When In Rome, Ride The Powder (Rome Solution 163 Snowboard)

Member Name: Andy.mack

Product:	Rome Solution 163 Snowboard
Date:	01/12/08 (379 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An excellent all round board that develops with the Rider

Disadvantages: I should have researched boards the first time round

When I first decided to take up Snowboarding as a hobby I rushed in a bit when it came to buying my first board. Rather than thinking about it too much and researching which board was best for me, something I really would advise everyone do, I jumped in with both feet and bought a board that really wasn't what I was looking for. I ended up with a tricks board and from the moment I started using it I really didn't feel comfortable on it. So this time last year, with an impending trip to Canada I headed out to buy myself a new Snowboard.

This time though I spent weeks researching different boards and visiting all sorts of shops to ensure I got a board that matched my requirements. I was looking for a board that was good on both the on and off piste runs. The bulk of my research pointed at a Rome Snowboard, they seemed to be the best all round boards that would not only meet my requirements but be a board that I could improve my riding on as well as simply riding at a set level.

I originally set my mind to getting the Rome Agent but at over £400 it was a little over the £300 budget I had set myself. On a visit to the Berks and Bucks Boarding Centre in High Wycombe I decided to opt for the slightly cheaper Rome Solution. It was still over my original budget at £350 but having seen it a few times and tested one in Milton Keynes I felt it was the board that would best suit my requirements.

The Rome solution is a good all-round board that not only suits the on and off piste requirements I was looking for but is also just as good for the Parks. This is where my old F2 was a real let down as it was only really suitable for use in Parks and struggled on long piste runs. It's one of the best all round boards I tested for the money I had and for that reason I felt it was really the only choice for me to buy.

The Solution comes in a variety of sizes from 148 - 163 and the size required is spec'd based on your weight and height. I went for the slightly heavier 163 rather than the 160 as felt it would give me more manoeuvrability on the slopes than the smaller board. One thing the solution does offer is a great deal of flex both along the longitudinal edge of the board and in the torsion. This makes it ideal for twists and turns at a fast pace, which the Solution can easily achieve.

While my old board was quite a laboured affair on the snow I felt that the Solution cut through the powder with relative ease. At 163 centimeters it seemed a little long but that has given it a bit of extra control for the speed this board can generate. At 22mm thick it has a nice cut into the mountain and with the length, depth and width of the board taken into account it provides a very nice, comfortable and smooth ride that makes snowboarding all the more enjoyable. With my old board I really had to fight with it to get it to do half of what the solution does as second nature.

Of course along with the boards ride ability the other factor I did consider whilst picking my new board was of course how it looked. Rome have taken a very unique approach to their boards and because of the way they cut the designs on the Solution and Agent no two boards look alike, which gives you a bit of a unique feel to the boards design. It may just be a small factor, but it's a little something extra that you don't expect and because of it you get a stylish board that is unique to you.

Before I bought my Rome Solution I'd heard people talk about finding a brand and staying loyal to them, but my F2 just didn't do it for me. Now that I've bought my Rome however it would seem that I have now found my brand of board. The Solution is an excellent board that combines speed with control in equal measures. It's an enjoyable board to ride and one that meets every requirement I had in a board. While £350 is a lot to spend for a beginner you can pick up last season's Solutions, namely this one for about £150 and what you'll get is not only a great board for your current level, but a board that will help you to advance and keep up with your requirements in a board as you do.

For more Info and retailers: http://www.romesnowboards.com

Summary: it may be last seasons, but everything remains true on the new incarnation