Drake GTO

Author's product rating:   

Quality	Excellent
Durability

Advantages:	Solid performance, cheap price, great build quality, not yellow .
Disadvantages:	Should be called Drake GT? Ciao, do your research !  ; - )

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I have ridden with bindings from Burton and Sims, as well as borrowing boards and bindings from a number of mates, but since 2001 I have owned a pair of Drake F60s (drakes top-of-the-range model) which they have not only provided me with a great connection to the board, but they have lasted through 2 boards and upwards of 300 days on the slopes. They are still going strong, and so when it came to kitting out my girlfriend there was only one place to start looking. Drakes "entry level" binding.

The design of these is identical to my old F60's, not surprisingly as this geometry has been proven by a wide selection of pro's over the years and... it works! The materials I guess have been downgraded, with plastic substituted for metal in some areas, but I have no worries with that, as technology has improved to the extent that the plastics used are probably just as strong.

The performance seems to match my old F60's 100 percent. The flex in the GT's is almost zero, The very wide top strap and tall highback combining to keep your boot sitting firmly in the binding. I consider that these bindings have a number of advantages over similar models from other manufacturers:

The taller highbacks give a more solid grip on your boots.
The forward lean adjustment is simple and effective, allowing you to force yourself into better technique (keeping those knees bent...)
The wide, padded strap design gives both a secure grip on your boots and a comfortable fit.
The ratchet system on the straps works, and continues to work in powdery and icy conditions. Sure, you may have to whack the strap a couple of times with your glove, but once the strap goes into the ratchet and you turn it a couple of times, it ALWAYS locks.
Build quality is Excellent. With Burton especially, parts fall off bindings. Try and spot a pair of burton customs that are more than one year old and still have both the original forward lean adjusters on. You just won't. Also, I have seen toe strap buckles come off or break, and that just doesnt seem to happen on the Drakes. The parts on the GT's seem to be the same as the F-60's, and after a couple of weeks riding they continue to function perfectly.

To summarise - I guess the materials wont be as good as in the higher range models, but for a beginner or intermediate looking for a binding which is technically excellent and doesn't cost the earth, I would recommend this every time. One last but very important tip - TAKE YOUR BOOTS WITH YOU when you go to try bindings on, (bindings come in a range of sizes) and never buy without trying them on first.
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And finally, in response to the comments below, a bit of background to the uninitiated: Snowboarding is a sport whereby one stands upon a specially designed board (like a 20cm wide ski) and slides down a snow-covered slope. The board is controlled by shifting your body weight from one edge to the other, and this process is only possible if your feet are firmly fixed to the board. As in ski-ing, snowboarders wear strong boots, which are secured to the board using specially designed bindings. These are what I am reviewing here.