https://imgur.com/a/xy9HGT3
So I compared my "Pattern 99" (Paramount 27) blades to MK Professionals, and was alarmed at the results shown in the linked image. Note that the Professionals are only 1/4" shorter than the 27's, so very close in length.
I have never liked the Pattern 99 profile as it wrecked my spins, and was a big step down from both the Gold Star and Gold Seal blades I used before. But that's really all due to the spin rocker. The stability is not that different from the Gold Seal, while the Gold Star felt more nimble/agile. I remember the Gold Seals taking some time to adjust to, but I did my best spins ever on them once I did, centering better than I was able to on the Gold Stars. That said, the Gold Stars were 3/4" longer as the boots I had them on were too large (and I have the Haglund's deformity to prove it
), so I can't really make an apples-to-apples comparison.
Later when my skates with Gold Seals were stolen (
), I replaced them with identical boots but decided to try Paramount blades (of identical length to the Gold Seals) with a Pattern 99 profile as I was really curious about it but like really deep edges and Paramount uses taller stanchions. I have always regretted that decision as my skating never recovered on them and contributed to me mostly abandoning the sport for years (to be fair, the biggest factor there was obviously myself)...
Anyways, my wife and I have recently been looking to finally buy new skates as both of ours are now 18 years old. After much deliberation, we decided to go with Avanta boots. Now it's just a matter of making a final decision on blades. I have been leaning towards returning to Gold Seals, while my wife is leaning towards Gold Stars, thinking that tho Gold Stars would feel closer to her current Professionals (as both advertise a 7' rocker) but allow for better spins and footwork. But we're both pretty undecided. We do almost certainly want traditional design all-steel blades, no more lighter-weight alternatives like the Paramounts or Revolution models.
I decided to trace our blade profiles to compare, and am alarmed at the results. My blades which we thought would be flatter due to an advertised 8' rocker are actually not as flat as the Professionals! There is a sharper curve for the spin rocker, but it is so far forward that this is nearly useless since you cannot access it without being on the toepick.
I can say from my own experience that it was easier for me to find the more pronounced sweet spot of the spin rocker on Gold Seals. My wife is also having a tough time with spins, only achieving less than half the revolutions as me, and I wonder if this explains why. I loved the Gold Stars while I had them, but the sweet spot would have been too far forward due to the misfit boots, so I imagine proper-length ones would feel considerably different, maybe even better than the Gold Seals for spins.
So clearly, the advertised rocker size doesn't seem to be what it's cracked up to be, and what seems to matter more is what's going on at the front of the blade and where under the foot the most pronounced curvature is.
Thoughts? Any similar observations? Do you think I ought to return to Gold Seals which I know worked well for me, or consider returning to Gold Stars now that the balance and feeling will be better with a proper length boot? Either seem like a relatively safe bet as I am confident I will enjoy either more than what I currently have, but should I maybe even consider other options? I love all aspects of freestyle skating, but spins most of all. My wife also is biased towards spins, due to back injury which prevents doing many jumps.
So I compared my "Pattern 99" (Paramount 27) blades to MK Professionals, and was alarmed at the results shown in the linked image. Note that the Professionals are only 1/4" shorter than the 27's, so very close in length.
I have never liked the Pattern 99 profile as it wrecked my spins, and was a big step down from both the Gold Star and Gold Seal blades I used before. But that's really all due to the spin rocker. The stability is not that different from the Gold Seal, while the Gold Star felt more nimble/agile. I remember the Gold Seals taking some time to adjust to, but I did my best spins ever on them once I did, centering better than I was able to on the Gold Stars. That said, the Gold Stars were 3/4" longer as the boots I had them on were too large (and I have the Haglund's deformity to prove it
), so I can't really make an apples-to-apples comparison.Later when my skates with Gold Seals were stolen (
), I replaced them with identical boots but decided to try Paramount blades (of identical length to the Gold Seals) with a Pattern 99 profile as I was really curious about it but like really deep edges and Paramount uses taller stanchions. I have always regretted that decision as my skating never recovered on them and contributed to me mostly abandoning the sport for years (to be fair, the biggest factor there was obviously myself)...Anyways, my wife and I have recently been looking to finally buy new skates as both of ours are now 18 years old. After much deliberation, we decided to go with Avanta boots. Now it's just a matter of making a final decision on blades. I have been leaning towards returning to Gold Seals, while my wife is leaning towards Gold Stars, thinking that tho Gold Stars would feel closer to her current Professionals (as both advertise a 7' rocker) but allow for better spins and footwork. But we're both pretty undecided. We do almost certainly want traditional design all-steel blades, no more lighter-weight alternatives like the Paramounts or Revolution models.
I decided to trace our blade profiles to compare, and am alarmed at the results. My blades which we thought would be flatter due to an advertised 8' rocker are actually not as flat as the Professionals! There is a sharper curve for the spin rocker, but it is so far forward that this is nearly useless since you cannot access it without being on the toepick.
I can say from my own experience that it was easier for me to find the more pronounced sweet spot of the spin rocker on Gold Seals. My wife is also having a tough time with spins, only achieving less than half the revolutions as me, and I wonder if this explains why. I loved the Gold Stars while I had them, but the sweet spot would have been too far forward due to the misfit boots, so I imagine proper-length ones would feel considerably different, maybe even better than the Gold Seals for spins.
So clearly, the advertised rocker size doesn't seem to be what it's cracked up to be, and what seems to matter more is what's going on at the front of the blade and where under the foot the most pronounced curvature is.
Thoughts? Any similar observations? Do you think I ought to return to Gold Seals which I know worked well for me, or consider returning to Gold Stars now that the balance and feeling will be better with a proper length boot? Either seem like a relatively safe bet as I am confident I will enjoy either more than what I currently have, but should I maybe even consider other options? I love all aspects of freestyle skating, but spins most of all. My wife also is biased towards spins, due to back injury which prevents doing many jumps.
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