FR FRXP 80 - Coral Inline Skates

FR Skates company has emerged in 2018, however it is not hard to see that in fact it is an off-shot of one of the most valued freestyle and freeskate brands – namely, Seba. After years of experimentation with all kinds of skates, from aggressive to fitness and speed ones, owners have decided to redefine their product line. FR Skates is more focused and relies on what always was a core of Seba lineup – solid skates for freeride and top end freestyle slalom skates.

FR series skates were at the forefront of technology of urban skates for over a decade and even today they are ahead of large majority of competition offerings. FR models are based around a rigid hardboot made out of durable material and equipped with multiple convenient features, which are loved by thousands of skaters. The shell itself has been cut more open than usual in skates of such design – it improves comfort, especially for user with high instep.

The FRX has been one of the best selling freeskates on the market for years now. The boom in skating the industry caused by pandemic has caused this model to reach heights of its popularity, as it is a superb entry level hardboot freeskate. FRX are flying off the shelves and by mid-2021, it was hard to find a pair in most popular sizes.

Of course, FR Skates wanted to increase production volume. But here comes the problem. It is not a secret that every production line does have its maximum throughput. In case of classic FRX skates, the X2R frame is the bottleneck of a whole process, as it is used in four different models: FRX, FR3, Seba E3 and Trix 2. It is quite obvious, then, that you cannot really increase a production volume of any of these skates without expanding the X2R production line, which is already running at highest gear now, to produce more frames. Also – you can make injection molded plastic parts much faster, than aluminium frames.

Enter the FRXP. These are a bit cheaper version of FRX skates, offering the same, classic shell and liner, but sporting some differences. The frame used in this version is called an X-frame and in fact it was used in FRX skates prior to introduction X2R years ago. It is lacking rockering system and uses double axles, but is still strong enough to be up to the task of urban skating. What we get here is a slightly more affordable alternative to regular FRX, which can still be attractive skate if you do not care about rockering.

Starting from the top of the skate, FRXP comes with the same cuff as more expensive versions – the only difference is that standard screws known from FRX are replaced with rivets. This makes installation of custom kits more complicated, as you need to drill out the rivets to do it, but it still can be done if you know how to handle power tools.

FR were one of the first skates to introduce replaceable abrasive pad on the side (sometimes called “slider”) which makes boots to last longer by protecting them during wheel slides (shuffles). As you can expect, this piece is also present in this version.

Mount spacing used is 165mm and boots are compatible with most of the frames which use this standard – also triskating ones, which are easier to attach thanks to special wheel well next to front mounting point, which makes more room for big wheels.

Inside of the shell sits a comfortable, anatomically shaped liner which can be laced in the upper part, helping in securing the foot in place. Boot tightening is composed of laces, plastic buckle on cuff and 45 degree ratchet buckle. It is worth to note that regular FRX come with 45 degree Velcro strap, so buckle used in FRXP can be preferable to some skaters.

Skate comes with X-frame of 243mm length, complete with Street Kings wheels and ABEC7 bearings. This makes FRXP a universal, reliable and agile setup which feels right at home in urban environment. While the frame lacks the versatility of rockerable X2R counterpart, it is still solid part up to the task of urban skating.

FRXP are great choice for people who are just starting their journey with skating. They are capable of serving as an introduction to freeride and slides. Reliable, proven boot construction and balancing budget and parts in a smart way have resulted in a solid alternative to well known FRX skates.