Saloman Crossmax II Freeskates

6 Month Test

by Jerry Cooke

February 2003

In October 2003 I got my first pair of Salomon FSKs. I’ve been using them solidly for about six months now and so here is an update on how they have held out.

Damage – Buckles and Fixings

Being some of the most exposed parts of any skate, the buckles and other fixings are under constant danger of damage in any fall or scrape. In past experience, buckles tend to degrade over time, either getting bent, warped or cracked. On my K2 Mod GTs for example, the ratchet assembly snapped off after about 5 months of use. I knew when I first got my FSKs that the buckles were likely to be a lot more resilient than my previous skates, almost entirely due to the high quality moulded metal buckle and mounting. Six months and many scrapes later, the buckle is still working as well as when it was new. It has had some low depth scratches and a few chips, but the overall functionality and look has only been lessened in once case. This being that the chips and scratches are fairly sharp and so if they rubbed too fast over skin or other materials, it could cause minor damage.

The ankle strap has stayed in near-perfect condition, managing to miss out on all but the most minor of scrapings. The Velcro is still holding firmly and strap is still firmly fixed to the boot.

The only major casualty has been the laces. On a return trip along Exmouth seafront, skating backwards, I noticed that the wheels on the left skate were meeting resistance. There’s usually twigs and stuff around, so I figured that it was just a leaf or twig in between the wheel and the frame. I finally had to stop and realised that the lace had wrapped itself fully about 3 times round the axel. I had to snap the laces to free them and now have about 1/3 length laces on once skate.

Damage – Boot

The tough Crossmax boot design prevents it from taking too much damage when falling. But unfortunately, any fall while wearing your skates is going to generate some, if only small, level of damage. Overall, the boot has worn fairly well. There are some sections where scratching has happened more than once and is visible. These are predominately; the toe, the ‘blob’, the heel and the lower back inside and outside face.

Damage – Frame

Unlike my Mod GT frames, the 247mm FSK frames have held out extremely well. There is hardly any chipping or scratching evident and the frames are still looking good. Actually, I think they look better than they did originally, since I painted the bottom section of each frame with silver paint, as well as the bolt heads. The frames now flash strikingly in the light and look very cool (at least, I think they do…)

The wheels are wearing well and evenly thanks to regular rotation.

Comfort

When I first got the FSKs, I felt that they were slightly uncomfortable, that the padding pressed painfully, rubbing, against the foot. Now my opinion is completely changed. I had the skate’s baked (thermoformed) within a week of purchase and this made the skate’s a lot better fitting.

Overall

These skates have worn remarkably well considering the amount of punishment they take and are still as good as when I first bought them. If you still thinking about buying these skates then I hope that I’ve left no doubt in your mind that they are definitely a solid all-round purchase.

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