In the quest to perpetually downsize your snowboard so that you can compete in Skateboard Megaramp err… I mean skateboard on snow Rome has offered up the Shank. A snowboard that due to a longer effective edge and some more girth lets you go smaller than normal. Here’s how we felt the 2014 stacked up.
Board: Rome Shank
Size: 153
Camber Option: NoHang-Ups Rocker. Flat between the feet into rocker with a diamond flat shape that causes the contact points to be raised up off the snow.
Bindings: Rome 390 Boss
Stance: 22.5 Wide 18 Negative 15 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 175lbs
Resort: Breckenridge
Conditions: Sunny skies with firm to slushy snow as the day went on and a minimal breeze.
Flex: Just a hair under middle of the road but not by much. More give out at the ends of the tips and stiffening up under foot.
Stability: The size is usually the thing that throws people off with this deck, but it’s built a little beefier to be more stable. I wouldn’t charge a blown out mogul field thinking it wouldn’t buck me but flying down a groomer it gets the job done. On edge it was a little washy from time to time, I attribute this mainly to firmer snow and the rocker shape.
Ollies: Think of this board as a skateboard for the snow you can pop off anything with ease. It just loads up and boosts.
Pop On Jumps: Would I hit a 30 plus foot jump? Maybe if I was feeling confident but for the most part it’s great for smaller jumps and has ample amount of boost.
Butterability: This is definitely one of the strong suits of this deck. With the Nohang-ups you don’t have to fear that dreaded edge catch and adding rocker to it just makes pressing so much easier.
Jibbing: Be the little skateboarder you wish you were with this deck. Sure skateboarding is way harder but at least you can pretend right? It locks in to presses and has a decent sweet spot. Board slides are a breeze as well.
Carving: On firmer snow it didn’t want to stay locked in and would occasionally wash out. Mild set up turns were fine and in soft snow there weren’t any issues.
Rider in Mind: The guy that wants to skate the whole park and not be defined by lips and formulaic lay outs.
Personal Thoughts: I don’t remember this board being this squirrely on edge last year when I rode it in a 149. Over all though it’s still a fun deck for dorking around in the park on small to medium features.
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Disclaimer: This board was loaned to us for review by the Rome Snowboards Rockies rep.
33 Comments
How was this compared to Burton’s nug? Seeking something similar to a nug next season. At 6’3″ 195lbs, always rode a size down for the playfulness in my decks and like this concept.
It’s not as aggressive of a downsize as a nug. Honestly I wish I had been sent the 49 instead for my weight as the 53 felt more like riding a 57ish sized board.
If you had stability issues on the 53, wouldn’t the 49 be even worse in this respect?
It’s a jib board I’m not going to go charge the whole mountain on it. Ride the park and mini shred skate style it.
Im stuck between this board , rome butter knife, and salomon salomonder. This board will by my park only board. i ride 80% rails, boxes, hips and small to medium jumps and 20% 30+ foot jumps! looking for a rail killer with good transitioning out for those 270s but still have enough pop to get over decent sized jumps! any recomendations?
Shank can handle what you’re talking about. If you want more snap for bigger jumps though maybe the Butterknife would be up your alley. The Salomonder is probably not the board you’re looking for in the Salomon line up you might like the Villain though.
thanks a ton! i was worried the butter knife wouldnt hold up on the big jumps because it is so soft!? but ill take a look at the villain too!
[…] Rome Shank […]
Hey! I’m looking in to buying this board but I would like to hear your opinion on it. So basically would you recommend it to a guy who have in total snowboard for 1-2 month time during 3 years (whit wrong equipment) , and have been skateboarding for 7 years?
Depends on what you want the board to do.
I would like a good park board but also works pretty good down the mountains.
or maybe the artifact don’t really know :/ and do you know the difference of feeling between Rome Shank& Rome Shiv?
You more likely want the Factory Rocker then.
okay thanks 🙂 I’m gonna look in to that board, sorry if I was dificoult to understand I’m Swedish so English isn’t my first language.
hi i just got this board and i was wondering what the litttle piece of metal is in the top right of that picture because mine is almost coming out and i havent even used it yet
Metal inlay. That shouldn’t be coming out.
well i had to send my board back cause of it and is the metal there to do something or just for look
I ride park 90% of the time and i hit boxes, rails, stairs and mostly everything but i also love jumps medium to big im looking for a snowboard that has super good pop and wont wash me out when doing butters and other stuff which board do you think is good for this case?
also im 5,3 what size should i get if i do get the shank a 149 or 145? im planning to ride it for 2-3 years
Not this board. You need something else if you’re going to be hitting bigger jumps.
like what?
Get something with camber. Maybe the Rome Agent would be up your alley.
“Honestly I wish I had been sent the 49 instead for my weight as the 53 felt more like riding a 57ish sized board.”
So being 6 0 160 would i be better off getting the 149 for sure? Also, I have the option to get the shank or shiv, which do you think is the better option? Shiv 148 or Shank 149?
Kind of depends on what you want from the board.
Thanks for getting back to me.
I’d be using this for the park and small jumps, nothing too crazy. Wanted something playful and short. Being a skater for a long time, the 155 postermania cruises great but feels too long n too stiff when I want to mess around in the park. Wanted to downsize. So do you think I could get away with the 148 shiv or shank? they both have a 160 effective edge.
I feel the Shank is more skate oriented which would fit what you’re looking for.
Alright cool. Got some extra cash and finally going to purchase the shank, one last question. Would l/xl bindings with 11.5 flow boots be too much overhang on the 149 shank with a 254 width? Or could i get away with it?
Ron,
You have to remember that you’re not mounting your board at the waist so that width is pointless. Look at the nose/tail width and then subtract the waist width from that number. That number will be the difference between the dead center and the tip. Now divide that number in 2 and add it to the waist width. That is going to be the width between the center of the board and the tip. That should tell you right there if there’s going to be an issue.
Man that is such a good point right there. My noobyness didn’t even think about it. That definitely helps a lot thinking about it that way.
I actually posted in the 2015 model review but I’m looking at the 2014, and I asked about the wrong sizes. You said the 148 over 144 but I meant to ask about this board and which between the 153 and 149. Your review says you wished they sent the 149, and you’re about 15lbs heavier than me, so would you say the 149 still for me? I want it mainly for side hits on trails and butters, not park jumps or rails, and this is just gonna be a mess around short board a few days a season/spring time, not a daily rider. Would the 153 be a better option just in terms of using it on trails or can the 149 hold up (obviously not gonna be trying lay down carves with it or anything). Thanks again.
If you want more effective edge get the 53 otherwise go for that 49.
Is the 53 going to be as soft as the 49 though? I’d probably prefer the 53 for its edge because it will be used on trails not the park (where I know it’s intended) but I don’t wanna sacrifice the flex to go longer, as I’m at the very low end of the weight suggestion for the 153. My “everyday” boards are a Rome Agent 158 and a Rome Cossrocket 156. The Agent is SUPER stiff, and even the Crossrocket seems to “fight” me when trying to keep the nose up for butters. I want a shorter-than-normal board that’s softer just to have as a playful butter/side hit board. The Shank intrigues me so I wanna try it out, I’ve just been back and forth on the 149 or 53 for about a week and a half now! I’m not sure if the 53 will feel all that much smaller than the 56 Crossrocket, but I know it will be better for the trails than the 49, just worried about if it’ll be as soft, since flex is the main reason I’m picking it up.
As I said just get the 49.