MLSman

Nice! I used to be a big ol school grip liner fiend myself, but the new hydrophobic grip liner they are using in the TOs dry MUCH faster and are as good as the older grip liner with preventing slippage. My skates are usually dry in an hour, after using a small towel to dry the inside of the toecap. St Jerome turnaround was 3 weeks for my two pair...I am still amazed at how fast they showed up. Did you get the added minicel foam? The little extra padding goes a long way with comfort. I did go with the reflex tongue, and I like it...but time will tell if I decide to modify mine with the same traditional tongue. Been using mine for almost two months...fit like a glove after the first two skates and I never had to bake them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy mine. Plan on putting new pics after two months in the long term review.

I see the point. It is not about depth. the 90/50 and the 100/50 are equal in terms of depth....just the length of the flat bottom is modified. In testing, you have seen no variance in the friction coefficient of having a longer blade angle vs a shorter blade angle? There has to be some, but because it is so minor it must be marginal at worst. The physics of this is the most interesting aspect to me. Keep up the good work...this is a true case of how trig and calculus is practically applied.

Wait...I thought it would. He complained about the inability to stop. Would that be affected with a ROH with more bite? Why would he want to go to a deeper bite if the bite angle affects stopping? His issue was not about glide...it was about difficulties stopping. You know your stuff for sure...just looking for clarification of why a deeper bite would be advantageous vs working towards less bite. I was always under the impression with a traditional ROH that the goal was to graduate to a shallower hollow. Is this different with the FBV?

Hey bud...you might actually want to do the opposite. As your skills increase, the goal is not to go to a deeper hollow...it would make more sense to go to a shallower hollow. Shallow increases glide. The key is to find balance with the ability to turn and cut with increased glide. The challenge is to graduate from a 90/75 to a 90/50.

Very nice...simple. I like the look of a single color on the Franchise. Tempted to do a pair of all black Hossa's with the CHI red replaced with MSH yellow...all tufftek with the carbon pinky.

Eventhough McPhee adamantly denies the deal.... Volchenkov would be a welcomed addition to the Caps to solidify the D. They need D men that actually know how to play D. This will be an interesting off season starting July 1 for defensemen.

Aw yeah...."it's got the crunch with punch"

Me too homes...those warriors look fantastic but to have a pair of CP92 Eagles in the 13 +1 fingers short cuff in classic MTLs....curses Eagle for killing the CP92!

Uh....yeah. Ask JR...it ain't pretty. 3 Macbook pros, a Quad core 8GB server running Windows 2008 R2, and a NetApp SAN at home. I got issues...but since that is my profession, that spending can be justified. My gear habit however....

No. The CCM U+ runs 1/2" smaller and at least a size wider than the X60. You would need the 8EA x60.

Anyone is the DC/VA area doing FBV yet? Kettler? Ashburn?

Nothing too earth shattering...only thing catching my eye are the CLs in the Islanders colors. I want somma dose.

Sorry buddy, but the analogy is like comparing apples to oranges, so most people are correct. This IS my industry, so yes we can be a bit corrective when inaccuracies are used as comparisons. You are comparing an enterprise OEM license agreement with a Dell company per se...that will receive 75-80% discounts because they are licensing in the hundreds of thousands for a line of laptops...to your individual purchase of a retail OS. That's not even close. Enterprise license agreements absorb a significant amount of the R&D cost of the OS strictly due to the overwhelming volume that large hardware manufacturer's agree to purchase. This comparison would hold (somewhat) true in the hockey industry if the entire NHL were to enter into enterprise level contracts vs team contracts with equipment manufacturers. Much more of the R&D cost would be absorbed by that volume. All that said...the individual is absorbing the TOTAL cost of R&D as well as markup cost from the reseller when purchasing a skate at retail for a new item, much like the individual does when procuring Windows 7 at retail. When buying a laptop, you are the beneficiary of an enterprise OEM license agreement with the manufacturer of the system. There are very few comparisons, other than team contracts, that compare...but again there is nothing even remotely close to the sheer volume in the IT industry vs the hockey industry.

