So I managed to make my last pair of boots and blades last for a good 8 years (well 5 years of actual skating and probably 3 years off, with one boot rebuild in there, but still pretty impressive if I say so myself...) but now it's finally time to get a new pair of both things and it seems there are some new options out there on the market!
I'm sticking with SP Teri boots because they fit me so well and have held up marvelously, but at the suggestion of my coach I am likely switching from Pattern 99s to Gold Seal blades. Reading the forums here and doing some Google research I've discovered that both Paramount and Ultima make blades that they claim to be comparable to the Wilson originals. People on this site (and skaters at my rink) love Paramounts, but their 420S version is more expensive than buying original Gold Seals, so I probably won't be going with them. However, the Ultima Matrix 2 Supremes MX7150s are $75-$100 cheaper and are made with 440C stainless steal so don't need to be sharpened as often. I've also heard rumors (can anyone confirm?) that Ultima will let you return/exchange a blade in under 30 days if you try it out and don't like it; this is particularly appealing to me as I'll be switching profiles and don't really know what to expect. However, I have not seen any reviews of these higher-level Ultima blades.
Has anyone used them or do you know someone who has? What do you/they think? Last time I was looking at boots/blades, Jackson was sort of seen as a brand only for beginners, and they were not considered to be as high quality as the name brands. I think that's changed in the past 8 years?
If it matters, I am an adult skater with a couple doubles, hoping to get a couple more and improve the consistency of my spins. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!