# Rome Lifetime Warranty



## Caovit23 (Feb 6, 2018)

I’ve used it in the past for broken straps and they’ve been pretty quick and helpful. Not so much now...

Last week the metal baseplate snapped on both sides on my Arsenal binding, separating it from the rest of the binding. Happened in powder, in Niseko. No impact or any reason for it. Just...popped. 

Not the first and only issue with these bindings. Straps have gone twice. First time was 3 days after I bought it and the shop sorted it out. The next Rome sent one through, no problem. Since then the foam on the high back has perished (didn’t do anything about it, didn’t affect the ride), the vinyl peeled off, exposing the foam (didn’t bother about that either). Now this, what seems to be a terminal injury. 

I had to rent a board for the last couple of days (frickin fortune in Japan), wrote to Rome, got an automated reply, then nothing. Wrote again, with more photos. And again. Still nothing. For a company that prides itself on its customer service, that is shite. 

Back to Burton, I guess...


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Caovit23 said:


> I’ve used it in the past for broken straps and they’ve been pretty quick and helpful. Not so much now...
> 
> Last week the metal baseplate snapped on both sides on my Arsenal binding, separating it from the rest of the binding. Happened in powder, in Niseko. No impact or any reason for it. Just...popped.
> 
> ...


Ok wow..... For starters when did you buy those bindings? They look like they've gotten about 3 binding lifetimes of use. Also foam and wear and tear that doesn't affect binding use and is not covered under their warranty so even mentioning foam slowly wearing down on a HEAVILY used binding is pointless and happens to any binding, but when you add in it's the Arsenal, one of their more low price budget style bindings the fact that it held up this long at all is pretty impressive.

All that being said the one thing you have a point on is the binding frame snapping. For the record it didn't "just pop" and break, it doesn't work that way, there was wear and tear and damage from stress over time and then there was a shock that finally broke the camels back, but it likely is covered under warranty. However it takes time to process warranties and believe it or not right now is a ridiculously busy time for the companies, it's trade shows and production planning and ordering season, it's gonna take a few days. 

For the amount you paid for those bindings and the amount of use they've obviously gotten it's amazing you could somehow have any complaint, good luck getting that much use and a lifetime warranty from ANY other company on their budget bindings. They'll get you a new frame or you can contact the shop you bought them from and they likely can fix them for ya for free. Having anything break on a trip is never fun but you can't expect a company to be able to fix it over night.


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

Caovit23 said:


> I’ve used it in the past for broken straps and they’ve been pretty quick and helpful. Not so much now...
> 
> Last week the metal baseplate snapped on both sides on my Arsenal binding, separating it from the rest of the binding. Happened in powder, in Niseko. No impact or any reason for it. Just...popped.
> 
> ...


If they really had a lifetime warranty on those sidebars, they should give you a new binding. I see they changed the attachment of the "Heel Hoop" on the newest model. The metal is probably not hard enough for an attachment like on the one you have, so they made the attachment stronger while keeping the softer metal and same flex.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Out of curiosity, how many days or seasons would you say these have seen?


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## Caovit23 (Feb 6, 2018)

I got them about 7 years ago and use them for a week or so a year. They cost around £200. So I’ve probably used them for maybe 60 days in total. Is that heavy use? I guess I should be grateful then. Thanks for finally getting back to me though. Nice to see someone is working for Rome still.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

From the condition of the foam you either have way more than 60 days or you are just hard as shit on gear. Those look like they have 200 in them. 

Rome might take care of ya, if they have any heelloops that fit. But what people need to understand about lifetime warranties is they aren't infinite warranties. Lifetime means lifetime of the product. And getting at 7 years, regardless of use, that binding is towards the end of its life for a manufacturer. They can't be expected to continue producing parts for something forever. And showing them the photos of the rest, while in your mind was probably something like "I only have sixty days on these and they're beat so they should 'feel' bad and defintely give me what I want", but they are going to see those and think "this guy has beat the shit out of these, probably has close to 200 days on them, life's spent. Time for new bindings". They don't know you, haven't seen these wear day by day, they have no reason to believe you when you say 60 days when the wear screams 200. 

If they don't help ya, I encourage you to seek out some of the new plastic or foam ankle straps. They'll last you longer. If they do help you, be a Rome dude for life.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

First post and you bitch about breaking 7+ year old bindings.... im sure you will be a productive member.

Im happy to get a full season without a break but i guess i ride a lot more than you too... 

