Chirouze Goodness | Photo: Andy Brooks

“Business As Usual In La Grave…But Better!”

Touring up to the Pan | Photo: Andy Brooks

Preparing to ski cut the traverse. | Photo: Andy Brooks

Nothing really new in here in La Grave this winter. Same old 2000-mter powder runs down couloirs, glaciers and trees. The days all melt together because each one just gets better than the next. Yet, every year just gets better than the next. The never ending learning keeps the novelty as well as the appreciation and enjoyment of full-on north facing fall line…high. This years expansion in ski consciousness has been boosted by a good, good dose of  MFD ALLTIME. Finally, the ultimate off-the-lift touring device has shown up perfectly to further augment a big year.

I can’t even count the epic days riding the telepherique this year. Maybe I don’t want to…so I’ll just say that my last day was the best one yet, like always. Dan Caruso’s buddies Andy and Kim were in town and he asked me to show them around a bit. I think we all had a day to remember. Fifty centimeters of fresh, barely any wind, filled in to the bottom, and minus-20 just about everywhere.

Dropping into the Middle Kingdom for last light | Photo: Andy Brooks

First run we hit the opening of the glacier T-bar to rip one down to the road on the classic Girouse right. The Pan de Rideau was looking sooooo inviting we just had to check it out next run. This is the ultimate run for the ALLTIME’s because you have a half-hour tour before sticking it out across the steep traverse to get to the 50 degree face entrance to the glacier below. Today however, the entrance remained rather sketchy as it had the whole year. It had been skied only twice so far in hard conditions, which had fully gripped the hearty souls who had dared venture. Worse was that there was new snow blown into a slab covering the rocky scenario of the traverse.

Dropping in to punch the track in with Andy belaying me, I immediately kicked off a two-layer slab that rumbled down the throat of the Ygrek couloir below. After regrouping at an anchor point, we weren’t feeling it and backed out. Not the usual move, but the right one. Several days later Joe Vallone burled 45 minutes through the rest of the traverse and then danced over a bad slab on the face, ripped out the exit to the ice and navigated the convoluted bergshrund for the glacier powder prize. Glad I wasn’t there but hey, Joe’s on fire these days.

Speaking of Joe, that’s who we met last run. After refreshments with the usual suspects at the 3200 restaurant, he invited us down the infamous “Middle Line.” It was getting late and after organizing enough rope for the two big rappels we raced downwards against the fleeting, but magnificent winter twilight. Fortunately the moon was already out when we completed the spectacular rappels and began skiing the thigh-deep fluff down to the valley. Headlights would have diminished  the experience I think. Back in town at dark tired, blown away.

Nope, nothing new here in La Grave.

—Ptor Spricenieks

Front pivot screw loosening:

Due to a few observations we’ve received from skiers using the MFD ALLTIME this season. Note: some customers have experienced seeing one side ONLY of their pivot screws loosen while ski touring. Therefore, we have decided to list this notice to inform our customers. Further, added security can be known in that if this does happen the opposite side screw will still adequately hold you in place to carefully downhill ski back out. We believe this is an isolated issue and a very small percentage of users will actually encounter the issue. Those who have noticed a screw loosening have been able to re-tighten using a 3mm allen wrench or get a replacement screw from MFD and fix the problem. Therefore, by educating our customers we hope to eliminate issues here forward.

“While this pivot screw issue has only been a few isolated instances, we want to make sure our customers are aware of any potential issues with their MFD ALLTIMES,” explains Jason Prigge, President of MFD. “The ALLTIME bindings system has been designed to be extremely serviceable and replaceable to maintain the longevity of the product. In order to do this we are introducing accepted techniques from other sports to keep our products performing at an optimal level at all times. At MFD, we stand behind our products and will always strive to maintain an open dialog with our customers and notify and make available any improvements or upgrades”.

Issue: One side pivot screw loosening during ski touring.

