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Rome Arsenal Snowboard Binding Review

$190
Intermediate to Expert all mountain/freeride
Over the toe or traditional toe strap
The Rome Arsenal is a good binding at a good price. The Rome Arsenal is very similar to the Rome Targa with the most stiff insert in the ankle strap and is a more freeride focused binding. If you In 2011 the Targa and 390 upgraded to a different base plate and foot bed while the Arsenal still has something similar to 2010. We like the old foot beds but must admit that we like the new foot bed better that are on the 390's and Targa. We'd like to see that tech trickle down to the Arsenal and it would make it a better binding. On top of that they added the 390 high back to mellow out the stiffness. Boards arent as stiff so the old stiffer Arsenal isn't needed as much as it use to be. So anything before 2011 is going to be stiffer and more freeride focused and the new 2011 will be closer to the All Mountain side of things. For 2012 Rome changed little to nothing on the Arsenal so if you like the idea of the 2011/2012 design you could save some cash on the 2011 model. The one issue with the Rome Arsenal is it's not easy to get everything dialed out. The biggest pain is adjusting the bindings to your foot size. You have a metal piece conecting to a metal or plastic piece that isn't easy to allign so you can get the screw in. If you need an inexpensive binding for a stiffer all mountain board like the Rome Anthem or Rome Headline then this is an excellent choice.

How It Rides
Flex	Medium	Response	Excellent	Dampening	Excellent
Adjustability	Good	Weight	Medium	Shock Absorption	Good
Comfort	Excellent	Lateral Movement	Good	Board/Boot Integration	Excellent

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The Good Ride Take

A Quick Look at the 2012 Rome Arsenal

The Good Ride Take on Rome
Rome is relatively new but has some of the best people in the industry working there. For example the designer of the Burton custom is now a principle and designer at Rome. Their strong point is that they make exceptional park and all mountain snowboards. They make boots and bindings that are loved or hated but don’t have the rep that their boards have. From what we have experienced with their clothing its well made, fits well and the waterproofing isn’t bad for the price. Their gloves are hit or miss and don’t really have the rep that their clothing does. They have exceptional customer service and everyone at Rome seems to really love what they are doing so if you have an issue it will most likely be handled professionally. Rome hasn’t really been leading the innovation charge the last few years but almost everything they make is well thought out and fun to use. Rome has the average to 100+ day freestyle to all mountain rider dialed out.

A Good Ride Take on Binding Tech
Metal vs Plastic Bindings

This is a Goodride breakdown for all you that are having a tough time choosing your bindings and what to make of the material you are looking at. Most bindings are Metal, Plastic or some combo of the 2.

Metal Bindings have a lot of great aspects. Almost all-metal bindings are made from aluminum. Aluminum is great when it come to weight to stiffness ratio and also pretty durable. There is one key issue with metal/aluminum bindings; they transfer all the vibrations from the board right into your feet. This is the same principle that pelage “bass-less” bindings, your feet got totally tired or fatigued. The newer generations have much better/damp bases so this problem has been minimized and in some cases eliminated. There are some companies that make great bindings despite the vibration issue with Aluminum. Some that come to mind are Ride and Rome.

Plastic Bindings also have many great features but let’s address some technical stuff first. Most plastic bindings are really hardened glass plastic mix. The high-end stuff tends to have a more carbon, and carbon fiber added for extra stiffness and weight savings. Plastic bindings really dominate the market right now and most top bindings these days are mostly or all plastic. They can be really stiff and react well to your commands. The new bindings finally dialed in the carbon/ fiber integration to the point that the bindings will perform with the stiffness of metal and absorb more chatter. Most industry leaders have limited or completely eliminated metal from their bindings and we feel that with the materials used right now this is the future. Some mostly plastic companies that we feel rock are Burton, Flux and Union.

What kind of binding should you buy? It’s a tough call. Both Plastic and Metal bindings offer freestyle, freeride and all mountain styles. At this point we feel that plastic bindings are edging out metal bindings when it comes to the very high end $300+ category. However it is a tough call in the below $300 category as to which material has the advantage.

Company Info & Specs

Rome Arsenal 2012

Arsenal

POWER CHORDS AND MELLOW BALLADS ALL IN ONE BINDING

riding anyway and anywhere you want to shred your snowboard; a good amount of support in the ankle; a moderate blend of flex and support on heelsides; the freedom to customize in more the 5 zones of the binding; pure power transfer to edges; lightness

MSRP: $190.00 USD

Flex/Feel

Super Poppy

Tech Details

UnderWrap Heel Hoop
The Rome binding innovation that delivers unmatched toe-to-heel leverage, while still flexing side-to-side the way snowboarding likes it
Arsenal Highback
The highback that filmed LNP’s break-out video part; superlight with the right blend of support and flexibility
ConFormist.1 Toe Strap
The original over-the-toe or over-the-top toe strap for signature Rome customization
PF1.Ankle Strap
A mid-flexing design with support for toeside power transfer
SF Baseplate
Short fibers of glass impregnate nylon for power with flexibility
SubBase Pad
Anti-vibration technology that enhances board feel
The Rome Customization Foundation
Highback Rotation; 9Times Ankle Strap Position; Adjustable Toe Ramps; 0-24 Degree Forward Lean
The Rome QuickTech Foundation
QuickStrap.2 Technology; QuickLock Forward Lean

Rome Arsenal 2011

If you loved the 390 in 2010, you’ll love the Arsenal in 2011. As firm believers in trickle-down shredonomics, we used the opportunity created by designing a new 390 highback to outfit the Arsenal with the old 390 highback design. Balancing the power profile of the original UnderWrap heel hoop and the supportive Arsenal ankle strap, the new highback features a more mellow flex profile and a much lighter weight. Regardless of whether you like riding pow lines fast, lapping park jumps or sessioning out on a box, the Arsenal combines the necessary flexibility and power for 100 days of fun every year.

MSRP: $190.00 USD

New Arsenal Highback

Ample coring for lightness and flexibility

UnderWrap Heel Hoop

A ton of leverage over both edges with side-to-side freedom; the most powerful of the UnderWrap designs

SF Baseplate

A short-fiber glass filled composite creates a flex profile that balances power and tweakability

ConFormist.1 Toe Strap

Super conforming EVA for the best-fitting, lowest profile toe strap in snowboarding,

PF1. Ankle Strap

A moderate-to-high support level for instant power input.

SubBase Pad

Takes the edge off hard landings and reduces vibration

Highback Rotation

0° to 12° of rotation places power where you like it

9Times Ankle Strap Positioning

You decide how much ankle support you want

Adjustable Toe Ramp

Customized in the toe area for pressuring up the toe edge

QuickStrap.2 Technology

Tool-free strap length adjustment. Screw screws.

QuickLock Forward Lean

Tool-free forward lean adjustment

Rome Arsenal 2010

Raw Power

With a stout highback and Rome’s signature aluminum UnderWrap heel hoop, the Arsenal delivers the direct energy transfer necessary to rule the mountain from top-to-bottom at a place like Jackson, Tignes or Whistler. And it’s power the way you like it—a host of Design House features like the ConFormist Toe Strap, highback rotation and nine ankle strap positions deliver advanced levels of rider customization.

MSRP: $190.00 USD