Phantom

Sam L · Jun 3, 2019

Just wondering what people think about Phantom blades. I’ve had them for bout 4 months and finally really settled in them. I love the spin rocker, I can always find it. I like the 7 inch main rocker also for turns. When I got them I had a really bad fall tripping on the toe pick but that was just once and I’ve had no problems since. Anyone else love their Phantoms?

SmallAminal · Jun 3, 2019

My kiddo doesn't have them yet but coach wants them on the next boots so I am really interested in everyone's responses.
Funny, the coach said "he will DEFINITELY find the toe on these".....so your comment about teipoing on the toe pick seems pretty expected. [emoji23]

Sam L · Jun 3, 2019

SmallAminal said:
My kiddo doesn't have them yet but coach wants them on the next boots so I am really interested in everyone's responses.
Funny, the coach said "he will DEFINITELY find the toe on these".....so your comment about teipoing on the toe pick seems pretty expected. [emoji23]

It was a freak accident as I was swerving away from another skater with speed. for jumps and toe taps etc it definitely feels more secure. I love the toe pick profile.

Silver Ice · Jun 4, 2019

I’ve been skating in phantoms foe several years, and I absolutely love them.

sandraskates · Jun 4, 2019

Phantoms are great! I've been wearing them for over 20 years. I'd had Gold Seal before them (wonderful blades too) but got a good deal on a nearly new pair of Phantoms so I bought them.
Once I got used to the honker toe picks and 7' rocker I was fine.

I'm probably overbladed now that I don't do as many high-level skills, but change to a lesser blade would give me shell shock. :laugh:

Ic3Rabbit · Jun 4, 2019

I skated on Phantoms for a long time before sticking with Wilson blades going from Gold Seal to P99s permanently, the latter is very easy to find the toe pick on when you are just starting out on them.

WednesdayMarch · Jun 5, 2019

I skated on Phantom Specials for years, even sticking with them when I stopped free-skating to concentrate on higher level ice dance. Eventually, I stepped on the back of the heel one too many times and was persuaded to change to MK Dance. I still miss those Phantoms, though. Just the best blades ever.

tommybuffano12 · Jun 6, 2019

I've tried Phantoms but went back to Gold Seal. It's not that I didn't like the Phantoms; they're actually pretty similar to Gold Seal in terms of functionality with the biggest difference being the gnarly toe picks. All in all a great blade. I think anything from MK or JW fits the bill and it's clear with most other blade companies trying to copy their curves and configuration. I did find that on my last pair of Phantoms the secondary radius made me feel like I was falling off a cliff. I have a decent knee bend so I can handle this but am curious if any other people who've skated on it had a similar experience? My current pair of Gold Seals has a similar sensation though not quite as drastic when I rock to my toe.

sandraskates · Jun 6, 2019

tommybuffano12 said:
I did find that on my last pair of Phantoms the secondary radius made me feel like I was falling off a cliff. I have a decent knee bend so I can handle this but am curious if any other people who've skated on it had a similar experience?

I can't yet answer your question but I'm glad you mentioned your experience.
Since my current Phantoms are very old and flattening out, I'm going to get a new pair this year. My brain has been thinking about how they'll feel different since they will be fresh out of the factory.

Ic3Rabbit · Jun 6, 2019

tommybuffano12 said:
I've tried Phantoms but went back to Gold Seal. It's not that I didn't like the Phantoms; they're actually pretty similar to Gold Seal in terms of functionality with the biggest difference being the gnarly toe picks. All in all a great blade. I think anything from MK or JW fits the bill and it's clear with most other blade companies trying to copy their curves and configuration. I did find that on my last pair of Phantoms the secondary radius made me feel like I was falling off a cliff. I have a decent knee bend so I can handle this but am curious if any other people who've skated on it had a similar experience? My current pair of Gold Seals has a similar sensation though not quite as drastic when I rock to my toe.

