Rome Vice Snowboard Binding

Rome’s been making some our favorite bindings for a while now. At the top of their line is the continually tweaked Katana, with which the new Vice shares many characteristics. However, the Vice is almost $100 cheaper, and is a capable, simpler, less aggressive alternative to the Katana. In fact, our testers picked the Vice over the rest of the bindings in this guide as one of our favorite bindings of 2018, as its versatility, customizability, and comfort are remarkable given the affordable pricetag.

Pros:

This binding is so easy to use that you can strap in while rolling off the lift—perfect when you need to keep up with skiing friends or beat the crowds to the fresh stash on a powder day. You can easily tighten and cinch down the toe and ankle straps without restricting blood flow or creating unwanted hot spots.

Customization on this binding is amazing, and one of the features that the Vice shares with its big brother, the Katana. Game-changing PivotMount Technology allows you to tweak the positioning of the ankle strap along the Asymwrap chassis. Shift the strap down for a flexier, surfier ride, up for a more aggressive and snug fit. You can also rotate the highback, another feature that we wish was more prevalent outside of the Rome line.

Responsiveness was on the lips of smiling testers after ripping the Vice for a few days. “Fabulously responsive,” said one. “The wrapping heel cup held my boot down securely.” Last but not least, he reckons that the Vice will help you avoid “Jerry of the Day disasters.”

Cons:

If you crave even more responsiveness, you can always increase your spending, and get the Katana. But for the average, intermediate rider, this binding is going to improve your snowboarding at a fair price. Wait a second… that’s not a negative, right?

Tester Quote: “The flexible toe strap snuggles my forefoot like a hug from a super strong mustachioed weightlifter.”

Key Attribute: Versatility