Twenty-two year old New Zealander, Nick Eaton, has designed a new hybrid boot and binding system that quickly transforms your snowboard boots into basic mountaineering boots. Designed specifically for backcountry snowboarders, DuoTrek's reversible grips let you hike and ride on almost any terrain.
The trouble with using current snowboarding boots in the backcountry is that they lack grip when hiking through dense snow and ice, terrain better suited to mountaineering boots fitted with crampons. The DuoTrek hybrid boots have solved this problem by adding stowable metal crampon spikes to the soles of the snowboarding boots.
To expose the crampons, pull and twist the sole locking pin to release each rubber toe and heel section. Pull out the rubber grips, turn over the exposed titanium plate to reveal the crampon spikes. Swap the titanium sections with the opposite boot, replace the rubber grips and lock back into place. Now you are better equipped to safely climb steep and icy terrain.
When done climbing, simply repeat the process to stow the sharp spikes back into the sole of the snowboard boots. Nick's accompanying binding design makes it easier for you to slide in and out of your snowboard. A rear, spring loaded support bracket collapses to let you slide your foot into the binding then locks back up into place for riding.
Nick won New Zealand's Best Product Design Gold Award for his DuoTrek hybrid mountaineering and snowboard boots so expect to see them head into actual production sometime in the near future. What do all you snowboarders think- useful invention?