nnguyen

There are two OVI curves this year, the Crazy OVI and the regular OVI (which you have). The Crazy OVI is the super open faced one that he actually uses.

CCM U+ CL - 8.5D Foot size - normal width forefood, flat footed, normal heel Play twice a week Last skate worn: Reebok 9K (2009) 9D and NBH Vapor XXV 9EE I've been skating on these for about 3 months now. Was looking to replace my 9K's as the heel lock was deteriorating as the air bladder would no longer hold air. I chose the U+ CL as the CCM fit fits my foot fairly well and was fully mold-able, which is what I was looking for. Fit (10/10) ----------- Out of the box, relatively decent fit. But after getting the skates baked, everything fit like a glove. All the negative space was mitigated by the bake. Heel lock is not an issue as there is plenty of U-foam to lock everything in place. Surprisingly, the U+ CL fits pretty close to my Nike Bauer Vapor XXV in a EE width, with a bit better heel lock. Pretty decent volume skate for my foot. I haven't tried on a skate where I've failed the pencil test, but then again, I haven't tried that many skates on either. Bauer Supremes One100s were the other skate I tried on during this period and those fit relatively well in a D width. The liner is quite comfortable and so is the foot bed, which is also made of U-Foam. I don't necessarily feel a huge difference with the U-Foam footbed a regular footbed, my feet have never been that picky. Width is usually my issue, and the skates, once baked, offered a perfect fit with no pain whatsoever. Blade/Holder (8/10) ------------------- Going from the 9K to the U+ CL, well.....no difference there. I've always like the E-Pro holders more than the Tuuks as I feel like the Tuuks put you on your heels. But that's just a matter of preference. The reason for the 8/10 is the blade to me doesn't retain its edge for a very long time. I skate on a 9/16 hollow, but I can feel the edge becoming dull within 1-2 games. I definitely get them sharpened after the second game. Once this blade is done, I'll probably try Step Steel to see if there's a difference. The skate did also come with Rocket Runners, which I may give a try as well. Weight (8.5/10) --------------- Crazy Light.......not really. But the skate is not heavy either. I really don't feel the difference on my feet actually. Things that affect my skating are typically the pants or girdle that I'm wearing, not the weight of the skate (as long as they don't weigh a ton, I'm good to go). Protection (9/10) ----------------- No skate to me will ever get a 10/10. Based on my recent experiences, this skate is a tank. My 9K's protection was non-existent and the few times I took a few pucks to the side of the foot in the Reeboks, it definitely felt like someone had just taken a sledge hammer to my foot. I've taken a few pucks to the foot in the new U+ CL's and you don't feel much really. I do need to clarify that I'm not the type to block slap shots (unless I'm getting paid to play, you can't expect that kind of dedication from me), but I will attempt to block passes with my foot/legs, wrist shots to a certain extent. These make me a bit more comfortable thinking that I won't have to hobble back to the bench if I take one to the side of the foot. Durability (10/10 so far) ------------------------- These are tanks. The surlyn outter has held up very well. No delamination that my Reeboks experienced. Everything feels like it was built to last. These are made in Canada, so I'm sure their QA process may be a bit more stringent than the U+12 that are made in China (only an assumption, I don't know for a fact). But as it is right now, no noticeable wear on the skate other than puck marks on the holders. Performance (10/10) ------------------- Here's where I have been able to notice a huge difference and how it has improved my skating: stiffness. The stiffness of this skate is what I love about it most. I love the fact that it immediately reacts to whatever I'm attempting to do on the ice. There's no lag between thought and execution. And this reason is why I will probably never consider purchasing a softer skate ever a again. Overall Assessment ------------------ The CCM U+ CL is an amazing skate, period. Would it be comparable to the Bauer TotalOne or Easton offerings? I don't know as I haven't skated in those yet. But I do know that it is a much better skate than the White Reebok 9K's that I have, and they are slightly better than my NBH Vapor XXV (The U+ CL's feel better from a comfort standpoint and don't make me feel like I'm on my heels). Bottom line is, if you're looking for a top of the line skate, give the U+ CL a shot. At which point, I think it all boils down to fit and preference.

CCM U+ CL Grip (2011 retail version) Curve: Tavares Flex: 100 Previous sticks: Easton EQ50, Reebok 10K, Warrior AK27, Bauer X:60 shaft/Warrior Dolo blade, Warrior Dolo Shaft/Easton S16 Blade Height: 6ft Weight: 200lbs Position: LW/Center Using since May 2011. Flex (10/10): ----------- Flex is as advertised. Been using it for the past month or so, flex has not changed over time. Will update if anything changes Feel (10/10): ------------ Great feel! This stick makes stick handling as intuitive as......driving a Lotus around the track. There's no need to ever wonder where the puck is, you will always know where it is on your blade. You think it, then simply execute. Receiving passes don't feel "tin-y" or "ping-y", soft feel but has a lot of pop for shots. Also, C-Contoured shaft is pretty much a traditional shaft. Really liking it. Did not like the first iteration of the U+ CL, was too rounded. Also, the grip is not overly grippy, which I like as well. Hands move well along the shaft to move from stick handling to shooting. The blade is also very thin, compared to some other sticks. This thin blade does enhance feel, but does affect durability (more below). Balance (9/10): --------------- A tiny bit blade heavy. Nothing you would likely notice as the stick itself is already really light. I do not feel much of a difference between the EQ50 and the U+ CL in terms of balance. Aesthetics (10/10): ------------------- It's not a Warrior Dolomite, which is great. I don't need a bedazzled dragon on my hockey stick. Durability (6/10): ------------------ This is my only gripe with this stick (and with CCM/Reebok for this matter), the blades on these sticks always fall apart at the toe for me. Doesn't necessarily affect playability, but I'd like to know that my blade will not start chipping/cracking at the toe after my first shift. Have had to start taping the toe (no big deal), but this was an issue with my Reebok 10K as well. If there was one thing I would change about this stick, would be to add a little more carbon fiber on the blade. Overall: -------- It's hard to put a score on the overall stick, because I simply love how it plays. My gripe with the blade still would not prevent me from picking up a few more as I do prefer this stick to the EQ50 from a overall perspective. Shooting, passing, handling, it does everything just a tiny bit better than the EQ50, except for receiving passes, where I find the EQ50 has a slight edge there. But overall, I would highly recommend this stick to any forwards out there. The "Crazy Light" does make the stick extremely light, but barely noticeable if you're already playing with top of the line retail sticks. What does make this stick stand apart is puck feel and shooting. So if you're the type to dangle and shoot a lot, this stick is for you.