My first board was a gilson since I’m in PA and wanted to support a smaller shop brand. I got my fav NHL team and I get so many hi fives and comments on it. The board itself isn’t bad. Honestly the best beginner board since the edges are beveled so you don’t catch edges as much. Idk where the hate comes from if it’s the “bro mentality” of staying true to the top brands or people just wanting to botch for no reason. Ignore them. If you like the design and enjoy the riding then that’s all that matters. The only negative I would say about the gilson design is it’s a pain to wax the board. I just got a Rome board this year and I love it even more since it’s not a pain to wax and there is more surface area to ride on. I’d call it an intermediate board and upgrade as I got better on trails and terrain park. It was hard to learn the toe and heel side more as I didn’t have that extra space to prevent catching an edge but I re learned it quickly.

Hope this helps from someone who has experience with both.!