Ultima dance blades?

[Mrs Redboots]

Can someone remind me what the correct name of the Ultima dance blades is? I'm seriously thinking of upgrading to them when I get new boots & blades sometime between now & August (my coach said "Get them when you can, and break them in whenever you have a window", so if I don't get anything at AN, we'll probably go to the fitter as soon as we get home).

I don't need MK Dance - although I'd not say "No" if they were recommended, but I think they'd be too much blade for me, still, but I want something slightly better than Coronation Dance (don't need, you understand, just want) & coach says Ultima are "A very good make".

Anybody use them & like them?

[pinkjellybean]

I am no help with their dance blades... but I can tell you that I've had a great experience with Ultima freestyle blades. I love 'em!

I have been through various levels of blades, starting with Aces, waay back, then up to Pattern 99's etc... When I switched to Ultima's I felt like i was on a really solid blade and felt more secure on my edges (which I kept losing and which is why I had to switch blades mid-season). If you switch I hope you like them as much as I do.

[skatesnrides]

Hi Annabel,

I believe the Ultima blade is just called Ultima Dance. I think it has the same radius of hollow as the Coronation Dance (7/16) but has a flatter rocker than the Coronation blade. The MK Dance blades have the same rocker (7') as the Coronation Dance but a 5/16 radius of hollow. I had an MK Dance blade a few years ago & loved the glide, but the grab was a bit much for me so my sharpener adjusted it to a fraction somewhere between the two measurements which helped a lot. My biggest problem was that I had a hard time adjusting to the shorter heel & that 7' foot rocker sometimes felt like 3'! But I also had some serious boot issues playing a factor here so I'm not 100% positive my feeling of instablity was just the blades. But as you're already used to a short heel that wouldn't be an issue for you so I'm not sure why you think the MK Dance may be too much for you. At one point I was thinking of trying the Ultima Dance because I thought the flatter rocker would make me feel more stable, but I did not have a good experience with the Ultima freestyle blade I had at one time. So, I'm now back to a new freestyle blade until I decide what to do next. Hope some of this rambling helped a little. Maybe someone else's insight would help me, as well.

[jenlyon60]

There's an Ultima Dance blade, model # UB115. Believe this is their newest dance blade.

From the website "Description

A Superior dance blade.
Designed to provide advanced competitive ice dancers with improved maneuverability and control. Reduced blade width for enhanced flow and speed. Sole plate with lattice design for reduce blade weight. Short heel to avoid tripping. Chrome finish.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS:
·8' primary rocker
·APF (Accuracy of flatness from edge point to side of blade ensuring even edge bite and superior flow)
·E-X-T (Edge enhancement technology - extra hard edge)
·Multiple holes in toe plate for reduced weight
·Reduced edge thickness to 0.119 thousands of an inch by the milling machine for superior accuracy
·Improved maneuvering ability
·Cross cut picks
·Short heel
·7/16" radius of hollow
·Advanced competition profile "

There's also the Ultima Ascend

"Description

Designed specifically for competitive dancers.
Unique pick design allows intricate footwork and flow while
accommodating aggressive toe work and spins. Short heel to
avoid tripping. Reduced blade width. Choice of chrome, black or gold finishes.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS:
·8' primary rocker
·APF (Accuracy of flatness from edge point to side of blade ensuring even edge bite and superior flow)
·E-X-T (Edge enhancement technology - extra hard edge)
·Solid plates
·Cross cut picks
·Short heel
·7/16" radius of hollow
·Advanced competition profile "


I have the Ultima Ascend which was the only dance-specific blade that Jackson/Ultima offered 18 months ago. I like it, but I know people who can't stand it, especially the toepick.

Website to check out details/pictures is at www.jacksonultima.com


Not sure I would want to be the first on the block to try it, but Jackson/ultima is now offering a blade set with the stanction permanently mounted to the boot, but a removable blade. The press release and photos are on the Jackson/Ultima web site. At least with a removable blade, a skater who is travelling could carry on their boots (sans blades) and check the blades or ship the blades. If the attachable blades got lost or delayed en-route, it's much easier to replace and quickly skate on new(ish) blades than the boot hassles.

[phoenix]

I have the Ultima Ascend dance & I love them!

You might especially like them because of the larger toepick, since you do Artistic as well as dance--better for toe work.

