Seba Trix - Black Inline Skates

Seba Trix are one of the skates with pretty interesting history. They’ve appeared years after the iconic KSJ pro-skate hit the market – a revolutionary boot which came with a “triangle” cuff in place of regular one. The skates were held in high regard by freestyle slalom skaters worldwide thanks to this cuff, as it allowed for freedom of movement unlike anything other in the market. KSJ were also one of the first slalom skates in which heel position was raised more than what you’d find in other skates, which made certain tricks easier.

Ok, you may now question why we are praising the KSJ skate here even though this piece is supposed to be about Trix. Answer is simple: Trix skates are non-pro model version of KSJ, based on the same blueprint. Everything that made KSJs so good found its way in to Trix. The Kim Sung Jin’s signed skates are not made any more (at least, at this point in time!), but Trix are alive and well, continuing the legacy of these groundbreaking Seba models. Trix is one of the two versions currently available.

The only difference between Trix (described here) and its more expensive sibling Trix Pro, is that the latter comes with full carbon shell whereas the cheaper version have shell made out of carbon and glass fibre composite. This difference means that regular Trix are a bit heavier, but cost significantly less. Meanwhile, the responsiveness and rigidity are still excellent.

The integrated padding is anatomically shaped to lock the heel as good as possible and provide excellent responsiveness. The level of control in these skates is truly great and will satisfy most demanding skaters. Underneath the foot resides an insole with arch support. Outer skin of the skate is made from resistant material and have some degree of rigidity to it – it wouldn’t be fair to call these skates “softboots”, really. The skin layout has been the same for years and no one wants to hide the fact that Trix are pure freestyle slalom skates – the additional reinforcements are limited to abrasive pad on the side of the skate.

Lacing holds the foot in place well on its own, especially if you lace the boot to the very top. The skate comes with additional Velcro in toe area, giving more snug fit and better control on front wheeling tricks. 45 degree micrometric buckle lock the heel in place and adds a bit to the overall boot rigidity.  A buckle of the same type is used for cuff closure.

Arguably the most unique and important aspect of the skate is the cuff. Instead of traditional wrap-around style part, the skate has been given two triangle pieces on each side. It’s enough to provide excellent support to the sides and freedom of movement in front to back axis is unparalleled. This solution should be welcomed by every skater who has a habit of buckling their cuffs loose to have more freedom of movement above the ankle.

The metal plates embedded in frame mounting points serve as a reinforcement of boot-frame connection, greatly increasing the solidity of a whole skate. They also offer 5 threaded holes for mounting screw, allowing for a wide range of frame positioning options as well as good compatibility with 165mm mounting standard frames.

The frame used in Trix should be well known to any seasoned freeskater – it’s Deluxe V2 frame, one of the best designs available when it comes down to freestyle and freeskating frames. Although the upper shelf skates made by Seba younger sibling, the FR Skates, come with Deluxe V3 frames (which are more delicate design), the V2 is still a great piece of aluminum and performs well in both urban environment and between the cones. As Trix are specialized slalom skates, they come with rockered frame. Furthermore, the length depends on the boot size: 231mm for skates up to and including EU39 and 243mm for bigger sizes. Naturally, shorter frame fits smaller wheels (76 mm) whereas longer one houses bigger ones (80 mm).

Who we recommend these skates to?

Especially to those who are looking for a fresh pair of high end freestyle slalom skates to replace their old KSJ skates. The regular Trix does not sport the same full carbon shell, but the it costs less than Trix Pro, while still delivering the unique fit and riding sensations that KSJs were always famous for. They are worth to check out if you wish that your current skates would give you more ankle freedom.