$499 A Good Ride Favorite! Advanced to expert All Mountain to Freeride. Hybrid Camber Directional Shape The designer of the Burton Custom is one of the principles at Rome Snowboards so they know a little bit about designing boards. The older Anthem models are very similar to a Burton Custom X without a channel system so you can ride any binding you want. In 2011 the Rome Anthem departed from a board almost exactly like the custom x to a board similar but with hybrid camber. All this means is the nose and tail turn up a bit earlier than the 2010 camber Anthem. This makes the 2011 Anthem ride better in powder and make it a little more catch free. There was also an improved flex between the feet. The only complaint was the 2011 wasn't as poppy as the 2010. In 2012 the Anthem worked a bit on improving the pop from 2011 but the design and ride are very similar. For us this was one of our favorite carving boards and it was very stable at high speed. It also seems that they dropped the wide version which sucks. So if you are a confident aggressive expert rider who is all about carving and stability at speed the Anthem is one of the best choices and very reasonably priced as well. Read the Detailed Review of the Rome Anthem Below
The Rome Anthem and Anthem Wide Advanced to Expert All Mountain Snowboard Review
Boards Tried- 2011 model 163 and 2010 model 162 Days on the board- 150+ Riders- 3- 5'10" 200lbs Size 9 shoe, 6' 160lbs Size 10.5 shoe, 5'10" 215lbs Size 9 Shoe Bindings Used- Burton C60's, Union Force SL's, Rome Targas
If you are looking to find a board like the Burton Custom X but less expensive without sacrificing quality why not choose a board made by the original designer of the Burton Custom? Rome's Anthem seems to be everything you want from an all mountain freeride board. The board is light, well made, really fast, works with all bindings and the price it should be at $499 list! Thanks Rome! This was a pleasure taking this up on the hill and the first thing we realised is it isn't for someone just getting started. This is definitely a board for expert riders. We would say that an advanced rider who wants to push themselves to become an expert rider will appreciate this board. However if you are an advanced rider and content where you are then you might never come to appreciate what this board can do for you and you might want to get something more forgiving. We found this board to be everything you want for someone who mostly likes the mountain. In 2011 there were some important changes to the Anthem over the 2010 and that was the call. In 2012 there were some minor refinements like with pop but the ride is very similar to the 2011.
Groomers- The Rome Anthem is made for groomers. Even if the conditions aren't great or even tore up it will handle the crap pretty well. This might be this boards best quality and it makes you look at groomers in a whole new way. You can make big banking turns or straight line as good or better than any other board similar to it. So if you didn't get it this is a very aggressive fast board that is not for the cruiser.
Powder- The Anthem has a great set back and comes in a decent size so it performs above average for a mostly cambered all mountain directional board. The mostly camber hybrid camber is better than camber but it still doesn't have the advantage that many hybrid rocker or mostly rocker hybrid camber boards do. Still the change to hybrid camber helps and it's better than the 2010 camber. The 2011 and 2012 are the same in terms of powder performance.
Turn Initiation. The Rome Anthem is not the best at tight turns but it is so incredibly pleasant to make a nice arching turn on a well groomed run. If you like to work a little bit for your turns here is your board. You give up a little bit when it comes to easy turn initiation but you get soo much back when you lay into a turn for a big carve. It has that spring that feels like it is helping you into your next turn. Even though it takes work it feels like the Anthem is doing it's work for you to get you from edge to edge. The fact that this board takes some effort to turn makes us like it even more. This is made to be on rail and it would be a shame to see someone skid out turns on this.
Speed- The Rome Anthem is fast.......really fast. A stiff flexing damp mid section, stiff tail and great base make for a fast chatter free ride. Rome isn't exaggerating when it comes to their boast about speed. It has that same crazy break away speed as the Rome Notch and Salomon special where you find it accelerating out of turns. If you aren't careful it's easy to get out of control. This base will go toe to toe with almost any board out there.
Lightweight- The Anthem is right there in the top end of light. Not going to bother you on the chair. We compared this to the Rome Design 162 that was the same size and it was very close in weight. The Design was obviously lighter but we were impressed on the effort Rome took to get it soo close to their lightest board.
Edge Hold- The Rome Anthem will hold an edge in just about anything except for the nasty east coast ice. You can deal with hard pack and feel secure that your edge won't give out and send you into the snowment. A lot of riders actually don't want too much edge hold and feel a 4 to 4.5 is what they want over a 5. As long as you maintain the edges you will be able to handle almost any condition you would want to ride in.
Stiffness- Every year the industry manages to make the board more soft and playful while still maintaining the chatter free qualities you need when it's time to let the board go straight. The board maintains enough torsional stiffness to keep its edge in the snow at almost any speed you have the balls for.
Jibbing- It's OK but you shouldn't get this board to jib.
