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!
