CCM Vector 10 Shoulder pads

[Chadd 916]

Open for review

[Goonsquad 209]

2007 CCM Vector 10 Shoulder pad

Worn Approximately 6 months. Size L/XL

Fit: 4/10 - The vest portion is comprised of a left and right torso plates and a floating sternum guard. The left and right torso plates are sewn together in the back with two pieces of 1 – 1/2” inch nylon webbing. Covering this area is a raised flexible plastic spine protector. The torso plates are connected in the front with 2 pieces of 1 - ½” wide elastic bands. A floating sternum plate covers the gap here. Two 1 - ½” elastic side straps are sewn to the back of the vest and attaches to the front with Velcro.

The neck area on the jacket is pretty tight from side to side. Front and back area seems to be a bit wider. There are adjustable pads attached with Velcro that take away some of the gap on the sides. Total adjustment in this area is roughly ¾”.

The rear of the vest is contour to fit around the side and back of the torso. This feels very nice. The front of the vest seems a bit stiff and lies pretty flat. And only contours with the side straps are attached. It does not fall into place nicely.

Width-wise, the pads fit me pretty well. There are two parts that protect the shoulder area, the shoulder cap and the shoulder/bicep pad. I was kind of disappointed in the adjustment of the shoulder/bicep pad. The shoulder/bicep pad is attached the vest by two straps, one is elastic while the other is nylon. The elastic strap is sewn towards the front /top of the shoulder/bicep pad. The nylon strap is run through nylon loop sewn to the vest. The nylon loop offers about 2 inches of forward to back movement. The nylon strap attaches to itself with Velcro. The shoulder caps protrude the most from front to back. They are attached to the vest with ¾” nylon webbing.

Overall the fit is fine for the amount of protection the pads provide, but could be better.

Protection: 9/10. Tons of protective armor is on this pad. I suspect if you are going to take a hit or give one, these will take the abuse. The shoulder, clavicle, sternum, spine, and kidney areas are protected well. The pad offers a lot of layered protection to cover gaps as well as protecting critical areas.

Weight: 6/10 Weighing in at about 3 lbs 8 oz not bad with the amount of protection.

Durability: 9/10 I will give these pads high marks. The materials used on this set of pads seem very durable, but take it with a grain of salt since they have only been word for 6 months.

Intangibles: 4/10 The anti microbial fabric does reduce a lot of smell generated from bacteria growing on the pad. The toughest part to dry out is the area underneath the sternum pad and the vest.

With all the protection, this pad acts like a piece of insulation. I did not think about the ventilation when purchasing the pads. When wearing this set during the summer I was breaking a sweat when gearing up. Not a good sign for the pads. During the colder months It was not as bad, but then again you want to be warmer at that point.

The elastic straps connecting the forward torso plates, I feel, work against the side straps. If the design was to have the right and left torso plate on the vest adjustable, I think a more pro-active adjustment method should have been used (Lacing, Velcro straps, etc)

I do not understand the design of the shoulder/bicep pad attachment. On the one hand, the nylon webbing run through a loop on the vest that attaches to itself is supposed to offer some sort of adjustment but any adjustment that is made is countered by the elastic strap that also connects this pad to the vest.

The shoulder cap sitting on top covering the gap gives it a bulky feel to it. The attachment points for the cap will let the cap flop around when not wearing a jersey. It’s a bit of a nuisance.

Conclusion: Total: 32/50 Avg: 6/10

Although I feel these pad offer tons of protection, the intangibles, weight and fit really hurt it. The pad has a lot of plastic in it and a good amount of layered protection. The bad part of layering the protection is the weight, fit, and ventilation. I feel that the smaller neck opening also hurt the ventilation of the pad.

[1stLiner91 0]

5'11, 145 lbs, first month in midgets AAA, Left Wing. 15 yrs old.

CCM V10.0 Shoulder Pads.

