Salomon FSK Crossmax 3 2004 model streetskates

Peter Carr

April 2004

Introduction

When Mike asked me to do this review I joked that I'd just cut and paste the Crossmax2 reviews that either Pete or Jex wrote and just change the images for the new colour scheme in photoshop. In someway that still stands, the skates have few major material changes this may well be more of a "what's new this year" rather than Crossmax3 review.

Crossmax & FSKs background (for the newbies):

FSKs are Salomon's "Freeskate" or urban range. Crossmax being the top model in the range. It's tough to say what they are for, as you can use them for just about everything. You can play a game of hockey in them, you can ride ramps in them, they do a good run through the slalom cups and will more than keep up on the streetskates. They are hybrids in the classic sense, a short frame for manoeuvrability, big wheels for recreation skate speed, a strong boot and chassis from an aggressive skate. Understandably this winning formula hasn't changed much in the three years. Very similar boots with a selection of different UFS chassis and liners as you go up the range from Deflector to Crossmax, including some some Women specific models for their different foot shape, and a Detonator childrens' model. The Crossmax3 come in UK size 4 to 12.5.

It's a market that only a few companies are playing in, Tecnica and Powerslide being the others that spring to mind. In London FSKs have an almost total strangle hold. Having had a look at other offerings and their availability I put this down to the suitability of the skate as much as Salomon's very effect marketing

How I got into FSKs

I got my first pair when I killed a pair of Nike recreation skates with a years hard use, I noticed people who had, and abused, the original Crossmax1 are still using them well over a year later. I picked up a pair of the Crossmax2s and then changed to Crossmax3s at the very end of last year. (I had no good reason to give up on my Crossmax2s a situation arose that I needed some more so went for the next available set.) So as you can see from the images, they are not brand new (or even clean) the boot has seen 3 months use, the wheels and chassis have lead an easy life indoors after the first week in the park.

How they ride

"Like FSKs" is the short answer, they are not the lightest boot, but the support mean you can put a lot of force through them, which makes them swift if you need them to be. They react well, and if left with a natural wheel rocker can turn as quickly as you ever need a non-hockey skate to turn. You may find a bit of speed wobble on fast descents, if you rotate the rocker out of your wheels you should be okay.

On the ramps they make you feel protected (well your feet at least) and don't feel like they will buckle under the load.

For regular skating I tend to keep the cuff ratchet strap loose to give me a bit more knee bend, and they work fine like that. I have also found is they naturally fall into something like a mock double push when motoring down the road, I put this down to the support the boot gives. The same support makes sliding nice and easy too. The shock absorption is adequate for London streets even with race hard wheels, and despite not feeling as instantly comfortable as more recreational type skates I find I can wear them all weekend if needs be.

The skates

You get the same stuff in the box you got last year, a pair of Allen keys (by the way the small one is mostly there for other skates in the Salomon range, don't worry that it's not that useful for FSKs)

The boot

This year the boot itself is red and black with white scuff blobs, I'm sure the boot moulds are the same as the ones they have been using for the whole FSK range since their inception. Apart from a personal fit and points listed under modifications it's a fine boot, with nice ventilation, some reflective sections for visibility on the night skates.

They still have the cuff riveted on, which I'm sure may crack under heavy use by bigger skaters like last years, again it doesn't seem to affect the boot at all. The white flex blocks can be removed for those that like more ankle movement. Not too sure if an energizer bolt rather than rivet wouldn't have been a better way here. They have kept the metal buckle strap as a nice upgrade from lower FSK skates.

The lacing system works well and doesn't slip, the powerstrap is similar to last year, one of the few areas I have thought I might modify away from the FSK standard, my feet could sometime do with more hold there without putting more load on the laces or cuff strap, also the only bit of my skates I've had a problem with.

The D shaped nuts that hold the chassis bolts on don't seem to move as they do on other skates, so it's easy to change the chassis without taking out the liner, which is nice.  So a solid boot similar to last year. They should last while you learn to slide without leaving bits of boot all the way down Serpentine Road.

