Drake FW19/20 Bindings Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Snowboard Bindings FW19/20
Brand: Drake
DRAKE-SUPERSPORT
KEY PRODUCT FOCUS: What are the top three most important products of next year’s line, and why? Please tell us about them, and what makes them the highlights.
The Supersport comes with a lot of new features: first is the new Carbon composite hiback, lighter compared to the regular nylon while providing responsiveness close to the full carbon hiback, keeping it at an affordable price.
Second is the new injected ankle strap with over-injected TPU on a nylon frame, it provides a direct response from the boot to the board without having stitchings and it is made for a long lasting. It also comes with our Easy Entry system, once the strap is opened, thanks to our mechanism and new connectors shape, they stay out of the base, allowing the boot to go into the binding on a clear area. At the same time the straps are not falling on the board, so they don’t bother when riding with one foot.
Podium is our high-end offering thanks to a carbon fibre hiback and also uses the new ankle strap and Easy Entry system.
Radar will have the new carbon composite hiback, providing even a more direct feeling thanks to the full aluminum omnichrom light baseplate.
Which new materials are you using in your bindings?
Nylon and reinforced nylon with fibreglass; TPU on straps; Carbon fibre, composite carbon and nylon for hibacks.
Please tell us about the dominant colour themes in next year’s binding line?
Earth and natural colours, tone on tone and couple of special versions with more graphics/pattern.
Prices: Where is your brand going? Higher? Lower?
We do our best to provide performance bindings at an affordable, trying to keep the retail price stable thanks to innovations.
DRAKE-SUPERSPORT
Any new ideas in buckles, straps, highbacks, bases?
New double injection ankle straps with two different designs for different feelings, one is more responsive and other more playful. The nylon frame makes the strap responsive while keeping it comfortable on contact points thanks to the soft TPU over injected. The new carbon composite hiback that is lighter compared to the regular nylon while providing responsiveness close to the full carbon hiback, keeping it at an affordable price. It also allows to have a 3D design which is hard with the regular carbon. The lightsaber baseplate that allows a tool-less heelcup adjustment.
Going for an easy-in, easy-out solution next year? If so, are you licensing or developing it yourself?
We are working more in order to keep the classic straps connection system while simplifying the way to get in and out. The Easy Entry system is our solution, once the straps are opened, thanks to our mechanism and new connectors shape, they are staying out of the base, allowing the boot to go into the binding on a clear area. At the same time the straps are not falling on the board, so they don’t bother when riding one foot. In this way, we are able to keep the versatility of the traditional system while reducing its weak points in terms of user-friendly.
Anything new in production wise? New factories, new assembly methods?
No, in order to guarantee the quality we are working on the same factory, trying to be more efficient thanks to new components that also simply the assembling
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