Matt Stillman, Rome Marketing Manager & Team Manager

A few words to describe the brand, its claim and values.
At Rome we have always believed that snowboarding is a passion worth pursuing at all costs. All Ways Down is our brand slogan for a reason. We believe snowboarding should be at the core of every decision we make, which means listening to riders from all of the globe. Whether they’re team riders, shop-kids or just riders in the lifeline.

Splitboarding and freeriding during the pandemic had significant growth, will this be the future trend or there will be a massive return to resorts?
Riders will certainly be happy to see ski lifts spinning again and will definitely be returning to resorts. Splitboarding will continue to grow but most likely still remain a secondary activity for most riders globally.

Snowboarding has always stood out for its many trends. In your opinion, what will be its main direction? Park, jibbing, carving or freeriding?
We hope that both realms will continue to grow. There is certainly a feeling that snowboarding is enjoying a renaissance right now, which has felt like all realms of snowboarding are expanding in exciting new ways.

How much important is it to still have a team of riders?
Of course. Team riders are an incredibly crucial part of the how a brand creates products, content and communicates its values.

What a snowboard brand can do to be more sustainable? What are you doing about it?
Taking steps to work with factories to help reduce emissions and increase green packaging solutions is a great first step.

How important is the physical store and what importance do you give to online sales?
We have always believed that stores are where snowboarding truly lives. Being able to go into a store and chat with a fellow snowboarder and see gear in person is truly an invaluable experience. In this modern age however, we believe finding a balance between e-commerce and physical stores is the key.

How important and how much investment do you dedicate to research and development? And what about the marketing department?
R&D has always been something we really pride ourselves on at Rome. We just invested in a new 3D printer for our Waterbury, Vermont, headquarters with the goal of creating rideable binding parts for instant feedback and quicker development timelines.

Any medium-term future projects?
Our 22/23 product collection marks 20 years of creating premium snowboard gear. The collection features a 20 year anniversary capsule collection, and we will be hosting some 20 year anniversary celebrations during the 2022 winter!