So tomorrow afternoon I'm heading back to the shop so they can try to fix the warped blade on my brand new skates (Jackson Elles, with stock Mirage blade). On the chance that it turns out they aren't salvageable and need to be replaced, I'm planning ahead and thinking about whether it would make sense to upgrade the blades or just stick with the Mirage. I've spent the evening reading about blades in general online, and searching the forum for past discussions. It looks like the next level up would be the Ultima Legacy/Coronation Ace/MK Pro/Eclipse Mist. The main difference that I can find among these is that the Legacy has the same 8' rocker as the Mirage, while the others all have 7' rockers. (I know there are other more subtle differences as well, like toepick style.)
So my first question: given that I'm a very low level skater and progressing very slowly (working on ISI beta/gamma/delta or USFSA Adult 3/4 skills; stalled out on backwards skills), would this be overkill?
Second question: if I switch, should I stick with the same rocker radius, or might I be better off with a 7' rocker (easier turns and spins, which I've had trouble with, but less stability, if I'm understanding things correctly)? Or would it really make no difference to me at this stage?
I've finally got properly fitting skates (previous skates were a size too big), so I'm already hoping that my skating will improve once I get the blade issue sorted out. I'm sure I'd be fine with the stock blades for now, but if changing them might make a difference for me at this stage I'd want to think about it, and I don't want to make a rushed decision at the shop tomorrow if it comes to that.