Rome vs GNU
 

I'm looking for a snowboard and am currently considering either the GNU B-Nice or the Rome Lo-Fi. I am a beginner/intermediate looking for a board that I can progress with and do groomers/park. Is one brand better than the other? Which board would be a better choice? Would the banana rocker and magne-traction be a better bet for me as a beginner? I'm open to other board suggestions as well. Thanks!

I can not say enough good things about Flow's middle range freestyle board for someone learning. They are fully capable to keep up with someone who's been riding for 12 years, and that same technology makes them super easy to ride. Making them awesome choices for someone learning park, or just learning to ride.

Rocker between the feet for ease of turning, camber under foot for control, and between the feet the board is rolled edge to edge. With your contact pts picked up from the rocker, and then the rolled base between the feet, you really have to try to catch an edge. For grip they use a 5 radial sidecut. Tight, mellow, tight, mellow, tight. The mellow sections land right under foot and provide grip pts that when you press through those camber zone hold onto the snow very well. In my experience this sidecut is only outperformed by Arbors Griptech, and is on par with NeverSummers Variogrip. Personally I don't even like Magne, it bites too much for my liking.

The Velvet retails for $350. $50 less than the Gnu with more tech, and $100 less than the Lo-Fi. For the money its one of your best options.

Thank you! I'll look into that one. I noticed that the Rome has a sintered base while the GNU has an extruded base. Is one better than the other? What are people's opinions on the GNU magne-traction and banana tech rocker?

I'm also looking at the Forum Star Chillydog

Since I'm still a beginner, would the banana traction of the GNU be a good way to go? Would it help me progress?

Yes. Or no. Magne is something I don't typically recommend for beginners that have not ridden it. Its typically a love or hate technology.

I hate it. The reason is it grips a bit too much in my opinion. It locks you into your turn when you put it on edge, and your not done till its done.

So it will grip ice well which will help, but if you learn on it you may hate anything without it limiting your purchases later on.

Thanks for the reply! So I should stay away from the GNU? Do you have any other board recommendations?

If you were in my shop I would be steering you towards the Flow Velvet or Jewel, Salomon Oh Yeah, Ride Compact, Burton Blender, or K2 Limelite.

Thank you for the suggestions! I looked at the boards you recommended but most of them were out of my price range, or didn't come in the size I want (150 or 151). I found the Burton Deja Vu Flying V (Burton Déja Vu Flying V Snowboard - Women's from Dogfunk.com), would this be a good choice for me?

I know the Flows typically come in 149's, if you're looking at 50-51 a 149 is fine. You won't notice that difference.

And looking at 151's you should be around the 135lbs ish range... but yes the Deja is a good board.

Do you have a local shop that isn't a box store?