Equipment Considerations

CRMS Telemark Team

Equipment Information 2011/2012

Team Attire: We will continue to work with FlyLow, which is a fantastic Colorado based, Telemark specific clothing company. Our prices are about 50% off of retail, and this discount applies to any of their products.

Skis and Bindings.

We have a pro-deal program with Black Diamond. The approximate discount on new BD skis, bindings, and poles is somewhere between 30 and 40% of retail.

Approximate Price Examples:

Kilowatt Ski Retail Price $569.99 Pro Price$385.00
Push Boot Retail Price $679.99 Pro Price $411.39
O1 Binding Retail Price $299.95 Pro Price $197.97
O2 - MidStiff Retail Price $189.95 Pro Price$125.37

What to look for if you do you own shopping:

Skis: The type of skiing we do ranges the full spectrum of powder, steeps, groomers, and bumps (with occasional giant-slalom race events). Skis should be modern mid-fat to fat skis with visible side cut. Many students choose to ski on twin-tipped skis, which is a great option, but not mandatory. We highly recommend skis that are between 90 and 110 mm under foot. There is no longer a difference between Alpine and Telemark skis, so it is not necessary to look for a Telemark specific ski.

Bindings: Bindings should be modern Telemark bindings, either cable, plate, or NTN (NTN bindings require NTN boots). Avoid older 3 pin-bindings or cable bindings with springs. As an example, many of our athletes use the Blackdiamond 02 binding. Those who are interested in backcountry should look into a binding with a free-pivot-climbing mode, such as the Black Diamond O1.
A note on cartridge stiffness: Our more experienced athletes tend to ski on the stiffest binding cartridges they can get their hands on. In general we do not recommend any of our athletes skiing on binding cartridges less stiff than a mid-stiff setting. Light-stiffness cartridges are to soft and floppy for the type of skiing we promote.

Boots: Boots should be a modern plastic telemark boot with no less than three buckles.

Recommended Boots are:

• Scarpa T1 or T-Race

• Garmont Energy or Synergy

Black Diamond Push or Custom (Men's) Stilletto (Women's)

Skins: We do not require climbing skins, but highly encourage students to get them as soon as they can so they can enjoy the backcountry aspects of telemark skiing.