(a) Approximately what level of skater are you, and how many hours per week do you skate?
Bronze or silver level free skate. Almost all my dances and skills. I skate about 6 hrs a week.
(b) What model did you get, and when did you get it?
5200 and were bought in the summer.
(c) Did you wear a previous leather Elite or Elite Supreme model? If so, which model?
I wore the precursor to the 5200 which I believe was the 4200? The Elite model with no add ons. So just the basic Elite model.
(d) What do you like and don't like about your new boot? If you wore a previous leather Elite or Elite Supreme model, what are the major differences (plus or minus)? In particular: Is the size the same? Is the heel pitch the same? Any signs of premature breakdown? Does mounting the blades use the standard screws, or special screws (such as Edeas)? I would appreciate as much detail as you care to share.
I like them a lot in general. What I don't like was during break in, the laces cut painfully across my lower shin. I think this was because the tongue of the boot is relatively flexible and the boot was so stiff. This cleared up after a week. Also, the rubber sole is getting scraped up a bit and I'm not sure how to deal with that... I would have snow sealed my other skates but it won't work on rubber. I find there's no real difference to my previous boots other than the stiffer feeling of the boot (unsure if the stiffness rating is actually the same). Size was exactly the same. No difference for me. Heel pitch - I noticed zero difference. Breakdown is no different than my last pair of skates. The blades were mounted with standard screws - nothing special required. Also I don't notice a stitch of difference in the synthetic material. Honestly. When I brought them home I actually couldn't see a difference when I put them side by side with my old skates. They're really white I guess. Someone commented on that yesterday. But the fact that they're not leather isn't something you really notice at all. I'd say I've put some nicks in them but at the same time I'm working on higher level skills that I wasn't working on in my old boots.
I really, really like these skates. They're comfortable and hold up well. I found the pricing compared to some of the other more expensive models with similar features to be a good value and having skated in Risport and having spent more money on them, I would say I'd prefer the less expensive Jacksons. I'd say this is the best pair of skates I've owned. I paired them with Jackson Freestyle blades and I love those too.
If you have any questions feel free to ask.