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Bindings

Flow Fuse GT 2020-2021 Snowboard Bindings Review

  • Price: £285 / €300 / $310
  • Sizes: M, L, XL
  • Flex: 7/10
  • Entry System: Rear Entry
  • BUY DIRECT FROM FLOW

The words ‘rear-entry system’ can often be enough to for a binding-seeking boarder to walk on past a fresh set of Flows, or slam their laptop shut on a review that sings their praises. And that’s okay – the debate between slide-in and crank-down rages on, and if your mind has been made up through your own experience, then it’s likely you’ll be sticking to your guns on this one. But if you’re yet to find your preference, let us present to you the Flow Fuse-GT in the case for easy-entry bindings.

“If your mind-jury is still out on the biggest debate in the bindings industry, the Flow Fuse-GT might just help place your allegiance”

It’s fair to say that Flow really have the rear-entry system game wrapped up, and with the kind of stand-out, rider-refined features they’ve got in this set, it doesn’t take a set of thick glasses to see why.

The all-mountain Fuse-GT has the same ActiveStrap Tech that really impressed our hands-on reviewer last season, giving the boot more space to get into the binding by simply lifting the main strap slightly when the highbacks are lowered. It might sound like a tiny detail, but trust us when we say it makes all the difference in energy-sapping terrain, or just at the end of a full-on day-long charging sesh.

“If your mind-jury is still out on the biggest debate in the bindings industry, the Flow Fuse-GT might just help place your allegiance”

When they’re not letting your boot through, the ModBack highbacks offer a level of stiffness, flex and response whilst the aluminium-alloy heelcups transfer energy right to your board to, together, allow for the kind of super solid edge-to-edge transitions you’d expect from a binding of this level.

Combined with the cantered BankBed footbeds, which Flow have spiked with N-Gel for a welcome hit of comfiness, you really are starting to tick all the right boxes. If your mind-jury is still out on the biggest debate in the bindings industry, the Flow Fuse-GT might just help place your allegiance.

Tester’s Verdict 2019/20

Mike BrindleyWhitelines

“I’ve never been much of a Flow fan, admittedly more due to reputation than actual experience.The first time I tried a pair getting in and out of them was a nightmare, they’d been touted as ‘quick entry’ but when you have to kick your foot 5 times to get them into the straps you’ve long since lost the race with a traditional pair. Flow seemed to have cottoned on to their past shortcomings and now as I pulled down the highback was delighted to see the strap lift slightly. Quick Entry now got a tick in my book, at least on a nice flat surface.

“Riding in these felt comfortable, the larger strap left my foot feeling really hugged and locked in”

Riding in these felt comfortable, the larger strap left my foot feeling really hugged and locked in. The highbacks were responsive and the edge to edge transitions were solid. There was a bit of give side to side so I was able to get some nice tweaked out grabs going and they felt playful enough. They’re solid for charging too. They’re comfortable to wear, so much so that you kind of forget you’re strapped in. I knuckled a few jumps and they felt like they dampened the slap quite well.

Strapping in mid piste is an issue- you physically cannot get your feet in when you’re sitting on the side of the piste. You either have to do some sort of weird dog yoga pose, or simply undo the straps like you would on a normal pair of bindings. Surely this negates the point of Flow’s in the first place? But I guess most people don’t unstrap halfway down the piste, I just like to stop and take photos.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with these bindings. They’ve definitely improved since my last try, and seeing how many of them are on the slopes, there is definitely a market for them, I just don’t think it’s me.”

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