Aluminum binding parts in cold airplane bellies is also quite bad. The cold makes the bindings more brittle at -80F or lower in the cargo area.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Caovit23 said:


> I got them about 7 years ago and use them for a week or so a year. They cost around £200. So I’ve probably used them for maybe 60 days in total. Is that heavy use? I guess I should be grateful then. Thanks for finally getting back to me though. Nice to see someone is working for Rome still.


Ha, we all work for Rome, you caught us. We've been too busy to get back to you because we've all been on here. No seriously, 7 years is old as hell, you won't find another binding company that would even talk to you about replacing parts on a 7 year old binding. You can get those repaired by Rome IF they still have compatible parts available, at 7 years that might be a stretch (hell they may be trying to dig through an old warehouse right now trying to find something that works which takes time), or you could do what you actually should and buy some new bindings be it Rome or Burton or any company for that matter because those have been rode hard and put up wet, and the Arsenal isn't a binding built to be a heavy use beat to death binding. If you want a binding that will last through 7 years and international trips and all that you should look at something a few steps up from the Arsenal.


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## Caovit23 (Feb 6, 2018)

Look, I hate posting complaints on forums and I hate having to navigate between genuine forum users and company spitters. 

I ride a Rome reverb rocket and use Rome bodega boots. I like their stuff. It’s just that after a week I would have expected to at least hear back from customer service. I’d expect that of any company that assured me of a lifetime warranty. 

And until very recently have been based in the UK, not renowned for its snowy mountains. 

The bindings have had 60 days of use, tops. Saying it looks like 200 doesn’t make it any more and certainly doesn’t reflect well on the bindings. The other one still works fine btw.


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## dannyboy617 (Nov 10, 2017)

I bought a pair of 2017 rome 390 bosses this year on sale.

I have had to get the ankle strap, ankle ladder strap, and the ankle ratchet buckle replaced. I have 20 days on them so far. 

Because of this I have had to spend $30 at the mountain in replacement parts just to not ruin my day.

It is starting to look like the toe straps are about to go as well. I even use the toe straps over the foot to help prevent them from dragging on the snow during turns.

While Rome warranty support has taken care of me, I don't think I will be looking at Rome bindings in the future.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Storage may have played a factor in the straps and foam. That stuff gets brittle if it gets stored in less than ideal conditions. I see this a lot from people from Texas. The foam just disintegrates down there. Could be what caused the premature wear with that specific material Rome used on those straps. Either way, the new injected straps that are out there will solve that problem. And there's even more of them next year.

If you want new bindings next year and want something relatively close to Arsenals in feel, look at the Rome DOD or Targa, Bent Metal Transfer, Arbor Cypress, K2 Formula C, Ride LTD, or Burton Cartel. 

Sorry your trip got punched in the gut, never fun having gear fail on vacay.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

We could recommend a gyn for you too....


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## Caovit23 (Feb 6, 2018)

Yeh, do that. Recommend a 'gyn'. Then piss off.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

We can throw a proctologist in there too. They can extract the stick from your rectum. Follow up with the gyn for that bad case of vaginitis...


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## Caovit23 (Feb 6, 2018)

Are you short, Argo? You sound short. And lonely. Are you short and lonely? Maybe you can make friends on a forum, oh...


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

See now the real problem here is that now he's just gonna think everyone's an asshole and that thus his claim still holds merit and he has a right to be upset at Rome instead of the truth. 

Which is really, the bindings are old and have put in WAY more time than the money was worth on em, that warranties take time especially for a 7 year old part and that his expectations are far fetched, especially for that binding. Sorry man but that's the truth, with patience you'll be taken care of if they can, but you're the one who came on here posting this and we're here all telling you what the truth of the matter is. Oh and some of us work in the industry but none that I know of work for let alone represent Rome itself.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Neither, suuucch a great comeback though. Lol


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

lab49232 said:


> See now the real problem here is that now he's just gonna think everyone's an asshole and that thus his claim still holds merit and he has a right to be upset at Rome instead of the truth.
> 
> Which is really, the bindings are old and have put in WAY more time than the money was worth on em, that warranties take time especially for a 7 year old part and that his expectations are far fetched, especially for that binding. Sorry man but that's the truth, with patience you'll be taken care of if they can, but you're the one who came on here posting this and we're here all telling you what the truth of the matter is. Oh and some of us work in the industry but none that I know of work for let alone represent Rome itself.


I think he started out that way, we didnt make it happen.


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## Caovit23 (Feb 6, 2018)

No, that's not it at all. I think you're missing the point. The bindings are old, admittedly. In the UK they were £200, which was about mid-range at the time. And I know how they look, but for the amount of use they've had, I had socks last longer.

The issue is that after 8 days although I wouldn't expect Rome to fix the problem, I would expect customer service to acknowledge it. The only other time I contacted them, I got a reply in minutes.