At the MSH skate, both the EQ5 skates and the ST stick caught my eye. I damn near had the EQ5 in my hand for almost a half-hour. Looks like an interesting skate. Still not thrilled about the inability to do customs...that really is a major factor in considering a pair of skates with my long ass, high arch, narrow heel foot. The ST stick however will be in the budget plan for 2010. It had a really balanced feel, was nice and light, and had the matte finish that I really like in high end sticks. I am so glad I don't have to whip out the black matte spray paint anymore.

+1 for me too. Now that S&S is gone in Utica, the closest to me is McKie's in Syracuse, and that is almost 1.5 hours away. They keep consistent hours and have a very good selection, but I am at the point that retail stuff other than the odds and ends are just not up to snuff with pro stock gear I can get at the same price or less online...and I just can't deal with people that have no clue about equipment. Benji is really good there and their skate guy is good too, so I only go to them.

UPDATE: Three months later, I am still using the original CL from the first review. It is still retaining its stiffness, and feels the same as when I first used it. There are a few war wounds but no overwhelming chipping or cracking. The more I use it...the less I even try to use anything else. I plan to pick a few more up...especially when the Isles colors are released, since I use the Tavares curve.

Product: CCM U+ Pro 2009 (Reloaded) Height: 6' 2" Weight: 160 Foot Size: 13 sneaker, 12 shoe Level and use: 2-3 times a week, high level pickup play Previous Skates: Vapor XXXX custom, One95, Vapor X:60 Background: I was debating on the skate I wanted for some time. After to speaking with the zen master of fittings and looking at different skates in the market, the decision was made to do a pure custom U+ boot to my requirements. So, a L8.5, R8.25 C/AA with pro stiff package, extra ankle padding, a 5/8" pro felt tongue, and no pre-drilled holes/holders were on the order. To my surprise, after a snafu on the stiffness, the second set came with a micro-nash liner. It compares to a single layer nash palm you would see on a pair of pro stock gloves. Fit: Um...custom. :) After baking, there wasn't a hint of negative space in the boot. Almost everything I have ever worn in the past had some space in the width of the midfoot and the toecap. In this case...none. This does take a while to get used to, as your foot now has a "sock like" feel, so I could feel more of the boot than I ever did before. It takes about 3-4 skates in the boot for it to truly form after the baking, and leads to an amazing responsiveness. The only way I can describe it is that my feet now do what my brain tells them to do. 10/10 Blade/holder: I am not a big fan of the E-pro...just personal preference, not anything against the holder. I have worn LS2s since they come with most skates in the Bauer lines, but was always more of a fan of the TUUK Custom+. Since I have switched to defense as my primary position, I really like the -1/32 position the holder puts me in. Because I had two sets brand new, the zen master agreed on this decision and was honored to pop those on for me. Great move on our part. I will not give a rating here...just a recommendation that when it comes to building your very own custom skate...except no alternatives and use what you like. Weight/protection: I did not get a chance to "weigh" these with the extra stiffness and padding in the ankles, but the difference in the retail skate in the same size is completely unnoticeable. Needless to say, these are by far the lightest skates I have ever owned. Playing defense, I have taken at least two shots right on the inside arch...and never felt a thing. The Surlyn exterior in combination with the pro stiffness certainly lends itself to an amazingly protective quarter. 10/10 Durability: After about 15 uses on one pair, and about 3 uses on the second...there are no signs of wear. With the nash liner, I was expecting it to wear faster than the traditional liner, but to my surprise I see no signs of any fraying or ripping. This boot is very well made. I do take extreme care of my equipment, so I hang and dry everything to prevent rust and mold. Both skates look brand new. 10/10 Intangibles: This isn't your everyday retail off the shelf skate. The attention to detail in the craftsmanship shows from the perfect spacing of the toecap to the quarters, the outsole, glue, stitching, eyelets, and the tongues. I want to personally thank whoever made these skates for me...they truly take pride in their work. These skates could last me about 2-3 years with heavy use. The zen master and I were in awe of the "pro spread" I had with the fit...the perfect lace spacing like you see in the big show. We got a kick out of that. 10/10 Conclusion: CCM made a convert out of me. Special thanks to JR, Cory from CCM, and everyone that made these skates worth the wait. This experience proves that although you might think you know what's best for you...you should listen to experienced people and be willing to take advice. I am glad I did. Overall: 10/10

David...we are all pretty happy to find out how it felt looking up at the scoreboard watching YOUR goal on the rafters....that had to feel... Amazing Streit's ankles must be killing him right now.

