Telemark Skiing: Everything You Need To Know

What’s Different About Telemark Bindings and Boots?

Telemark bindings need to allow for the skier's heel to be free, both to enable uphill skiing, and to make a telemark turn. The boots are also much softer than traditional alpine boots, with a flexible sole that allows the whole foot to flex forward during the turn. Many modern boots also include Dynafit-style tech fittings to be used with special tele tech bindings for uphill travel.

Currently, there are three major types of telemark bindings on the market: standard 75mm cable bindings, modern NTN (New Telemark Norm) bindings, and telemark tech systems specifically designed for efficiency in the backcountry. There is also the much older three-pin binding system once popular among early backcountry skiers using soft leather boots.

Unlike alpine touring bindings, a telemark binding has a spring system that allows you to pull your heel off the ski but eventually pulls the boot back down to the ski. Not all modern boots are compatible with all bindings. See here for a full list of the different standards and norms for telemark skiers.

Traditional telemark boots typically have a very large plastic lug on the front (called a duckbill) that clips into the binding—the bindings are actually asymmetrical, meaning there’s a specific left and right ski. Modern NTN boots use a different attachment system that optimizes power transfer to the ski—many modern telemark skiers prefer this for more aggressive skiing.

Telemark skiers are known to tinker with their gear, and this is a community that’s become known for creative solutions to making things work. There’s custom bindings from folks like John Brody, strange boots from tinkerers like Robert Tusso, or homemade contraptions for specific uses from Daniel Papalia.

Isn’t Telemark Just for Backcountry Skiing?

Long before the advent of tech bindings and modern alpine touring gear, telemark skiing was the method of choice for traveling through the backcountry. The free heel of the binding allows skiers to travel more naturally on flat ground or uphill by putting climbing skins on the skis' bases. However, telemark skiing is pretty damn fun on its own, so many skiers prefer to ride their tele gear inbounds.

It’s an entirely different technique, a great workout, and (as many long-time practitioners will tell you) a more soulful approach to the sport.

What Are the Best Telemark Brands?

Despite the relative obscurity of telemark skiing in the wider industry, there are quite a few key players in the space—both tiny, unknown tele-specific brands and names you might be familiar with.

Bishop Telemark: Colorado’s Bishop Telemark manufactures heavy-duty bindings loved by freestyle and freeride telemark skiers. They even have a run of skis out now. Bishop’s bindings are designed to work with both 75mm “Duckbill” boots as well as modern NTN boots. Read more about Dave Bombard’s brand based in Edwards, Colorado, here.

22 Designs: The Driggs, Idaho-based brand 22 Designs specializes in manufacturing various high-end telemark bindings across all standards. Notably, they sell the Lynx Binding, an NTN-compatible telemark tech binding that allows for super-efficient backcountry travel. 22 Designs also inherited the designs for the popular Rainey Designs Hammerhead binding, which gave the brand its start in 2004. Read more about the brand here.

Rottefella: Norwegian binding maker Rottefella is well known in the nordic skiing world, with expertise in making bindings for skate, classic, and nordic touring skiers. As a brand steeped in telemark history, it’s no surprise they also make telemark bindings loved by freeride skiers and telemark racers.

Meidjo: This tiny brand out of France was the first to introduce the modern telemark tech binding, and is beloved by backcountry freeheel skiers looking for a low-weight, high-performance solution for big backcountry lines. These are tough to find in the US, but are often available from specialty stores.

Voile: Utah’s Voile has been making backcountry skiing gear for over 40 years, and have long been a player in the telemark game with innovative bindings, skis, and accessories (like the rubber ski strap!). Today, the brand still makes their own skis and bindings, and has also turned into a bit of specialty retailer, selling gear from other brands as well to complement their own.

Scott: Outdoor sports behemoth Scott is well known in the alpine skiing and mountain bike worlds, but have long been quietly making telemark boots as well for both 75mm and NTN bindings.

Crispi: These can be tough to find in the States, but Italian footwear brand Crispi has been a player in the telemark game for nearly 40 years, making boots for freeriders and casual telemark skiers alike.

Scarpa: Perhaps the most relevant and recognizable brand in telemark skiing today, Scarpa is arguably keeping the sport alive with the release of their newest high-performance telemark boot, the new TX Pro. Read more on the development of the boot and our tester’s thoughts on it here.

Some Telemark Humor

Telemark skiers are a funny bunch. Catch our whole telemark skiing column on POWDER here, with musings on gear, technique, and profiles of eminent practitioners of the sport.

In the meantime, here are a few of our favorite pieces of telemark humor—there's a whole lot more than probably appropriate for this site...

• Drop Knees, Not Bombs.
• Free The Heel, Free The Mind.
• How do you know someone telemarks? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.
• Telemark is Norwegian for “can’t ski.”