$599 Advanced to Expert All Mountain to Freeride Hybrid Camber Directional Shape Pros- Speed, Edge Hold, Carving Cons- Jib Park The Rome Anthem SS is a very fast, stiff aggressive board made mainly for expert mountain riders. This a mostly camber hybrid camber that is stiffer and more aggressive than the Rome Anthem. In 2010 the Anthem SS was Rome's first hybrid camber board. In 2011 the hybrid camber expanded into the Rome Anthem and the Anthem SS added more pop. Even though the Anthem has a similar version of hybrid camber this year the Anthem SS has a more pronounced hybrid camber. The Anthem SS also has a faster base and a little more pop tech than the regular Anthem. For 2012 the Anthem hasn't changed much except for more work on new pop tech. Check out the detailed review below.
The Rome Anthem SS Advanced to Expert All Mountain Snowboard Review
Board Tried- 159 Days on the board- 2 Riders- 5'10" 150lbs Size 9 shoe, 6' 160lbs Size 10.5 shoe Bindings Used- Burton Diode, Burton Co2
The Rome Anthem SS is very similar to the Rome Anthem except it's a little stiffer and more aggressive. This board isn't for everyone. We'd say it's barely for advanced riders and mostly for expert riders.
Groomers- The Rome Anthem SS is made for high speed groomer assaults and it's a perfect morning groomer board. It's not as good as the Anthem is at dealing with chopped up or rutted groomers but it's not as bad as it should be for a flex so stiff.
Powder- The Anthem SS has a great set back and comes in a decent size so it performs well in powder for a mostly camber directional board. It's a little better than the Anthem but still doesn't compare to a hybrid rocker or mostly rocker hybrid camber.
Turn Initiation. The Rome Anthem SS is similar to the Anthem but just a little more difficult to turn. If you are an aggressive expert rider then you will like the way the Anthem SS initiates the turn. It's not easy and if you are wondering if the Anthem SS is too aggressive then don't go for it. You'd probably be happier with the Anthem. Still this is a very fun board to turn and carve if you are the right kind of rider.
Speed- The Rome Anthem SS is a bomber. It can handle speed as well as almost any board out there. It's going to be a good board for straightlining or carving out a very high speed turn.
Weight- The Anthem SS is going to be a tough board to handle.
Edge Hold- The Rome Anthem SS has excellent edge hold but it's not because of any extensions in the edge. It's just stiff and has sharp edges.
Flex- It's pretty stiff and feels a bit more than the Anthem when it comes to all around flex.
Switch- Definitely different riding switch but not terrible. Riding switch feels pretty stable though and after a while you will get use to the directional shape. So it's not that terrible for the shape. It's just like the Anthem here.
Rails/Jibbing- Don't even bother. This is a stiff board that wants to keep it's edges.
Pipe- If you like a stiff pipe board this will be to your liking but it's not terribly forgiving.
Jumps- The directional shape doesn't make this the best to land or launch switch.
Overall we felt the Anthem fit a wider audience of riders than the Anthem SS but it might fit the ultra aggressive mostly mountain to freeride rider very well.
A quick look at the 2012 Rome Anthem SS
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.
The Good Ride Take on Hybrid Camber For the most part there are two types of hybrid camber that we see out there these days. 1. Mostly Rocker Hybrid Camber This type of ride, like many boards, has camber and rocker but unlike other rockered boards the center has a mini camber. This is usually 1-3mm high, sits only between the bindings and then curves up right after. From a distance this board looks like a rocker board but when you look closer you see the little camber between the feet. This is not as loose as hybrid rocker but it’s very close. It is very stable between the feet and easy to one foot or flat base in any condition out there. Mostly Rocker Hybrid Camber is very versatile. You will see this design on anything from Freestyle to Freeride style snowboards. This will work well with all ability levels and riding styles.
