If you’ve been following the inline skating industry for past few years, you may remember that Seba brand once tried to put up a fight against mammoths like Powerslide and Rollerblade, aiming to become a more mainstream manufacturer of skates.
This is because, while Seba was already an established and respected freestyle and freeride skates brand, the biggest piece of rollerblading market lies elsewhere.
Go skate, stay fit
It’s about fitness skates, of course – their sales are tent-pole of companies like already mentioned duo, but also K2 Skates, Roces, Fila Skates, not to mention a huge number of “generic” skates being bought each season.
This was the clear reason for an attempt of catalogue diversification. Seba have tried to branch-out in multiple directions: aggressive inline (with moderate success of Seba CJ), speedskating (Seba Marathon being the only thing left out of it) and of course, fitness (GTX line of skates).
Thing is, in case of GTX, Seba have not invested in entirely new designs – they took their existing ones and modified them to deliver more affordable skates, focused on comfort. This is how the brand’s fitness skates came to life and the intent was to reach a broader audience with it. Still, a lot of their freestyle heritage was preserved, seeing that they were based on Seba High’s shell.
This is a pretty exceptional situation, as it is hard to recall any other instance of specialized freeskates being “scaled down” to achieve cheaper product targeted at different customer
However, there is a case of something reversed – the Powerslide Vi shell, which debuted in high-end fitness skates named (you guessed it) Vi, found its way to (much better than Vi) Swell fitness models, and is also used in Kaze freeskates.
GTX have not sticked around for long and they were dropped some time before Seba/FR Skates split. It seemed that Universkate (owners of two brands) have abandoned the idea of getting into fitness skates entirely. Unexpectedly, they return to it with release of new Seba GT.
New Seba GT are a major rework of previous GTX models (thankfully, seeing that those weren’t exactly good looking with shiny upper) with different characteristics and a price-point which positions them as a competitor to high end fitness skates, such as Powerslide Swell. Seba isn’t going in guns blazing, though and releases only two variants of the skate.
Seba GT - we've heard you don't like flashy fitness skates...
A lot of fitness skates come in colourful variant. There are more muted ones, of course - Seba GT are some of the nicest you can find if you prefer that.
There's an "obligatory" triskating version:
Then there's a classic 4x80 skate:
Seemingly, they want to thread the waters carefully this time with only two variants. However, that may not be the whole story, but more on that later.
The boot is exactly the same in all cases, so it is best to cover it first and only then speak about available wheel setup. We will also try to answer the lingering question – for whom exactly the new Seba GT are?
Want to grab a bonus on Seba GT skates? Check rules below:
- You get 20% off on Seba GT skates without any discount applied, 10% off on those with discount.
- When placing an order, use code: bvsebagt
- Offer is valid up to and including 30th June 2023
- Discount applies only for online orders with delivery: won’t work in case of pickups at our brick and mortar shops.
Freestyle heritage
As mentioned previously, the skates use Seba High base, the same as found in new (and very stylish) High Light models. What is more, the overall template looks very similar.
This is only skin deep resemblance, because while High Light are made for demanding freeskaters who expect precision and performance, GT are made for people who set comfort as their first priority. This is why padding is noticeably different – softer, super comfy right out of the box, thanks to different foam thickness and density.
Outer skin is also made of different material – a “powerknit” similar to one found in running shoes. It does a good job when it comes to letting moisture out and makes skates more “breathable” than artificial leather found High Light. However, Seba has decided to still leave the protection strip made out of durable, rubber-like material, covering toe area and sides of the boot. There are reinforcements like PU welds in lacing area and artifical leather more to the back of the boot.
The cuff is another difference. Fitness skates do not need to provide as much support to the sides as freestyle slalom skates (remember, Seba High cuff was designed with slalom in mind) and a bit more ankle freedom is actually welcomed. Thus, we are getting slimmer and arguably, better looking part here. If you are in neeed of more support, lace the boot tightly to the very top.
Top buckle is worthy of praise. It isn’t one with metal lever part, but it can be considered the best “generic” fully plastic buckle on the market. It is super strong and have lock mechanism released by push of a button. Ratchet strap is wide and durable. On a side note, Rollerblade uses the exact same design in their RB series skates, it can also be found on FR skates up to FR2 model – shame that more companies do not follow.
When it comes to tightening of ankle area, boot comes with Velcro strap instead of buckle. This brings some benefits. First of all, it is much easier to lace the skates tightly, as Velcro doesn’t get in the way – just put it to the side. Plastic, rigid buckles, especially those with overlapping flap design, tend to be annoying in this regard. When it comes to person writing these words, know this: I have strong preference for Velcros over buckles for this very reason.
Next thing – the Velcro is wider than in majority of fitness skates and flexible to some degree, making it a better fit for a soft upper, ensuring there won’t be any pressure points. Also, when it comes to Velcros, they simply look more stylish, enhancing that sneaker-like appearance.
Still, if you would like to make the boot even more supportive for some reason, there are ways to do so. It is compatible with Seba High parts, so you can put the lower buckle on it as well as more massive and rigid cuff. Does it make sense, though? In our opinion, GT boots are fine as they are, but in some scenarios (for example, heavy users who need more ankle support) it may be a good idea.
Overall, from perspective of function, Seba hit the nail right on the head with this redesign.
The only thing which is a bit of a disappointment are the looks. The very first GT skates in history (even before GTX, they came with a liner instead of integrated padding) looked simply like High without slider on the side. The first run of GTX models looked kind of ugly with glossy materials. The pattern redesign from 2017 was no longer ugly, but had still somewhat boring visual design.
