CCM 19K elbow pad question

[FrontYardSpecial 0]

Hi everyone, long time lurker here. Did several searches and couldn't find any definitive info on the subject. 

Long story short, I was shopping for elbow pads and after a bunch of research settled on a pair of CCM 19K pros. Love them. 

Anyways, after light use (stick and puck, pickup once or twice a week) the fabric has begun to tear/pile in high wear/friction areas. See attached pictures.

I know the Jofa/RBK variants of this elbow pad are very popular but I have never read or heard about wear like this in my research. Is this considered normal? Can't say I've experienced it with any other elbow pads I've used but it's something I'd like to address before it gets any worse. 

My initial thought was an iron on patch but I don't want to risk melting the foams/plastics. Stitching doesn't really seem to be an option either.

Perhaps I'm being too OCD? Should I just shut up and deal with it? Thanks in advance. 

[gosinger 122]

Hey Front, welcome to the posting side of MSH.

It is interesting that you have wear on the outside of the elbow area, when this is tough "external" fabric rather than the more soft "internal" liner is ok. If you keep the biceps trap loose it might reduce the amount of rubbing in those areas (most ppl I know with those elbows keep the biceps as loose as possible and even slide the shoulder pads biceps guard into the the gap).

Wrt adding some patches, I've had great success with a flexible glue to fix additional velcro to the forearm of my Jofas, so you be able to simply glue some patches in place if you're concerned about the heat from ironing.

Stitching with the speedy stitcher does work but is too much work in this area (you might have to "pre-drill" small holes to be able to sew through the plastic).

[Cosmic 178]

7 hours ago, FrontYardSpecial said:

I know the Jofa/RBK variants of this elbow pad are very popular ... (truncated) 

Yes and no. Yours are made in China. The Jofas that have the great rep are the ones made in Sweden. If you hang around Sports2K long enough, then you will see that the Jofa porn guys hold "Made in Sweden" in the highest regard.

Years ago, I think the factory in Sweden shut down, or all retail ops got moved to China, or sth (someone else can chime in with history if you care). At that time, the materials coming out of the Sweden factory were all top notch as far as protection and quality, but a bit heavy/ bulky/ not as mobile as today's top retail gear.

Still, these items are in heavy use by the pros (elbows and shins especially, you can see about half the pros are in old, banged up Jofa gear that looks to be from the Sweden era), but for most of us beer leaguers, we can get by with the newer/ lighter/ not quite as tank'ish/ durable gear. So, personally, I would not jump on CCM 19K, unless maybe I was playing full contact and had an equipment manager at the ready who could sew stuff up for me.

I do not think you are being OCD at all. I think you had misplaced, high expectations, and am not really surprised by your experience. Make sure it says "Made in Sweden" if you want to try again, for the vintage/ retro experience that I think you seek. (I am in STX Surgeon 500 elbows- they suit me fine in terms of mobility/ durability, and I have taken some hard colisions and falls on them- if I could change one thing, I'd want them to be lighter but my guess is they are lighter than anything JOFA/ 19K).

[FlyChicaga 21]

I did a ton of research on elbows and shins before I purchased, and went with shins first. I ended up getting CCM Tacks Ultra Pro shins on eBay for $60 new, which I couldn't pass up. They are flat out amazing. I stand in shooting lanes on D and I take shots off my shins all the time. So when it came time to get elbows, I started looking hard at some pro stock Ultra Pro Tacks, and ended up grabbing them new off eBay for $140. I couldn't find new CCM 19Ks for under $175 new. I'm extremely happy with that decision, because I keep hearing stories about durability like you're sharing now.

Personally, if I was you, I'd consider parting with the 19Ks while you still can (before they're totally trashed), and look at some high-end retail elbows. Especially the Ultra Tacks. The ones I have are the long version, which go all the way to my cuff on my gloves. Extremely protective and comfortable. They took a full game to break in a bit, since they were stiff.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

Simple answer is no.  That is not normal for the amount of use you describe.

[FrontYardSpecial 0]

Really appreciate the feedback everyone. For now I'll probably try to apply a repair patch with flexible glue as suggested to keep the wear to a minimum. I'll also keep an eye on Surgeon 500 and Tacks elbows pads (especially since the new Tacks line is coming out soon). 

[kmfdm86 112]

FWIW, I've had good luck repairing fabric damage on hockey equipment with shoe goo. It's pretty sturdy.

[Monty22 821]

It looks like the made in china model (or at least your example) has a less durable fabric cover than what has been traditional seen on Jofa pads.  If you are going to keep them , A white iron on patch would probably look best and provide some wear resistance. If you use a thin fabric cover between the iron and the pad and follow the instructions you shouldn't damage the pads.   

[cbhockey22 5]

What are the sizing recommendations for these? I have old Jofas but the tag has worn and I can no longer read what size they are as a reference should I want to replace them. Assuming they fit similarly, of course. I think they were Large, but just can’t remember 15+ years later. Is a Large 6’0”+, 6’2”+, etc?

[swede 45]

I would actually not do anything.. To me, thats just cosmetic and does not effect how the elbow pad protects you.. 

most pros have some piece of gear that is held togerher with hockey tape..

[Vet88 673]

No, he needs to fix it. That mesh should be holding in a pad, once the wear gets too bad the pad slips out and you end up losing it. Any of the prior recommendations should work, something that covers the gap and stops further wear is the aim. a stitch in time is an apt proverb.

Edited June 3, 2018 by Vet88

[swede 45]

Huh.. is that piece of padding loose inside the mesh? I thought it was one big piece of foam that wraps all around the elbow/forearm with extra added foam for greater slash protection where the tear is? 

If the foam is loose inside, it would be the first time ever ive seen this... My old RBK/Jofa 7K had allmost all mesh teared to pieces but the soft elbow cap and all padding around the forearm were still there.. 

Edited June 3, 2018 by swede
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[MilleniumFalcon 5]

what did you expect from chinese stuff...this is definitely not an old good swedish jofa