Day Maker Touring adapter
The classic alpine trekker or “ the day wrekker” will always hold a special place in my heart. It symbolizes the first steps in a transition from park rat to powder hound. Trying to explain to jib kid that you can ski hard on a tech binding is next to impossible. What about landing switch? Do I aneed new pair of boots? Nah bro. So enter the trekker. The binding adapter that has remained unchanged for many years. Simply click it into any down hill binding, apply skins and go for a walk. In theory this is great! You can use your trusty alpine bindings ( that you already own ) and simply buy a pair a skins but the application isn't so smooth. Your alpine binding will likely reject the insert in first 100m and require an adjustment. Shortly after you have made those adjustments your boot will pop out of the insert while trying to kick turn with such a high stand height. Another adjustment.
The day maker touring system is a play on the old classic. They have addressed most of the key issues with the classic alpine trekker. The whole system is much more rigid which is great on those awkward kick turns on your first day touring and helps to hold the boot in place. They have added in an elliptical walking function to the insert. The Trekker had an awkward stopping point when the toe box of your boot came in contact with the toe piece of your binding creating a stopping point. The day maker will clear the toe piece but it adds more moving parts to the traditional insert. As a rule more moving parts means more parts to break or ice up/build up with snow. Lastly the day maker comes in a much more pack friendly size which is a nice bonus. All the other pluses of an insert remain. Use any boot, of any BSL on any ski you already own. Give them to your girlfriend for the day or take your park skis up for a post season booter session.
Only time will tell if the day maker touring will be able deliver on these improvements. I am strongly considering getting a pair myself for those slack country days or for when a good old jump building day is in order. As with the trekker this is a good ( not great ) option for those looking to get into the backcountry on a budget with the gear the already own. It's not efficient but it works. The rumor mill has whispers of a tech styled binding insert (pictured below ) that has me very interested.
