Welcome back everyone, hope all my fellow students had a nice break with some decent time on the snow. With the new year comes a new format here at ECGR. I'm starting to get some guest reviews, with this one from steezemonger Jake Pearlstein being the first one on his new Rome Artifact 1985. If you've ridden a new board, bindings or boots that you're crazy about and feel like joining the ECGR crew, hit me up. ECGR is getting bigger (AKA more than just me) and I'm (we're?) looking for reviewers, writers, artists, etc. to flesh out this blog (...company?). Anywho, enough from me, here's Jake's review of his Artifact 1985. As always, feedback will earn you karma - get some!
To get right into it I F@$%ing love my new Rome Artifact 1985! At first I was like “what the hell is the point of reverse camber, I dont get it.” Well, I used to ride for Signal and was scared of their Park Rocker. So after I stopped riding for Signal, I did a few things- 1: stopped caring about their boards I still had and 2: GOT A NEW BOARD!!!!! I had a budget of the money I had saved up this year for some new gear. I started out with the DC PBJ, however I decided on a whim to get over my fear of reverse camber and to get the Artifact 1985. The reason I was so scared of that “reverse camber” action was because I knew nothing about it. I had always used positive camber and could not understand what was so great about reverse camber. I understood the Magnetraction technology from LibTech, but this was different. My edges weren't all wiggly and Libtechy. I didn’t want to commit the entire season to hating a new technology, but for some dumb (but in the end awesome) reason, I got the Artifact 1985. Best. Decision. Ever. Not only do I now love reverse camber, but I’m not even using the PBJ at the moment; there’s no need to! I have so much fun on the Artifact 1985 that I never switched back. In fact the first time I rode it on rails was the PureStyle Railjam at Sugarbush. Although I did not win, I got podium with my boy Parker Fothergill. Thanks reverse camber. I locked into my tricks much better than on a regular jib board. Pivots were much easier due to the raised tip and tail and the flow was insane. I really freakin’ love that board. Lipslides feel much easier and catch free from that extra 5 milimeters of raised nose and tail. Or it might just be because of the totally flat base, but either way, I noticed a huge difference and felt totally locked in. Obviously tail presses and nose presses are just plain easier with the Reverse Jib Camber, but still nice and smooth. And they looked smooth. This is alot of credit to give to this board, I know. However I am NOT a Rome rep or a team rider, but after riding the 1985 I would love to be one. To put it simply: I am a college shredder that likes the park, filming and creative rail riding. I had no idea about Rome boards or reverse camber until I got this board. If you like jibbing and a great ride, go for the reverse camber that Rome offers, especially the Artifact 1985.
Pros
-SICK!
-Catch-free edging
-Great pop
-Easy presses
Cons
-Bronze edges burr easily
-Hard to ride on ice
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