Slab Contrasted Rode 2 is a very bold, wide, low contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Bandera', 'Bandera Cyrillic', 'Bandera Pro', 'Bandera Text', and 'Bandera Text Cyrillic' by AndrijType; 'FF Kievit Slab' and 'FF Milo Slab' by FontFont; 'Calanda' by Hoftype; and 'Modum' by The Northern Block (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, branding, sports identity, packaging, assertive, retro, industrial, collegiate, poster-ready, impact, authority, heritage, headline clarity, blocky, sturdy, compact, bracketed, ink-trap hints.
A heavy, block-built slab serif with broad proportions and a square, grounded footprint. Serifs are thick and largely rectangular with subtle bracketing, creating a strong horizontal emphasis and a stable baseline. Counters are relatively tight and apertures tend to be small, producing a dense texture at display sizes. Curved letters (O, C, G, Q) are more squared-off than geometric, while joins and interior corners show slight notches that read like modest ink-trap or cut-in detailing.
Best suited to headlines and short-to-medium display copy where impact is the priority—posters, event graphics, sports or collegiate identity systems, packaging, and bold editorial titling. It can work for subheads or callouts in layouts that benefit from a dense, authoritative typographic voice.
The overall tone is confident and workmanlike, with a distinctly retro, sign-painter and editorial headline feel. Its mass and firm slabs suggest durability and authority, leaning into classic American display vernacular often associated with sports, posters, and utilitarian branding.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum presence with a traditional slab-serif structure, balancing blunt, rectangular serifs with slightly softened/bracketed transitions for a more crafted, print-minded feel. It aims for clear, forceful display readability while maintaining a recognizable, heritage-inflected personality.
In the sample text, the rhythm is punchy and consistent, with strong word shapes and a pronounced dark color on the page. The numerals match the letterforms’ stout construction, and the uppercase set reads especially commanding thanks to wide forms and emphatic slabs.