There is more going on in telemark than most know – here’s a quick guide to the latest developments, and why you should think about trying the oldest turn on snow
Come on, admit it – you’ve been seeing people gracefully lunging down the mountain for years now, skiing with a style and finesse that you couldn’t help but notice. And you’ve always wondered: what is it like to telemark? Perhaps you’re not sure what to make of the gear choices. Or maybe you haven’t built up the courage to try something new. Fear no more – here’s the state of the sport of telemark, and why you should give it a try.
First and foremost, let’s talk about norms. There are currently two incompatible binding formats that allow for free-heel, downhill skiing: 75mm (or the Nordic Norm) and NTN, the new telemark norm. That means that you will have to choose between the two for your boots and bindings. Don’t worry, it’s pretty simple.
75mm, the norm with the floppy cable bindings and duckbill boots you are probably familiar with is slowly being phased out – boot companies Scarpa and Crispi have been culling from their duckbill boot offerings of late. But the party isn’t over for the old school gear, and much of it is available on the cheap at second-hand stores. And several solid boots are still available new, like Scarpa’s T2, often hailed as the leading all-round 75mm boot, and the best-selling telemark boot of all time.
While the big boot manufacturers are moving away from 75mm, several smaller firms are keeping the lights on making reliable bindings that ski great. Companies like 22Designs out of Driggs, Idaho and Salt Lake City’s own Voile continue to be leaders in the 75mm binding market. Their offerings allow for aggressive skiing with a great flex and feel with offerings that cover a range of skiing styles.
On to the New Telemark Norm - NTN changes where and how the boot and bindings attach in a telemark system. Sounds simple, but it has allowed NTN to become the driving force moving telemark gear forward. So far in fact that there are now boot and binding combos that have many of the features that only alpine skiers could enjoy before – things like ski brakes, releasability, and enhanced tourability. Rottefella, the creator of the norm, still offers their Freedom and Freeride NTN bindings. 22Designs’ Outlaw is arguably the preeminent resort NTN binding. It’s burly, feature-laden, and offers what sets NTN apart from 75mm most – superior edge control for less slop in the turn. Speaking of burly, don’t forget offerings from Bishop, whose BMF/3 and BMF/R bindings are stout and have the option of being purchased as either an NTN or 75mm binding.
The biggest move forward in NTN is the addition of the tech-toe, allowing for the most efficient ski touring available to be incorporated into a telemark binding. French company InWild (previously The M Equipment) was the first to go to market with an NTN tech binding, the Meidjo, a now tried-and-true backcountry trap on its third iteration. 22Designs joined the tech-toe party, too, with their Lynx, giving folks in the US a domestic counterpart to the Meidjo. Both bindings have features and weight that are on par with their alpine counterparts.
End of the day: 75mm offers simplicity and possibly a much cheaper entry option due to a large amount of secondhand gear on the used market (just remember much of it is from the 2000s heyday – also remember, much of it still skis great).
On the other hand, NTN offers a slew of features, like release, ski brakes, and efficient tech-toe touring, not to mention more edge control. It is also more expensive due to a much smaller used market, but the gear is truly telemark’s entry into the modern ski world with its innovative features.
Don’t forget that you don’t have to go all-in and buy to try telemark – while not nearly as available as alpine gear, there are indeed ski shops that rent telemark gear. Freeheel Life in Salt Lake City offers a wide range of rentals and services – not to mention a huge range of tele-specific content on their YouTube channel, while old standby Mammoth Mountaineering in Mammoth Lakes, CA still rents free-heel gear. Don’t forget about Backdoor Sports in Steamboat Springs, Skinny Skis in Jackson, Confluence Kayak and Ski in Denver, and Telemarkdown in New Hampshire. To name a few. And many a ski area offers telemark lessons and have exceptional teachers on staff.
Entry into the world of telemark is easy – pick your norm (or both!) and go for it. There is plenty of new and second-hand 75mm gear for those wanting a low-risk option to start (or who prefer the sensation it gives the skier). But don’t underestimate how much NTN has changed the game in telemark skiing, allowing for uphill and downhill skiing that is on par with the performance of alpine. And resources abound from the shops still flying the flag and the many capable ski instructors out there with a free-heel background. And they’re probably itching to give a telemark lesson.
There is no sensation quite like the telemark turn – it’s as much ergonomic as it is aesthetic. The Turn is not only beautiful to see and to feel, but it also treats a body well, taking strain off of the back and hips and distributing it more to dynamic muscle movements in the lower body. And there’s nothing in the gear holding you back from skiing well, and the new gear now offers almost no weight penalty on the ascent. Don’t forget that plenty of people rip downhill on telemark. It’s a natural and exhilarating way to enjoy the mountains, and absolutely worth consideration. What’s there to lose?
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