Section 1 of 6
The technical standards that split free-heel skiing — 75mm three-pin, the New Telemark Norm, and what came after.
5 pieces · all sections
Lead piece
Examines the 75mm three-pin duckbill norm — its dimensions, its origins in Nordic touring, and the engineering reasons it remained in production decades after alpine norms moved on. Argues from manufacturing economics and boot-sole geometry rather than nostalgia.
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The Norm
Chronicles the arrival of the New Telemark Norm in 2007 — the dimensional differences from 75mm, the rotational-release mechanism Rottefella built around it, and the binding landscape it split.
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The Norm
Describes how NTN's design allowed partial compatibility with alpine touring tech-toe systems and why that mattered to skiers who tour.
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The Norm
Traces the discontinuation of the Rottefella NTN Freeride binding and the partial return of its components — what was discontinued, what returned, and what the episode reveals about demand in a small market.
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The Norm
Profiles the Voile Switchback within the longer history of cable bindings — the mechanical logic of the rear cable, how Voile's Salt Lake City operation has maintained and updated the design, and where the cable tradition sits relative to NTN.
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