Summary

The Rome National is a very well balanced one board quiver for those that like air, ride centered on groomer days but want some setback on board in powder.

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Riding Style All Mountain
Riding Level Intermediate - Expert
Fits Boot size (US) 8-10, 10-12
Manufactured in Dubai by SWS
Shape Directional Twin
Camber Profile Mostly Camber
Stance Centered
Approx. Weight Feels Normal
Split No
Powder Average
Base Glide Good
Carving Great
Speed Good
Uneven Terrain Good
Switch Good
Jumps Great
Jibbing Average
Pipe Great
On Snow Feel

Stable

Turn Initiation

Medium

Skidded Turns

Moderate

Flex

Medium

Buttering

Moderate

Edge Hold

Hard Snow

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Rome National Written Review Review by The Good Ride

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews and this is our unfiltered opinion. We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.

Rome National Snowboard Review- How it rides and who it is for

Rome National Review

How This Review Happened:

Borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back.
Size: 158
Days:  4
Conditions:  and an early morning slackountry time with Drift Boards & Union Rovers
Riders:
 James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs),
Boots: Burton Kendo
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas, Rome Vice, Rome Katana
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag

Similar Boards (but not the same): Korua Otto, Lib Tech Terrain Wrecker, Capita Mercury,YES NSB, Endeavor Pioneer, Jones Mountain Twin, Endeavor Ranger, K2 Manifest, Yes Typo, Jones Frontier, Ride Algorythm, Ride Wild Life, Borealis Tundra, Tahoe Labs Directional Twin

Set-Up: 21.5” Wide. Sance Angles +15/-15. Close to Reference.

How It Was Tested

I rode this same day with the Jones Mountain Twin and Mercury with Union Atlas and Burton Kendo’s. Then I rode it same day as the Rome Stale Mod and Agent. The next day against the Stale Crewzer, Warden and Freaker to see how it sat on the Rome riding spectrum. Then I rode it with Rome Vice and Katanas.

Approximate Weight

The Rome National feels a little on the light side of normal and a touch lighter than the other 158’s from Rome I had for demo.

(We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores there is no consistency in a boards weight)

Sizing

The Rome National felt pretty good at 158 but I’m pretty sure the 156 would be the size I would want to own.

Here are some ideal US boot sizes for these boards. You can of course go bigger or smaller but these work best for not turning the board slower than it should be and not having the dreaded Toe & Heel Drag.
149: 7.5-8.5
152: 8-9
154: 8.5-9.5
156: 9-10
158: 9-10
160: 9-10
157w: 11.5-12.5
160w: 12.5-13.5

Shape/Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

Rome National Camber Profile

The Rome National is a a directional twin with a nose a little longer than the tail but on sidecut it feels very much like a true twin. It might be a touch on the twinish side but I’m splitting hairs here. The camber profile has a pretty prounounced camber under foot. Then a mellow early rise that rises up a little more when your weight is on it. It is pretty easy to skid turns and get off your game but it isn’t as easy as some hybrid camber rides. Still a confident intermediate could easily ride this.

Flex Personality

The Rome National has a very dynamic and poppy flex that loads up pretty well a little after the bindings. The early rise is so mellow it’s almost like a flat spot that allows you to pop out of the tip/tail pretty well. It sits a little on the lighter poppy side so it can get a little bucky in hard micro bumpy snow or wet messy snow than other boards in Rome’s line but it’s still very manageable. I never felt it was cranky or passed up that chatter into my joints. It is a very competent all day/all condition resort ride.

Speed

The Rome National base has a good glide to it when well waxed. It’s almost there with the Jones Mountain Twin and other high end bases. The board can point it pretty well and tracks well on short straight lines.

Edge Hold

I was pretty impressed with the Rome National’s edge hold. It grips pretty well in hard morning spring snow and it’s close to many boards with mildly disrupted sidecuts.

Turning Experience/Carving

So I felt the 158 was on the medium side for initiating a turn but once it’s on edge I liked the balanced turning radius. I think it’s a touch wide for my size 9’s at 158 so it felt a touch slower than medium fast but when on edge I could make any kind of turn I’d like without the Rome National complaining. It didn’t have the pop and drive out of a hard turn like the Stale Crewzer but it was really fun and rewarding to turn. I liked it better than the Jones Mountain Twin and more so than the Capita Mercury.

Powder

I didn’t get any powder but I think this early rise, longer nose than tail and set back on board of -1.625” at a 22.75” will do pretty well as long as it’s not too deep.

Switch/Pipe/Jumps

Very doable switch when centered on sidecut for riding switch. It tracked well into jumps and I think I would like the 156 a little better in the pipe but overall it’s a great board for jumps and pipes. Little bucky for jibs for average riders like me.

Conclusion

So getting to compare the Rome National same day against the Jones Mountain Twin and Mercury really helped me see what a fun ride this is. I find this to be a very recommendable one board quiver. Especially if you like getting air.

