Difference in advanced and intermediate blades?

[Skating Skies]

Hi everybody
What is the difference between advanced and intermediate blades?

Thank you.

[Casey]

Overall blade strength (thickness, steel grade and hardening methods used, toe plate with cutout or solid).
Rocker profile (not simply the 7' vs 8' difference).
Toepick design.
Degree of manufacturer quality control.

[Skating Skies]

Thank you for your response. So here is the question: is it OK to use advanced blades on intermediate level boot (I have EDEA Chorus) and for intermediate level skater?

[Casey]

Thank you for your response. So here is the question: is it OK to use advanced blades on intermediate level boot (I have EDEA Chorus) and for intermediate level skater?

Opinions will vary, but I would personally say yes to both.  Blades may be overkill but they should not hurt your skating.  Some rocker profiles require more precision than others, but this isn't a bad thing and can help develop better form and habits earlier.  I bought top-level blades within a couple months of starting skating with no regrets whatsoever.  Lower-level blades are okay if you need to save money, just skate recreationally, and/or are lighter weight; though there may come a point where they hold you back.  Likewise I think it's better to be somewhat overbooted than underbooted, but using higher-level blades on lower-level boots might not give you the ideal overall experience, but it should not hurt.  One consideration is that if you think there's potential for getting better-fitting boots when you do move up, this may require a different blade length (I required 3/4" shorter blades when I moved from stock boots to customs (also a change of brand)), so it may be wiser to invest in better boots before better blades.

[sarahspins]

Opinions will vary, but I would personally say yes to both.

My opinion is the same - it's your money, and ultimately your choice, and so long as you aren't an absolute beginner, opting for an advanced blade isn't going to be a problem.

[Query]

I think the biggest difference is that toepicks are larger or stick out more (for freestyle blades, not Dance, and I think only partly so for Synchro) and are farther back (closer to the foot). (That makes it easier to use the toe pick, but harder to avoid it.)

Also, they can charge more, so they do. Sometimes a lot more.

You need a higher level boot if you need more ankle support - either because of your anatomy, or because you do high level jumps. You want a higher level blade if you have very good control over what your foot and blade are doing, so you can take advantage of the toepick easier without it getting in the way too much. The criteria for boots and blades aren't the same and perhaps should be evaluated separately.

For Ice Dance, the best boots don't provide so much support that they interfere with full range of motion. The best Dance blades (MK Dance?) are fairly specific to ice dance, and are less than optimal for jumps.

If you have a coach, they may be a good source of advise.

[blue111moon]

The first pair of "real" skates (as opposed to the vinyl ones from Sears that I used on ponds as a kid) I bought came with a very slightly used Phantom blades - way too much blade for someone just learning crossovers and basic edges.  I think they were the only blades the skate shop guy had in stock that would fit my adult-sized  boots.  But I didn't know any better and so I learned pretty quickly to keep my weight back on the middle of the blade.  I used Phantoms up after that because that was what I was used to, even if they were way above my level, until they were redesigned and a new skate guy put me in the MK Vision as a trial and I liked them.  I think they're a little closer to my level than the Phantoms were but they're probably still more blade than I need. 

So starting out on an advanced blade isn't necessarily a bad thing.