Although backcountry skiing and telemark skiing are distinct activities, there is a good deal of overlap in equipment — enough that many skis will easily serve double duty. Technically speaking, any departure from groomed trails is considered backcountry skiing, although easy routes on firm snow don't require special equipment. Telemark skiing is Nordic downhill, ranging from machine-tended slopes at downhill areas to deep-powder descents in remote backcountry.

Skis for backcountry and telemark are wider than cross-country skis, falling about midway between light-touring skis and downhill skis. For Nordic downhill skiing on groomed trails, the extra width gives you greater stability for high-speed turns; for backcountry skiing it gives you much-needed flotation in deep powder. Most backcountry and all telemark skis have metal edges for greater control on steep, hard snow or icy slopes.

Say yes to metal edges if you envision traversing steep, firm snowfields, or you have a downhill skier's lust for carving pure, rounded turns on steep terrain.

Skip the metal edges if all you intend is to ski on golf courses or meadows without sinking knee-deep. In that case, the ski you want is called a"touring backcountry ski." It will look a lot like a light-touring ski, only wider.

Undecided? Then you may want to opt for a partial metal edge, which runs three-quarters of the length of the ski. The edge helps you snowplow down a firm trail or bite into an icy traverse. But you'll miss the full edge if you try serious Nordic downhill skiing.

Regarding length of backcountry and telemark skis, you have three choices. As with light-touring equipment, ski design is dominated by a tradeoff between ease of maneuvering and glide. All other factors being equal, longer skis glide better and shorter skis are easier to turn, especially in less than ideal conditions.

Short skis (ranging in length from 160 to 190 centimeters) are a specialty backcountry design intended for a fairly narrow range of difficult conditions. They are usually wide (80-85 millimeters) and look pudgy compared to other skis. Lengthwise they're sized to run several inches below head height, with the optimum length depending on your weight and desired tradeoff between glide and traction. They're an unusual type of ski, filling a niche somewhere between conventional skis and snowshoes, although they glide and turn far better than snowshoes. That means they're not what most people would want for a first pair of backcountry skis. They work in soft snow and powder that's not too deep, but are difficult to handle on ice or hard-packed snow. Nordic downhilling at a ski area is pretty much out, but they're great in snow that's the consistency of mashed potatoes, which is common in the Pacific Northwest.

Mid-length backcountry/telemark skis (170 to 200 centimeters) should be about head height. Most are wide, from 85 to 95 mm at the tip, and typically aren't available in no-wax varieties. This means you'll be relegated to waxing, using climbing skins or riding chairlifts or helicopters to the top of your runs. This may be changing, however, since newer models have waxless bases and narrower widths.

Just as downhill skiing is being revolutionized by new "super sidecut" skis, the same is happening with mid-length telemarking skis. "Sidecut" refers to the narrowing of the ski beneath your foot, which on older skis isn't very noticeable. The super sidecut models have a distinct hourglass shape that improves anyone's ability to turn at slow speeds or to carve really tight turns at higher speeds. Not everyone likes them, and it takes a big boot to drive them (we'll get to that in a moment), so rent before you buy.

Traditional, or long skis (180 to 210 centimeters), should be approximately wrist height. Due to modern materials and ski designs, long skis are becoming an endangered species for Nordic downhilling. Yet long skis are still the most popular length for run-of-the-mill backcountry use. They're relatively inexpensive, versatile, and work with many types of boots and bindings. Their principal weakness is that they don't turn easily, particularly in crud, crust and moguls. You can find them in both waxable and no-wax styles, although no-waxes haven't dominated the backcountry market as they have the light-touring market. Metal edges are favored by many skiers looking to improve their turning ability. In hard, icy snow, this may be true, but a good boot does more for your ability to turn than the ski itself.

Once you've chosen a category of skis, you need to think about the ski's desired stiffness. For traditional backcountry skis, choose camber as you would for touring skis, but select a softer camber than you would for track skiing since you'll want the ski to grip in deep, soft snow. Camber isn't as much of a factor for telemark skis because these boards are designed primarily for going downhill rather than striding. For climbing with telemark gear you'll either be riding a chairlift, hiking up spring corn snow, or ascending with climbing skins. But overall camber is still important. Choose it based on expected snow conditions. Stiff skis are for going very fast on hard snow; softer cambers are for powder, inconsistent snow (called "crud") or moguls.

Move on to Telemark & Backcountry Equipment - Bindings

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