[icedancer2]

Hi Annabel,

I believe the Ultima blade is just called Ultima Dance. I think it has the same radius of hollow as the Coronation Dance (7/16) but has a flatter rocker than the Coronation blade. The MK Dance blades have the same rocker (7') as the Coronation Dance but a 5/16 radius of hollow. I had an MK Dance blade a few years ago & loved the glide, but the grab was a bit much for me so my sharpener adjusted it to a fraction somewhere between the two measurements which helped a lot. My biggest problem was that I had a hard time adjusting to the shorter heel & that 7' foot rocker sometimes felt like 3'! But I also had some serious boot issues playing a factor here so I'm not 100% positive my feeling of instablity was just the blades. But as you're already used to a short heel that wouldn't be an issue for you so I'm not sure why you think the MK Dance may be too much for you. At one point I was thinking of trying the Ultima Dance because I thought the flatter rocker would make me feel more stable, but I did not have a good experience with the Ultima freestyle blade I had at one time. So, I'm now back to a new freestyle blade until I decide what to do next. Hope some of this rambling helped a little. Maybe someone else's insight would help me, as well.

Not to get off-topic here, but I just got the Wilson Super-Dance 99 which is the same width as the MK but with an 8' rocker. I LOVE them -- the first time I tried them out, I could not believe how quiet they were, how easy my 3s were, and how FAST they were (that scared me a bit, I have to admit... :oops: ).

My coach is a little bit freaked out by them because they are a little shorter than the MK Dance. I took out a measuring tape last night and they are 1/4 inch shorter. I did not notice it at all when I was skating (of course now that she made me so aware of it, I will probably notice it).

But I was amazed at the stability, at least for me. With the MK I couldn't hold a long edge (like on a forward outside 8 (figures) without bobbling (most of the time). With this new Wilson blade, I did an outside 8 with absolutely no bobble the first time out.

I am sold.

I considered the Ultima because they were cheaper, but my experience with seeing them on skaters around here is that they are noisy. Must be something about the materials they use or something. But there are skaters here who really like them and don't mind the picks -- of course, these are former freestylers (serious freestylers) who have no problem with the picks.

I wish there was some way to try out all of the blades. I like the idea of putting on a stanchion and then attaching different blades (this is not a new idea, but rather an old idea that has been revived). And then if the stanchions were universal so you could mix and match betweens brands. That would be great!

Good luck with your blades and boots, Mrs. REdboots. I hope you find something you like!

[icedancer2]

I have the Ultima Ascend dance & I love them!

You might especially like them because of the larger toepick, since you do Artistic as well as dance--better for toe work.

Yes and for this reason I would consider them as well -- frankly I don't understand for the life of me how our elite skaters can do toe-work and spins in the MK Dance -- there is absolutely NO toe-picks on those things (which is another reason why you might like them after being on the Coronation Dance -- at least those have toe-picks enough for toe-work and small jumps and spins.

[jenlyon60]

I've got the original Ascends and I really like them. I don't have a toe picky problem, particularly, so the aggressive toepick doesn't phase me.

I wore MK dance for years... replaced boots about 3 1/2 years ago and got a new pair. Was never happy on that pair of blades. Coach skated on MK dance blades his whole competitive career and switched to Ascends about 9 months before I did, and has been really happy in them.

I finally got tired of the MK dance blades I had and switched to the Ascends. It took a couple weeks to get used to the flatter blade, but I've been happy in them, and about 5-6 months after I switched, coach commented that he though I looked more stable in them.

The only issues I had, which I didn't fully notice until recently were two-fold... the blades were mounted wonky. That was fixed about 4 weeks ago, when I changed pro shops. The same guy (new to me) also recommended I go to a shallower hollow. Seems the previous guys had kept me on the same hollow I had had on the slimline MK dance.

Since then, I've felt much more stable, especially on the tight 4-beat edge in the Tango.

Unfortunately because of the wonky mounting, my boots (especially the left boot) are really badly warped--so it's looking like I'm going to have to get new boots (they're just about due to be replaced anyways). I'm just not sure on the timing, since I have Pro-Am in June and am planning to re-test Tango a couple weeks later. (I'll be keeping the same blades, so going cold turkey...)

[luna_skater]

I haven't worn the dance blades, but I have to also give my support to Ultima! I've worn their synchro blades since 2000 and I love them. If you don't want to go quite as short as a dance blade, their current synchro model is a good option. The old synchro model was REALLY short, but the newer model that I got last year is a bit longer and it makes quite a difference. They have a larger pick than other dance or synchro blades, to accommodate the freestyle that is being incorporated into synchro these days. If you are doing both freestyle and dance, the synchro blades might be a good compromise!

[Mrs Redboots]

Thanks.... I'll have to see what's available, and what's cheap.... or relatively so, there ain't no such animal as "cheap" in skating!

In a rush....

[max]

Just to add to this thread. I have some used Super Dance 99 blades 9 1/2" and 9 1/4" up for sale on ebay.

Although it does say that I won't despatch abroad if anyone on this forum is interested, I am happy to talk shipping costs with you. They belonged to my daughers in the days when they used to switch between dance boots and figure boots. I think they both have a good lot of life on them but they would need grinding before use as they have been sitting in a drawer.

You can always pm me.