Straps and Highbacks

The days of stuffing heel straps with copious amounts of padding are firmly in the past. Mesh designs like the Pureflex strap seen here offer several advantages: they’re lighter; they don’t get caked in snow and freeze solid; they wrap more evenly around the foot, eliminating pressure points; and they’re easier to tweak. Oh, they’re less likely to fall apart too. Game, set, match.

Rome have paired this mid-flexing ankle strap with a low-profile set of ratchets and an even more pared-back toestrap. Constructed from two thin bands of bomb-proof plastic with a big hole in the middle, it stretches easily over the end of your boot and weighs next to nothing. Seriously, if you can’t get airborne in a pair of these bindings then you’re all out of excuses.

The highback continues the featherweight theme. It’s a single slim piece of nylon, with just enough padding on the inside and a non-intrusive forward-lean adjuster. It’s not infused with carbon or fibreglass like others in the range, so you can expect a more playful flex that won’t kick you in the ass if you make a mistake.

“Seriously, if you can’t get airborne in a pair of these bindings then you’re all out of excuses”

Roundup

In a market where bindings are routinely priced north of 200 pounds, euros, or dollars, the 390 Boss offer refreshing value for money. The underlying chassis is as durable as anything out there, while the straps and highback are a lesson in quiet efficiency. Park rats will find all the comfort and tweakability they need in this model, and as the icing on the cake it boasts razor-sharp good looks. Less really can be more.