Getting
Up To Speed on the NTN
As regards
the ergonomic course of movement, it is of particular significance
that the retaining means comprises a tensioning or clamping means,
e.g. in the form of a tensioning cable, strap, or rigid clamping
plat ...pivotably connected, in the area of the metatarsal zone
so as to engage the front sole of the shoe behind the metatarsal
zone. As the shoe heel is raised, this tensioning or clamping
means permits free and unobstructed downward curving of the front
sole of the shoe. In this manner the heel of the shoe can be
lifted without constraint, while the foot arches downwardly in
accordance with the natural roll-off motion when walking. Simultaneously,
high lateral stability and stability in controlling the ski as
well as good transfer of force to the ski are achieved due to
the fact that the sole is attached at the forward sole end, on
the one hand, and at the rear end of the front sole, on the other
hand....Excerpted
from the latest Rottefellla NTN binding patent.
April 5, 2005-- The announcement over the weekend
that Rottefella will debut a New Telemark Norm (NTN) binding,
along with a compatible boot from Scarpa, has brought its long
and much talked about development back onto the front burner.
As has always been the case with the NTN, solid information has
been hard to come by, with many otherwise talkative sources claiming
to be out of the loop or just plain tight lipped. But we've been
working this story hard and feel we now have a more complete
picture of the situation this week, in advance of Rottefella's
expected showing of the combo at the Livigno LiveFree Heel Festival
in Italy next week.
The most surprising development
to come to our attention is that, as of last January, Black Diamond
apparently pulled completely out as a partner in the NTN project,
walking away from years of effort and a substantial financial
investment. This decision would seem to have come about as a
result of BD having decided to go in another direction, continuing
to refine its O2 and O3 bindings and betting instead on the future
of the old 75mm toe norm. Also playing a part in this decision
may have been the departure of longtime BD ski line product manager,
and later BD/Scarpa manager Jordy Margid, who was known to be
a big fan of the NTN concept and the opportunities offered by
the design to move away from the "museum piece" look
of cables and touring boot-like duckbill toes. New management
at BD was never as bullish on the NTN as was Margid.
Also, rumors of G3s involvement
in the binding side of the NTN appear to have been nothing more
than just that, rumors. We understand that G3 had expressed interest
in participating, but it's unclear what exactly transpired, and
why the Canadian makers of the popular Targa have not been involved,
but our information is that Rottefella has been left to go it
alone.
On the boot side, Garmont
is said to be definitely out, having decided they were not interested
in investing in NTN boot development. Crispi is also said to
be playing a waiting game, leaving Scarpa as the lone NTN boot
player. Before pulling out, BD had already invested fairly heavily
in development of a Scarpa NTN boot, in fact we saw a very finished
looking NTN Scarpa prototype two years ago. But with BD's exit
from NTN, Rottefella is reportedly now going forward alone, putting
up the financing to put a full size range of a single-model NTN
boot into production, a major investment totalling well over
a million dollars in mold costs alone.
Earlier this year we had
heard from sources that Rottefella had given up on getting rid
of the old 75mm duckbill, but we now believe this was either
a misunderstanding or a little politicking being engaged in by
a member of the ISO (standards) committee. In any case, the NTN
boots will have a rounded toe following the dimensions of the
AT norm, but with different tolerances. The
bindings will not be backwards compatible with 75mm toe boots.
Sources also expressed skepticism at reports that the NTN binding
to be shown at Livigno would offer a step-in feature. We have
been hearing for as long as two years or so that building a step-in
NTN was becoming more and more problematic, indications were
that a simple ski pole activated step-in solution was being worked
out as an alternative, but our latest information is to expect
a kind of front throw arrangement instead.
How far off are we from
seeing an NTN boot and binding combo on shop shelves? Not long.
Sources tell us that Rottefella is planning a fall, 2005 limited
release in Norway only. Presumably this will give them a chance
to closely monitor performance and field durability before taking
the NTN all the way into the big time internationally.
Finally, after all of the
above tales of trials and tribulations, we would be remiss to
not remind the reader of our own Telemarktips test more than
3 years ago of the NTN under the forefoot attachment concept.
As many of you may recall, we took an active pair of tele bindings
(HammerHead prototypes) with an around the heel cable, leaving
one binding unmodified while adapting the other to a close approximation
of the NTN's under foot attachment. We skied them side by side
on many runs in various conditions, fully prepared to find problems
with boot flex due to the lack of boot compression provided by
an around the heel cable. There were none at all, the binding
with the under the forefoot attachment performed beautifully,
allowing the boot to flex in a never before experienced natural
and round way, while still providing an active forefoot retention
feel.
We have believed for some
time that the NTN may be the best bet yet to provide a platform
around which a modern, full-featured, high performance telemark
binding might be built. We also believe the concept offers new
opportunities for the sport to gain the kind of evolved and finished
looking boot to ski interface needed to take telemark equipment
into the 21st century. Will the binding Rottefella is said to
be planning to show at Livigno be all of this? We shall see,
we shall see! |