CCM RBZ - Powered by TaylorMade

[jsykes 35]

I think it depends on things. Look at this photo. The front half of the blade pretty much disappears past his leg. If the stick is extended more it could make more of a difference. Whether it makes a real difference or not is debatable. I do know that when the Easton reps brought me the Mako for the first time to show it off they said they actually talked to goalies about the color before going with white.

[noodle3872 40]

As Easton said about the Mako, the white shaft hides the flex of the stick and/or the release of the puck. I gather this will make the goalie take a split second longer to pick up the puck. At elite levels of hockey that split second could be the difference between a goal or a save.

[drewptwo 1]

That article says an August release...

Our rep told us the stick is slated for October release but they may move the release depending on other companies release dates. The date will most likely be more solid mid summer.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

I heard August as well. But I really don't know much about the stick; CCM hasn't told me much. :-/

[Pure Hockey 4]

A couple of weeks ago we got the demo on this stick from the CCM-Reebok team. They did not give us one to keep. It's very compelling. As most of you have already read in these threads, the biggest difference with the stick is the blade technology, which as mentioned earlier on a pulled quote from Taylor-Made tech folks, is "the first completely hollow structure in a blade."

The stick feels pretty darn good and looks super-cool from our eyes and hands, but really, on the ice is where the rubber hits the road. That should come as no surprise to anyone here. I think what you're going to get with this stick is incredible pop off the blade if Taylor-Made's technology with the RBZ stick is anything like their golf clubs. Where the jury will remain out, as with any other stick, is durability and most importantly in my eyes, puck feel. We won't know that stuff until we get our demos for use and testing. We'll certainly keep you all updated on our Marketplace board.

We also were told the exact release date, but are bound to confidentiality clauses. Sigh.....

[dsjunior1388 81]

A couple of weeks ago we got the demo on this stick from the CCM-Reebok team. They did not give us one to keep. It's very compelling. As most of you have already read in these threads, the biggest difference with the stick is the blade technology, which as mentioned earlier on a pulled quote from Taylor-Made tech folks, is "the first completely hollow structure in a blade."

The stick feels pretty darn good and looks super-cool from our eyes and hands, but really, on the ice is where the rubber hits the road. That should come as no surprise to anyone here. I think what you're going to get with this stick is incredible pop off the blade if Taylor-Made's technology with the RBZ stick is anything like their golf clubs. Where the jury will remain out, as with any other stick, is durability and most importantly in my eyes, puck feel. We won't know that stuff until we get our demos for use and testing. We'll certainly keep you all updated on our Marketplace board.

We also were told the exact release date, but are bound to confidentiality clauses. Sigh.....

I'm setting the over/under on PMs this guy gets at 7, and I'm taking the over.

[Wolfpack_1986 146]

My initial take on the marketing spin... and what the stick really could offer...

So, the main point of contact with a hockey stick is with the ice, the restorative force in the shaft is what provides that "kick" when you take a slap shot, or lean into a wrist shot. Tweaking this component is key. Get a stick with great restorative properties in the shaft that isn't too difficult to flex, and you improve your sling shot effect, so to speak.

What does having improved restorative force on the blade face mean? Not much, I'm afraid. Sure, maybe it will add a tiny bit of energy to the puck, but with what advantage? Energy's relationship with velocity is a square law. To go twice as fast you need four times more energy. I'm not convinced that even the best case of blade face improvements would add even 1 mph more to your slap shot, or wrist shot. A place where restorative force would be yeah is the blade rotating back, if you watch high-speed of a slap shot, you will notice the blade whip back, but this is a function not really impacted by the blade face. Blade stiffness and shaft construction yes.

So what do I think they did? I think they found a way to make a hollow blade, discovered they had a blade face that had a higher restorative force. I don't think they're lying, but I question the marketing aspect, that this will improve your velocity to any benefit. I also think that they could have accomplished this with a different foam, but the benefits of a hollow blade on weight distribution may be the only true advantage.

However, if you are chara and want 0.2 MPH on your slap shot to break another record, sure, every advantage helps. Are you going to beat more goalies? Doubtful.

Just my thoughts based on what I've read. Whether the marketing spin is bogus or not, that doesn't mean this can't be a well made, high performing stick. I've been on record questioning the benefits of easton's cnt stealth, but absolutely loved that stick, and wish it would come back.

[NazHockey94 0]

My initial take on the marketing spin... and what the stick really could offer...

So, the main point of contact with a hockey stick is with the ice, the restorative force in the shaft is what provides that "kick" when you take a slap shot, or lean into a wrist shot. Tweaking this component is key. Get a stick with great restorative properties in the shaft that isn't too difficult to flex, and you improve your sling shot effect, so to speak.

