Going from a stock blade to an upgraded blade

[hopskipjump]

I am just mentally preparing myself for the cost, but dd (9) is now tiding up her Axel and working on some doubles and has been on a Quest Oynx blade for the past year.  It dulls quickly and seems flatter and seems to have less toe pick than her friends in her skating classes.  Her coach seems rather open about moving up blades and suggested we talk to a specific skate place for ideas.  But running the prices through my head I am pretty sure she will have the MK Professional, Ultima Legacy or Ultima Freestyle.  I am wondering what will be the "easiest" transition.  I don't know if I need to worry about "longevity" as if she continues to grow a size larger every year won't she need a new blade to fit the larger skate?

I don't know which skates she will end up with, she has Reidell's 910 LS currently but I think the heel is too wide and don't know how a larger size will fit, we will just go with the best fit/suggestion of the skate shop for the boot.

[Skittl1321]

Is there a way to figure out what the rocker is on the current blade?  If you can switch to a better blade with the same profile, that is the easiest transition.  I think the Ultima Legacy and the Ultima Freestyle have the same profile- the coaches around here really like the Legacy for kids doing doubles, and for adults in general.

Although, for me, I've found anytime I switch a blade, even if it's the same profile it takes me about a month to be able to do much of anything (this is at 2 hours a week- you daughter will likely adapt much faster). 

[dak_rbb]

I'm not sure I would worry too much about an easier transition at this point.  My 9-year old dd has switched blades twice during the last year (MK pro to Pattern 99 to Paramount Phantom) with little discernible adjustment.  She was doing her doubles first day each time, though was a bit timid about them for a day or two.  The spins took a week maybe to center again.  Most things were actually immediately better (though that probably had more to do with getting new boots at the same time).  I just think kids generally adjust easily. If it were me, I'd still be adjusting to the first switch.

The blades you mention are all popular, but my understanding is that the Legacy and MK Pro are roughly equivalent, while the Ultima Freestyle is compared to an MK Phantom (more aggressive toepick).  The coach might have a preference between the Legacy/Pro and the Freestyle for your daughter.

[hopskipjump]

Here is what it says about her current blade:
Rocker: 7"
Radius of Hollow: 1/2"
Sizes: 5 2/3" - 13"
Toepick design: Straight cut

[Skittl1321]

The Ultima blades (all of them I believe) have an 8" rocker. That should make her jumps more stable, but might make spinning more difficult (or so goes the rocker theory...)

The Legacy has a cross cut toepick, and I think the other Ultima blade you mentioned does too.  It takes a little bit of getting used to, but when I had one I liked it. Switching back to straight cut, I didn't notice the difference. I plan to go back to cross cut soon.  The coach I talked to last night says she doesn't like for her skaters to have straight cut anymore, but didn't really say why she prefers cross-cut.

I kind of agree with dak that kids are resilient, and unless you tell her the transition is going to suck, she'll probably just put on the boots and go for it.  Spins will be the hardest thing.  (I love getting new blades for turns- it feels like the turns just do themselves...everything else takes me awhile to adjust to.)

[hopskipjump]

Thank you!  I won't warn her about anything, I try to keep it all as positive as possible and new skates are such a novelty anyway.  Her coach has been really good about skate changes and working her through them.  We love her!  It looks like MK has a 7inch rocker and Jackson has an 8 inch rocker.  For sure we will have a discussion with her coach again but she doesn't really push any equipment - she sends us to her skate shop.

[jumpingbeansmom]

I'm not sure I would worry too much about an easier transition at this point.  My 9-year old dd has switched blades twice during the last year (MK pro to Pattern 99 to Paramount Phantom) with little discernible adjustment.  She was doing her doubles first day each time, though was a bit timid about them for a day or two.  The spins took a week maybe to center again.  Most things were actually immediately better (though that probably had more to do with getting new boots at the same time).  I just think kids generally adjust easily. If it were me, I'd still be adjusting to the first switch.

The blades you mention are all popular, but my understanding is that the Legacy and MK Pro are roughly equivalent, while the Ultima Freestyle is compared to an MK Phantom (more aggressive toepick).  The coach might have a preference between the Legacy/Pro and the Freestyle for your daughter.

I agree, my dd was better with better blades rather quickly.... I wouldn't over engineer it and go with what you think she might stick with in the long term

[dak_rbb]

...and unless you tell her the transition is going to suck, she'll probably just put on the boots and go for it. 

That was my strategy.   I was completely stressed since she was changing toepick, rocker, and profile each time and she had done really well with the previous blades, but I didn't say a thing to her and there was no issue at all with either switch. Thankfully now I think we're set for a while.

[hopskipjump]

Thanks!  She made the switch.  It took a couple trips back to the skate shop to get the blades adjusted.  She skated an hour in them for the first time yesterday and needed some spots punched out but she LOVES doing moves in them, she said it's a lot less effort and everything is smoother and easier.  Her jumps seem to not be affected (landed axel), but her spins are going to need some work to get back to what they were.  Overall the new skates/new blades seem to be working out!