Current GT boot looks classy, although still very conservative. The design screams “serious business” and doesn’t tap into that fun factor, colorful vibe which has been a thing for a quite some time in fitness skates. Just look at the success of Impala skates. Looks do matter to customers and many want vibrant looking gear; other companies do realize that and offer more lively motifs. Seba could breathe some life into this boot using colorful accents.
It would also make them a bit more standing out from the crowd of skates offered by Seba and FR (Universkate brands).
Oh well – maybe next time. At the very least, you can add some colour with colourful High cuffs and laces.
Slightly controversial choice of frames
Before we’ll proceed onto speaking about frames, something must be clarified. It is a well known fact that Seba (and FR Skates sibling) do not have a lot of entry-level, cheap frames which can be used in fitness skates.
Creating completely new frames for just these skates would raise the cost and when it comes to fitness models, even high tier ones, you have to carefully balance the price and your profit margins.
Most likely, Seba has used what was already available - but not necessarily optimal for the type of skating new GT are targeted at. Adressing elephant in the room - they are short. In one of the two cases, super short.
When it comes to skates intended for workout, maneuverability takes a backseat and stable base for deeper, more powerful push is preferable. It is also more suited for inexperienced skaters.
For example, Rollerblade uses 265 mm and 280 mm (depending on the boot size) wheelbase for 4x80 mm setup. When it comes to Powerslide, the shortest 3x110 mm frames found in their fitness skates measure 243 mm and even then, they are used only for sizes up to EU41, while larger boots get 270 mm long ones.
That’s where controversy comes in. Seba GT use the very same frames as lower end freeskate models and in both available versions, 4x80 mm and 3x110 mm, we get short wheelbase which is the same for all boot sizes.
Main dish - the Seba GT 80
Out of the two, the GT 80 is easier recommendation, as it uses 243 mm long X2R frames, very well known from skates like FRX, FR3, E3 and Trix 2. It is indeed a basic, casted frame, but durable enough to use it for freeskating, so it will hold up here as well. It comes with ability to rocker outer wheels up, allowing you to use “banana” rocker without buying smaller wheels.
The 4x80 mm setup does work for skating longer distances, but it isn’t optimal and is nowhere near as dynamic as bigger wheels in longer frames. When it comes to designing skates for “urban fitness”, these will do, but going for at least 4x84 mm would be nice.
The issue is that Seba doesn’t make such frames in lowest price tier, not to mention longer ones like 4x90 mm.
On the upside, there are some perks to having X2R frames. If you want to try some freestyle slalom, X2R frame is great. 243 mm length is a good starting point for majority of users. Such short frame is also decent option to learn slides on.
It is agile, so urban skating won’t be a problem – once again, keep in mind that you can tune the skates to give them more of freestyle character by using Seba High custom kits. As for slalom - if you are absolutely sure that it will be your main activity on skates and are after a lower budget slalom model, just go for similarly priced Trix 2 instead.
(Puzzling) Seba GT 310.
Seba GT 310 is a tougher nut to crack. You can easily see that people behind Seba are “slalomheads” and put maneuverability at the top spot even if it doesn’t make that much sense in broader spectrum of things.
Or more like – super short, 232 mm frames used here are a natural consequence of this state of mind, but it is highly doubtful that people at Universkate have not realised that these aren't the best option. After all, new Seba High Light 310 comes with much more reasonable (still short for big foot sizes, though) 244 mm long frames.
Most likely, they have found their way into GT 310 model because Seba doesn’t have readily available alternative at this price-point. Higher end skates from Seba and FR Skates collections do come with longer frames, but when it comes to models like E3 310, FRX 310 or GT 310, we are getting the same length as here and also for all boot sizes.
It is simply not long enough for a fitness skate. They are not “unskateable” by any means, but there is not much of a point of such short wheelbase if you want to skate long distances. Plus, you won’t be doing freestyle slalom on 3x110 setup and furthermore, GT 310 are not slalom skates either.
There's one use case scenario - commuting in urban environment. After all, you need high degree of maneuverability when moving through the streets and crowds.
If you like slides or “dancing” on flat ground, then why not? E3 and FRX 310 are selling well enough with such short frames, so there are people who like them, certainly. GT 310 can be a good alternative to harboots in this regard.
Truth to be told, GT 310 skate is a bit of a no man’s land. It is really a very niche model – good for people who are obsessed over maximum agility.
Or ...those who already own longer 3x110 mm frames for 165 mm mounting – then getting these skates for the boot alone with wheels and bearings thrown into the mix is actually not a bad idea.
Who should consider a purchase of Seba GT?
The best thing about these skates is their boot and it is alone a great reason to pick up a pair. Just like Swell skates, this fits into “fitness+” category, meaning that skates are build to withstand a lot more than lower tier softboots and are compatible with exchangeable frames.
GT 80 comes recommended for those who want to mix fitness and freestyle skating, or are simply looking for a good pair of comfortable, versatile skates to get into the sport but dislike hardboots. When it comes to Seba GT 310 – we’ve covered this earlier. Not a disaster, but hopefully Seba considers equipping them with longer wheelbase to increase their versatility in the future.
To sum it up: new GT are very cool skates with superb boot, however they are not living up to their full potential because of frame choices. We keep our fingers crossed for Seba to fix this with next iteration, seeing as market could use a good alternative to performance-oriented Powerslide Swell line of skates. Having these coming stock with 4x90 frames would be neat!
Want to grab a bonus on Seba GT skates? Check rules below:
- You get 20% off on Seba GT skates without any discount applied, 10% off on those with discount.
- When placing an order, use code: bvsebagt
- Offer is valid up to and including 30th June 2023
- Discount applies only for online orders with delivery: won’t work in case of pickups at our brick and mortar shops.
