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TightBoards.com Rome Libertine Pureflex Snowboard Boots White... $171.95 Check Availability ProBoardShop.com Rome Libertine Pureflex Snowboard Boots White - Men's... $171.95 Check Availability Berg's Ski and Snowboard Shop Rome Libertine Snowboard Boots - Men's Black... $168.00 Check Availability Snowboards.net Rome Libertine Snowboard Boots 2012... $153.98 Check Availability Skis.com Rome Libertine Snowboard Boots... $153.98 Check Availability SummitOnline.com Rome Libertine Snowboard Boots... $153.98 Check Availability DepartmentOfGoods.com Rome Libertine Pureflex Snowboard Boot - Men's... $143.97 Check Availability Backcountry.com Rome Libertine Pureflex Snowboard Boot - Men's... $143.97 Check Availability evo Rome Libertine Snowboard Boots 2012... $143.00 Check Availability evo Rome Libertine Snowboard Boots 2012... $143.00 Check Availability DepartmentOfGoods.com Rome Libertine Lace Boot - Men's... $131.97 Check Availability Backcountry.com Rome Libertine Lace Boot - Men's... $131.97 Check Availability evo Rome Libertine Snowboard Boots 2011... $99.90 Check Availability

The Good Ride Take

The Rome Libertine Pureflex Review by the Good Ride 

It's hard to get many people in the same size boot so this review is by the Editor only... 

The Rome Libertine comes in two types of snowboard boots.  The traditional lace and the pureflex model.  We have the pureflex model.

The Libertine is marketed as a soft to mid flexing boot for all mountain riding.  We found the Libertine to fit the description perfectly.  The first impression of this boot is it's well made and very comfortable.  The Pureflex lacing system is cool looking and a lot easier to lace up than salomon and almost as fast as speed lacing system that many boots have.  It takes a little getting use to but once you do it's pretty easy to lace up.  I wasn't sure at first about the outer lace controlling the inner and outer but actually it works rather well and does save some time.  The liner is very comfortable and pretty easy on the foot.  I have high expectations because I usually ride some of the best boots out there so I wasn't sure if they would stand up to my expectations.  I was pretty surprised with the control they had over the few boards and bindings I tried with them.  So far I have tried these boots with the Burton Co2's, Union Force SL's, Union Force's, Yes Dudes and the K2 Beleiver.  The Libertine is definitely on the soft side of Medium but I was surprised with the response they gave me for this kind of flex.  The response wasn't really exceptional and these boot's wouldn't be ideal if you are looking to ride aggressive freeride snowboards but the libertine will work. really well with any mid flexing all mountain board.  Boot's are the toughest to recommend for different riding styles because I know so many riders that have so many preferences.  I know riders who like soft boots with stiff boards, riders who like stiff boots with soft boards ect.  I personally like to have a boot and binding that matches the boards flex.  So for me the Libertine was awesome with the YES The Dudes of History and it would also work very well of course with the Rome Agent Rocker or even the agent Rome Agent. Another thing worth mentioning is the sole cushioning.  It doesn't look like it but there is a lot of shock absorption in the heel.  It's no Burton Ion but it does a really good job. The articulating cuffs are different from Burton and many of the other companies that have articulation but it looks like it still does a pretty good job at preserving the flex. Time will tell though.   I will keep adding to this review throughout the season but so far these boots have impressed me.  I mainly ride the Burton SLX's so I'm always impressed when I don't have SLX withdrawls when trying boots.  There is one complaint so far and that is the toe is not as hard as it should be. It might be that I have a bad set of boots but the toe does collapse a bit on the sides however it's not enough for it to cause a problem.

So after a few days of riding we found a few issues:

1.  The speed lace handle is a bit small and after a hard tug it broke.  Rome will replace it very quickly but we'd like to see some stronger handles.

2.  Another small issue is the top of the toe seems to have a crease developing where the binding goes over it.  There is no performance issue but it's just something we don't normally see after about 10 days of riding.

Do I still like this boot?  Yes it's a great boot for the price but it needs a little re-inforcement in the toes and stronger handles. If it had these upgrades it would be an excellent boot. 

The Good Ride Take on 3D Molded Tongues vs. Traditional Tongues
A 3D molded tongue is smooth and continuous and is seen on a lot of boots.   It never folds down or bites into the top part of your foot or ankle.   There are traditional tongues that have different names that have a folding point that is usually at the top of the ankle.  We have seen that many people with bumps and issues on the top of their feet seem to have less pressure points with 3D molded tongues.  It really all comes down to personal preference but we hope this breakdown helps.

The Good Ride Take on Articulating Cuffs- If you don't know what an articulating cuff is the upper and lower panels of the boot are separate.   The top cuff is only attached at the back and then wraps around the front.   When you flex forward it doesn't stretch out the boot and over time it stays closer to its original shape and stiffness.  It also creates a more natural and comfortable forward flex when riding.  It can be made to be stiff or very soft and is generally more comfortable than a standard boot.  We love this tech!

