Monday, January 08, 2007

It looks like the New Telemark Norm could have some advantages for boot makers...


From Scarpa's Press release

For more than 50 years SCARPA has been a innovator in the world of alpine sports, and for Fall 2007 it will be part of the most-talked-about current effort in the telemark world by introducing the Terminator X for the NTN (New Telemark Norm) system. The Terminator X will also be compatible with alpine-touring bindings, bringing to reality the oft-talked-about concept of one boot for both telemark and AT systems.

NTN was designed from the outset to address the existing short-comings and design-limitations that are inherent with the current 75mm norm: awkward walking, sloppy binding interface, and its primitive technology – especially compared to alpine standards.

The SCARPA Terminator X is a tall three-buckle boot that’s equally at home touring in the backcountry or ripping the ski hill. The tall upper creates power for driving big skis, while the lower boot has an internal Torsion Frame optimizing lateral stiffness with tour-friendly flex. The boot retails for $649 and can be demoed at the Outdoor Retailer Backcountry Base Camp.

From a telemark standpoint, the most notable feature of the Terminator X is its lack of the traditional squared-off millimeter sole that is the hallmark of most telemark boots. Instead, the NTN binding clasps the more standard rounded front of the sole as well as a specialized lip underneath the front of the arch of the boot, creating a very rigid interface that transfers more power to ski edge than other bindings.

Not having the 75 mm. toe found on most telemark boots also allows the Terminator X to be designed so it is compatible with alpine-touring bindings. The Terminator X includes tech fittings that make it compatible with the lightweight Dynafit binding, while the bellows necessary for the telemark turn add to the boot’s tourability in an AT setup.

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