Fit: Very comfortable, seems like i have unlimited mobility. The straps on the side make the pads "hug" my chest, since i don't like loose pads, they're perfect. Straps on the arms are the same, sorta loose but that's my fault, I need to build up the guns. :P 10/10

Protection: Protection is superb, been hit by pucks, sticks and the ice and never got a bruise. Compared to my old RBK 3k shoulder pads (which whenever i got hit hard into the boards or ice i couldn't breathe almost) I don't feel a thing. 10/10

Weight: Although, they're not that light. The weight doesn't bother me at all. They seem to be a bit lighter than Farrell shoulder pads. 8/10

Durability: Had these for about a month and a half, I play 5-6 times per week. They're holding up really well since I go through shoulder pads pretty well, they stitching on a leather piece where (located by the "C" that goes on my jersey) it connects the chest piece and arm piece is starting to "un-stitch". It's ok, because there's another piece that connects the two. for durability: 9.5/10

Overall: I just love these, planning to keep them until the Warrior Hustler comes out since Im a Warrior freak. They could use a little bit more breathability. 9.5/10

[uclahockey707 1]

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 180

Hockey Experience: ACHA

2009 V10 CCM Shoulder Pads

Wear Time: 1 year (only for full contact hockey)

Fit: 8.5/10

This is what really attracted me to these pads. I was tired of wearing shoulder pads that looked like something Brian Urlacher wears on Sundays. These are by far the most low profile and protective pads I've ever worn. I love the fact that they don't have huge shoulder caps, but rather a contoured pad that wraps the shoulder comfortably and makes moving in and out of traffic during games much easier. Overall, the fit is tight but not restrictive. The only minor issue I have is that sometimes during games the front of the pads might lift a bit and push the neck portion into my throat, which really is just a minor annoyance.

Protection: 9/10

Starting from the chest out, the central sternum pad has a primary plastic insert is very strong and has an additional adjustable portion attached to the bottom of it to cover the area between the pants and shoulder pads. The neck portion has a comfortable foam roll that wraps the whole neck area so that you really don't have to worry about being stabbed in the neck by a piece of plastic during you games. The back features a similar design as the front, sporting a central pad that covers the spine with a plastic insert as well. Finally, the shoulders feature a contoured shoulder cap that has an additional low profile pad the wraps around where it attacked to the main body of the pad. Overall, this pad is one of the best combination of protection, weight, and mobility.

Weight: 8/10

I usually wear a pair of Sherwood 5030 shoulder pads during my adult league games, and anyone who knows about those pads knows that they weigh close to nothing. So coming from the perspective of wearing those, these do weigh more and are not as breathable. But, that being said, these pads were one of the lightest of current top-of-the-line pads available on the market.

Durability: 9/10

CCM definitely did a fantastic job on these pads in terms of quality of material. With most pads, you see the velcro start to break down and minor rips and tears. But the combination of high quality nylon and very little plastic has made these pads age very little in the time I've owned them.

General Overview & Notes: 8.6/10

Some general notes first, these pads have taken a beating and hardly show it. It's pretty clear to me that they were made well and CCM put some effort into them. I run through equipment pretty fast so saying that these pads are durable to me really means a lot because I hate dropping money on protective gear every year.

Very little smell with these pads and they tend to dry pretty quickly.

Overall, a fantastic combination of lightweight materials and high quality protection. If you're in the market for a high-end pair of shoulder pads I can highly recommend them.

Thanks!

[AIREAYE 248]

edit: just realized I posted this in the wrong section, as I was using this as a template.. my bad. Check out the actual review when it's posted

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/59240-ccm-u-pro-shoulder-pads/

5'10"

135 lbs

Size : M

Background :

Coming from an old pair of Hespeler GX700s (probably a mid-end pad, something I picked up for cheap when I was doing my first round of gear buying 4 years ago) with absolutely HUGE shoulder caps, I decided this summer to upgrade to something with a bit more protection and lower-profile caps. Although I’m not playing contact hockey, I decided to go for a top-end pad anyways as being a thinner dude, I’ve been winded a few times when I crashed into the boards. The shoulder caps on the Hespelers made me look somewhat disproportioned too.

The U+ Pros are an evolution from CCMs old top-end Vector 10 pad, which (from what I’ve seen) saw use in the NHL; a testament to its quality and qualifications. The shoulder designs on the U+ Pro are unlike any other pad, featuring clavicle guards that cover the cap and angle down into the clavicle area. The caps themselves are also form fitted down, giving it a low-profile. There isn’t too much difference between the two, but never having tried the V10, I can’t really comment on the fit.

