ATK’s Newmark – the latest idea for merging tech with tele.
In spite of the apparent lack of interest in telemark skiing by retailers, interest continues by the practicing faithful as well as manufacturers dreaming of a better way. The latest variation comes from Italian tech binding manufacturer ATK and they are calling it the Newmark binding.
At first glance it appears to reinforce the concept that a Dynafit-style toepiece can be utilized as part of a telemark binding. The key, of course, is this requires a telemark boot with Dynafit inserts in the toe. For those intent on retiring the ubiquitous duckbilled telemark boot, the Newmark binding represents another threat to their continued existence.
Get it?
Again, despite my pessimissm on the chances of this binding surviving long term it IS exciting to see further development along these lines and I hope I’m wrong about it not working out.
© 2013
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Pretty cool, although I still think release & brakes are needed to move beyond NTN- some things are worth their weight for most
Very interesting. This idea is definitely something a lot of people have thought of before — two sets of dynafit-type pins at the toe, essentially. I’m skeptical it will work as currently designed, but like you said, it is promising seeing that the good folks at ATK are thinking about it.
I saw this video last week when it was posted on a European ski forum, so glad Dostie took the time to put up a review, too bad we don’t have any live action feedback. Anyone?
After seeing the video and doing some thinking, I mocked up a Newmark styled clamp on my TTS, and though it was just a carpet test, I’m of the mind that this system or something like it could work. The clamp would need to be strong, but because there is very little change in boot sole to ski spacing this far forward of the heel, the degree of flexibility (ROM) is significantly lessened.
It seems like ATK has a fairly polished binding that clearly was purpose made for telemark, so I’d expect that someone has skid the system. It will likely reward a more upright position, possibly it is intended as a minimalist race binding? Still, if they were to add some underfoot stoppers, this binding would be pretty amazing.
I want one 🙂
This is hardly a review — just a courtesy notice of things to come (hopefully).
JA! I like that. Add a little flex to an AT boot sole and it might work. That rear pin looks plastic. So simple. I hope they keep at it. The weight loss is of course the game changer.
It would be nice it to be able to lock the heel down as an option, which could be done by adding a dynafit heel thing-a-ma-jig.
yesterday i was in Livigno in the alps for the annual freeheel festival and i had the opportunity to test (only in piste ) the atk newmark. the factory had only two pairs of ski mounted , one on a fat ski and the other one mounted on a light carbon ski for skialps (traditional ski , skinny ) , the boots was a new TX pro ; i try the skinny, first impression :For my fingers/feets i remenber skiing 20 years agò with leather boots probably because on the firsts turns i flex too much and i had some discomfort on my fingers (but probably the boot was smaller respect my usual number ) .The next turns i regulate the power on the flex and was better .
Final impression : very good , good conduction , precise, simple . its like a three pin and i don’t like have hard cartridge on the cable bindings (usually i used a ascent G3 ), very light (only 570 for a pair ) simple like a Dynafit binding .
Only a little bit expensive ( about 440 euro ) .
I speak with the factory manager , they produce a little amount of this binding for the european retailer for this year.
I just completed a 110 km trip with 6.300 m of altitude. I can higly recommend this binding. The price is definitely worth it.
Any more use reports on this? Any buzz, Craig? My first Rivas had no more hold down than two tabs (but put them to little & light use before Sloops came along.)
The current known problem is the side arms that hold the sole of the boot down will chew away at the sole over time. For those who like less “activity” this is a very light option.
I just had a pair of these (freelock version) mounted on the voelkl katana 177cm with a scarpa TX Pro and used them for a week heli skiing in galena BC Canada. We skied only powder. The toe released once as they should have. I did not try them in AT mode. They were super precise despite what feels like a little bit of vertical play – meaning that lifting your heal about an inch offers little resistance but at that point the binding and boot flex engage. You don’t need the NTN boot to make this all work just the the tech fittings and boot bellows (ie as in scarpa). NB there are two versions one all tele only (newmark) and the AT heal lock down freelock version.