NTN Telemark Binding with a Lockable Heel
ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Telemark Binding
The ATK Newmark Lite Freelock is the Newmark Lite with a tech heel unit added, so a compatible boot can be locked down for parallel skiing when a telemark turn is not what the situation calls for. Everything that makes the standard binding tour well is unchanged: a free tech-toe pivot, a spring-and-claw cartridge that slides off for the climb, and a single Telelever for both modes. At 440 g per binding it costs 100 g over the standard Newmark Lite, and it needs an NTN boot with a rear tech fitting as well as a tech toe.
Expert Review
Specifications verified by CCBB staff. Telemark bindings carry no certified release.
Is This the Right Binding for You?
Best For
NTN skiers who tour and want the option of a fixed heel for tired legs, difficult snow or a long exit, on boots with both tech toe and rear tech fittings.
Consider Another Binding If
Your boots have no rear tech fitting, or you will never lock the heel. The standard Newmark Lite is 100 g lighter and less expensive.
CCBB Telemark Binding Ratings
Uphill Efficiency
Free tech-toe pivot at 440 g per binding
Telemark Activity
Soft standard spring, spacers included
Transition Speed
Telelever, removable cartridge, lockable heel
Serviceability
7075 aluminium and steel, no fibreglass plates
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
CCBB Telemark Binding Profile
Boot StandardNTN
Telemark ActivityAdjustable with the included spring spacers
Riser HeightsOne flat position, one 28 mm riser
Crampon CompatibleYes, integrated receptor for ATK ski crampons
Boot CompatibilityNTN boots with tech toe fittings
AdjustabilityCartridge position for boot sole length, adjustable toe retention
Construction7075 aluminium, stainless steel and POM
Recommended UseTelemark touring
Why We Like It
- The Freelock heel is the whole point: drop a knee when the skiing is good, lock the heel when it is not, without carrying a second binding or a second pair of skis.
- Locking the heel does not compromise the climb. The tech toe still pivots freely and the spring-and-claw cartridge still slides off for the ascent.
- At 440 g per binding the fixed-heel option costs 100 g over the standard Newmark Lite, which is a modest penalty for what amounts to two ways of skiing the same setup.
- Machined 7075 aluminium, stainless steel and POM throughout, with no fibreglass plates to splinter.
Best Uses
- Telemark touring where a fixed heel is a useful escape option
- Difficult snow, tired legs and long flat exits
- Skiers transitioning between telemark and alpine technique
- Firm and icy skin tracks, using ATK ski crampons
Mounting and Setup Advice
This binding asks more of your boots than the standard Newmark Lite. It needs tech toe fittings for the toe piece and a rear tech fitting for the Freelock heel, and plenty of NTN boots have the first and not the second. Confirm both before ordering, and bring the boots in if you are unsure what you have.
Understand what the locked heel is and is not. It fixes the heel for parallel skiing and it provides no lateral release, so a locked heel here is not equivalent to an alpine or touring binding with a certified release. The climbing riser is still mandatory if you leave the cartridge on the ski, and the standard spring is soft, so ask about the spacers if you ski hard.
Setup guidance reviewed by CCBB staff. Telemark bindings carry no certified release; confirm boot compatibility before mounting.
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Technical Specifications
Manufacturer specs · Click to expand
Fit and Sizing
- Weight
- 440 g per binding, 880 g per pair (ATK figure)
- Boot Standard
- NTN
- Boot Compatibility
- NTN boots with tech toe fittings and a rear tech fitting
- NTN Sizing
- Configurable for small and large NTN soles
- Riser Heights
- One flat position, one 28 mm riser
- Size
- Universal
- Model Year
- 2026/2027
Function and Compatibility
- Release
- No certified release. Toe retention is adjustable between two settings, and that adjustment is a retention setting rather than a release value. A telemark binding should not be relied on to release.
- Compatibility
- NTN telemark boots with tech toe fittings. Configurable for small and large NTN soles by changing the cartridge screw position; on Scarpa the break point falls between 26 (small) and 26.5 (large). Not compatible with 75 mm three-pin boots, and not compatible with NTN boots that have no tech toe fittings, and the Freelock heel additionally requires the boot to have a rear tech fitting.