Bright side: This is a very manageable issue. If you notice one of the two front screws loosening upon checking or during ski touring, you can easily tighten the screw with a 3mm allen wrench. Again, this has been isolated to a few instances only. In our opinion, it is an unacceptable inconvenience to some of our customers. However, herein we will aim to address and fix any problems.

Preparation: Very similar to mountain biking preparedness, MFD recommends for (at least) your first few days out on the system, especially first few ski tours with your new ALLTIMES, you carry a 3mm allen wrench. Or the best scenario is to always carry a 3mm allen tool with you at all times. Again, similar to how you would when you go mountain biking

Fix: If you do experience the screw loosening, tighten the screw clockwise using the 3mm allen tool and hand torque tight. This will take care of the issue short term, but our intent is to eliminate the issue and maintenance there of. DO NOT attempt to tighten the screw otherwise if it does not appear loose since the screw is seated with an epoxy lock coating.

Action: If you encounter the issue, please contact MFD at info@runmfd.com and we will coordinate sending you replacement screws and a 3mm allen wrench at no charge. Further, we are in the process of developing a more permanent fix for users who experience the issue. Spare part kits will also soon be available via our website www.runmfd.com.

Area in question:

After nearly three years+ of testing, tweaking and perfecting, MFD’s ALLTIME alpine touring binding has taken the ski industry by storm. The MFD ALLTIME Alpine Touring binding system was specifically designed for freeriders and until now, hard charging skiers had to choose touring bindings that did not perform well enough for their everyday style of skiing. The age-old problem of sacrificing downhill performance to have a touring option plagued skiers. The solution, it seems, has been under our feet the entire time. Enter the MFD ALLTIME: the perfect combination of uphill efficiency and downhill performance.

The MFD ALLTIME binding system gets the job done by creating an accessory AT binding system to add touring function to your standard alpine bindings. It is compatible with most major brands and, once mounted between the ski and the binding, it offers a rugged touring option with optimal skiing performance.

“We knew we had to make an AT binding system that was quick to use, torsionally stiff, and matched the performance of skiers’ existing downhill bindings, all while touring effectively,” said MFD ALLTIME creator and former pro skier Jason Prigge. “Skiers already have bindings they like. Let’s let people use them.”

Receiving applause from every major ski publication’s fall gear guides–and nominated as a finalist for the ISPO Brand New Awards–the MFD ALLTIME is poised to change the skiing experience forever.

Writes Powder Magazine under the headline Two Innovations That Could Change Skiing: “Jason Prigge’s MFD ALLTIME binding looks to be the one-shop clamp quiver … With an ISPO Brand New nomination, a customization option with your trusted alpine clamp of choice, and an innovative product developed and produced in the U.S., MFD ALLTIME could be the quiver call.”

Where many alpine touring bindings on the market attempt to be everything to everybody, they have until now left skiers wanting more–whether it’s being too light duty to hold up to resort skiing or lacking the touring performance and ingenuity of a well designed heel lock and climbing riser system. The MFD ALLTIME comes in with a solution that will keep you charging the hill and flying around the backcountry–all while using your trusted binding of choice.

Additionally, the MFD ALLTIMES drop down channel lowers your boot to the ski achieving the lowest stand height of all high-DIN AT binding systems. The MFD’s Pendulum Pivot allows efficient ski touring while the free-floating heel lock keeps the ski flexing naturally. To top it all off, the ALLTIME’s torsionally strong 0-, 6-, and 14-degree ski pole-activated locking mechanism and climbing riser offers the fastest transition time on the market. All this adds up to give you major benefits that let’s you fly up the hill and ski how you want to once you get there.

MFD ALLTIME Locked / Touring Positions

The MFD ALLTME is quickly becoming the choice for skiing’s top professional athletes. Big names such as Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Eric Roner, Jason Tattersal, Shroder Baker, Daryl Treadway, Ptor Spricenieks, and Matty Richard endorse and have used the product for the past year. “I have been using the MFD ALLTIME for a year now and my life has changed,” says Sage. Stay tuned as MFD’s official handpicked athlete team is growing daily and will be announced in the weeks to come.

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