Equipment

At the time of the revival in the 1970s and 80s, telemark skis were long and skinny - and still can be. However, with the huge developments in ski shapes and materials, a wide variety of skis are now being used, according to whether they are to be used on or off piste (trail), for ski touring, or for racing.

Leather boots are still used by some, but plastic is now the usual choice. As a general trend, telemark boots are stiffer than other boots, and have more buckles. Currently two of the three major telemark boot manufacturers, Garmont and Crispi, are producing a 4-buckle telemark boot.

Bindings hold the telemark boot to the ski by the toe only. Three-pin bindings are now rarely found, having been replaced by cable bindings that have a sprung cable that passes around the back of the boot. Step-in releasable bindings are now also available, first introduced by Fritschi. Now more widely popular are the plate bindings, combining the control and stability of a traditional slalom binding with the flexibility of a traditional telemark binding.

For those taking to the wilderness, skins (synthetic or mohair rather than sealskin) and harscheisen (ski crampons - also called couteau or cortelli) are used on the bottom of the ski to climb uphill.