Why We Chose The Rome Katana Pro: For those who like to push the boat out without parking their creative instincts, one of the best just got better.

Not many bindings enjoy the iconic status and name recognition of the most famous snowboards. Hell, even some boots have more clout in that department. However, the Rome Katana’s perennial popularity – not to mention cool-ass name – surely makes it one of the world’s best-known binders.

“The Rome Katana’s perennial popularity – not to mention cool-ass name – surely makes it one of the world’s best-known binders”

No surprise, then, that Rome looked to this one when deciding what could be spruced up and added to its ‘Pro’ collection of high-performance bindings.

Who Is The Rome Katana Pro For?

There are bindings that are built for absolutely hooning it, and there are those that are better suited to surfy turns. The Katana is among the leading examples of a binding that can do both well – although as implied by that qualification in the name, this particular model leans a little more towards the speed freaks.

Baseplate

The rule of thumb with Pro/‘Premium/Ultra/X’ versions of existing bindings (and indeed boards) is that there’s been some carbon added to the mix. While there are exceptions – the other two ‘Pro’ models in Rome’s line remain carbon-free – that’s what has happened with the Katana Pro. The fiberglass that makes up about a third of the blend in the Katana’s baseplate has been swapped out for carbon, resulting in a lighter and stiffer component that can be pushed what its progeny can handle.

Otherwise it’s the same quality design that earned the Katana its place in several Whitelines 100s gone by. The chassis is largely absent on the inside of each foot, giving you a bit more longitudinal freedom for weight shifts and tweaks, at no cost to edge-to-edge response.

“It’s the same quality design that earned the Katana its place in several Whitelines 100s gone by”

Rome’s finest damping tech, an ‘expanded thermoplastic polyurethane’ (E-TPU) that won’t turn rigid and brittle even in freezing temperatures – handy for a snowboard binding! – can be found underfoot. Meanwhile, dual-density foam in the footbed provides extra comfort, with subtle canting (that’s a slight difference in the height of the left and right sides) that’s kinder to your leg joints.

Straps and Highbacks

The baseplate’s carbon upgrade can also be found in the Rome Katana Pro’s highbacks, and the result is an overall increase in response that’ll have you wondering if your setup has gone full AI, predicting your movements before you even make them.

As for the straps, they’re the same as what you’d find on the standard Katana – but given that those offer all the response you could want with plenty of comfort too, that’s very much a good thing. The ankle strap has ‘auxetic’ properties; unlike, say, a rubber band, it actually expands as you stretch it. That means you get a more even distribution over your foot, with no awkward gaps or pressure points. The dumbbell design of the strap’s spine ensures that there’s no more material used than is absolutely necessary.

“It’ll have you wondering if your setup has gone full AI, predicting your movements before you even make them”

The toe strap is also made of auxetic material. Whether you like to crank them or ride them a little looser, watch them conform to the end of your boots perfectly every time. For those who are really pedantic about their fit, the adjustment options of both straps give you levels of customisation that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

Roundup

As should be clear by now, the jump up from the regular Katana to the Katana Pro isn’t exactly earth-shattering – but then too many tweaks, and it wouldn’t be a Katana.

No, Rome’s approach here has been laser-focused; take something that works well, and finesse it to better serve a specific need. If that sounds like you, then don’t settle for less; strap into the Katana Pro and push it as hard as you dare.

Pros:

• Everything we’ve loved about the Katana for years, with increased response
• Thanks to the longitudinal freedom offered by the asymmetric chassis, lower-speed cruising is still very much on the table

Cons:

• Carbon-infused designs aren’t for everyone – plus they cost more – so be sure to weigh this up against the standard Katana before taking the plunge.

Size: L/XL

“Powder: Comfy and cruisy. Despite being very performance orientated bindings that gave a wicked response, even tight turns still felt cruisy.
Piste: Can handle everything in their way, they’re very responsive but the open sided aux tech ankle strap keeps them feeling soft and comfortable. It’s like a Rolls Royce was suddenly a capable racing car but still kept all that comfort and luxury on the inside.
Park: I took these for a few laps over the jump line and a couple rails and found that they got the job done, if I were setting up a park specific rig then I’d opt for softer bindings. But if you’re an all-mountain dog these will get the job done. And the wicked thing about the Rome bindings is that you can adjust how the ankle strap sits on your boot which greatly effects the flex and response.
So if you are really trying to crank a press or bone out a grab and feel restricted, you can always adjust your ankle straps on the fly to free up some space and get a “softer” feel without changing bindings.

Baseplate – super comfortable without being overly-damp. Just the right amount of cushin’ for the pushin’
Highback – As expected, pretty damn stiff. But with all the usual bells and whistles to dial in your fit, forward lean and angle to your sidecut.
Straps – This is where Rome really stand out from the crowd. The Aux Tech in the straps removes any risk of pressure points and hugs your boot very comfortably. It’s almost slightly weird feeling like you’re riding naked but still getting rapid response from these bindings!
As mentioned, you can also adjust their positioning to help adjust the responsiveness of the binding to match your riding styles.

10/10 – I loved these and don’t have a bad word to say. Not only are they great at what they say they’ll be good at. But they excel far beyond this and more are more versatile than I expected. I’d say they’re a cracking daily driver for anyone intermediate – advanced riding that likes to really push themselves.”