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Rome 390 Boss 2022-2023 Snowboard Bindings Review

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

  • Price: £250 / €300 / $300
  • Sizes: S, M/L, L/XL
  • Flex: 4/10
  • Entry System: Classic

Why We Chose The Rome 390 Boss: With Rome celebrating their 20th anniversary, it’s high time we put the spotlight on this stalwart of their binding line. Boss by name, boss by nature.

The Rome 390 Boss has evolved a long way from the bubblicious designs of a decade ago. Today, it’s a refined and minimalist looking binder that benefits from some great tech while swerving the most expensive bells and whistles. Freestyle riders seeking solid performance and value for money can always place this one high on the list.

“It will suit park riders who like to go big and charge hard across the mountain – and who have one eye on their wallet”

Who Is The Rome 390 Boss For?

With its powerful FullWrap chassis design, the 390 Boss will suit park riders who like to go big and charge hard across the mountain – and who have one eye on their wallet.

MORE INFO:
ROMESNOWBOARDS.COM

 

Baseplate

With the exception of their entry-level and kids models, Rome’s bindings have a distinct design philosophy that begins with a separate baseplate and heel hoop. Underfoot, the Boss 390 is made from moulded nylon which, in our experience, provides better shock absorption than aluminium and easier disk adjustment. Chatter is further reduced with the addition of generous cushioning on the underside of the baseplate and a thinner top layer that serves as the footbed.

Connected to this base is the aforementioned FullWrap chassis, made from lightweight aluminium. FullWrap simply means that it runs around both sides of the foot, with four points of contact (conversely, their AsymWrap seen elsewhere in the Rome range is shorter on one side to favour tweakability). It’s a powerful set-up designed for maximum support and energy transfer, giving you the confidence to hit big jumps and press the accelerator on steep descents.

“Chatter is reduced with the addition of generous cushioning on the underside of the baseplate”

Straps and Highbacks

The lightweight feel of the 390 Boss is complimented by its PureFlex ankle strap. Gone is the thick padding of yesteryear; in its place is a tough webbing that hugs your boot and won’t rip apart or soak up water and freeze. Its medium flex is good for cranking methods and general ripping alike.

The toe strap is a slight step up, featuring the AuxTech material found in many premium binders right now. Rome were the original champions of this technology, which works via a geometric pattern of hinged cells that expand evenly across the foot, with no stretching or deforming. It really works, and for riders that like their toe strap to go over the end of their boot it’s ideal.

Both straps have been upgraded for 22/23 to include Rome’s Fast Entry tech; basically the ladders are pre-creased to encourage them to fall out of the way when the binding is open, speeding up the strapping-in routine. OK, we’ve seen other brands do something similar before, but there’s nothing wrong with stealing a few ideas – especially good ones. The straps also feature new BombProof Buckles made from one-piece forged aluminium. As you’d expect, they’re tougher than hell, and the wider teeth give you more purchase when cranking in; that in turn leads to less damage to the plastic ladders.

The highback is simple in the extreme: a smooth piece of curved nylon that fits the back of your boot seamlessly. It offers plenty of torsional flex which, again, will appeal to riders who want to style out their tricks. The forward lean adjuster is classy-looking and tool-free, and a special nod has to go to the 20th anniversary colourway which (being Rome) is just black and white, with a dude smashing his board in the corner. Raaaargggh!

“The 390 Boss benefits from some great tech while swerving the most expensive bells and whistles”

Roundup

After a couple of decades in the business, Rome have learnt a thing or two about making bindings. The latest version of their best-selling 390 Boss is an exercise in the old cliché, ‘everything you need and nothing you don’t’. It’s simple, stylish, comfy and durable. With solid edge-to-edge response and a tweakable highback, it would make a great choice for intermediate riders upwards who like to hit the park and recognise good value when they see it.

Pros:

  • Solid yet relatively lightweight construction
  • Great value for money

Cons:

  • Less customisable than Rome’s higher-end models
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Tester’s Verdict 2022/23

Coming soon…

Trade Secrets

Matt Stillman – Marketing Manager / Team Manager, Rome SDS

“The 390 Boss is a staple in our binding line thanks to its reliability and ride-anything blend of tweakability and locked-in hold. While technically the 390 was the first binding we ever introduced, the 390 Boss was hot on its heels and originally conceived as the big brother to the 390. Fast forward a few seasons and the 390 Boss remains the cornerstone of our binding line and can be found under the feet of riders like Rene Rinnekangas and shop kids across the globe.

Fun fact from the vaults; the original 390 name was chosen as it was the police radio code for ‘drunk and disorderly’. Fast, loose and full of juice, this binding was a no brainer when we were designing the 20th Anniversary capsule collection. Timeless doesn’t even begin to cover it!”

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