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.
Rails/Boxes- You can survive a day in the park hitting boxes and rails if your friends force you in there. You'll probably have fun too. We didn't even bring this board even close to a rail because we were afraid of ruining those nice sharp edges. It can be done but with the money you save you can probably buy a cheap rail specific board.
Pipe- The Anthem's stiff flex and edge hold get this board up and down a steep wall. The fast base really helps you make it through the flat and the directional shape really helps you drive from wall to wall. Some love a directional board for the pipe and others love directional twins or twins. If you aren't that into a lot of switch riding in the pipe the directional board might serve you better.
Jumps- The directional shape doesn't make this the best to land or launch switch but if you like to go big and land regular then this board is a 5. If you rip big jumps then consider the Rome Mod or Rome Mod Rocker. Another thing we noticed is the Anthem can be a little flat when trying to ollie and you have to work for it more than the old camber version. If generating a lot of pop from your board is important to you then look for the old camber Anthem or the Burton Custom X. You sacrafice some pop from the Anthem to have the hybrid camber float in powder. For 2012 the Anthem worked on adding a little more pop which is bringing it closer to the camber Anthem.
Overall we were pretty impressed. For us if we do a Rome Anthem Vs. Burton Custom X comparison we would say the boards in the past were almost identical in terms of performance but for 2011 and 2012 year there are some slight differences. The Burton Custom X might have a very very slight advantage in turn initiation and has a bit more pop than the Anthem. The Anthem is just as fun to carve but also has a bit better performance in powder than the Custom X. For us price and the ability to easily ride different bindings is more important and that is why we would choose to have the Rome Anthem in the Good Ride Quiver.
A quick look at the 2012 Rome Anthem
The Rome Anthem 2011 at the end of a powder day.
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.
SEMINAL ACT RELEASES GREATEST HITS OF FREERIDE FREEDOM all-mountain freestyle forays; quick response times; winning Chinese downhills; power carving; powder surfing; park sampling; precision for top-to-bottom destructionMSRP:
$500.00 USD
Camber Hybrid RipIt
Shape
Directional Standard
What It Likes
Jumps:
8
Jibs:
5
Pow Lines:
9
Carves:
10
Kill It All:
7
Flex/Feel
Super Poppy
Tech Details
HotRods: Carbon Single Barrel A rod of carbon milled into the core for higher ollies and nollies
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
StraightTriax45 Laminate 45-degree off-axis fibers give this laminate a ton of torsional kick for snapping off one edge and into the next
SinterSpeed Base Advanced sintered structure gives speed through high wax absorption
Rome Anthem 2011
FULL MOUNTAIN MAYHEM Whether you are dropping in off the top of Mammoth, Chamonix, Niseko or Portillo, the all-new Anthem will take you all the way to the bottom with added power, float and quickness. Drop a cliff, slash a wave, throw a method, lay a carve. Do it all. The new PressurePop Technology and PowerBars are laid in V patterns to radiate energy into the contact points. The Hybrid camber line increases lift in powder while still giving edge control through the arc of a turn. MSRP: $500.00 USD
New Tech
PressurePop Technology: Kevlar V
PowerBars: Carbon 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
StraightTriax 45 Laminate
The laminate for life on the edge: maximum edge control and maximum snap from edge to edge
SinterSpeed Base
A wax-hungry sintered structure for knuckle-clearing speed
PressurePop Technology: Kevlar V
Added power off the contact points from light, energy-returning Kevlar
PowerBar: Carbon V
Carbon bands channel energy from binding to contact points to put more pop in your slash
Kevlar Impact Plates™
Bombproof and superlight protection under your bindings
Mountain Edge Bevel
-1° base/-1° side for maximum freestyle grip
Rome Anthem 2010 FULL THROTTLE GNARKILL
Ollieing the rope marking a closed trail. Navigating steep-as-Valdez lines in knee-deep pow. Snapping Jamie-Lynn methods off natural hips in the backcountry. Traveling at speeds north of 40 mph down a fresh groomer and maintaining edge control. Full throttle freeriding until transition meets flat planet, and then hiking back up again. Whatever kind of downhill mayhem stokes your fire, the Anthem will deliver.
Airpop Core Matrix Ultralight with model-specific bamboo-powered pop
Z.TechTriax 45 Laminate
A foundation of 45-degree triaxial glass with the unmatched pop and strength of Zylon along the rails
SinterSpeed Base
A strong, wax-absorbent structure for gap-clearing speed
Impact Plates™
2.5 times stronger under foot
AC Technology
Air channels for greater lightness
Torque PowerAmp Mapping
Bamboo follows the sidecut for unmatched torsional power
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
Positive Camber Traditional positive camber delivers dynamic energy release from edge to edge and a ton of pop in the nose and tail
