The John Wilson Pattern 99 is an advanced freestyle blade with an 8 ft rocker, a subtle spin rocker, a straight-cut toe pick and low stanchions. John Wilson pitches it at skaters who want to get onto their toe pick early on big jumps, and US retailers listed it at about $700 a pair in October 2026. Most adult skaters won't need it until they're training doubles and their coach agrees.
Key takeaways
- John Wilson's own chart gives the Pattern 99 an 8 ft main rocker, a subtle spin rocker, a straight-cut toe pick, low stanchions and a parallel blade.
- It's built for jumpers. Retailers list it for double, triple and quad jumps, and John Wilson says it suits skaters who want to hit their picks sooner.
- At about $700 a pair, it costs roughly twice as much as the Coronation Ace, which is the better fit for most progressing adults.
- If spins matter more to you than toe jumps, John Wilson points spinners toward the Gold Seal instead.
This review pulls together what John Wilson publishes about the Pattern 99, what US skate retailers list and what skaters who use it say. I've skated on the Pattern 99 and made a video review of it, which you can watch below. This page adds what each spec means on the ice and whether the blade makes sense for an adult skater.
If words like rocker, stanchion and toe pick are new, our glossary of figure skating equipment terms explains them. Our blade guide covers how blades are grouped by level, and both are worth a look before you spend this much on blades.
What the Pattern 99 is
The Pattern 99 is one of John Wilson's top freestyle blades. John Wilson is a British blade maker that makes its blades in Sheffield, England, and the Pattern 99, which it calls its most user-friendly design for elite skaters, sits next to the Gold Seal, a step above the Coronation Ace. The standard Pattern 99 is a steel blade, and there are lighter versions with carbon parts, which are covered further down.
Like other freestyle blades, it's made for jumps and spins rather than ice dance. You buy it on its own, as a pair, and a skate technician mounts it on a separate boot. It belongs on a stiff boot built for advanced freestyle, because a soft boot can't give the support a blade like this assumes.
Pattern 99 specs
John Wilson publishes the same handful of specs for each of its blades, and US retailers repeat them. The table puts the Pattern 99 next to the Gold Seal and the Coronation Ace, the two John Wilson blades it's most often compared with.
| Spec | Pattern 99 | Gold Seal | Coronation Ace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main rocker | 8 ft | 8 ft | 7 ft |
| Spin rocker | Subtle | Aggressive | Subtle |
| Toe pick | Straight-cut | Cross-cut | Cross-cut |
| Stanchion height | Low | High | Standard |
| Blade shape | Parallel | Tapered and side-honed | Parallel |
| Typical US price, a pair | About $700 | About $860 | About $340 |
One note on the toe pick. A passage on John Wilson's Pattern 99 Revolution page calls the pick cross-cut, but the maker's comparison chart, its Pattern 99 page and most retailers say straight-cut, so that's what I've gone with. The standard Pattern 99 comes in lengths from 8 to 12 inches, and the US retailers I checked sell it in quarter-inch steps.
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The 8 ft main rocker is the flatter of the two common curves, so more of the blade sits on the ice at once, which generally feels steady on landings and long edges. Our guide to rockers explains why. The Pattern 99 pairs it with a subtle spin rocker, the curved part under the ball of your foot. John Wilson says that gives a more forgiving balance point for spins, though it may slightly reduce spin speed.
The toe pick is the Pattern 99's best-known feature. John Wilson says its straight-cut picks dig deeper into the ice and give a little pre-rotation on jumps, and it recommends the blade if you want to hit your picks sooner. Our blade guide describes straight-cut picks the same way: more bite on toe jump takeoffs, where cross-cut picks grip more smoothly.
Low stanchions put the blade closer to the boot. John Wilson credits that, along with its heat treatment, for the blade's stable and controlled feel. The flip side is a little less room before the boot touches the ice on a very deep lean. The Gold Seal goes the other way, with high stanchions that John Wilson says give more clearance.
Who the Pattern 99 suits
The Pattern 99 is an advanced blade. Retailers list it for skaters working on double, triple and quad jumps, and our blade guide suggests waiting for advanced blades until you're training doubles regularly. A big straight-cut pick won't make early skills any easier, and it can catch on the ice while you're still learning to push from the whole blade.
Most adult skaters, all the way through single jumps and a first axel, are well served by an intermediate blade like the Coronation Ace or MK Professional, at about $340. If you're landing doubles consistently and your coach thinks your blade is holding you back, the Pattern 99 is worth a look, especially if toe jumps are your strength. Adults who live for spins may get on better with the Gold Seal.
Your boot matters as much as the blade. A blade like this needs a stiff boot that matches it, and our boot guide explains how stiffness ratings work. If you're not sure where you are, our blade match quiz is a quick way to narrow it down before you talk to your coach or skate technician.
Other Pattern 99 versions
John Wilson sells several blades with the Pattern 99 name, and they aren't interchangeable. The Pattern 99 Revolution keeps the same profile with a lightweight carbon composite, comes in 8 to 11 inches and was about $800 at US retailers in October 2026. John Wilson's Phoenix blades have a solid carbon fiber body with a stainless steel runner, and one US retailer listed the Phoenix 99 at $625 in October 2026.
You may also see a Pattern 99 Parabolic, which some shops were clearing out at about $490, and the GS99, a hybrid with the Gold Seal's rocker, stanchions and plates and the Pattern 99's toe pick and length. If a listing looks cheap, check exactly which version it is before you buy.
Price, mounting and care
In October 2026, three US retailers listed the standard Pattern 99 at $699.99. That's for the blades only. You'll also need a boot and someone to mount the blades, which cost $10 to $30 at the pro shops I checked for our guide to what adult figure skating costs, and some shops mount free if you buy the blades there.
Buy from a skate shop that can match the blade length to your boot and mount it properly, because poor alignment spoils even a top blade. New blades come with a factory finish rather than a proper edge, so have them sharpened before your first skate. Give yourself some easy sessions to get used to the new profile before you judge it.
Look after them like any other blade. Hard guards go on for walking, the blades get dried with a towel after every session, and soakers go on before the skates go in your bag. Our guides to guards and soakers and when to sharpen your skates cover the routine.
Sources
I checked these in October 2026 through web search, reading each page as it appeared in search results, because the maker's and retailers' sites couldn't be opened directly. Specs and prices change, so confirm them with your skate shop before you buy.
- John Wilson Blades, Pattern 99, Pattern 99 Revolution, Gold Seal and Coronation Ace pages and blade comparison chart: rockers, toe picks, stanchions, blade shape, sizes, the maker's descriptions and where the blades are made.
- Skaters Landing, listings for the Pattern 99, Phoenix 99, Gold Seal and Coronation Ace: specs and the skill levels they're sold for.
- US figure skating retailers, including Skates US, USA Skates, FigureSkatingStore, Rainbo, icesk8, The Sharper Edge and Houston Skate Sports: prices for the Pattern 99, its other versions, the Gold Seal and the Coronation Ace, checked October 2026.
- icesk8, GS99 listing: what the hybrid combines.
- Skates US, USA Skates and Rainbo, Pattern 99 listings, and FigureSkatingStore's Phoenix 99 listing, opened October 12, 2026: prices and quarter-inch sizes.
- John Wilson Blades home page: the Phoenix range's solid carbon fiber body and stainless steel runner.
- Adults Skate Too guides to blades, rockers and sharpening: blade levels, toe pick styles and new-blade sharpening.