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 boards.  They have also made some really good boots, binding and clothing.  They have exceptional customer service and everyone at Rome seems to love what they are doing.  Rome should be considered when you are looking to buy and they are often overlooked.   Every product we have experienced from Rome has always been well made.  We would like to see a few more Freeride boards, boots, and bindings but all in all Rome has the average to 100+ day all mountain rider dialed.

Company Info

The Rome Libertine Pureflex 2012

Libertine PureFlex THEY WENT BACK TO THE STUDIO FOR A NEW COLLECTION OF HITS

super cush fit in the ankle region; tweaking tricks; laying a deep toeside rut; pressing the shit out of box; advanced lacing technologies; lightweight dampening for those flat landings

• AntiGravity Outsole

Lucite

Black

Liner Tech

c2

Flex/Feel

Buttery-Poppy

Key Tech

• PureFlex

Tech Details

• AntiGravity Injected EVA Outsole
  superlight traction; superlight shock absorption for big landings
• PureFlex Quad Lacing
  4 zones of control, lightning fast, and with a natural, kink-free flex pattern
• Skate Cuff
  a super plush collar of foam secures your heel in unmatched comfort
• 3D Molded EVA Shell Tongue
• Molded 3D Foot Bed with ÆGIS Microbe Shield™
• Internal Cuff
• Jointed Cuff
• Zonal Shell Lacing
• Molded Rubber Backstay

The Rome Libertine 2012

Flex/Feel

The Rome Libertine 2011

Rome Libertine 2010

100% Deathrider

Pictures

Rome Libertine 2012

Rome Libertine 2011

Rome Libertine 2010

Other Reviews

Compare Laces & Sizing

BOA vs. Speed Lace vs. Traditional Lace
A Snowboard Boot Lacing System Comparison by The Good Ride.

The Good Ride Take on BOA Boots- A BOA Boot has a steel cable attached to some sort of plastic Coiler mechanism that tightens the boot instead of laces.  There are 2 main types of BOA boots.  
1. Single BOA- This uses just one BOA Coiler to adjust the entire boot.
2. Double BOA - This uses 2 BOA Coilers for upper and lower adjusting.  Some have 1 for the outside and 1 for the inside but most are for upper and lower. 
BOA boots are the easiest to get on, get off and adjust out of any boot.  Single BOA boots have the least upper/lower adjustability of any boot because the bottom and top is tightened by one coil. If you have a Double BOA (2 Dials for upper and lower) they are closer to other lacing systems but still not as good.  Both the upper and lower dials adjust the ankle in the same place.  This means you don't have complete separation like you do with Speed Lace and most Traditional Lace Boots.  The biggest issue with BOA boots is if they break it requires a shop or the manufacturer to fix them.   It’s usually not the cable that breaks but the dials.   Out of all the boots you can crank a BOA tighter than any other boot which can be a good or bad thing.  There have been some complaints that BOA boots can have some pressure points from the cable system when tightened too tight.   The bottom line is BOA tech is a cool technological advancement that will work well with many riders and is super easy to adjust.  In the end it comes down to personal preference and BOA could be right for you.

The Good Ride Take on Traditional Lace- Traditional Lace is what most people know.  It’s reliable and easy to repair.  Lace boots take a lot more effort than BOA or Speed Lace.  Also many riders complain about blisters in attempts to get them tight.  Some Lacing systems have handles at the top that connect to the laces and we love this.  Another thing we like is when the upper lace hooks hold the lace in place so each section can tighten independently.  When you have this along with a handle connected to the end of the laces it’s more adjustable than BOA and Speed lace.  We really like this but it’s almost not a traditional lace boot.  It’s more a hybrid but whatever you call it we like it!  However it’s not great in terms of the time it takes to get things dialed out or make minor adjustments on the hill.

The Good Ride Take on Speed Lace- Speed lace is a perfect compromise between BOA and Traditional lace.  It’s almost as fast as BOA and more adjustable.  Some Traditional Lace is just as adjustable but speed lace is easier to do so.  We really like how the upper and lower laces are 100% separate. This is a huge advantage over BOA Boots and some traditional laces that don’t lock at each hook.   Speed Lace is super easy to tighten up and dial out.  It’s also pretty easy to make small adjustments throughout the course of the day.   If the laces break out on the hill it will be a lot more difficult to fix than traditional laces but it can be done without help from a shop or sending it back.   If you are a 100 day a year rider then plan on changing out your laces half way through the season.   We have been lucky so far and never had one break on the hill because any time they start to get frayed they break.  We mainly ride speed lace boots but we aren't that high on ourselves to say that's the way it should be.  Everyone is different.

All lacing systems have strengths and weaknesses.  It’s up to you to figure out what will work the best.