How do you describe telemarking?

Aaron,

That video rocks!  I grew up in the Wasatch skiing on leathers and 3 pin bindings with those guys as my heroes.  Thanks for posting that.  It's why I still tele 90%

I still think my best tele turns ever were with pins, leathers and Tua Montets in powder.

I've put that vid up a couple of times to 'shame' the converters    At 64, I haven't found the knees to be a reason, yet..  quads, maybe..

On the deck and sub 90 is still the ticket..  said the guy on 97's / 105's with NTN..  

I've put that vid up a couple of times to 'shame' the converters    At 64, I haven't found the knees to be a reason, yet..  

Sorry, I feel no such shame  . I'm having too much fun. I'm always amused at the ardent nature of the stalwarts of either tele or AT in these discussions. Shame and penis envy? C'mon guys, this is all just fun either way, isn't it?? Yet another amazing and silly human invention that lets us recreate with joy.

Anyway, glad for you that your knees aren't an issue, David. I have some early degeneration and have started to think about how to ration the remaining knee function in hopes that these critical joints carry me further for longer. There are lots of things I CAN still do, but my doc's advice is to be smart about which ones I actually DO...

I made the switch I forget how many years ago after realizing that I was p-turning over half the time on my tele gear. And that I could be skiing a much lighter set up with zero friction (touring mode tele bindings either weren't out or were just barely out at that point; though the weight issue remains). The bonus that I didn't count on was that my p-turns are even more fun on the AT gear, especially in funky snow!

Sorry, I feel no such shame  . I'm having too much fun. I'm always amused at the ardent nature of the stalwarts of either tele or AT in these discussions. Shame and penis envy? C'mon guys, this is all just fun either way, isn't it?? Yet another amazing and silly human invention that lets us recreate with joy.

Anyway, glad for you that your knees aren't an issue, David. I have some early degeneration and have started to think about how to ration the remaining knee function in hopes that these critical joints carry me further for longer. There are lots of things I CAN still do, but my doc's advice is to be smart about which ones I actually DO...

I made the switch I forget how many years ago after realizing that I was p-turning over half the time on my tele gear. And that I could be skiing a much lighter set up with zero friction (touring mode tele bindings either weren't out or were just barely out at that point; though the weight issue remains). The bonus that I didn't count on was that my p-turns are even more fun on the AT gear, especially in funky snow!

Totally..  but TTS..  just sayin..   

Text-to-speech? True-to-size?

Oh, maybe you mean the binding system! Is there a releasable version that would get me in the weight zone of something like say the standard (i.e. not any superlight race tech etc.) Dynafit AT binding (w/o brakes)? And that would enable me to pull my tails out the crud anything like the way that a fixed heel does? I get that they are supposed to perform well and have good engagement immediately upon lifting the heel from the ski, but the heel does still lift from the ski when going downhill, so I assume I get that much more tail lift with the fixed heel when in breakable crust and other cruddy snow...

I realize that many telemarkers differ from me on insisting on releasability, but once I moved beyond the V1 superloops (which while not really "releasable bindings" did essentially release if you stretched the bungie sufficiently in a fall), I always either mounted my binding on a release plate, or used an integrated binding/release system. Again, I want to preserve my knees etc., and I also want those skis to just come off if I'm ever caught in a slide! But I also want a light system - fortunately I seem to be able to have my cake and eat it too! At the cost of giving up a little mysticism/lore, but so be it.

Just tried out my new set of AT skis yesterday on the groomers. Well that was different and had to fight some muscle memory. I'll still tele - and for a while it will be my stronger suit in the backcountry, but I suspect after some practice it will be the other way around.

So much lighter - and releasable.