Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Hi folks,

First non gear buy/sell post! So this year I finally got my avy 1 course and started getting off the resort - Truckee area. It's everything I every thought it would be and more!

2 different setups - 1 "power & powder" setup: soul7/meidjo/4 buckle, 2nd lighter setup: amaruq/AXL/3 buckle.

Like i said - i'm loving off resort - but I think my ideal ski tour is one where I'm not even thinking about transitions and doing more rolly several hours tours. So i'm thinking of going with a waxless metal ski w/ a wait in the 80's, and either something like the voile 3 pin traverse, or maybe just the 3 pin w/ no cable!

So back to my main topic/question. I'm wondering what the advise is out there if you want to tele w/ just the 3 pins. Is this a crazy idea? Is the theory that you just have to get farther down in the stance in order to activate the resistance from the 3 pin/duckbill? Will I ever ski single black rated steeps in a setup like this?

Thanks everyone!

80 at the waist sound like a lot of ski for a basic 3-pin setup but its doable, heck, a few brave men here are teleing those with NNN-BC. Would something like the Madshus Annum or Voile Objective do?

You did not mention, are you talking about using leather boots here or a plastic shell boot? Are you thinking of using the voile traverse with cables on? The cable gives provides a decent amount of activity and can be remove for a more touring oriented adventure.

Been skiing PINS....a long time.....like @ 40 years....Steepest was Tuckerman's Ravine with 210 and 215 e 99's and that was off the register....As did Teleking and Telepole and Telekid....and Telewheels.....Always with leather boots and the lighter the better.....As I got older got wider skis....The e 109 is a wonderful ski with some idiosyncrasies...Have had and used the Rebounds and have the last unbroken set left....Except the metal strip hit a rock up by the tip and the ski kinda stopped....Did it again on a branch so skiing out was worrisome...what with leaves....lichen....moss....rivers of water....stomping over boulders and logs....Yesterday was about balance....If your gonna do the Tele deed get skinnies....Beat the ever loving crap out of them....Ski them anywhere and go often...Ski conditions and stay away as much as possible from ski areas.....Like the Super Rotta three pins the best....Voile three pins are ok too.....You can use the wings of the bindings as anchors on the up....11 oz....is pretty light!!!!!Every one here likes the Ingstadt?.....and from the description so would I....Got the story from Telekid as to how he thought he had broken the new 109's.....Guess it was three inches of powder on 5 feet of base in the gonz and he ploughed into a Brooke bank at speed and slapped those babies straight into the bank and did a slow fall into the ice and water!!!!! Skis didn't break nor did the bindings.....Arc everywhere and the oldies will grin....TM

Cables are quite nice at times going down, I still use the Voile 3-pin cable and just don't use the cables for the up, heck you'll forget them sometimes in the excitement to ski powder.

I ski with plastic boots (old Scarpa T-3) and 3-pins with no cable on my Madshus Annum, Madshus Eon and Agnes Kongsvold. I use nnn bindings on my skinny/touring skis. I ski mostly powder and softer snow and tour/turn on low-angled terrain. I do alpine and telemark turns. Skiing on 3-pins really teaches you to stay centered and balanced. If you are going to ski hard-pack snow or big mountain (with variable conditions) a cable bindings might be the way to go? My Madshus Annum are 78 mm (width) which I think is the widest ski that can handle a 3-pin binding without a cable. In sum, if you are going to do more touring with some turning on low-angled meadows/terrain go with 3-pin with no cable; if you are going to do more downhill, steeper terrain, big mountain skiing go with a cable/3-pin or heavier duty telemark bindings.

Thanks for all the replies folks! Some responses below. In general appreciate the conversion - but i'm still wondering if there any pointers on technique for tele in 3-pins. Is it just get down low? I mean, I get it, I'll just have to get out there and try it. I'm leaning towards getting the voile 3-pin traverse w/ detachable cable bindings so that I can aim for my fantasy of prancing down the steeps in a 3-pin on skinny's while my buddies grunt and groan with their 100+ waists & extra firm springs

bgregoire wrote:80 at the waist sound like a lot of ski for a basic 3-pin setup but its doable, heck, a few brave men here are teleing those with NNN-BC. Would something like the Madshus Annum or Voile Objective do?

yes - I have looked at the Objectives a lot and am very interested in picking up a pair for next seaons. They sounds a tad more downhill oriented than the annums, is that right?

bgregoire wrote: You did not mention, are you talking about using leather boots here or a plastic shell boot? Are you thinking of using the voile traverse with cables on? The cable gives provides a decent amount of activity and can be remove for a more touring oriented adventure.

Right now I only have the T2 eco's in duckbill- so unless that starts to feel too much for this kind of touring I would stay w/ plastic. Honestly i'll stay w/ plastic either way because I have recently turned into a super lofty vegan
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teledance wrote:Cables are quite nice at times going down, I still use the Voile 3-pin cable and just don't use the cables for the up, heck you'll forget them sometimes in the excitement to ski powder.]
Word - that is what i'm leaning towards. The 3-pin traverse where I can remove cables most of the time.

greatgt wrote:Been skiing PINS....a long time.....like @ 40 years....

Any telemark tips, @greatgt, on how to tele in 3 pins?

STG wrote:I ski with plastic boots (old Scarpa T-3) and 3-pins with no cable on my Madshus Annum, Madshus Eon and Agnes Kongsvold.

So am I right in my thinking that the way to tele on 3 pins is to just get down lower to activate the resistance in the duckbill?

Good choice on the "Traverse", I was going to suggest getting a pair of skis at 80mm tip width or less to really maximize the advantages of this type of touring ski and binding. I prefer Rottefella Super Tele's, the Voile cables didn't do much for me, maybe because my feet are size 13+ and the cable is flimsy, doesn't stay on well either. Make a clean break! get those heels completely free for a change

We haven't discussed boots yet but I suggest full-leather with Crispi Antarctic being ideal - only about $230 from Telemarkdown, that's an unbelievable deal for what you get.

Skiing with the cable will enable your rear ski to work with less weight on it than with three pins alone, it is more forgiving. It also gives you more edge control through the entire turn even the part when the ski is unweighted.

The cable could add to the resistance when touring, but not much if you don't have an active binding. The main benefit of no cable is the weight savings. As far as the feel of the turn I find skiing with a cable to be smoother, easier and more pleasing.

I skied 20 years with three pins only, another 5 years skiing both with leather and plastic boots. The last 10 years has been mostly with a cable with leather and plastic boots, except for the last two seasons when I skied exclusively with three pins. This season I'm back to the cable. I'm gonna stick with them because I missed the control they added..

trees:

Get these book: https://www.amazon.com/Free-Heel-Skiing ... 0898867754 and
https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Mikes-Real ... DNAHS38GJE

You do not want to get too low (knee stress) or spread out! You want to tuck your back leg behind your other leg in a tight but flexible stance. Also, very important is staying centered and fluid/dynamic with you body over your skis so you can adjust the force you apply with you ankles or knees etc. If you come from a alpine tradition you already have skills that will help you transition to a free heel. Be patient-with lots of miles you will improve and get it! Read those books.

I can give you one tip, practice backfoot Telemark hockey stops. Really use that backfoot. I also wouldn't go into an 80 cm underfoot ski. If a ski has some early rise or rocker it will come to the surface. If I recall from your original post you already have some fatter skis. I also recommend a leather boot for 3-pins only, however I would get a 3-pin cable. The cable comes on and off easily. If you are determined to ski 80 mm underfoot, I would by all means go to the 3-pin Traverse.
Good luck,