Snowboard Review: 08-09 Rome Blue

Location: Keystone, Colorado

Snow Conditions: Snowing with hard groomed to packed powder conditions on the runs.

Setup: I rode the Rome Blue with Rome Madison’s Bindings and my Vans Omni Focus boots (also rode the Rome Vamp boots with this setup)

First Impression: Ah I love when I can ride a more aggressive women’s board that is meant to be rode and rode hard.

Size: 154cm

Weight: Women’s boards are always lighter…that’s why I like them.

Flex: I was surprised by the longitudinal flex on the Blue. I was riding a smaller size Blue than I’d like and even then surprised me by the stiffness of the board. Even torsionally stiffer than I was expecting but gave you good response when making sharper short radius turns. But that allows it to be the more aggressive all mountain board it is.

Turning: I found the Blue to be pretty aggressive on carving with, definitely a board that would ride you if you weren’t a solid rider. Once on edge, it definitely holds you into each carve but also really quick carving with the Blue. I liked the response it gave you when riding, you could lay over each turn and come full carve out of it with more speed.

Stable: Because it’s a stiffer board, it does hold speeds very well. I had no problem charging on the 154cm that I was riding and didn’t feel the chatter/vibrations that I could have felt with a smaller board. The base definitely felt faster to ride on.

Pop: When riding the Blue, I didn’t do any ollies or test the pop of it. I was riding with the Rome Vamp boots for the first couple runs and honestly having a softer boot than my Vans Omni Focus made me feel unstable in my ankle…so I kept away from performing any freestyle manuevers. According to Rome, the Blue has Straight Triax 3.0 Carbon Laminate giving it “carbon ollie pop with a responsive flex for light riders.”

Switch: I didn’t ride that much switch with the blue to be honest. But it is a directional board.

Pipe: I had no doubt when riding the blue on the icy pipe walls, held an edge and one of my more favorite boards in the pipe. I was also riding a 154cm so easier to spin and still was stable to ride.

Overall Impression: The Blue was the only women’s board I rode at Keystone for on-snow demo’s and it was not a let down when comparing to the men’s boards. It was actually a better ride than some of the men’s boards I rode. It’s a big mountain, more aggressive women’s board for girls who charge. Definitely a board I wish I had spent more time on to make more freestyle riding with like switch and ollies to butters. The most freestyle I got with it was in the half pipe where it was a solid performer, the small size I rode was perfect for spinning while being able to hold an edge on the icy walls.

It most impressed me with the speed and stability when riding. I never felt like it was “buck me” around or not handle anything the terrain offered. It floated well in the couple inches of powder that was there on the runs, I have one photo where it’s covered in snow.

Shay’s Honesty Box: Props to Rome for aggressive women’s boards. Seriously…it’s good to see what women can ride women’s boards now for all levels of riding. I used to have to ride men’s boards to get aggressive boards…now that’s not the case. The Blue is one of few women’s boards I’d buy and know it would last.

Riding the Rome Blue with the Rome Vamp boots
Riding the Rome Blue with my Vans Omni Focus boots
Rome Blue Nose

Rome Blue Description
Check out the 08-09 Rome Blue for more information on Rome’s website.