CCM U+ Stick Break Help

[flyerman 0]

So it seems your options are to:

1) Send CCM's warranty dept. a fresh, well-crafted email explaining your (son's) situation with the breakage. You have nothing to lose. Maybe you'll get them on a good day, maybe not.

2) Since your son loved this stick so much, contact a composite stick repair co. like: www.stickfix.com/, as has been mentioned. This is a great option for such a new and expensive OPS.

Stickfixchaska is a MSH member up in MN and was extremely helpful when I inquired about having my favorite OPS repaired. At the time he quoted me $65 for repairing a SR stick, so a JR stick might be cheaper. Send him a PM.

3) While the stick is being repaired (or while CCM graciously honors the post-warranty claim and mails you a replacement), check out JR. shafts and blades on closeout. HM has a bunch for cheap, plus this way your son can experiment with different blades without breaking the bank, so to speak:

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/clearance-shafts1.html

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/clearance-blades.html

Although I still think kids are best off using wood sticks, Chad made some great points about the benefits of flexing a comp vs. wood stick, plus the benefits of simply adding a plug when they outgrow the shaft. I still think $150 is overkill as others have suggested, but I am pretty old school when it comes to gear and sticks for kids.

Goodguy, good luck, good night.

[NorrisContender 4]

Just sent in a broken U+ and after reading this thread I felt obligated to share my experience. The blade broke within the 30 day warranty period. The Reebok/CCM customer service was kind and prompt. It was less than a week from shipping the broken stick to hearing back that they will ship me a new one. They don't have Ovechkin's in stock so they offered me a different pattern if I didn't want to wait. I elected to wait.

Sorry to hear about the luck of the OP but you have to respect the policy as written. If you really have decided to swear off CCM I hope you are able to find something your son likes just as much.

[goodguy 7]

Flyerman and others who have responded. Thanks so much for the advice. Great ideas and some I have not thought of.

I decided to HOPE it was a fluke thing and buy him another U+ (exact same stick). I realize I said I would essentially boycott CCM but after listening to your responses, I decided it is just something I will have to be ready for (sticks break) and hope it doesn't happen again. Anyway, I could not go searching around for a competing brand/pattern when I knew how well this one worked for him.

So CCM has $300 of my money and I hope I don't have another incident in 35 days...lol

He used the replacement (exact same as the first) stick in practice today and again...amazing shots, hitting the net, hitting the goalies facemask (litle too high IMO bu these are litle guys so they are below the crossbar anyway). Again, I was amazed at the difference between his old backup stick (RBK 4k) and the other stick he tried (Warrior Dolo draper) he used while I was about CCM.

Can't figure out if it is the Lie, flex, kickpoint, the U+ itself or what but it is a HUGE difference. And it is not just the shots, it is the receiving, giving passes, stickhandling...everything just appear to be so much better. So good for hium as he has his favortite stick back.

I really wish I knew what it was so I could replicate the results with a cheaper stick (should he break it again) - can't go buying $150 sticks all the time.

I have looked at the Jr vs Intermediate vs senior patterns and noticed a big difference in things like face angle etc. Wonder if jumping to intermediate when the time is right is going to be like starting all over as the openess of the face seems different. Do the mfrs. just not care that much about Junior sticks or is that the norm.?

Thanks to everybody for the advice. We will see how it goes.

[Ahriman 1]

Can't figure out if it is the Lie, flex, kickpoint, the U+ itself or what but it is a HUGE difference. And it is not just the shots, it is the receiving, giving passes, stickhandling...everything just appear to be so much better. So good for hium as he has his favortite stick back.

I really wish I knew what it was so I could replicate the results with a cheaper stick (should he break it again) - can't go buying $150 sticks all the time.

I wish I could tell you as well, my shots were night and day after I got my U+; though I might actually have an answer for you in the coming weeks I picked up a v10 in the same pattern and the closest flex I could find since an identical one wasn't on the shelves.

[Rustpot 1]

Goodguy - buy him a Vector 8 next time in the same curve and flex, then see if he can't shoot for beans anymore. That will tell you if it's the stick or the specs that are doing it for him.

[flyerman 0]

Good idea. In the meantime look into getting his broken one repaired so he has it as a back-up. I think it's definitely worth the investment.

Although I was (am still am a bit) skeptical at first, your son and you clearly see improved results from using this stick. I would consider writing a nice letter to CCM saying just that, including a caveat about the first stick breaking just after warranty and their CS response. I doubt it will get you a replacement stick, but it's worth 20 minutes of your time since you invested another $150 in their product after swearing them off for good, and may make you feel some resolution.....esp when this one breaks on day 31! :lol:

And finally, regardless of what anyone (including me) thinks about you spending so much on a nine-year old, it's great you take such an interest in his hockey and support him the way you do. Good luck to you and to your son!

[goodguy 7]

Thanks Flyerman - it is really a fun thing to see my boys be a part of a team. Work hard, have fun and learn some quality life lessons.

Having played many sports to a moderately high level in my youth, I feel there is no better sport than Hockey to learn from.

I am still skeptical regarding the success he is having with a simple stick change. And I'm certian is it not just some mental boost from having a cool new stick.

His coach commented about how he has never seen such a complte change in a players ability due to equipment. He said he is not normally the type to ever say equipment mater that much but in this case he is blown away by the difference. We are guessing it is the lie of the stick (but i'm sure it is the whole combination of factors that make me hesitant try to go cheaper).

I'm still pissed a bit that this happened, I never wanted to be "tied in" to expensive gear for them.

Perhaps I will try to get a vector 8 but one of his old stick was a Vector (somthing or other Recchi curve I think) and he didn't have much of a shot to with that stick.

Everybody always said, "man your kid is so big and strong...he should be shooting the hell out of the puck" But it wasn't till he started using the U+ (on sort fo a fluke) that his shot emerged and is making people notice say "wow". I know I sound way too interested in this but it is fun to see him have some recognition for how hard he works at (and loves) the game and to develop some identity as the kid who can shoot hard.

Sort of hard to believe the stick should matter as we are always taught "it is not the equipment..." I am in no way saying the equipment is a replacement for training and practice. But in this case he went from an ok shot to the best, hardest shot in the league with just a change of stick. It was funny, I was standing at the glass duing his tournament games this weekend watching the warmup and he was shooting (hitting the net/glass/goilie in the head) hard hard shots - and some guy next to me said "holy shit, did you see that...that kid is a beast" not knowing that was my kid. So I'm having fun with it right now and had to laugh knowing how much that fricking shot is costing me.

[Rustpot 1]

Perhaps I will try to get a vector 8 but one of his old stick was a Vector (somthing or other Recchi curve I think) and he didn't have much of a shot to with that stick.

I was using a stick with too high of a flex in a mid curve, as soon as I got some low flex heel sticks my shot was a ton better. I find the lie, curve and flex to matter a lot more than the stick brand. The brand and model has more fine tuning aspects like feel, durability, torque, flex location/loading and whatnot that takes more of a back seat to how you handle things, in my opinion.

[Cannon12 0]

Goodguy - I also have a monster of a nine year old, and is also a defenceman. He has been using a one95 Lindros curve and has absolutely beat the hell out of it and its still going stong. Maybe something to consider. (Now that being said, it'll probably explode into 7 pieces next time he catches a pass)