 
Rome National Past Reviews

The Rome National has a technical mostly camber one board quiver thing going for those that like a camber dominant feel with a lively flex underfoot.

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews.  We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.

How This Review Happened:  We borrowed this for an extended demo and then returned it.
Size: 154
Days: 2
Conditions: Pretty rough late spring conditions with an inch or more of sticky wet fresh snow on top of a solid snowment block.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-195lbs)
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV
InsolesSandsole Custom Insoles,  Footprint Insole Technology Gameghangers Low Profile
Bindings: Union Atlas and
Similar Boards (but not the same)Korua OttoCapita MercuryEndeavor Pioneer,

Set-Up 22” Wide. 15 front -15 back.  Centered.

Approximate Weight: Feels pretty normal bordering on being light.

Sizing: The 154 worked for my boot size fine but I would have preferred a 156. Seems like they have most regular and mid/wide sizes covered.

Flex/Buttering: The flex is medium in the shop and on snow. It took some work to butter the Rome National but it’s not unobtainable with a little work. If you come from full camber it will be easy though. There is pretty dynamic pop underfoot and it takes a little work too.

On Snow Feel/Ability Level/Skidded Turns: The Rome National feels a little locked in but not terrible. Kind of borders on the stable side but it could catch a lot easier than many hybrid shapes out there if you get off your game. It tracks really well when you one foot and flat base.

Edge Hold: Pretty solid edge hold and it held anytime I punched through the soft snow and hit that block. It’s really good for a more traditional sidecut that doesn’t have any visible disruption.

Turn Initiation: Not as fast as I expected. There was a little delay turning the board edge to edge but you could get it to turn easy enough. The Rome National likes to track straight and doesn’t have that quick turning personality. It might be a little faster if the snow wasn’t so sticky though.

Turning Experience/Carving: Even in the crappy snow you could feel the Rome Nationals potential to be a good carver. I wish I had good conditions to really lay into it.

Powder: No Powder to speak of but at least the Rome National has a little bit of setback on board even though the stance is centered on sidecut. At almost a 22″ stance width you can set it back about 1.5″ back on board (3″ difference between nose and tail).

Speed: All that pop comes at a little expense of being super damp at speed. It chattered a bit but you can point it for sure.

Uneven Terrain: Even though it was slow edge to edge it turned well enough through bumpy and messy thick snow. That’s pretty much all I had and the Rome National could handle it. There are better uneven terrain boards but I didn’t want to call it a day like I would with some boards.

Switch: Very doable either way even though it wasn’t perfect.

Getting Air/Park: The Rome National can pop hard and it likes getting air more than just about anything else in the freestyle world. If you want to really get into lapping the kicker line this is a great choice. It tracks really well into a hit and lands well too. It worked well enough in the pipe too but shined more getting air. Didn’t feel like much of a jibber.

 

The Rome National has a centered stance mostly camber all mountain to mountain freestyle thing going for it that like. It’s got a centered stance on side cut but there seems to be some set back on board because of the slightly chopped tail and more directional float than your average directional twin with a centered stance.

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews.  We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.

How This Review Happened:  We had a couple of laps at a frantic manic demo day.
Size: 156
Days:  1
Conditions:  Pretty warm mid winter conditions that was like a spring day
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-195lbs), Peter (Size 8, 5’11” 185lbs), Zobel (Size 11.5, 6’ 180lbs), Jimbo (Size 11, 5’11” 160lbs),
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV, Burton SLX, Burton Rover
Insoles: Sandsole Custom Insoles,  Footprint Insole Technology Gameghangers Low Profile
Bindings: Rome DOD

Set Up: 22.75” wide, 15 front -15 back Centered.

 
Rome National Specs

 
Rome National Images

We try to get as many images of the Rome National, but forgive us if they're not all there.

2022

2020

2019

2018

Rome National User Reviews

Rome National 2018-2022 Snowboard Review SKU UPC Model

Good all rounder

Dec 07, 2017 by Tim
Ability Level: Advanced • 
Riding Style: Freestyle all mountain • 
Days You Ride A Year: 50 • 
Height, Weight And Boot Size (for Boards, Boots & Bindings): 182cm 11us boots 170lbs 

I rode the Rome national 156 Ltd 2017 most of the 2017 season. This board is the true meaning of all mountain (in my opinion)excels in most conditions and is perfect for my specs. It’s super lightweight, charges hard, butters very easy and has incredible pop. It shines on jumps! I’d say the flex is medium. It carves very nicely and I found the edge hold very good in hard Icey conditions. Took in 40cm of powder and it was very good. Having a lil rocker does make it a lil more forgiving than full camber. Bottom line if your wanting a do everything all mountain board this is it.


4.0 4.0 1 1 I rode the Rome national 156 Ltd 2017 most of the 2017 season. This board is the true meaning of all mountain (in my opinion)excels in most conditions and is perfect for my specs. Rome National 2018-2022 Snowboard Review

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