2 Mostly Camber Hybrid Camber There are all types of designs but this type usually looks like a Camber board and rides much closer to an old school Camber board. ONe thing you will notice is usually when you step on the board the tip and tail rise up a lot more than a normal camber board will. Some are mostly camber and others have a bit more rocker but you will always notice they have camber. This allows for a stable, fast carve friendly feeling you get with camber but also makes it more catch free and floaty in powder. This doesn't float effortlessly like hybrid rocker, mostly rocker hybrid camber or flat to rocker but it does better than camber. You will mainly see this on aggressive freestyle to all mountain to freeride style snowboards.
riding very fast; turning very quickly; floating lines in pow; slashing lines in pow; straight-lining chutes in pow; Lucas Debari lines in the backcountry; taking a few laps through the park; methods off hips; extra large ollies; power
MSRP: $600.00 USD
Camber
Hybrid RipIt
Shape
Directional Standard
What It Likes
Jumps:
8
Jibs:
7
Pow Lines:
10
Carves:
10
Kill It All:
8
Flex/Feel
Super Poppy
Tech Details
HotRods: Carbon Torque
We’ve reversed the direction of these to increase centerline pop, while still adding edge-gripping torsional response
PressurePop Tech: Kevlar V
Lightweight, bomb-proof power-channeling tech that drives your energy into your contact points for max response
PowerBars: Carbon V
Complementing the PressurePop Tech, these bars of carbon increase longitudinal and torsional pop
AirPop Core Matrix
Our superlight matrix of low-density woods that delivers a snappy, lively feel
CarbonBiax Alloy Laminate
50% carbon below the core and eco-friendly basalt above the core for the right balance of freestyle finesse with ollie pop
SinterCarbon.2 Base
An ample amount of carbon nanoadditives reduce friction to optimize velocity
Rome Anthem SS 2011
FEEL THE POWER, FLOAT THE POWDER
This is the high-tech Weapon of Mountain Destruction. Built on the innovative Hybrid Camber chassis that we introduced last year, the new Anthem SS has been overhauled with HotRods and PressurePop Technology. While the camber line lets it alternate between floaty pow slashes and high-speed roller ollies, the new technology focuses energy where the rider want to input it, reduces weight, and increases strength.
MSRP: $600.00 USD
New Tech
HotRods: Carbon Torque
PressurePop Technology: Kevlar Reverse-V
Kevlar Impact Plates
Shape Camber
Directional Standard
Hybrid
Airpop Core Matrix
Maximum low-density wood species laced with bamboo, for maximum lightness and maximum pop
CarbonBiax Alloy Laminate
An eco-friendly basalt biax up top combines with a 50% carbon biax below for a superlight, super snappy feel
SinterCarbon.2 Base
High speed through the wax absorption of a sinter structure with the anti-static, anti-friction of carbon additives
HotRods: Carbon Torque
Thin carbon tubes oriented in the core for new levels of edge power and ollie/nollie pop
PressurePop Technology: Kevlar Reverse-V
Lightweight, energy-returning Kevlar patterned for longitudinal power without increased torque
Kevlar Impact Plates™
Bombproof and superlight protection under your bindings
Mountain Edge Bevel
-1° base/-1° side for maximum freestyle grip
Jumps: 7
Jibs: 5
Pow Lines: 10
Carves: 10
Kill It All: 7
Super Poppy
Rome Anthem SS 2010
It’s been said that for nonconformity the world whips you with displeasure. That may be true. But with an Anthem SS strapped to your feet you can be nonconformist and whip hairpin lines—to the pleasure of those watching you kill it from the lift. With a heavy load of SDS tech, the Anthem SS has the dual-op ability to float easy through pow and throw a mean, belly-scratching bottom turn when you get back on the groomers. Hi-tech freeriding fun.
MSRP: $600.00 USD
Directional Standard
Hybrid
Airpop Core Matrix Ultralight with model-specific bamboo-powered pop
Z.TechCarbonBiax Alloy Laminate
Pure carbon below the core and a 50% carbon biax above the core teams up with Zylon stringers for super advanced levels of snap, lightness and strength
SinterCarbon.2 Base
More carbon=less friction=more speed
Impact Plates™
2.5 times stronger under foot
AC Technology
Air channels for greater lightness
Dual Inline PowerAmp Mapping
Double the tip and tail pop, with high energy release off edge
Z.Tech Torque Stringer Technology
Zylon mapped in curvature with the sidecut for the highest levels of torsional pop from edge to edge
LDC Technology
Low-density woods in low-stress regions of the core to reduce weight
Edge Bevel: Mountain (-1° base/-1° side)
All the edge power you expect, with just enough bevel to eliminate twitchiness
Hybrid Camber The pop and edge control of positive camber between the feet with the float of reverse camber in the tip and tail
