Straps and Highbacks

Both the ankle and toe strap are minimalist in design, though as we should all know by now, that doesn’t mean they’re less comfy. A lot of brands have shifted towards web-style straps over the last decade because they hug your boot really well, they’re durable and they don’t soak up water and freeze.

At the ankle, then, Rome have opted for their Pureflex design. It’s not quite as cutting edge as their AuxTech straps but it’s even lighter and (as the name implies) more flexible, so it will certainly stoke out anyone that likes to press rails. The toe strap, meanwhile, is as bare bones as it gets – just a loop of plastic that grips the end of your boot in a simple, effective style. There’s no Pivotmount on the Crux, so you’re a bit limited on the amount you can customize the fit versus Rome’s high end models. To be fair, that just means they attach to the baseplate in the same way as almost every other manufacturer.

The highback is pure nylon, so it’s definitely on the soft end of the spectrum. On the flipside it’s fairly tall, so from toe to heel it feels pretty responsive; the extra flex really comes into play torsionally, when you’re leaning into rail tricks, buttering or generally getting loose in the park.

“The highback is pure nylon, so it’s definitely on the soft end of the spectrum. On the flipside it’s fairly tall, so from toe to heel it feels pretty responsive”

Roundup

The Rome Crux are a good choice for beginner to intermediate riders whose priorities lie inside the resort, whether that’s cruising the trails or lapping the park. It’s easier to build your skills and ditch those robotic newbie turns when your bindings let your feet move a bit, and while these might not be powerful enough for attacking critical freeride lines, they’re a way better option than stiff (and expensive) binders if you want to add some style to your game.