I don't think you are assholes (arseholes, we call them), I can see your points and for the most part it's reasonable. Except Argo. A cunt.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Caovit23 said:


> No, that's not it at all. I think you're missing the point. The bindings are old, admittedly. In the UK they were £200, which was about mid-range at the time. And I know how they look, but for the amount of use they've had, I had socks last longer.
> 
> The issue is that after 8 days although I wouldn't expect Rome to fix the problem, I would expect customer service to acknowledge it. The only other time I contacted them, I got a reply in minutes.
> 
> I don't think you are assholes (arseholes, we call them), I can see your points and for the most part it's reasonable. Except Argo. A cunt.


You came out aggressive without reason (guess it's time to switch back to Burton) Argo came back aggressive to combat the illogical statement.

Time and storage can be just as damaging as use. I don't understand how so many people fail to realize this. And you're emailing them during one of their busiest times of year, for a product they sold 7 years ago, for a part that probably doesn't exist many places in the world anymore, after you've previously submitted multiple warranty claims... Ya.... it's gonna take some time. Be logical and ask questions and you'll get better reactions.


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## ctoma (Aug 9, 2011)




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## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)




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## Soooercolt45 (Jan 4, 2020)

Caovit23 said:


> I’ve used it in the past for broken straps and they’ve been pretty quick and helpful. Not so much now...
> 
> Last week the metal baseplate snapped on both sides on my Arsenal binding, separating it from the rest of the binding. Happened in powder, in Niseko. No impact or any reason for it. Just...popped.
> 
> ...


I’ve been having trouble just trying to register with Rome so I can get to customer service. Burton just asked for your address and they send out parts for free. Bent metal just replaced my 2012 toe straps. And yes Rome 390 boss have the worst toe straps I’ve ever seen. I have two that are waiting to go. All my peers who have the same 390. Had a heel cup break. And replaced ankle and toes. What good is lifetime warranty if they can’t get it right the first time.you think I wanna fill out forms online and look up part codes?! Get real homies.I have a pair of 15yr. Old forums with bashed up original heel cups and and duct taped ankle straps, still on my powder board. I ride 100 days or more a year. I’m not down with Rome. And if any of u are reading this tuff titties go tell your boss. Might have to learn Chinese first! And by the way I tell burton that my forums need toe straps and they are at my door step in 3 days!


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Soooercolt45 said:


> I’ve been having trouble just trying to register with Rome so I can get to customer service. Burton just asked for your address and they send out parts for free. Bent metal just replaced my 2012 toe straps. And yes Rome 390 boss have the worst toe straps I’ve ever seen. I have two that are waiting to go. All my peers who have the same 390. Had a heel cup break. And replaced ankle and toes. What good is lifetime warranty if they can’t get it right the first time.you think I wanna fill out forms online and look up part codes?! Get real homies.I have a pair of 15yr. Old forums with bashed up original heel cups and and duct taped ankle straps, still on my powder board. I ride 100 days or more a year. I’m not down with Rome. And if any of u are reading this tuff titties go tell your boss. Might have to learn Chinese first! And by the way I tell burton that my forums need toe straps and they are at my door step in 3 days!


When you join a forum and necro a 2 year old thread with your first and only post to trash a brand... The ultimate Karen move.

You also don't have to register with anything to contact Rome so no idea what you're even talking about. There's a contact link right on their site to email them about gear issues. I don't work for Rome I just find Karen's funny no matter what brand they attack.


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## Snow Hound (Jul 21, 2012)

@lab49232 I was not aware of the Karen meme. Thank you. Thank you very much.


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## Soooercolt45 (Jan 4, 2020)

Don’t know about “Karen” And not caring wtf it is. It is what it is. My friends have used the warranty and got new parts just to break them again. They aren’t very good at all and feel flimsy. I purchased based on reviews and obviously were written by paid beaters. I’m sticking to a basic nut and bolt design. For universal parts. Easy to fix and know mechanical issues. Think about it. It’s not rocket science. And how old your equipment is is bullshit. Your the one being a gear whore “oh 2yrs old is long for any binding” time to buy new! Go buy new and I’ll race thru the trees with my forums. You’ll lose and probably break your Romes.


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

I would enjoy a friendly race through the trees... Some reviewers are paid and others are not. Gotta be careful where you get your information. Nuts and bolts bindings are great. Sounds like you need something extra durable, and should look for simple and reliable options. I'm over 200 pounds, so that's something I prioritize. I've got older bindings going strong for sure. FYI,Karen is service industry speak for a difficult or demanding customer.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

When I was looking for a Rome Blur in Whistler, the salescritter at Comor told me they stopped carrying Rome boards a few years ago because they were having warranty problems. He didn't elaborate, but it sounds like Rome has or has had an issue with not placing enough emphasis on after-sales support.

