Returning Figure skater

[adrianskater]

Hello

I've been off ice for over six years and I have decided to go back into figure skating. Now that I'm returning to the sport I'm faced with the same old difficult choice of which blades to purchase.

The last blades I used were Pattern 99 which I transitioned to from Gold Seals. I remember it was one of the worst decisions me and my coach made at the time and one of the factors on why I stopped figure skating. Jumps definitively improved but all moves in the field and spins were terrible. I just couldn't hack it. My performance suffered and going back to Gold Seals was not an option financially at the time. 

Fast forward to today, my new coach is really against pattern 99 for me which I obviously agree. She says to get the MK professionals but I'm really hesitant, I just loved the feel and glide that Gold Seals have. My coach thinks it might be too much blade for me especially since my long term goal is to get back to double jumps and just stay there, triples are out of the question. I am just fearful to make another mistake and not be able to adapt and want to play it safe.

Do any of you have any experience with both blades? What are your thoughts on this?

[Bill_S]

Yup. Gold Seals vs. Pattern 99 in a comparison...

See http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=8464.0

Starting last fall, I skated on MK Pros, two pairs of Coronation Aces, Pattern 99, Gold Seal, Eclipse Dance, and Jackson Ultima Protege blades. I spent about two weeks in each blade in an attempt to adjust to their "personalities". FWIW, I changed between the Gold Seals and Pattern 99s after a few days adjustment. I ended the season on P99. The thread linked above details my experience with them.

For my comparison between MK Pro and Coronation Ace, go here...

http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=8417.0

My preference is for the P99 or Gold Seal over the MK Pro only because I prefer a flatter 8 foot rocker. The MK Pro is a 7 footer. However, the MK Pro was a good blade and I adapted to it easily enough.

In addition to the threads given above, there are other threads here for the other blades.

[tstop4me]

Hello

I've been off ice for over six years and I have decided to go back into figure skating. Now that I'm returning to the sport I'm faced with the same old difficult choice of which blades to purchase.

The last blades I used were Pattern 99 which I transitioned to from Gold Seals. I remember it was one of the worst decisions me and my coach made at the time and one of the factors on why I stopped figure skating. Jumps definitively improved but all moves in the field and spins were terrible. I just couldn't hack it. My performance suffered and going back to Gold Seals was not an option financially at the time. 

Fast forward to today, my new coach is really against pattern 99 for me which I obviously agree. She says to get the MK professionals but I'm really hesitant, I just loved the feel and glide that Gold Seals have. My coach thinks it might be too much blade for me especially since my long term goal is to get back to double jumps and just stay there, triples are out of the question. I am just fearful to make another mistake and not be able to adapt and want to play it safe.

Do any of you have any experience with both blades? What are your thoughts on this?

Have you seen this current thread on Gold Seal vs. Matrix:  http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=8541.0.  It has related info that may be useful to you.

I don't understand your quandary.  You've already skated on both the Gold Seal and the P99.  The P99 didn't work out, and you seem to have really liked the Gold Seal.  So, even if the Gold Seal is more blade than you need for the level you plan to skate at, the only real negative over an intermediate blade such as the MK Pro is the cost.  But if you can afford it, why not go back to a blade that worked for you?

Overblading is an issue for a skater moving up from a beginner or intermediate blade to an advanced blade too soon.  As I discussed in the other thread, you need good edge control to handle the Gold Seal.  Skaters with inadequate edge control who upgrade too soon will likely have problems.  But you've already previously made the upgrade and demonstrated that you can handle it.  So overblading in this instance simply doesn't apply to you.

[Query]

It would make sense for adrianskater to discuss this further with the coach before purchase. E.g., maybe the coach feels that the skater consistently makes an error that Gold Seals would make worse.

That said, the skater should emphasize to the coach how strongly they used to love Gold Seal blades.

And it's the skater's decision in the end.

[MCsAngel2]

If it's that you want the huge toepick of the P99, but the more defined spin rocker of the Gold Seal, maybe Phantoms would work? They are a 7' rocker, which usually (but not always) lends to better spins. If I were you, I'd look at P99s and Phantoms side by side, and if the Phantom seem rounder, I'd try that.