This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
OK, a walk down memory lane. This is me circa 1973, maybe 1974 on a set of Fischer Europa 77's in the Snowy Range of Wyoming. I'm pretty sure the 77's were one of the first off trail plastic backcountry XC skis. They had an aluminum alloy edge (not steel). They were a huge improvement from my previous wooden skis with a lignostone epoxy edge. It was bye bye pine tar forever. I had to one up my older brother who skied Bonna wooden skis with a segmented steel edge. Check out the bamboo poles with the classic adhesive tape over the "joints" for strength and the home sewn powder suit. I even had a head of hair. This guy couldn't even imagine the amazing gear that is available today.
Wow, and I thought you were a noobie with maybe only 25 or 30 years experience.
Yes! For me a long, narrow, round-flexing, low-cambered (and not rockered) ski with a traditional tip like the Nansen- is the quintessential example of an "old-school" Telemark ski.
(I still don't understand why anyone would call a longitudinally-stiff, cambered, XC-focused ski a "Telemark" ski though.. )
I agree, I just had my mid 80's Karhu XCD-GTs out for a spin. I can't believe I learned on those things. It would be like calling a road bike a mt. bike just because you had it on a trail.
Yes! For me a long, narrow, round-flexing, low-cambered (and not rockered) ski with a traditional tip like the Nansen- is the quintessential example of an "old-school" Telemark ski.
(I still don't understand why anyone would call a longitudinally-stiff, cambered, XC-focused ski a "Telemark" ski though.. )
I agree, I just had my mid 80's Karhu XCD-GTs out for a spin. I can't believe I learned on those things. It would be like calling a road bike a mt. bike just because you had it on a trail.
That is a perfect analogy!
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.
Relevant to discussion:
The Pinhead's Progress, Powder Magazine January 1986. Yvon Chouinard https://www.powder.com/stories/classics ... emark-run/
Yvon Chouinard's account of traveling the world on 210 centimeters, in search of the perfect telemark turn.
"To me, gracefulness on skis should be the end-all of the sport" --Stein Eriksen
My wife and I were out on these yesterday, our skinniest single camber waxable skis. My wife’s were way too skinny and mine were way stiffer than I remember them being. I really loved those atomics but in the crusty conditions they were disappointing to say the least. They took more input and speed to turn than I want.
My wife could use new skis now, I can wait another season. So I thought I was sold on the rabb 68 but now I’m thinking I’d rather something a little wider like the nosi 76. This would be for distance oriented tours for turns with kick wax.
I had to one up my older brother who skied Bonna wooden skis with a segmented steel edge. Check out the bamboo poles with the classic adhesive tape over the "joints" for strength and the home sewn powder suit. I even had a head of hair. This guy couldn't even imagine the amazing gear that is available today.
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