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Bindings

Rome Katana 2019-2020 Women’s Snowboard Bindings Review

  • Sizes: S, M/L
  • Flex: 7-9
  • Entry System: Classic
  • Price: £299 / €339
  • BUY ONLINE

The unfortunate reality is that unless you ride a 154 snowboard or have a size eight shoe size, women rarely have access to the same levels of choice as men when it comes to picking out a snowboard. For what is available, it comes as a breath of fresh air when a brand doesn’t just resort to taking a men’s product, making it smaller, and sticking some glitter or pink (or pink glitter) on it. The women’s Katana bindings from Rome take the hugely popular men’s model and make a couple of tweaks to dial in the same incredible fit and response that the fellas get to enjoy.

This is the lightest binding available from Rome, down to the fact that all the materials used are straight off the top shelf. No two highbacks are the same in the range and the women’s specific AsymKatana Highback strikes the balance between enough power and support to keep you railing your carves, but simultaneously offering torsional flex for when you want to change things up and want to bring out your freestyle side.

“This is the lightest binding available from Rome, down to the fact that all the materials used are straight off the top shelf”

That’s matched with the AsymWrap Heelhoops, which deliver asymmetric response between the stiffer, more aggressive, inside of the binding and the softer outside. That’s achieved through only opting for one contact point between the heel hoop and baseplate on the lateral side, so you can flex the boots into your turns and tweaks to bring out a much more surfy feeling in your snowboarding.

All of Rome’s bindings provide instant comfort out of the box but, when it comes to customisation, none come close to the offerings of the Katana. Whatever angle, strap, or component you want to alter, you can guarantee there’s a way to do it. Wherever and whatever you ride, if you can make room in the budget to add these to your setup, they may just be the last pair of bindings you ever ride.

Tester’s Verdict

Corinne MayhewMayhew Snowboarding

“The Katana bindings took a little while to get used to. I had them paired with a stiffer board in icy conditions which probably didn’t make things easy but once the snow started to soften up, I could see how well crafted they are. Aimed at more advanced riders, these bindings will bring out the best in your board so definitely worth investing in a high-performance snowboard to make the most of them.

“Aimed at more advanced riders, these bindings will bring out the best in your board so definitely worth investing in a high-performance snowboard to make the most of them”

With the choice of strap height settings (‘surfy’ and ‘powerful’), I had them set on ‘surfy’ as I thought that would compliment my riding style the most. I still found them pretty stiff, however if my riding was on point through the turn, the binding definitely helped to create the desired, slashy, effect!

The Katanas may feel like hard work at first but stick with them and they’ll deliver a higher performance from your board and possibly help to develop your riding into more powerful realms.”

Tester’s Verdict

Stella PenttiWhitelines

“Year after year, these things keep on making the top of my list. I remember when I first gave these things a go and realising how much of a difference a good pair of bindings actually can make to your riding.

“The shorter highback makes them more suited for us ladies, making them even more comfortable on the feet”

Imagine my excitement when being introduced to these female specific Katanas. The shorter highback makes them more suited to us ladies, making them even more comfortable on the feet.

Even though the binding is light, it doesn’t lack in the power department. I often feel that lightweight bindings don’t give me that extra kick I look for, but the Katanas are next level everywhere I want them.

What makes these things so amazing is their versatility, and also how they can be so powerful no matter what kind of riding you adjust them too. These things, without doubt, remain one of my all-time favourites.”

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