Rome Stale Fish 2024 Written Review Review by The Good Ride

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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.

A Breakdown Of How It Rides And Who Its For

How This Review Happened: Borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back.

Size: 154
Days: 5+
Conditions: Good Groomers, Uneven Groomers, Good Pow and an early morning slackountry time in deep pow with Drift Bindings & Union Rovers
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs)
Boots: Ride Fuse, Burton Tourist
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas, Rome Katana
Redunancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Jones Mtn Surf Anorak, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Jacket, Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Tusk Jacket, Volcom Guide Jacket, Burton Gore-Tex 3L Treeline Jacket, Jones Peak Bagger Jacket. Burton AK Helitak Gore-Tex Jacket
Pant: Jones Mountain Surf Bib, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Bib,  Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant, Burton AK Gore-Tex 2L Swash Pant, Burton Gore-Tex Ballast Pant
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,

Similar Boards (but not the same): Gentemstick Mantaray 156, Yes Hybrid, Jones Hovercraft, Lib Tech Orca, Never Summer Harpoon, Ride Psychocandy, Korua Transition Finder, K2 Excavator, YES PYL Uninc, Nidecker Mellow,

James’s Set Up: 21.5” Wide. Sance Angles +18/-3, +18/+3, +24/+6. Close to Reference on groomers and Set all the way back in powder.

How It Was Tested

I often rode this same day against boards like the Jones Hovercraft, Amplid Surfari and Burton Short Stop to see how it floats in pow and carves on groomers.

Approximate Weight

The Rome Stale Fish is not ultra light but far from being heavy either.  (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores there is no consistency in a boards weight)

Sizing

So I was right in between sizes. I would get the 154 if I rode in more steep terrain or rode on a mtn that had a lot of tight tree runs. I’d ride the 157 for my home at Mt Bachelor as it will handle deeper low angle pow a lot better.

Here are some ideal US boot sizes for the 2024 Rome Stale Fish boards. You can of course go bigger or smaller depending on your riding style and boot’s footprint, but these work best for not turning the board slower than it should be and not having the dreaded Toe & Heel Drag.
151: 8-10
154: 8-10
157: 9-11
160: 9-11

For weight I would stay close to Rome’s recommended weight ranges. If it comes down to boot size or weight, I would make sure its better for your boot first and then your weight a close second. These don’t get too much wider as you size up so as long as your boots can turn it you could probably size up.

Shape

The new Rome Stale Fish shape has less taper (5mm) and it’s a bit more centered on sidecut as well as on board. That being said the way the tail is configured (more narrow at the very end) along with the new sidecut makes this feel more turny and slashy. You also have a little more tail for those that like to get a lot of air.

Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

The Rome Stale Fish has a good bit of camber from just about the tail to a little past the front inserts. Then the sides lift up well before the nose but there is still camber as the sides lift. There is some early rise too. Rome calls this a diamond nose and it for sure looks like one. It can feel a little washy with too much front footed weight on groomers but overall it’s a very stable ride that tracks very well in all conditions. It’s not super technical but it’s best for advanced to expert riders.

Flex Personality

The Rome Stale Fish has a pretty medium bordering on medium/stiff flex. It has a little of that rubbery flex to it but there is a really good snap back to it and I liked the pop on an ollie as well as the spring out of the turn.

I could tail butter pretty well but the nose can feel washy with the lifted sides when on groomers. In pow it’s not as noticable.

Uneven Terrain

The Rome Stale Fish handled uneven snow very well and this is a good all day ride.

Edge Hold

Nothing revolutionary here but competent grip if you hit a hard patch or want to carve up firm groomers.

Speed/Base Glide

Middle to upper tier base glide with the Rome Stale Fish. When well waxed its nothing to complain about unless you are used to really fast bases.

I felt that straightlining wasn’t the first thought in the design of the Rome Stale Fish but it did well if you want to point it.

Turning Experience/Carving

So this new shape and sidecut creates faster turn initiation than the older model but it’s still not super quick edge to edge. The 2024 Rome Stale Fish has less taper but a more turny, surfy and slashy feel. You have a pretty balanced turning experience that definitely lives on the turny side but still doesn’t mind narrower more down the line s-turns. When leaning hard into a turn and engaging the camber as well as the sidecut at the tail it had a really satisfying spring out of the turn. When I front foot weighted the turns it engaged the lifted sides and washed out.

Powder

So I thought the less taper and less set back on the 2024 Rome Stale Fish would make this less floaty but it did really well. Especially compared to boards like the Jones Hovercraft, Burton Short Stop and Amplid Surfari. It did better than the Surfari and was almost there with the Hovercraft/Short Stop. I was really impressed with how easy it was to wheelie up the nose in deep pow.

With a 21.75” Stance width there is only -3.75” back from center of board vs. -5.5” on the older models but it still felt very set back. I think this is because of the new tail’s hybrid pin/swallow tail shape allows it to sink more to keep the nose up. Whatever is happening here I like it.

Conclusion

So overall, the Rome Stale Fish really lit up groomers and pow. It’s more expensive but I really like this more turny design.

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