No, didn't have that problem with Phantoms when I used to skate in them. Perhaps it was the way your tech sharpened them or how they were mounted. Also there is a big point you are missing with comparing Phantoms to Gold Seals. Phantoms have a 7 ft rocker compared to Gold Seal with an 8ft rocker, so no it's not just the toe picks.

tommybuffano12 · Jun 7, 2019

Ic3Rabbit said:
No, didn't have that problem with Phantoms when I used to skate in them. Perhaps it was the way your tech sharpened them or how they were mounted. Also there is a big point you are missing with comparing Phantoms to Gold Seals. Phantoms have a 7 ft rocker compared to Gold Seal with an 8ft rocker, so no it's not just the toe picks.

Although I didn't acknowledge that point, I didn't miss it! Yes, the primary rockers are different. The difference is a matter of less than a millimeter over a 14" span. Everyone's experience might be different; my honest opinion is that 7 or 8 is the way to go with the biggest impact being what happens under the ball of the foot and how it relates to the position of the base pick.

Ic3Rabbit · Jun 7, 2019

tommybuffano12 said:
Although I didn't acknowledge that point, I didn't miss it! Yes, the primary rockers are different. The difference is a matter of less than a millimeter over a 14" span. Everyone's experience might be different; my honest opinion is that 7 or 8 is the way to go with the biggest impact being what happens under the ball of the foot and how it relates to the position of the base pick.

The points a given. I'm pretty sure most people prefer a 7 or 8 since that's all there really is.

Sam L · Jun 9, 2019

tommybuffano12 said:
I've tried Phantoms but went back to Gold Seal. It's not that I didn't like the Phantoms; they're actually pretty similar to Gold Seal in terms of functionality with the biggest difference being the gnarly toe picks. All in all a great blade. I think anything from MK or JW fits the bill and it's clear with most other blade companies trying to copy their curves and configuration. I did find that on my last pair of Phantoms the secondary radius made me feel like I was falling off a cliff. I have a decent knee bend so I can handle this but am curious if any other people who've skated on it had a similar experience? My current pair of Gold Seals has a similar sensation though not quite as drastic when I rock to my toe.

I don't know what you mean by falling off a cliff. Do you mean that the spin rocker is very curved? For me, Phantom rocker is better than the CA spin rocker profile but it's the 7 inch main rocker that feels quite curved for me. I'm still keen to try a Gold Seal later on which I think I would quite enjoy also.

bunnybarista · Jun 12, 2019

Sam L said:
For me, Phantom rocker is better than the CA spin rocker profile but it's the 7 inch main rocker that feels quite curved for me. I'm still keen to try a Gold Seal later on which I think I would quite enjoy also.

Did you go directly from the Coronation Ace blade to the Phantom? If yes, how did the transition go? What are the most noticeable differences / improvements?

Sam L · Jun 14, 2019

bunnybarista said:
Did you go directly from the Coronation Ace blade to the Phantom? If yes, how did the transition go? What are the most noticeable differences / improvements?

Yes I did. I hate spinning in CA, I could never find the spin rocker properly as there was this weird really curved rocker all the way at the front just behind the toe picks and then there is this pretty flat spin rocker behind it and I couldn't find where I needed to sit, it was never comfortable. With Phantom, I know where the spin rocker is I'm comfortable to find it. The main rocker is the same for both but for some reason I found immediately that my turns were smoother. The toe pick is huge on Phantom and I love it. At first, I had a bit of trouble as I was too far forward for many things but within a few months I'm used to it and love this feeling now of where everything sits.

Generally speaking, I love skating in Phantoms, I'm not even talking about jumps, spins or turns and steps. Just simply stroking and gliding is a joy in Phantoms. I know it has sided honed and tapered tech, I don't know if CA had them, I assume not. I guess you get what you pay for but these blades are truly really special.

bunnybarista · Jun 14, 2019

Sam L said:
Yes I did. I hate spinning in CA, I could never find the spin rocker properly as there was this weird really curved rocker all the way at the front just behind the toe picks and then there is this pretty flat spin rocker behind it and I couldn't find where I needed to sit, it was never comfortable. With Phantom, I know where the spin rocker is I'm comfortable to find it. The main rocker is the same for both but for some reason I found immediately that my turns were smoother. The toe pick is huge on Phantom and I love it. At first, I had a bit of trouble as I was too far forward for many things but within a few months I'm used to it and love this feeling now of where everything sits.

