CCM U+ CL

[nnguyen 0]

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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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

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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.

[LeMagnifique66 0]

Product: CCM U+ Crazy Light Skates - Senior 8.5 D

Background: 6' 2", 180# - Forward

Fit (10/10): I found the CL to be one of the most comfortable skates out-of-the-box that I've ever tried on. I credit this to the skates being loaded with a ton of reactive foam and the fact that the boots are not "pre-molded" in any way. (By contrast, my previous skates were from the Bauer Supreme line. Obviously, they have an agressively shaped/contoured heel pocket right out of the box. This either fits you or it doesn't. Baking obviously helps, but, again, out-of-the-box a pre-formed boot/quarter is a love/hate proposition.) It is really after the bake that these skates shine, however. They are truly the most reactive/moldable skates I've ever used. Not only does the foam inside of the boots mold to you, but the boots themselves do. I could literally see the side walls above the heel/below the ankle on the outside of the boot go from straight to contoured (to the shape of MY ankle bone etc.) once the skates were laced up post-bake and "smoothed" around my feet by the hands of the shop employee. As someone who has had ankle-immobilizing braces (SMOs) custom made for me from casts of my own feet/ankles by a specialized company (Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics), I can tell you that the CCM U+ CL skates are the closest thing you will find to having a skate (or shoe) custom made for your feet short of actually having them made from a mold of your feet/ankles (the way many NHL players do).

Blade/Holder (9/10): The E-Pro holders are solid and the scalloped blades that come stock with the CLs perform well enough. I generally run a 5/8" hollow (sometimes shallower) and the blades hold that edge well. (I've gone as long as a month without sharpening, but I do touch up with a Sweet Stick once a week or so. Mind you, my main rink ice is on the softer side.) I have not tried, or even sharpened, the Rocket Runners that came extra with the skates. So, I can not comment on them. The main negative, to me, would be that the E-Pro just isn't as "sexy looking" as the Bauer Tuuk. I must say that I have always preferred the Bauer Tuuk of all holders for "agility". This is likely only in the stock 9' radius of the blade and not necessarily the actual design/height/specs of the holders. I just seem to be able to turn tighter... especially in pivots and transitions with a little less blade on the ice. (Bauer stock blade radius being 9' while the CCM comes stock with a 10' radius.) Of course, as I have aged, my body is no longer as "agile" as it once was and I am actually finding that the slightly longer radius on the CCM is giving me a bit better balance over my old Bauer skates. (So, I likely shouldn't complain.) I haven't timed myself, but I also "feel" as though I may be a bit faster in straight-aways. Turning tighter is just an excersize in pressing harder into the ice with my legs/edges than I had to with Bauer skates (Tuuk w/ 9' blade radius). For what it's worth, I have removed the runners a couple of times to clean out some spot rust and everything seems solid there. No screw/nut stripping and everything still holds nice and snug.

Weight/Protection (8.5/10): While not the lightest skate on the market, these are the lightest "pro level" skate that I have used. For the amount of foam inside and the level of stiffness of the boots, it really is a surprise that they are as light as they are. The Surlyn quarters are quite stiff, the same as the surface of a golf ball. Still, I have felt a puck or two through them. They are certainly more protective than an old school stitched boot. But, if you want the ultimate, I would still recommend a Skate Fender type product over top.

Durability (10/10): I have had these skates since their release this past spring. Aside from hockey & stick time sessions, I also just skate in them as often as I can. So far, the boots still seem as stiff as the day that I bought them. Normally, that wouldn't be something I would consider to be a good thing. But, in this case, it is excellent. This is because it is really the inner-foams that contour and allow for the forward flex and ankle mobility needed to skate. The boot itself just stays solid and doesn't break down.

Intangibles: Though I already touched upon it, without question the moldability of these skates is the key feature. I happen to have a leg length discrepancy (1/2" difference) and use a heel lift in my left shoe. Ordinarily, I advocate placing a shim between boot and holder for such issues. But, with these skates running a bit wider than most, I elected to try an internal lift to keep the outside of the skates clean. We put the lift inside the skate (under the footbed) after baking and then laced up in the shop. You can actually see that the ankle swells on the left boot are about 1/2" higher on the left skate than the right. With any other skate, I'm not sure that this could have been accomodated so well.