What does having improved restorative force on the blade face mean? Not much, I'm afraid. Sure, maybe it will add a tiny bit of energy to the puck, but with what advantage? Energy's relationship with velocity is a square law. To go twice as fast you need four times more energy. I'm not convinced that even the best case of blade face improvements would add even 1 mph more to your slap shot, or wrist shot. A place where restorative force would be yeah is the blade rotating back, if you watch high-speed of a slap shot, you will notice the blade whip back, but this is a function not really impacted by the blade face. Blade stiffness and shaft construction yes.

So what do I think they did? I think they found a way to make a hollow blade, discovered they had a blade face that had a higher restorative force. I don't think they're lying, but I question the marketing aspect, that this will improve your velocity to any benefit. I also think that they could have accomplished this with a different foam, but the benefits of a hollow blade on weight distribution may be the only true advantage.

However, if you are chara and want 0.2 MPH on your slap shot to break another record, sure, every advantage helps. Are you going to beat more goalies? Doubtful.

Just my thoughts based on what I've read. Whether the marketing spin is bogus or not, that doesn't mean this can't be a well made, high performing stick. I've been on record questioning the benefits of easton's cnt stealth, but absolutely loved that stick, and wish it would come back.

Interesting post! Like many on here, my weakness is sticks. I've found that my shot more or less is the same velocity wise (to my naked eye anyway). What I look for is how quickly I can release a shot to achieve my maximal velocity with different flexes, curves, shot technique etc. But what I really notice the most in a stick is feeling the puck and weight of the stick. Perhaps I should all be working on perfecting technique rather than hoping a stick will give me a rocket. But what fun would that be?

For instance i've been experimenting with a shaft loading snap shot with a shorter, under chin length whippy stick i.e. Ovechkin vs a more traditional shot with a longer stiffer stick thinking i can produce more torque with a longer stick i.e. Alexander Semin

I think my perfect stick would be an SE16 blade with the Total One shaft.

[Wolfpack_1986 146]

And in my opinion, barring novel material uses, real gains are going to be realized in shaft tweaking... I'm a proponent of fiddling with shaft stiffness in specific zones. Like the widow, apx, nexus, dynasty, ai9 etc. I think that's the most promising tech to help players gain an advantage, other than improving technique. Which even some of those can be bs, but that's for another thread...

[hockeymass 11]

I'm curious how the hollow blade impacts the puckfeel.

[NazHockey94 0]

Must we always sacrifice feel for performance? I agree with puck it in that flex and flex points on the shaft are of most concern in regards to adding velocity. So can someone just make a stick with the feel of an SE 16 and performance of a total one please.

[cooperalls 4]

Must we always sacrifice feel for performance? I agree with puck it in that flex and flex points on the shaft are of most concern in regards to adding velocity. So can someone just make a stick with the feel of an SE 16 and performance of a total one please.

That's speculation, no? I'ts pretty early to be guessing how the blade construction is intended to work, let alone how it actually does work.

Must we always sacrifice feel for performance? I agree with puck it in that flex and flex points on the shaft are of most concern in regards to adding velocity. So can someone just make a stick with the feel of an SE 16 and performance of a total one please.

The One95 pretty much fits that bill, and the NXG may very well again...as could the RBZ?

[Wolfpack_1986 146]

That's speculation, no? I'ts pretty early to be guessing how the blade construction is intended to work, let alone how it actually does work.

Except, science permits hypothesis and conjecture based on observations and reasoning.

[steelnation248 101]

IIRC, I remember seeing that someone on here had some pro stock sticks that had hollow blades and they said puck feel was great.

[cooperalls 4]

Except, science permits hypothesis and conjecture based on observations and reasoning.

Fair point, I'm not discrediting your logic or reasoning. Have you seen any physical samples or literature as to how the blade is actually constructed? Having an air-core an being reinforced isn't much of a technical spec to conjecture on. Personally I can't tell anyone how something works until I've used it.

[Wolfpack_1986 146]

Fair point, I'm not discrediting your logic or reasoning. Have you seen any physical samples or literature as to how the blade is actually constructed? Having an air-core an being reinforced isn't much of a technical spec to conjecture on. Personally I can't tell anyone how something works until I've used it.

Frankly, I'm not sure the construction is the variable to look at. The variable in consideration is their claims to performance properties of the blade face. I would speculate that it would feel "hot", "touchy", potentially "pingy".... personally, I prefer blades like that.

Its like this: I have two sticks, totally un painted... I tell you they were made different ways, but you don't really know how that's going to make a difference. Then I tell you that process A led to a stick that was 110 flex; process b, 85. I bet you'd be able to tell me a bit about the performance then?

