paramount blades

[miraclegro]

Someone at my rink recently got Paramount blades (for their 2 children), and they were very different looking. They said you have to have special sharpening, and you only get them sharpened 2x a year. I thought they were quite pricey for the level of skater, and they seemed to have a bigger rocker, also. Also are supposed to be lighter.

I just don't see the need for a really expensive blade unless someone is doing doubles. I have Mk-Pros, and another girl i know has had MK pros forever and is just now getting Gold seals ( think that is what she said) and she's working on triples.

What does everyone else think?

[Goldjudge3]

when it comes to boots and blades, what really matters is what works and feels good for YOU. I use paramounts and love them. I am also doing doubles and triples. I know there are others out there that hate them. Same goes for all boots and blades. The sharpenings do last longer and yes does require a special attachment to shapen them, but you still have to take care of any blade no matter what it is if you want them to last. I have students in ISI FS 2 on paramounts who are able to handle the toe pick profile & rocker, but then I have others who are not yet ready for a more advanced blade yet. We can all share stories but when it comes down to it, you just have to go with what feels good on your foot and what you like in a blade. I am lucky to have tried almost all of the boots and blades that are out there today (& thoughout the years) and can pick certain things from each one that I like and dislike. Some didnt have a big enough pick, some had a different radius that took me longer to adjust to, some boots broke down or caused pain, yada yada yada. For me, I can use all the help I can get with height and expending energy so I combined the paramount blade with a lightweight graf boot. Now, this is a combination that works great for me, but might be disasterous for someone else. It really is about personal preference. Pick what feels best for you and dont worry about anyone else. Let them do their own trial & error (or success)!

[Skittl1321]

I don't know much about them- but they do seem to be catching on in popularity. I saw many skaters in the preliminary/juvenile/intermediate levels wearing them at the iowa games. Many in purple and pinks, a few in regular silver.

I asked my coach about them and he said he wouldn't put many adults on them because of the weight issue, but that a small adult would probably be okay on them.

I want purple blades, but for me, the expenses is not worth the color :)

[Goldjudge3]

another thing I forgot to mention....I did put my mom in the paramount (adult bronze skater). I did it for one main reason. She was wearing my hand-me-down gold seals which she loved and was constantly getting them sharpened. I couldnt figure out what the problem was. She took great care of them but was sharpening them every 20 hours of skate time! I never had this issue when I used them. I understood that she likes her blades reaaaaaallllllly sharp with a deep hollow. When I went out there to skate, I noticed that their ice seemed really slow. I asked around about the ice and found out that the problem ended up being at her rink (in Arizona), they use unfiltered COLD water to fill the zamboni tank. No one that skates there can tell the difference since that is what they are used to. If anyone out there lives in an area with really hard water, you know the issues with mineral build up. The ice actually has a lot of minerals in it which causes it to "skate slower" and dull the blades quicker. I put her in the paramounts to see if this would extend her 20 hour sharpening routine. Because the blades are made of stainless steel instead of carbon steel, they do hold sharpenings longer (and take longer to sharpen). My only hesitation for my mom was the difference in the toe pick and rocker. She was able to adjust quickly and now has drawn out her sharpenings much longer than before.

[miraclegro]

Goldjudge3,

That was interesting, the story about your mom. And about the rink. I really like my blades crisp, but can't afford $400 for something like Paramounts. It is interesting that something like the slow ice and longer lasting blades for sharpening would be a point well taken.

I just personally thought as quickly as kids outgrow skates that it would be a lot of money to invest, but it's their money. They are definitely something maybe down the road i would consider, but i had never even heard of them until this weekend.

I also wonder how you ever find someone who can sharpen them, and what the extra "thing" is needed to sharpen them correctly. Heck, it's hard enough to find someone who can just sharpen regular skates around here!

[Goldjudge3]

I live in the chicagoland area which is lucky for me because the blades originated here. I think now with their popularity growing, more and more sharpeners are buying the attachment. My mom does have to travel 40 minutes though to get hers sharpened by someone that knows how to do it correctly.

With the younger kids, now that the blades have been out for a while, I have been lucky to find a few used pairs. The used ones are sparse so you really have to hunt for them and of course cant be picky about the color. I actually have a slightly used white pair that Im about to put up on ebay. I bought them for a custom pair of skates which ended up wreaking havoc on my feet. I was forced to buy another pair because the white ones were too short for my new skates.

Either way, this is an expensive sport. I hesitate to allow my future kids to be involved in it. Heck, Im an adult skater and am not nearly as trained as the serious kids and it still costs me an arm and a leg!

[Mrs Redboots]

A couple of skaters at our rink have gone into Paramounts and appear to like them very much; the girl has pink ones, her brother (who just failed to qualify for Juniors last year) has black, I think.

I think there would be a bit of a steep adjustment into them, since they are so very much lighter than ordinary blades, but I also imagine that once you are used to them, and like them, you wouldn't go back!

[Summerkid710]

Just to clarify...
Paramount blades have an 8 foot radius which is the same as Ultima blades as well as Gold Seals and Pattern 99's.

Most standard sharpeners can handle sharpening the Paramounts without the special attachment. Older sharpeners may need the attachment.

They are definitely lighter weight.

Source: I am a coach, fit skates at a pro shop, and I have skated in them.