 Poster: A snowHead
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...about tele bindings...
I'm a way off shopping - but have to "circle" stuff like this.
This is everything I know about tele bindings. ""
This is not a misprint. All I know is contained within the quotes...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Think I gave some of this on another thread. Don't know a lot but as a relative tele jong have picked up the following - go for a binding designed in the past few years & probably won't go far wrong. G3 Targas (Canuckistani)and Rottefella R8 (Cobras) (Norge) are very similar and almost an industry standard judging by the number of people who ski them spares relatively readily available and some skis e.g. K2 tele come pre drilled for them. You then have Black Diamond o2,o3 & Rainey Hamerhead These don't seem to be as common in Europe. Beyond that you get into pieces of billeted aluminium like the Linken and US boutique bindings like the Bomber pitbull . Voile and 7tm alos do boindings.
If you'r ea heavy b*std go for the stiffest spring/cartridge you can (this is what keeps the binding tight as you free the heel and reduce the effective sole length).
this is probably the definitive guide though a few years old and the Targa I think predated this
http://www.telemarktips.com/NewBindings.html.
You might also want to check out the new NTN reviews on Telemark tips if you are buying a full boot & binding set up as this may put you ahead of the game but I think there will be a bit of adoption lag as people wear out their old boots & stockists may be limited in the first couple of years e.g. I don't think SZK will be stocking them this year.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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If you are using new / modern plastic boots you need bindings that are stiff enough to drive the ski.
G3, Cobras (cartridge, nor the older 'spring' or 'coil' version), Voile (very similar to Cobras) or BD are the way to go, easy to use and easy enough to get hold of.
The BDs are like this 01 - best used for touring 02 - best for turning 03 - a compromise
Don't get Linkens they suck. Basically they get really sloppy after some regular abuse.
7tm are releasable, use DIN like alpine bindings. Use them if you're worried about your knees...
Hamerheads, as Fatbob says popular across the water, possibly too advanced for a beginner...
Bomber Bishops. Again, hard to find and best avoided if you're new to the game. Having said that I want a pair for my Prophet 130s for this winter...
NTN has been long awaited, I guess in the next couple of years I will cross over to this system.
I can't see myself doing anything other than telemark this year, just waaaaayy too much fun.
Enjoy.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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PhillipStanton, If you are starting - releasables (7TM, Voile) are a good idea.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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PhillipStanton, You'll need boots.
parlor,
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NTN has been long awaited, I guess in the next couple of years I will cross over to this system.
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No you won't, it sucks. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I use 7tms and voile 3pin and cable bindings on a release plate. I find both bindings generally fine, but I'm not an aggresive skier and I ski them with a pair of low touring boots (Crispi CXT). The 7tms are easier to get into and out of than the voiles, but get rid of the 3 pin bit and just go for something like the hardwire on a release plate and there would be little difference. I've had the voiles release on a couple of occasions and it was brobably good that they did. The 7TMs have never released properly on me, but they have never needed to. They did release a couple of times when my toe was forced out of the toe box which is/was not good. Both occasions were when i fell on blacks in dodgy snow conditions. Neither was a problem other than getting back into the binding, but there are some places I wouldn't want it to happen! Also it was fortunate I had a leash as of course the brakes don't activate in that situation.
SMALLZOOKEEPER,
Have you tried the NTN system? If so why does it suck?
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Dave Horsley, I nealy lost a finger to a demo pair!
No buddy i haven't tried it and to be honest those that have, love it, the response/feel is supposed to be amazing, once in it! It seems all the initial fears run around the moving parts, in that there are too many, too many failure points and it's difficulty in operation, couple that with the it's boot specific nature, it's a tough one. I think it will die a death, we'll see. 
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FWIW I have had some truly spectacular spills in both Cobras and BD 02s (both non-releasable bindings) and, touch wood, haven't had any issues....
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, have you tried the Switchback?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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parlor
Is that right about the Linkens? - I'd always thought they were bindings to aspire to having seen lots of Scandis throwing down on them, but was warned off on the grounds that thay didn't encourage development of good balance by holding the foot too ridgidly laterally.
Got dumped on my face a couple of times at MK last weekend as a punishment for thinking I'd got the whole tele lark nailed 
It would be a shame if NTN gets commercially strangled at birth as I think the reviews seem really good but then step ins have died a death in snowboarding so I'd guess its not a given that it will prevail.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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7tm's have got to be the way to go. OK - the need for release is less critical when skiing tele (I've got into some greate "tele knots" using non releasable Rotefella pins, Voile, Superloops etc) but if you do over-cook it, the release is a lifesaver.
Also, if you're into any off-piste / touring you need to consider the need for release in an avalanche situation - if you're using the any of the conventional tele-bindings there's no chance of release if the unthinkable happens.
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Thanks for all the input guys.
Is it me, or is this more complicated than alpine binding? 
I must admit to liking my knees - especially as I only got back full use of the left one half way through last season.
SMALLZOOKEEPER - I know, I know...
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You know it makes sense.
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Yes, 'cos there is no standard that everyone is working too. It can also mean that there is a lot more variation between boots so designing a binding that works well with all (most?) boots is more dificult and leads to compromises. That is one advantage the NTN may have - a more rigid spec for the boot - that will make the boot binding interface more reliable.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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PhillipStanton,
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I must admit to liking my knees
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Would you like a 2nd hand Voile release ? You can use 'standard' (G3, Rottefella, Voile) bindings, and then remove the release later ? PM me if interested.
Note also that most (if not all) tele bindings break at some point 
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FAQ
