I am now trying the new PowerDyne Magic Cushions. When I got my Vandals, they came standard with the old 88A white/black PowerDyne cushions. When I replaced the old old cushions with new old cushions, it didn't feel that much different except all of a sudden I could do one foot slaloms a lot better. These yellow magic cushions are 85A, which I think is the hardest that magic cushions come in and also magic cushions are supposed to be springier than old cushions of the same hardness. Not sure how that works, but anyway. I've actually been slightly thrown by how different these cushions feel. The first laps that I skated on the yellows, I was struggling to stay steady around the turns. I'm still struggling a bit with blocking and agility at speed. I almost went back to the new old cushions, but I'm not sure that they're not being discontinued. So I'm trying to stick it out and get the switch over with.
You pick cushions roughly for your body weight: yellows for heavyweights, oranges for middleweights, and reds for featherweights. Like all things skating though, your mileage may vary and your skating skill or style will have something to do with this. I'm 140 lbs, the guy at the Riedell booth suggested orange cushions for me. When the yellow cushions stop kicking my butt, I will try the oranges and probably get my butt kicked all over again.
Most of the PowerDyne plates take barrel bottom and barrel top cushions, Reactor plates take barrel bottom and step top cushions, and Revenge plates take barrel bottom and conical top cushions. Tell your vendor what plate you need the cushions for.
ETA: See my next post about the orange cushions, which are working much better for me!
