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Bindings

Rome 390 Boss 2021-2022 Snowboard Bindings Review

Tested and selected for our top 100 snowboard products of the year: the Rome 390

  • Price: £230 / €270 / £270
  • Sizes: S, M/L, L/XL
  • Flex: 4-5/10
  • Entry System: Claassic

Why we chose the Rome 390 Snowboard Bindings: They’re competitively priced yet stacked with great features and built to last. You won’t find better value for money.

Few bindings have demonstrated a stronger evolution than the 390 Boss. A few years ago it stood out for its chunky grid-like highback and even chunkier straps – dare we say, they looked a bit plasticky – but the current iteration is a whole lot more refined. From the aluminium chassis to the minimalist straps and sleek back support, this is now the definition of a stylish modern freestyle binder. As the scousers say, it’s boss, la.

“You won’t find better value for money”

MORE INFO:
ROME.COM

Who Is The Rome 390 For?

They provide capable control anywhere on the mountain, but with a softer highback and straps than (for example) the Katana, they’re best suited to riders who spend most of their time lapping the park or boning out 1’s and 3’s on their favourite side hit.

Baseplate

Rome’s bindings are all based on one of two platforms: FullWrap and AsymWrap. The 390 Boss utilises the former, which sees an aluminium heel hoop run the full length of the binding on both sides, connecting to the glass-infused nylon baseplate at four points. FullWrap prioritises power transfer, so you can be sure this binder offers all the edge control you need when setting up for a trick. More aluminium also means it will withstand all the abuse you can hurl at it on rails and kickers, and when you’re ready to open up the throttle, the binding feels reassuringly stable around your whole foot.

All this talk of power and support might make it sound like the 390 Boss is a freeride model by any other name, but Rome have balanced the package out with mellower, freestyle-friendly components elsewhere. Which brings us onto…

“FullWrap prioritises power transfer, so you can be sure this binder offers all the edge control you need when setting up for a trick”

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.

Trade Secrets

Matt Stillman – Marketing Manager / Team Manager, Rome

“Bombproof, foolproof and proof that a great binding doesn’t need to be overly complicated. The 390 Boss has been in our binding line since the beginning, designed as a minimalist styled binding with a tweakable flex profile and complimented by the stability of our FullWrap platform.”

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