I’m embarrassed to say this, but I’m just now in the loop about the MFD Alltime Ski Bindings. I’m especially red-faced since MFD is a Utah company. If you haven’t heard of them yet either, then that’s okay, because they’re not available to the public quite yet. But when they do hit the market, there’s a possibility these things can be huge, as they promise to make your traditional alpine skis and bindings backcountry-touring capable, with little retrofitting.
MFD is a company founded in Utah by skier Jason Prigge, who came up with the concept after he couldn’t find AT bindings that he fully trusted. As a result, he figured out a way to use his burly alpine bindings in the backcountry. That way, you can have a true one-ski quiver, even for resort and backcountry skiing.
According to the ISPO-Brandnew website, “MFD is founded in the quest for the ultimate ski setup. The MFD Alltime sets a new standard for alpine touring (AT) bindings. Our system allows skiers to use downhill bindings as AT bindings to ski and tour in the backcountry. From aggressive resort skiing to efficient ski touring, the MFD Alltime is the first true crossover ski binding you can ski all-the-time.”
What’s really cool is the simplicity of the system. It’s basically just a metal plate with a hinge that goes underneath the bindings. It has simple risers for uphill mode, and a super quick locking system for when it’s time to charge downhill. According to MFD, to enter alpine touring mode, you pull straight up on the back of the climbing riser and the boot is released to walk mode. The riser can also be placed in both 6 degree and 14 degree lift modes depending on the steepness of the terrain.
To return to downhill ski mode, you lift the riser all the way up, bring your boot back down and lock the riser into place. In addition, the company claims that you’ll even ski better since the MFD bindings have a “drop down channel” that lowers your boot closer to the ski to give you more stability and edge control. The bindings also allow the ski to flex more naturally than traditional AT bindings.
Check out this video for a closer look at how this new system works.
The MFD ALLTIME ski bindings will be on the market in Fall 2011, and they will retail for $299.
There’s not a whole lot on the official MFD website yet, but you can also check out their Facebook Page for the latest info.
Will they be a game changer for skier who spends equal time in the resort and backcountry? We’ll see next ski season.