I've always used MK Pros, so what I know about the difference is only what I've been told about the Coronation Ace. The MK has a higher heel post and it needs more precision and concentration when spinning because it's unforgiving if you wobble, whereas with the Ace it's easier to correct your position. For me the trade-off is that, as a pairs skater, I do more jumping in the sense of adding twists and throws to individual jumps. The lift at the back of the MK Pro blade makes it easier to hit the right spot for edge jumps and the pick for toe jumps, both takeoffs and landings. In theory I should have gone to a more advanced blade when I got into seniors and started doing triples, but I learned everything on the Pros and have never felt the need to change.
I am trying to find out which blade is best for which skills first! I think it sounds like MK Pro is better for more precise spins, and with Coronation Aces, you sacrifice better spins for a more forgiving spin? It’s hard when I would love a blade that is forgiving and easier to find your rocker!
MK Pro has an longer rocker profile which helps with spins b/c of minimal friction with the ice. It's a parallel-sided blade.
But I've only skated on the Pro, and not the Ace - so I could be wrong about that.
Interesting perspective!
Personally, I don't think you can compare the P99 or Gold Seal to either the MK Pro or Coro Ace.
I would be cautious of taking advice based so heavily on the differences in just the pick design. The purpose of the pick is pretty simple: To dig in the ice. All designs work pretty much the same. Even if people have their preferences, all have been used in high level skating. A straight cut will dig slightly deeper to the ice than a cross cut. But the the actual blade profile plays a much bigger role in how a blade actually works for you (or doesn't).
While I agree with the sentiment to a degree, it's not like we are comparing rocks to oranges here. We're talking about figure skating blades that should conform to some pretty well defined manufacturing specifications. It's not particularly useful or helpful to anybody to just simply state "all blades are totally different".
Thank you very much for the review!
From those two, I'd lean towards the P99 as the "safer" option as well. They're also significantly cheaper than the Matrix, so it's not as big of a financial risk if they don't work out (which is unlikely). People have made that transition from Aces to P99 for decades, so you should be fine. I'm going to predict that you'll more likely become one of those people who love that huge king pick of theirs at the top, and won't shut up about it
(just joking of course, no animosity towards any P99 users out there, I know it's really cool, gives you that explosive liftoff and all that jazz).
I was already loving the look and feel of the aces lite, I love even more how the revs look like. Hope I go through what sharpenings I have left for my coronation aces really fast, so I can make the change faster Well, in that case, take the blades to an incompetent sharpener. After just one sharpening, you'll need a new pair of blades.
