The main criteria for how long a boot lasts is how well it fits. (Ill fitting boots have more room inside to crease and fold, which causes them to break down early.) At that level of use, It could be several months, assuming even a moderately good fit. Fit perfectly, it might be several years, or more. I've seen rental boots that were much too large or too loosely tied break down in well under an hour. That's one of many reasons to find a first class fitter. Also, high level (very stiff) boots, used by people who really don't need them, last a lot longer - but unless they fit perfectly, they can be very uncomfortable. Sometimes they can be uncomfortable even if they fit perfectly.
Of course ultralight boots often last 2 to 3 times shorter than normal weight boots - like many things ultralight. But some people think they are worth it.
And of course, at the highest levels of the sport, even the best fitting boots often only last a few months, but it doesn't sound like you are there yet. Even if you don't do triples or quads, it seems like the better you skate (e.g., deep edges, deep bends, strong jumps), the more easily you will break down your boots. (That doesn't mean you shouldn't try to skate as well as you can!)
I had a pair of well made (but fairly heavy) leather boots last about a dozen years (I still use them, because they are finally comfortable, but they have honestly broken down and wouldn't be much good for jumps), but I was over-booted, and for the most part I didn't try jumps over 1/2 rotation.
Another factor is that you can often get almost a factor of two increase in life if you get the boots rebuilt by the manufacturer after they start to break down. Prices vary, but that might be somewhere in the neighborhood of $60-$80 - I'm not sure for Jackson.
There are lots of other factors to boot life. E.g., you can reduce lifetime a lot by caring for them badly - e.g., storing them in a poorly ventilated bag, box, or trunk. It is important to air them out. If you sweat a lot you may even want to wipe the boots dry, inside and out. And you should always wipe the blades dry - and remember that while they are still cold, water may condense on them out of the air, so you may even want to wipe them dry again after you get home, though I don't - but I leave them uncovered, and take them indoors, where the humidity isn't too high. Again, if you leave them in a hot car, or in a car that gets very humid, or that gets very, very cold, boots can get messed up in many ways over time. I suspect boot lifetime depends a lot on how much you sweat, so can be a very individual thing.
Here's the thing: Boots and blades seem expensive, because you pay for them in one shot. But if you are paying for lessons (especially if you graduate to private lessons, which you will almost certainly be encouraged to do), paying for ice sessions, paying to have the blades sharpened, paying the costs of driving (total costs of driving are typically over $0.50 [USD] / mile) to and from the rink and pro shop, and for some people, paying for special clothing and make-up, and maybe even for special foods, medical costs, and other physical training costs, then good boots and blades are actually a relatively small part of that cost - and they matter a lot, so you may not want to economize too much. (Go ahead and figure out all the costs yourself.) Taking all this into account, as well as ultimate comfort, it is also well worth driving 5 or 6 hours if you must to get to the best fitter you can find.
Anyway, you absolutely can use your current blades, and switch blades on the same boots later.
BTW
Aspires may soon be limiting you - ask a coach. If they are still in good shape, they might be good enough for now.
Topic: Blade and boot recommendations (Read 5328 times)