Just sold both sets of ventures and both sets of thunders, so I could just use Indys, and I had a severe ankle sprain (not skating. I stupidly thought I should climb a tree to get my son's friends ball loose from a branch, fell and landed with my left foot sideways). Pain familiar instantly, as this has been my weak ankle (push foot) for years due to a 100% similar injury that did happen skating in 2001 (landed with left foot sideways on a lil 4 stair kickflip, couldn't skate for 3-4 months). Now that I know I am out of commission for months, I added a new thought to my madness. At 43 years old, when I can skate again, are Indys going to feel good. My madness has been based on these 3 factors:
1) the ride/carve of Indys (plus nostalgia) vs
2) stability/consistency of ventures vs
3) quick response/flip ability of thunders
I'm worried if my bitchmade soft ankle would just give out on the Indys or thunders, once healed, as they have the deeper turn. I'm going to rehab the f out of it once it un-swells/ bruises but already over thinking the confidence in that shitty ankle. Pondering skating Ventures just for that stability, when I can skate again. (This is some paranoia at this point. Only been 4 days)
I severely rolled my push foot ankle when I was 45 (landed wrong off a big 5'+ ollie off a pyramid (no idea what I was thinking other than, shit, I just made one that was over 4' let's goooooo) they told me it was basically rolled to the point of almost breaking. It didn't but I basically pulled everything keeping my ankle together. I was out for a full 9 months of any type of skating requiring me to take my foot off for anything but pushing.
Flash forward to when I could skate again (last spring @46)...since it was my rear foot, flips were out, one little bad angle landing or missed heelflip and the incorrect landings would hurt more than anything, hell even pumping transition would make it hurt like hell. Now at 47 (ugh) my ollies are back, flip tricks are back (bad heelflip lands will still fuck with me, it's just the way my foot lands) but in a way I am committing more so I don't bail them and trying to bail differently.
The take away, do the fucking rehab work. I slacked on it and paid the price. Still paying, it's not 100%, never will be but I'm doing exercises to strengthen it anyway.
Forget worrying about flip tricks. Seriously. Wait until any stiffness or soreness goes away...then wait some more.
I'd suggest just getting a pair of trusty predictable Indys (or even ACE if you want quicker response and better stability) keep them medium loose and take it slow. I went straight back to loose thunders and didn't think twice.