2012 Rome Factory Rocker Review

As our sport gets more and more expensive, it’s nice to see quality boards in the sub-$400 price range which can appeal to a broad audience from beginners or intermediate weekend warriors, to the park rat jib kid who wants an park deck that won’t break the bank. The Rome Factory Rocker is just such a board, basically a stripped down version of the Agent Rocker.

Conditions: Boyne Mountain (Boyne Falls, MI). Hardpack & icy, super cold a little sun but mostly clouds.

Size: 155 or 156, didn’t write it down…
Stance: 23.5″, 15 negative 15 regular
Shape: Mountain Pop Rock Camber
Bindings: Rome 390
Dave’s stats: 6′ 210 lbs
Leo’s stats: 5’9″ 180 lbs

Flex:

Dave says: The Factory Rocker was about middle-of-the road flex, like a soft 6/10 with a fair amount of torsional flex.

Leo says: I’d say the Factory Rocker is a solid 6.  It’s going to be softer for David because he’s a bigger guy than me.  No, I don’t mean you’re fat David… maybe.

Ollie/Pop:

Dave says: This board had a good amount of pop. Not insane but good.

Leo says: Definitely not the poppiest of Rome’s boards, but hey, what do you want from a board at this price?  Be happy that it has enough to satisfy you.  Kids these days… so ungrateful.

Handling:

Dave says: Although the Factory Rocker is pretty forgiving I found it a bit sketchy at speeds.  You could feel everything so it’s lacking in the damp department.  However for that shortcoming, the Factory Rocker had surprisingly great edge-hold even at speed & on hardpack.

Leo says: Definitely in agreement with David here.  I wouldn’t say the Factory Rocker is sketchy enough to make you second guess yourself, but definitely lively underfoot.  I do love Rome’s Reverse MtnPop camber though.  The camber section underfoot and through the tips has a bite to them.  More so than other boards of this shape.  This could be deceiving for some riders.  Rocker is usually associated with float and playfulness.  While Rome’s hybrid does have float, it isn’t as playful as say a Banana Rocker.  The camber zone has a lot of bite so it can be surprisingly unforgiving.  However, this means that this board can lay down a fat carve easy.

Jibs/Playfulness:

Dave says: This deck was versatile enough to be at home in the park although a dedicated park rat might find it a little stiff it’s gonna take a little more effort to really press the hell out of it (so it’s not a noodle).

Leo says: I can’t speak for jibs, but the flex tells me it’s not the ideal board for that.  I do think it’s a great all-mountain groomer board.  However, the liveliness made me not want to take it down steeper runs.  Not that I can’t or felt like crashing if I did, I just prefer a solid board underfoot when charging steeps.  Presses took effort on this thing and so did butters for that matter.  Fun to do little stalled 180′s off side hits though.  Popped off some rollers and was stable enough.  Again, keep in mind the camber section bites so it’s not as forgiving on those landings.

Price: Dave says: I think this board comes it at like $339 which is dirt cheap in an age where $550 is becoming the norm and companies seem to be trying to test the limits of our wallets. Click on the "Buy Now" button to compare prices.

I like the idea of stripping down some of the higher end boards and selling a cheap-o version that doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, and it’s something I hope the industry as a whole really embraces.

Leo says: Definitely a good deal for the price.  I’m glad to see more and more companies aiming for that under $400 range.  You’d have to be a horrible company not to be able to build a quality snowboard that costs nearly a $1,000… but you have to be a great company to be able to build a quality board under $400.  Rome did just that with the Factory Rocker and along with some other brands/boards, now riders have solid alternatives for next year.

Dave’s Take: For a price-point snowboard, the Rome Factory Rocker was a lot of fun to ride. Who’s it for? The Factory Rocker would make a great first snowboard for the beginner who’s tired of renting gear or using a friend’s beat up hand-me-down board. Also recommended for the intermediate all-mountain rider who’s looking for a board that will take a few odd laps in the park from time to time, too.

Leo’s Take: Come on.  Under $400 for a board like this?  That’s a good buy for a sport that isn’t exactly associated with frugality.  Beginners should strongly consider this board.  Even intermediate to advanced riders on a budget can really get some enjoyment out of this board.  If groomed trails are your thing, then the Factory Rocker is your board.