- Toe Retention
- Adjustable, two settings
- Spring Cartridge
- Removable, ships with spring spacers
- Ski Crampon Compatibility
- Integrated receptor for ATK ski crampons
- Brake Width
- None. Leash required.
- Construction
- 7075 aluminium, stainless steel and POM
- Warranty
- 2 years
Compare the ATK Newmark Lite Freelock
Freelock vs. ATK Newmark Lite Binding
The ATK Newmark Lite Binding is the same binding without the tech heel unit, at 340 g per binding against 440 g here and less expensive. It needs only tech toe fittings, where this one also needs a rear tech fitting. Skiers who will never lock the heel should take the standard version.
Shop the ATK Newmark Lite Binding
Freelock vs. ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Heel
The ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Heel is the same heel unit sold separately, for skiers who already own a standard Newmark Lite. Buying this binding complete is the simpler route if you are starting from scratch; buying the heel alone makes sense as an upgrade.
Shop the ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Heel
Freelock vs. Scarpa TX Pro
A compatibility check rather than a comparison. This binding needs an NTN boot with both tech toe fittings and a rear tech fitting, and not every NTN boot has the second. Confirm what your boots have before ordering, and talk to us if you are unsure.
Shop the Scarpa TX Pro
Common Questions
Who should buy the ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Telemark Binding?
The ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Telemark Binding suits telemark skiers who tour and want the climb to feel like a tech-toe touring setup rather than a plate binding. At 440 g per binding on machined aluminium and steel, with a free tech-toe pivot and a cartridge that comes off for the ascent, it is built for NTN skiers who count grams and want the option of locking the heel on the way down.
What boots work with the ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Telemark Binding?
NTN telemark boots that have tech toe fittings. The boot connects through those fittings and a spring-loaded claw engages the NTN second heel. An NTN boot without tech toe fittings will not work, and neither will a 75 mm three-pin boot. The cartridge position is then configured for a small or large NTN sole, with the Scarpa break point between 26 and 26.5. The Freelock heel additionally requires a rear tech fitting, which many NTN boots do not have, so check both before ordering.
Does the ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Telemark Binding release?
No, and this matters more than any spec on the page. No telemark binding carries a release certification comparable to an alpine or touring binding, and we do not present one as having a release you can rely on. Toe retention is adjustable between two settings, which changes how firmly the boot is held, not whether or when it lets go. The Freelock heel provides no lateral release either, so a locked heel here is not equivalent to a touring binding.
How does the ATK Newmark Lite Freelock Telemark Binding tour?
Two ways. You can slide the spring-and-claw cartridge off entirely, which leaves the boot pivoting on the tech toe and takes the telemark hardware off the ski, or you can leave the cartridge on and raise the climbing riser. If you leave the cartridge on you must use the riser, because the cartridge holds the heel down otherwise. There is one flat position and one 28 mm riser.
Can I change how active the binding feels?
Yes. It ships with spring spacers so activity can be adjusted rather than fixed by the standard spring, and ATK has indicated softer and stiffer spring options. The standard spring is on the soft side, which suits a smooth, low-resistance turn. Heavier or more aggressive skiers will probably want more resistance.
Does it take ski crampons or brakes?
Ski crampons yes, brakes no. There is an integrated receptor for ATK ski crampons, which is worth having on a firm skin track. The binding has no brakes and none are offered, so a leash is the only retention if the boot comes out of the binding.
How is the weight figure on this page sourced?
ATK gives 440 g per binding and 880 g per pair. We have not weighed a production pair ourselves yet, and early figures varied depending on whether screws and mounting hardware were counted, so treat it as ATK’s figure rather than our measurement. It does reconcile across the three products in the family, which is a good sign. We will publish our own number once we have weighed a pair.
Our Verdict
The ATK Newmark Lite Freelock takes an already interesting touring binding and adds an answer to the question every telemark skier eventually faces on a long exit. A tech heel unit locks a compatible boot down for parallel skiing, the tech toe still pivots freely on the climb, and the cartridge still comes off for the ascent, all for 100 g over the standard Newmark Lite at 440 g per binding. The requirements are the thing to check: tech toe fittings and a rear tech fitting, which not every NTN boot has. And a locked heel here still offers no lateral release, so it is a technique option rather than a safety feature. For NTN skiers who want both ways down, it is a clever solution.
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