Straps and Highbacks
Like the Boss 390, the Brass comes fitted with a set of Pureflex ankle straps and Puregrip toe straps. The emphasis here is on keeping the weight down, with just the right amount of flex to get your tweak on or lean into those presses. They might look spartan, but the webbed design hugs your boot well and they’re made from some tough-ass material. Together with Rome’s ever-reliable ratchets, they also function perfectly in the coldest of temps.
The highback continues the lightweight theme. It’s a slimline design with a large hole towards the top that shaves a few grams and mellows out the flex – especially torsionally (and that ability to twist your lower leg is what you need for styling out tricks). From toe to heel edge it’s more rigid, yet the response will feel accessible for most riders; being made from 100% nylon, there’s always enough give to bail you out of the occasional sketchy landing. The obligatory forward lean adjuster does exactly what it’s supposed to with the minimum of fuss, and the shape is integrated well into the overall design – someone at Rome HQ who looks at CAD designs for a living will appreciate us noticing that.
“They might look spartan, but the webbed design hugs your boot well and they’re made from some tough-ass material”
Roundup
Rome have hit it out of the park with the new Brass. It’s a stylish and lightweight binding that’s perfect for park laps, powder days and general freestyle fun. The construction is bulletproof enough to last a full season of riding (which means several winters for the typical shredder) but they’ve paired that FullWrap aluminium chassis with more forgiving materials elsewhere that ensure this is a comfy place to put your feet all day long. Our only gripe is the limited number of colourways – white or purple. We vote for the former cos purple is a bit cliché for a women’s binding – and hey, this is Whitelines, right?