I know this isn't a long-term ongoing thing because I had a warranty issue with my Rome Katanas a number of years ago and got good service. Possibly they had a dip for a season or two because some new yahoo took over the department. Hopefully they've been fired by now.

I have a set of Targas on one of my boards that have been going strong for 6-7 years, so I know the bindings are (or can be) durable. I'm 200-210 pounds (depending on pizza intake) so pretty sure I stress them a good bit.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Soooercolt45 said:


> Don’t know about “Karen” And not caring wtf it is. It is what it is. My friends have used the warranty and got new parts just to break them again. They aren’t very good at all and feel flimsy. I purchased based on reviews and obviously were written by paid beaters. I’m sticking to a basic nut and bolt design. For universal parts. Easy to fix and know mechanical issues. Think about it. It’s not rocket science. And how old your equipment is is bullshit. Your the one being a gear whore “oh 2yrs old is long for any binding” time to buy new! Go buy new and I’ll race thru the trees with my forums. You’ll lose and probably break your Romes.


Karen: "a mocking slang term for an entitled, obnoxious, middle-aged white woman who complains"

The woman who gets online to tear apart a company for some ridiculous reason, the person who calls the cops for a random BBQ in a park, the person who necro's a 2 year old thread to complain about a company for false reasons.


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## poser (Mar 7, 2018)

Is their “lifetime” defined as the lifetime of the product or your lifetime? Those are two different warranty approaches and if it is based on the “lifetime” of the product (which is normal in the outdoor industry), you clearly exceeded the lifetime of these bindings, either by use or poor storage conditions or both. If you expect for them to keep replacing a pair of bindings that have exceeded their life cycle until your death, you’re not being reasonable.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

"Warrantied for the lifetime of the product which is until they break."

That's the kind of lawyering that can sink a company.


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## poser (Mar 7, 2018)

Donutz said:


> "Warrantied for the lifetime of the product which is until they break."
> 
> That's the kind of lawyering that can sink a company.


Nah. It’s standard. The manufacturer has a defined lifespan for a product and that is the lifetime. For example, a reasonable “lifetime” of snowboard bindings is 3 years. That doesn’t mean that you won’t get 5 years out of them, but 7 years and expecting a warranty claim for this particular product is just not reasonable. Materials break down over time. Any Storage that is not optimal will result in expediting this process. Even REI has recently clarified their “lifetime” warranty as people were returning boots with utterly worn out treads after 15 years of use. 

Suck it up and buy new bindings. If you don’t like Rome’s warranty claim after 7 years of use, go with another manufacturer. Also, be reasonable in your expectations for gear that is the recipient of significant torque and pressure. Bindings are not designed for infinite use. Even titanium bindings would likley breakdown from fatigue after some year’s of hard use.


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

Union seem to have found a middle ground by providing a "for life" warranty on the parts least likely to break. "If you break, or even crack your baseplate or heelcup during riding, we’ll replace it for life. Guaranteed. All other parts are covered for 1 year from date of purchase." It helped me out with a broken heelcup on a 5 year old set of bindings.

A general "for life" warranty on sports equipment is pretty dumb!


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

I don't know a single binding company that isn't usually willing to replace broken parts short of a full frame break. Key word being usually. Just don't be a Karen and play nice and more often than not you'll get taken care of.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Literally go on the Rome website, there's a live chat, give them your info/problem and poof new shit if needed. Snapped a ratchet on a holiday weekend, left a comment, got an email on Tuesday after the holiday, got my replacement part 3 days after that. Strange wasn't hard. 

But the claiming is hard in here.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

poser said:


> Nah. It’s standard. The manufacturer has a defined lifespan for a product and that is the lifetime. For example, a reasonable “lifetime” of snowboard bindings is 3 years.


Yeah, I get that, and it's reasonable. The problem comes when the manufacturer deliberately tries to give the consumer the impression that the warranty is much better than it actually is. You know, the kind of "bumper to bumper" warranty that's 75% exclusions. It's reasonable for brake pads to be considered a consumable. It's not reasonable for a transmission to be considered a consumable.

That's a specific example, BTW. A friend owned a recent-model Volvo, and the transmission went. They had the full-on extended warranty and were well within it, but Volvo claimed it was not covered. $9K to replace. Volvo saved themselves whatever the cost was on that replacement, but guaranteed that no one in our group will ever, ever, ever buy a Volvo.

Do that enough times, it starts to hurt.


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