Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Probably this has been discussed before, but it's kind of new to me.

Couple weeks ago decided to descend on Scarpa T1's in walk mode. I actually liked it better. Vice traps, with normal springs (not stiffy springs).

With the cuff in walk mode, I felt more ability to make micro-adjustments...
- to my balance and maintain a centered stance.
- steering each ski throughout the turn, yawing about the x-axis
- especially on the front ski, pitching about the y-axis, which helped for the loose stuff

In walk mode, I felt more leg fatigue carving the groomers, but I blame my [lack of] pre-season training.

Hoping this is not beginning the slippery slope of embracing "less is more"... because my marriage will not support any more gear right now.

Yes, but will it fly?
I see rudimentary landing gear,lots of rudder, and a fuselage, but no wings?

check cloud ceiling before use, that looks like a VFR setup, prob not ok for IFR.

Ironically about flying, I was more inclined to land small jumps / kickers (e.g. side of trail, near the charlift tower) in a tele stance with the boot in walk mode... doesn't make the landing any better/worse, but it does increase my sense of skiing vanity if I can land mildly genuflected.

Unless I'm skiing ice, I'm in walk mode. I just don't need to be locked into an aggressive stance all the time.

I find it easier to do tele's with a softer flex boot.
Much smoother in that transitional phase with my excursions than my t4s. I've never used cable bindings, and wondered if a cable would smooth things out while I bring the inside knee lower.

Skiing with unbuckled boots, or in this case, in walk mode, is a solid and classic instructional technique. Teaches balance and wt. distribution. Try that and also without poles. Good for skill development, and as mentioned, similar to skiing in leather boots.

I've left my T1's in permanent walk mode (duct taped 'em open) for many years, same with my T2's when I was on those. I also modified the 4 buckle T1's to a 3 buckle configuration; I found this also smoothed out the flex considerable. So you don't need new boots, some easy mods might do it for you.

Just another reason to love tele. Customization. Thoughtfulness. Dialing in the gear, with a purpose. Less static with the gear & more dynamic with the mind. Embrace the Franken-tele. I know... flipping a walk mode toggle is far from Franken-tele but it sounds more cool than, "Embrace the bespoke!"