Boots and blade advice for teen!

[kinari]

Hey! I hope someone can help me with this. I want to know whether or not I should upgrade my skate/blades and if so, which skate/blade i would be best fit for. For reference, I am a 14 year old girl (5'5, 103 lbs) who got the Jackson Freestyle boot with Aspire XP blades last February (when I started skating). I'd like to say that I've progressed relatively quickly within a year; I have all my basic spins down (sit, upright, camel) with some variations and combinations as well (cannonball, broken leg, camel-sit). I also have all of my single jumps except for my axel, which I am working on. I have tested and passed my preliminary moves in the field and I am testing my preliminary freeskate on Saturday and my prejuvenile moves in the field in three weeks (I just started testing in September, and so far I take around 2-4 months per test) I skate around 2-3 times a week for 5 hours total, and I have 2 coaches with 2 lessons a week. Is it time to upgrade my boot/blade yet? One coach thinks I am while the other coach says I don't need to. If I need to upgrade, I will get it fitted at a skate shop and ask the skate manager for advice, but what boot/blade do yall think is best for my level?

TLDR; I'm on prelim mitf and prepre fs but am testing to prejuv mitf and prelim fs soon, I have jackson freestyle skates with aspire xp blades/is my boot suitable or do i need to upgrade/

 

[bostonskaterguy86]

Welcome to the forum!

For starters - you’re right on, it’d definitely be a good idea to see a fitter to help with finding the right boot for you. This only gets more important as you advance - the more difficult the skills you’re doing, the more important it is to have a boot that fits you well and provides the right level of support. A fitter measuring your feet in person can also give you better suggestions based on your foot anatomy (width, shape, arch height, etc) to find the brand that works best for you. Different boot brands have different fits, even if they’re the same size. For example - I have pretty wide, flat feet, and Jacksons tend to fit me best. On the other hand, I tried on a friend’s Edeas once and hated them - they were the right length, but too narrow at the ball of my foot, and the arch was too high.

That being said - I do think you are ready for a stiffer boot, especially since you’re working on axels! For example, if you were to stay in Jacksons (which, I’d get advice from a fitter on whether Jackson is the right brand for you), I’d suggest looking at the Debut, or even the Premiere.

At this point you’d definitely benefit from a better blade. The Aspire XP is a beginner blade, so it’s built more for stability rather than maneuverability. The most popular blades for skaters at your level are the John Wilson Coronation Ace, and the MK Professional. They’re “curvier” than the Aspire, which means there’s less resistance to turns, and the “sweet spot” for spins is easier to find. You can’t go wrong with either of these blades!

Jackson and Reidell both make blades that are targeted for skaters at your level as well (under their Ultima and Eclipse brands, respectively), but folks on the forum here who have tried them have said they feel noticeably flatter than the Coronation Ace and MK Pro, so there isn’t as much benefit to your turns and spins. There’s also a brand called Paramount that makes blades using an aluminum body that holds the steel blade, so they’re a bit lighter than the typical blade. I’ve heard folks tend to like them better than the Ultima and Eclipse blades, but a possible downside is that they’re tougher to sharpen than conventional blades - so for sharpenings, you’d always need to go to a knowledgeable skate tech who has experience with blades like these.

There are a couple different models of both the Coronation Ace and MK Pro (such as the Revolution or the Lite models). These blades use different design and technology to make them lighter than conventional blades. For the most part, you’re better off sticking with the traditional model - the lightweight versions are more expensive than the traditional blades, the weight ultimately isn’t all that different, and the lighter blades can make certain skills more difficult. The shape makes catch-foot positions a bit harder because there’s not as much space for your hand, and for the Lite versions, the blade itself is thinner, which can make changing edges feel more precarious.

So - to sum up - definitely see a fitter, check out some boots that are stiffer and more supportive than your Freestyles, and check out the Coronation Ace and/or MK Professional for blades.

Hope that’s helpful, and good luck!

 

[High Carbon]

Hello and welcome!
I agree with pretty much everything @bostonskaterguy86 said. If your foot is more fit for Jackson and you're on track to get through axel and on to doubles pretty quick then Debut or Premier will be best suited, but definitely see a fitter to have them look at your feet and give advice from there. Seems like Jacksons are working out well for you though so it's perfectly reasonable to stick with them if you're comfortable with them. For blades, Paramount makes blades in all sorts of styles that all mimic John Wilson and MK blades, so you can find one that is essentially the same as a Coronation Ace or Professional Freestyle (I agree those will suit you well. Them or an MK Gold Star). Jackson Ultima does make their Matrix line, which are also very light weight like the Paramounts. They do get pretty expensive, always be aware that you get what you pay for and as the quality goes up, the price does too. But the advantage to the Paramounts and the Matrix blades are that they use stainless steel blades and they generally don't have to be sharpened as much. Traditional blades are made out of a carbon steel which just means they rust easier and their edge doesn't stay sharp quite as long. But depending on where you live see if you can find a fitter near by enough

 

[emilinkaa]

Good luck on your tests! If you drop your general location (state, and maybe major metro area-ish, depending on the size of your state), some of these amazing people can recommend fitters for you.

 

[kinari]

Thank you guys for the helpful suggestions! I really appreciate the suggestions and the encouraging comments <3 I'm planning to go get a new pair of skates after I test for my prejuvenile MITF (i already passed prelim fs) and I'll be sure to note down the suggestions! Thanks again everyone I really appreciate it