The M Equipment

The telemark trend that seemed to be on the rise a few years ago may be over, but the scene lives on. You could even say that there is more going on in the area of material development for the free heel group than for the chronically uninnovative alpine bindings. The New Telemark Norm is already several years old and the latest news is more about tech-tele hybrid bindings, which are gradually making it from garage tinkering to market maturity. We took a look at the Meidjo from The M Equipment at the Telemark Opening in Hintertux.

There were also no major revolutions in the area of ski boots and bindings at ISPO 2016. When it comes to boots, however, many manufacturers have at least followed suit in the freetouring boot segment with a focus on downhill performance and a weight of between 1500 g and 2000 g. For many manufacturers, however, only product maintenance was on the agenda. Tech inserts were often integrated directly into the shells instead of in removable soles. The biggest news in the ski boot sector is probably the withdrawal of Black Diamond. Following the end of telemark boot production this season, there will also be no more touring and freeride boots from Black Diamond from next season. There will be virtually no innovations in bindings. If anything, the manufacturers have limited themselves to product maintenance.