December 16, 2003 –  Rottefella, the industry leader in cross-country,  backcountry touring and telemark bindings, has improved its line of R-series telemark bindings for '04/'05. Introduced last year, Rottefella's R8 and R6  hardwire bindings offer surpassing lateral stiffness for men and women demanding  power and precision edging, and the softwire R4 for backcountry touring and  rentals proved themselves almost immediately in terms of both performance and  reliability.

For Winter 2004/2005, the standard 30 mm riser on the binding includes a double set  of holes that accommodate all mounting patterns, including those on skis with  pre-installed binding inserts. For additional height, a 10 mm spacer is also available.

The front riser on the hard-wire R8 and women-specific R6 has been streamlined, widened at the top to improve edge control and tapered underneath to minimize catching on steep snow. Additionally, an underlying steel plate, invisible after mounting, strengthens the riser. A new metal-reinforced hinge enables all R-series bindings able to accommodate ski crampons.

The  heel plate on the R8 and R6 has also been improved – now wider for better heel pressure and reinforced with aluminum backing. Its integral climbing bar now  slots in behind the heel plate, making it easier to engage it without removing  skis. The climbing bar can also be used for locking the cable down when skis are being transported.