The liner and footbed

It's a 3D Customfit heat mouldable liner (something that's worth doing and I understand can be done more than once) with the felt tongue they introduced last year that marks it out from other FSKs skates, to take the liner out you have to remove the bolt at the back of the cuff, a penny fits in the plastic nut inside the liner. It's comfortable, supportive and less bulky than other liners in the range, look after them, getting any more is difficult.

The insole is vented and supports well, it may be worth trying a custom foot bed, but I've yet to experiment with one. A good sign the existing one is doing a good job.

Below the liner there is the first outer foam cushion, again similar to last year, to fill the heel void there is a second foam cushion, this one has a different foam core to the outer section, this may be a tweak on last years to help shock absorption, but I can't remember the details of last years skate here.

Chassis and plate

Right, now the major change to the skate, and the thing that has caused most interest. This year Salomon have added an aluminium reinforcing plate below the heel of the skate between the boot and the top of the chassis (they call it their Alu Heel Attack), it's machined to fit in the standard UFS gap in the boot. Salomon say it's to raise the heel position for a more aggressive/forward position as well as saving the boot from ware while sliding and keep it all together under hard landings. What it also does is make the skate as sold non UFS and unable to take older chassis or the standard FSK brake, not an issue for me but I can see instructors looking annoyed. It's a very easy part to remove if that is a problem for you and that seems to be the solution many have gone for. The chassis you get as with last is a fetching red anodised, extruded aluminium and come in either 247EA or 237EA dependent on size of boot. (Mine are a 247mm chassis, as will anyone size 8.5 or above) Unlike last year there are one piece axels for all wheels, rather than the "rockerable" front axels. This means that you skates can now only take a HiLo setup, this has raised a few eyebrows online as the general thought is some of the advantages of a HiLo setup (shorter chassis, toe close to the ground) are not available on FSKs and we have lost the flexibility that the old chassis gave. Though perhaps at the benefit of strength and reliability. People with the smaller 237mm chassis or last years D-Max users must be wondering what the fuss is all about. The other major change to the chassis is the rear section is narrower (buy a few mm) so that it fits into the recess aluminium heel plate mentioned above. They can take a fair bit of scuffing and seem to last okay. Like last year the bolts only have the small Allen key hole, again we are not too sure why this was changed, it can make changing wheels a pain and increases the likely hood of "rounding" a bolt, but should mean you don't over torque the bolt and ruin the chassis threads, replacements are available from more than just Salomon, some speed skate manufacturers still do the deep holed bolt if you want them.

Wheels The fronts are 76mm 83a rounded profile in white, the rears 80mm 83a elliptic, the urethane goes round the core this year, so they should last longer before they start to fall apart, I've yet to use them hard, but the one street skate and lots of indoor session I did in them were very nice thank you. Bearings TKGel filled Twincam ABEC5 with metal shields, seem to last well and popular here, I changed mine early on when I changed wheels, but still very nice thank you.

In conclusion

So that's the skate as you get them, no big departures save the colour, the heel plate and the fixed HiLo chassis change, if you have killed another pair of skates through over use, or want something a bit more twisty for slalom or just fancy a few goes at a skate park risking life and limb they are a very good skate. In fact if you can only have one pair of skates I can't think of much better. The short frame may well not suit a beginner with little stability front to rear, but they are a top end skate and gumbies should be looking elsewhere.

I've had a quick look at other skates in the market and the only real local competitors are other skates in the FSK range. Would I recommend them over D Max, or last years Crossmax or D Max, no, unless fit is an issue. Expect to spend about £200 locally at the moment, perhaps dropping if you shop around.

Click here for more details on modifications I made to my Salomon FSKs.

The Future

Josh and Chris at Salomon are staying unsurprisingly tight lipped about next year's Crossmax, they insure us we will be as impressed as ever, guess we will have to wait, or just keep track on whatever Scoobs has on his feet in a few months time. Thanks to Neb for the use of the camera and Josh and Chris for the filling in the gaps.

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