Generally speaking, I love skating in Phantoms, I'm not even talking about jumps, spins or turns and steps. Just simply stroking and gliding is a joy in Phantoms. I know it has sided honed and tapered tech, I don't know if CA had them, I assume not. I guess you get what you pay for but these blades are truly really special.

That's good to hear! I'm in the Coro Aces and I'm not particularly good at spinning, but I've gotten spooked by several people saying they couldn't spin at all in their Phantoms. Smoother turns are also a big bonus! Yeah, the Coro Aces aren't side-honed or tapered.

Sam L · Jun 14, 2019

What? How? When? How can someone not spin in Phantoms...
After Phantoms, there's no way I'd be able to go back to CA. Are you thinking about switching?

sandraskates · Jun 14, 2019

bunnybarista said:
That's good to hear! I'm in the Coro Aces and I'm not particularly good at spinning, but I've gotten spooked by several people saying they couldn't spin at all in their Phantoms. Smoother turns are also a big bonus! Yeah, the Coro Aces aren't side-honed or tapered.

Phantoms are a great blade for both jumping and spinning. It took me a little longer to get comfortable finding the sweet spin spot in them over my old Gold Seals but I spin easily in them.

I know you're on a blade quest Bunny so here is what I think your challenge may be if you get Phantoms:
*For me* they are harder to ice dance in. I used to have a dedicated pair of dance skates with MK Dance blades. Those were much easier to dance in and I used to skate all the dances up to the golds (I have all Pre-Silvers passed).
In my Phantoms, I struggle with getting the edges and turns; I feel like I fight the blade all the way. Of course I'm older now too so that could part of the problem.
So if you're thinking about this blade as your one-stop for freestyle and dance. . .not to sure about that.

bunnybarista · Jun 14, 2019

sandraskates said:
Phantoms are a great blade for both jumping and spinning. It took me a little longer to get comfortable finding the sweet spin spot in them over my old Gold Seals but I spin easily in them.

I know you're on a blade quest Bunny so here is what I think your challenge may be if you get Phantoms:
*For me* they are harder to ice dance in. I used to have a dedicated pair of dance skates with MK Dance blades. Those were much easier to dance in and I used to skate all the dances up to the golds (I have all Pre-Silvers passed).
In my Phantoms, I struggle with getting the edges and turns; I feel like I fight the blade all the way. Of course I'm older now too so that could part of the problem.
So if you're thinking about this blade as your one-stop for freestyle and dance. . .not to sure about that.

I really appreciate this additional insight, Sandra! As you've seen in my many posts recently, I'm all over the place, trying to figure out if there's one perfect blade or if I'll need separate pairs - one for dance and one for freestyle. If I were to switch to Phantoms it would likely be just for freestyle while I'd keep another pair with dance blades on. I'm concerned about switching back and forth, though, so I'll probably continue looking and maybe try the synchro blades too... oh dear. So many choices! And blades cost so much money

sandraskates · Jun 14, 2019

Bunny, I honestly think your best solution is 2 separate pairs of skates. If you have some old boots that are still decent, put dance blades on them and use them. That's what I did.
My new boots always went to freestyle and the older ones got the dance blades (that was my priority anyway; you could be opposite).
It really wasn't that hard switching back and forth between the two pairs, perhaps because both blades were MK brand. It didn't take me long to adjust for the short blade tail, although I did have a few backwards falls at first!

Phantom

Sam L

SmallAminal

Sam L

Silver Ice

sandraskates

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️

WednesdayMarch

Nicer When Fed

tommybuffano12

sandraskates

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️

tommybuffano12

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️

Sam L

bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~

Sam L

bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~

Sam L

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bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~

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