FR - SL Carbon 310 - Black Inline Skates

After FR Skates have branched out of Seba, the newly formed brand had a visible hole in their catalogue; the only freestyle slalom skates were pro models of Igor and Daria. The skates like Seba High Light Carbon and Trix were left on Seba’s side of the fence. To fill this niche, FR Skates have created SL line of models. These high-end carbon skates come in several configurations: same boot, different framesets. There is something to like for both freestyle slalom and freeride fans. Furthermore, three out of total six SL models come with carbon frames – something you won’t get anywhere else in the world of freeskating.

No matter the skate version, the boot is the same and it is truly a remarkable piece of skating gear. Superlight (hence the name) and high quality, it uses the same template as Daria pro-model. The shell is made entirely out of carbon, have integrated padding and is wrapped up in resistant, strong skin. Inside of the boot you’ll find an ergonomically shaped insole with arch support. The skate cuff is also made from carbon and have superb support – you can even get away with barely buckling it.

Even though they look delicate, SL are full fat freeride skates. The boot is protected with rubber-like patch on the side and a cover in toe area – these prevent the damage during falls and tricks. The carbon shell is very resistant, as to be expected.

The boot is super light, responsive and wraps around the foot providing a close, tight fit. The heel is perfectly locked in place – FR Skates made sure that SLs are great performers with best possible energy transfer and movement precision. You can lace the skate to the very top of the cuff area and as expected in freestyle skates, there’s additional strap in toe area to give even better control there. Two micrometric buckles reduce any leftover room and contribute to overall stiffness.

The frame used in SL C 310 is new, carbon-made FR Carbon 310 model. It measures 244mm, fits three 110mm diameter wheels and was designed to keep the center of gravity low to the ground, giving superb maneuverability and good stability. Without any doubt, this is the most rigid and lightweight 3-wheeled frame made for freeskating ever made. Light as a feather, precise as razor. Together with high end SL boot, they make a setup which looks like something made by a space agency, using tech not available in private sector.

It can be said that SL C 310, alongside their less expensive sibling SL 310, are the only stock skates made with speed slalom in mind. The middle wheel is moved to the back, increasing maneuverability and giving more stability when shifting body weight to the heel. Urban skaters should like it too – thanks to wider space between middle and front wheel, if you lean on your toes more, you get a “grippy” feel similar to one present on antirocker setup in aggressive. It’s easy to keep balance on stronger pushes and to skate faster. 3x110 remains the most popular triskating setup for freeride and everyone who tried it even once, knows how much fun it is to cruise on those. As in every FR Skates model, the mounting standard is 165mm and the boot is compatible with most of such frames out there. (But what would you replace it with? Any other pair of frames would be a downgrade compared to FR Carbon 310).

The stock wheels are “Junk” Xfirm model by world-famous MPC manufacturer. These wheels are used by many of the best speedskaters, but are excellent fit for urban skating too, thanks to their strong core. These are dual layer wheels, meaning that they have a softer urethane strip inside of the “tire”, giving them better rebound and speed. These wheels feel snappy – acceleration is excellent.

Bearings are no joke either, as skates come with ILQ9 Slalom Pro made by Twincam. These are the go-for stock bearings in top of the line FR Skates models and as far as steel bearings go, one of the best on the market.

To sum it up: SL C 310 are one of the best and most advanced triskates one the market. No compromises were made when creating these skates – FR Skates used the very best technology they have to offer. The price is steep, but fair considering the overall, premium package.

SL C 310 come highly recommended for dynamic urban skating, slides and jumps. Those who look for a pair of ready to roll speed slalom skates should grab these, too.