[cooperalls 4]

Frankly, I'm not sure the construction is the variable to look at. The variable in consideration is their claims to performance properties of the blade face. I would speculate that it would feel "hot", "touchy", potentially "pingy".... personally, I prefer blades like that.

Its like this: I have two sticks, totally un painted... I tell you they were made different ways, but you don't really know how that's going to make a difference. Then I tell you that process A led to a stick that was 110 flex; process b, 85. I bet you'd be able to tell me a bit about the performance then?

I'd be able to guess at how they perform, but I can only tell you about the performance if and only if I can actually use them. Otherwise, I'm speculating. I actually agree with most of what you said about it in post #208, or that's also how I'd guess the stick technology might work, on not work, as it were. I'm just saying there's very little substantiated info on the stick, and the only way I'd ever say what works and what doesn't would be after I had a chance to use it.

Dig up the old thread on the RBK "O" sticks. There's posts about how revolutionary the speed holes will be, and how that's gonna be the direction other stick companies go. That was before he 9KO was ever released...just like the RBZ now. Two versions later the speed holes are missing from the RBK line. Did they work? In some ways yes, they affected how the stick flexed. Did they actually reduce wind resistance and increase swing speed, not in any noticeable way. But the only way to know for sure was to use it.

I'm not trying to be a kill-joy or call out anyone in particular in any way, but getting all amped up and trying to either hype or discredit a stick without having used it is nonsensical.

CCM hasn't had a stick that matches up to the best since the v120. I hope the RBZ changes that.

[Pure Hockey 4]

<<Have you seen any physical samples or literature as to how the blade is actually constructed? Having an air-core an being reinforced isn't much of a technical spec to conjecture on. Personally I can't tell anyone how something works until I've used it>>

AGREED 100%!! We haven't seen literature, but we did get a sample blade to hold and look at and hold during our demo. It's completely different than any other blade construction I've ever seen. Cool to look at and cool to speculate what it might mean, but on the ice is where it matters.

[jsykes 35]

Saw the RBZ today and what they're doing does, theoretically, make some sense. The blade is not completely hollow, but has ribs through it making channels in the blade. In this way it can feel solid, while getting rid of the foam and allow for the rebound they're talking about on heavy impacts (such as shooting) while not so much on lighter impacts such as stickhandling and passing.

The flex profile of the shaft is also slightly different than what is out now. It will be a constant flex profile so there are no real engineered flex points and it will just flex wherever it needs to flex based on where your hands are. This can allow for more loading and increased velocity, while possibly decreasing the super quick release from a low kick.

Some who like the real low kick sticks may not like this feel, however, it sounds much of like what they're doing with the Nexus stick and those that like a more mid kick stick will likely like it as well.

I'm very interested in getting them in. I was told as early as August.

[adam14 182]

Didn't Franklin make an air core blade on an ops at one point? It was copper colored.

[chippa13 1844]

If I recall correctly, the Franklin was an air core shaft and the blade was still solid.

[NazHockey94 0]

I have a pro stock spear constant or SC as it is on the stick. Not sure how I feel about it, its definitely different than a flex point stick. I'd have to try it in a lower flex.

[Wolfpack_1986 146]

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/60231-ccm-rbz-powered-by-taylormade/page__view__findpost__p__923471

Read the last paragraph of this post.

Never claimed the stick would be crap. But I'm not buying their marketing.

[raganblink 82]

Saw the RBZ today and what they're doing does, theoretically, make some sense. The blade is not completely hollow, but has ribs through it making channels in the blade. In this way it can feel solid, while getting rid of the foam and allow for the rebound they're talking about on heavy impacts (such as shooting) while not so much on lighter impacts such as stickhandling and passing.

The flex profile of the shaft is also slightly different than what is out now. It will be a constant flex profile so there are no real engineered flex points and it will just flex wherever it needs to flex based on where your hands are. This can allow for more loading and increased velocity, while possibly decreasing the super quick release from a low kick.

Some who like the real low kick sticks may not like this feel, however, it sounds much of like what they're doing with the Nexus stick and those that like a more mid kick stick will likely like it as well.

I'm very interested in getting them in. I was told as early as August.

It did sound a lot like the Nexus in terms of the flex profile of the stick. The blade technology and what its supposed to do makes a ton of sense. I got to stick handle a bit with it and feel was better then the CL imo. Not Easton feel, but not some dead blade either. What our rep was saying though is honestly most people in the pros give two spits about the feel.. They don't have enough time to stick handle anyways. Receive pass and get rid of it ASAP.

I think you'll start to see a lot of kids who "take the chance" on the stick, and end up loving it and staying with it. Same thing we've noticed with kids who decided to pick up the AI9/7 stick this last season and didn't switch again.

[Harv 86]

You can say the white is blending in a little..