up to the strange and powerful flex of the fruitbooters bouncing up and down when they descend the gnar? The engineering of the toe was set up for a different purpose?
3. Sticking with NTN Rottefella seems far more powerful…although heavier than a set of Salomon clamps.
Good technical points Notasradasyou:
Just looking at the photo (and admittedly, based on nothing else, like a stress test of some sort), those binders look like they are engineered for skiing groomers or following the schneemaschine around the alps.
I’ve seen enough instances of the contact points (wings?) on the toe piece of AT bindings fail on an uphill skin to be skeptical that they could handle the constant flex and rotation of downhill telemark skiing. It would be like driving zee audi vwagon up and down your favorite forest service road – your asking for an expensive repair bill.
Of course, that brings this whole bullshit discussion full circle because it highlights the difficulty of engineering a “light” binding that can handle the torque and forces inherent in the telemark turn, especially the oft practiced and sloppy flowin’ low form of the turn.
Leave your Audi in the driveway Wyatt and you can stay home and fruitboot in the backyard with some help from this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73OYlAovPa8
I can imagine your yard Wyatt…probably some biodynamic gardening and chickens…..this might be more appropriate for your winter fruitbooting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nFAY8HMuWM&feature=related
Notasradasyou:
No need for you to imagine about my back yard, here I am fruitbooting this past weekend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G2QTSf9TIo
As you can see, the seifenblasenmaschine and / or the schneemaschine would be a great addition.
How much does any of this have to do with the “Future of Telemark Skiing”? About as much as the Rainey Super Loop.
” I don’t want to read about you augering in on some unskied AK line because your toe popped loose on your new AT set-up.”
I do that anyway on telegear.
Half a binding, twice the fun
Oh I see Wyatt you were getting ready for this eh?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-sEi0YcuJ0
This really is the future of telemark.
Simplify. No Bindings, no problem!
A simple track on the heel and you could switch from tele to at.
What a bunch of hogwash. Just because one mfgr thinks they need to pussify tele bindings doesn’t mean they are all going to do it! Telemarking is here to stay. I converted from Alpine to tele 10 years ago and will stick with it as long as my legs hold out. There is nothing like the tele turn baby. I’ll resist bashing AT because it has its place in extreme mountaineering situations where most people would be crazy to free the heel. But for 95% of skiing the tele turn rules.. if you can do it! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!