Fit/Comfort : 9.5/10

A disclaimer I should include here is that I fit perfectly (and should technically have purchased) into a size small, but decided to go up to a medium in order to have more spinal coverage since my Tacklas lack a spinal guard and I take some abuse when I’m in front of the net.

One aspect of fit that CCM changed in the Pro is the torso portion of the pad, which upon trying it on, immediately felt more anatomical as it hugs the body very well. Coverage is excellent as the shoulder caps and clavicle guard manage to cover the upper chest/armpit area without sacrificing mobility. The rib pads, removable belly guard and spine also provide excellent coverage. The plastic inserts in the bicep guards and the shoulder cap are all malleable, so it was a simple matter of bending them in a little bit to form better to my body; an added bonus in terms of comfort and protection. Overall the pad just feels RIGHT, with nearly everything conforming well to my chest and shoulders.

Protection : 9/10

Simply put, this pad offers what you would expect from a top-end pad; nothing more and nothing less. The way the shoulder caps/clavicle guard for around your shoulders and the pad itself to your torso respectively is the main focus that CCM put into this product. If a pad is better formed to one’s body, the less negative space there is, and upon impact, the force will be absorbed and dispersed in the pad and not towards your body. The main feature is the use of EPP (think high end helmet) foams in the spine and sternum instead of clunky plastic inserts and with this pad on, I felt little whenever I’d take a crosscheck in the back or even fall down backwards. The only drawback I found was that the rib wrap wasn’t as protective as other pads on the market. Perhaps CCM could’ve put some high density foams in there instead of the mid that’s in now. However, the amount of coverage they provide makes up for this little flaw. Overall, for a player playing non-contact, these guys more than do the job.

Mobility : 10/10

The low profile caps and the excellent way these pads fit really emphasize the mobility of these guys. The stretch materials around the sternum and spine, in addition to the bicep guards are definitely appreciated. For top end protection, the U+ Pros offer near-perfect mobility.

Weight : 10/10

Weight (provided that its not excessive) should not be an issue concerning shoulder pads, as they are so close to your centre of gravity. With the EPP protection though, these pads are very light. Though perhaps not as light as the X:60 or TotalOne, they’re definitely better than the 11K or Easton offerings.

Durability : 10/10

Granted, even though I have not spent a huge amount of time in these pads, there are absolutely no issues. They still look new.

Intangibles : 9/10

CCM didn’t change their liner in the Pro, opting to stay with the old Vector Dry material. While I’m not going to say that it’s ineffective, comparing it to other liners out there (Silver Shield, ThermoCore+ etc.) definitely leaves something to be desired. The pads dry quickly, but retain a bit of moisture after a game, even when I wore UnderArmour. I would recommend taking these out of the bag to air dry (everything should actually). No issues regarding odor, but again, I haven’t been using these guys for a long time.

While other pads have adjustable bicep guards (able to change height/length for coverage with elbow pads) often featuring Velcro straps, the U+ Pro technically does not. Instead, their bicep pads are attached to the shoulder via a stretch material, which, if fitted properly, shifts very well with the arm and can very well completely cover the gap between elbow pad and shoulder pad. With my elbow pads, I have no issues with overlap, even though I opted for a bigger size. However, the lack of the adjustment might be an issue for others.

I’ve seen many NHL players use these pads this season (with mods or not, doesn’t matter) and the fact that it can compete alongside the likes of RBK/Jofa definitely makes me more satisfied with my purchase.

Overall : 9.5/10

Perhaps the best shoulder pad I have ever tried on (hence the purchase), as I really appreciate the slick profile, the comfortable fit and range of mobility. However, please make sure you opt for your correct size so that it stays flush to your body where protection is at its max, especially if you play contact. I can’t wait to see what the CL pad offers; hopefully CCM continues to make its mark in protective and from what I’ve heard about the CL; they could very well ascend to the top soon.

Edited December 7, 2011 by AIREAYE