Not true. Many of us that wear visors wear it because we just can't get used to the cage, and full shields were too hard to prevent from fogging. I wore an Itech II full through high school and in college during the season, and switched to the half shield in the summer at that time. I could never get used to the cage. I have taken many a stick and puck to the chin. I bear the scars from my decision, but choose to live with the consequences.

Bang! Cracks the scoresheet.... 1 goal and 1 helper after 2....looks great today.

Leave it to Drew to quiet the crowd....but beware....JR and I will be bringing the 100 pack of Salada to tea bag the weak in December....

CCM U+ CL Flex: 87 Curve: Tavares Left Height: 6' 2" Weight: 150 Postition: D/LW Time-frame of use: Since July Aesthetics: Well put together. The matte sand grip surface is really good for holding on to the stick with little effort. I like the blue and black graphics...simple and tasteful. 10/10 Weight and Balance: Um....this is what the CL is all about. "Crazy light" might sound gimmicky, but this stick seriously feels like it should be weighed in micrograms. For such a light stick, it is very well balanced. An argument could be made that the stick is a little too light...but not from me. 10/10 Blade: The original U+ had a durability issue with the heel of the blade. The composite bridge material would chip away quickly, and would expose the hollow blade. This doesn't seem to be an issue in the CL. The blade is holding up very well. 10/10 Shaft/Flex: Shaft is well balanced and has maintained its flex with about 5 or 6 heavy uses. It feels like a spot on 85....almost reminds me of the feather-lite Easton shaft. 10/10 Stickhandling and Passing: Stickhandling has been a ton of fun with the stick, as the weight really makes it easy to dangle with the puck. Passing has been great...real crisp release and simple to float passes. The energy dampening system does make the feel of the puck consistent regardless of the velocity of a pass. 10/10 Shooting: Wow. This is where this stick is like no other. My slappers and one timers have been insane. I have had issues with other tapered shafts, as the low kickpoint affected the speed and accuracy. I traditionally prefer traditional middle kickpoint shafts for shooting consistency. This is the first tapered shaft that has exceeded my expectations. I attribute a significant amount of this to the increase in swing speed from the weight. This is the one area where light really does matter. 10/10 Durability: No loss of stiffness, no chipping, no cracking...the stick still looks new. The sand grip finish is holding up really well. This isn't like the original U+. 10/10 Conclusion: I have been very critical of CCM with the original U+. When I first had the chance to see this stick at the Modsquad skate last year, CCM was very adamant about how different the stick was. In fact, the rep said "this is the best stick CCM has ever made". That's a bold statement for a company with their history, but he made a strong enough argument to have my attention. After using it for two months I have to say the CL is the best stick I have ever used. Right now, it's got my vote for product of the year by a landslide...that is until I get my skates! :P 10/10

True...if you are the small guy trying to enforce an NDA with the big boys. But take a look a the suit between Lockheed, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman right now. It's all over an NDA, and the agreement is being enforced by the courts. NDAs are more enforceable than teaming agreements...those aren't worth the paper they're written on.

I think some people out in this forum forget that there are these thing called laws and lawyers...and in many cases companies have no issues exercising their option to use them to their advantage. In many cases people are bound by an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) which states that I will tell you some of my secrets and give you some pictures....but I will sue the crap out of you if you don't keep your mouth shut. We usually don't mean to be assholes about things like that, but we also don't want to go broke because of idiots that don't use common sense about these things. Any information about a product before it's general release is ALWAYS under a form of an NDA. So those that have those agreements in place will most likely not break them....especially in a public forum....LIKE THIS ONE! When someone asks to stop posting pictures of pre-release items...it's not because he or she doesn't want you to know.