Seba E3 80 - Black Inline Skates

Seba E3 Black is a completely new model in the brand’s catalogue – replacing the ever popular FRX 80, which are currently made by a separate brand, FR Skates. Even though there are many similarities to its predecessors, the skates are made with a new shell and have high chances of taking the entry-level price bracket of freeskates by storm.

E3 construction is based around a classic hardboot concept, using a stiff outer shell as a base. Seba have decided to once again go with an open shell design and for a good reason – it makes the boot comfortable for a wider group of users and especially benefits skaters with high instep. As previously said – it is a new shell, based on a different mould than FR skates and have different diameters and shape. Thus, we encourage everyone, especially those who had comfort issues in FR boots, to give E3 a try – it may turn out that they will provide a much better fit! We are also happy to see increased number of ventilation holes in the shell – a characteristic that almost died out in current freeskating models. Fans of classic, “perforated” Rollerblade Twisters are going to be pleased, no doubt!

The cuff used in E3 is a part taken from other Seba models, like SX or CJ – it comes with a slight v-cut (it’s lower in the back), giving a greater degree of movement above the ankle. It’s an important feature for people who practice freestyle slalom or jumping on skates. E3 Black variant comes with a cuff mounted by rivets – this makes the skate a bit cheaper than screw-equipped White version and is somewhat of a double-edged sword. On the upside, rivets are reliable, as it takes a long time and a lot of abuse for them to break, there is also no chance of losing them while skating, like a screw that may become loose. On the other hand, if you want to replace the cuffs, you need to drill out the rivets and buy mounting hardware. However, that’s always an option and if you are willing to go down that path, the boot accepts SX/CJ cuffs which come in variety of colours – a way to add some unique character to your skates.

The shell comes equipped with a replaceable slider – nowadays a standard among freeskates. It protects the boot from wearing down in the critical area most prone to damage during falls and slides.

Skate uses standard 165mm mounting and even though Seba has not used metal plates to reinforce boot-frame connection, thanks to hard and dense plastic it’s very solid. In theory, the skates are compatible with all 165mm v-type frames, but because of only two mounting points and lack of any longitudinal adjustment options, a position of frame under the boot will vary. Thus, if you are looking for a low price hardboot to use with your favourite frameset or plan an upgrade from a stock frame in the future, we encourage you to check how the parts will fit together first.

Inside the shell resides a comfortable, anatomically shaped Seba liner, with a lacing option in the upper part. Lacing the liner keeps its tongue in place and makes your foot sit more securely inside the skate. The inner boot used in E3 should be well known to anyone who skated Seba made FR models before. Underneath the liner sits a shock absorber, increasing ride comfort and reducing impact of landings. The boot fastening is composed of lacing, a 45 degree micrometric buckle and a standard buckle with receiver on the cuff. The 45 degree buckle is a nod toward beginners, allowing for a much tighter, stiffer closure of the skate than Velcro used in White version – this helps when learning how to skate.

E3 come with an X2R frame, a model which is being present in both Seba and FR Skates lower end offerings for some time now. The frame is of 243mm length and comes with four Seba 80mm diameter, 82A hardness wheels and ABEC5 bearings. This is a versatile, manoeuvrable setup adjusted for people who learn how to skate – thanks to softer wheels, the skates are a bit slower, transfer less vibration and are easier to handle that White version coming with 85A wheels. One great feature of this frame are rockerable axles – you can adjust outside wheels position to make them sit 2mm higher than middle ones, giving you a “banana” rocker without using smaller wheels. It’s a game-changer especially for beginners in freestyle slalom, as it removes a need of buying additional four 76mm wheels with skates themselves.

All put together, Seba E3 are a perfect pair of skaters for beginners in freeskating and people who want to try a variety of different skating styles. They will serve you well in urban skating, to learn slides with and even at the beginning of a journey with cone slalom. E3 Black is a bit more simplified offering than E3 White, geared towards people who look for a lower price skates to start with.

Seba used knowledge acquired through the years to create a solid and generous freeskate offering in lower end of price bracket. E3 have very high chance of becoming a new reference point against which other skates in this category will be compared. We are pretty sure that E3 is destined to make some waves this season!