Conclusion (9.5/10): Overall, the CCM U+ CL is an excellent skate. I truly believe that it has put CCM back on the map. (Personally, I haven't really liked a CCM skate offering since the late 80's / early 90's Tacks.) I have toyed with the notion of outfitting them with Tuuk holders or re-profiling the blades to a 9' radius. But, they actually perform well enough stock that I just can't justify being without them long enough to do the modification(s). I can actually see myself buying another pair and having that work done then. I can't say as I've ever owned a skate before these that I actually wanted to snag another pair so quickly. That's a testement just right there. I know that if folks give these skates a serious try, they will like what they find.

[dunc19 0]

CCM U+ CL - 9 and 9 1/4 D

Foot size - wider forefood, normal heel

Play 7+ times a week

Last skate worn: Bauer Total One

I ordered custom CLs. I used my first pair for a year and a half because of durability issues. They replaced the skates for me and I have been in my new pair for a month now.

Looks: (10/10)

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These skates are super good looking. I love how you can customize the color on the back (between red, orange, green, gold, blue) I went with blue. But they look great, not too flashy but they really stand out compared to other skates in a good way.

Fit (9/10)

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Out of the box I thought I needed an E width due to my wide feet but I stuck with the D. The U+ foam when baked really forms to your foot unlike any other skate. After about 3 or 4 skates the pain completely went away in the skate. The liner is pretty nice, the U+ foam really bakes well. I added a bit of extra padding to the U foam because I've had too many close calls with breaking my foot by blocking a shot.

Blade/Holder (6/10)

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Not a fan of E-Pro holders at all. They put you more on your heels which gives you the slightly aggresive pitch. That is the only thing I like about them. Blades also don't hold their sharpen very well. I have used TUUKs my whole life so I added some TUUKs onto the skates with step steel instead. If you've been a Bauer guy your whole life and switch to these, I recommend staying in the TUUK holders as well.

Weight (7/10)

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These are not crazy light. Noticably heavier than Bauers high end skates when you hold them. But...I can't notice a 100 gram difference or less when I'm on the ice so it's not a problem for me. If CCM wants to call their skates the Crazy Lights, then they gotta make their skates crazy light.

Protection (10/10)

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Great protection. Again, with the added ankle padding/foam I added I have very minimal pain when I take pucks to the boot. But overall, these skates are built to protect. A lot more protective then my previous Total Ones.

Durability (3/10)

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These are my second pair of CLs in the last year and a half. I'm on the ice everyday, but I don't abuse my skates. My first pair of CLs had eyelets bending and popping out like crazy. Also the stitching from the inside U+ foam to the outside of the boot came unglued on both skates. Both tendon guards became loose (I take my skates off by the boot) so I do not abuse them. The outside of the boot held up fine, but everything else fell apart. The foam inside the skate by the tendon guard starting coming out too. I don't know if they just made these skates poorly, but they are made in Canada so I'm really surprised. I'll see how my new pair holds up.

Performance (10/10)

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They perform just like a good pair of skates should. Feel very confident at high speeds, tight turns, and transitions. I would prefer if they were a little bit lighter but again that doesn't make a difference for me.

Overall Assessment

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It's a great skate. It's a little bit heavier than Bauer's top lines but if you don't mind a little bit of a heavier skate then give these a try. The U+ foam molds to your feet so well after baking them and you should have no pain after about the 3rd or 4th ice time. I do have a few blisters from my new skates but I think skates should be used 20+ times before calling them broken in. Beware of durability though. If you play high level hockey, or hockey everyday then I would maybe consider staying away from these. My first pair couldn't survive someone who plays everyday. I am giving my new pair a shot, and hopefully they hold up better. But overall these skates are a good price for what you get. Comfy, protective, and perform well.