Many times over my past four years of coming to Japan I've found myself wondering about the perfect board to ride here. Well, I've found it - The Rome Notch 1985!
Having not been a major fan of the reverse-camber fad (until now anyway), the Notch 1985 was not a natural choice for me. But, I have to say it, I LOVE THIS BOARD!
Rome classify the Agent as "almost twin". It's got a slightly directional shape with a little more lift on the nose than the tail. The Agent's been great for everything, except deep pow. Step in the Notch 1985...
What it does well
The Notch 1985 is a twin version of the standard Notch - a board that was designed for one thing... big mountain freeriding in deep snow. The original Notch has a tapered shape and a very directional flex, where as the Notch 1985 is an exact twin.
"A twin powder board?" I hear you say. The Notch 1985 has a massive reverse-camber that Rome have dubbed "Reverse Mountain Camber". Along with it's scoopy-shape on both the nose and tail, this affords great float in the deep stuff, riding in either direction. Here's what Rome say about their reverse mountain camber... "A reverse camber section just between the feet and straight camber from under foot inserts to the contact points for a surfy, floaty feel, normal or switch." Switch pow landings have suddenly become much, much easier for me!
It's snowed a lot here this season, so my new favorite shred stick has been the perfect choice. As it's a twin shape I also enjoy riding it in the park. It's smooth off park jumps, rides reasonably in the pipe and, as a 158, it's not too long for a little jib-action. It's also great for one-foot riding!
What it doesn't do well
Not to dwell on the negative, but let's be honest - reverse-cambers don't perform well in cruddy snow. Holding an edge with the Notch 1985 when off-piste in questionable conditions is where it struggles most. Popping out of butters and presses is sluggish but still possible with a bit more effort, and rebound when carving early morning groomers is pretty much out of the equation. But really, these are small sacrifices for having the powder and park versatility that the Notch 1985 provides.
I do find it amusing that my park/all-mountain jib stick (Agent 154) is more directional than my powder board though. Ah well, it's nice to break the mold.
