New CCM protection

[yf51 0]

Have anyone actually tried/bought their new top protective staff? Is it that light? Is it at least as protective as the top products of other brands (esp. RBK/JOFA)? What is your impression?

[ibeck 38]

This should help:

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/60582-anyone-have-the-new-ccm-u-shoulderpants/

[Chadd 916]

There have been a lot of discussion of those pads. More than any other protective line change in a long time. Here's a synopsis:

One or two guys don't think they could possibly be protective

A few guys are concerned with the durability of the foam

Most guys think they look interesting

The guys that wear them, still seem to like them

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

I've tried them all on. Feel awesome. Incredibly light. Don't like the shoulder caps.. pop up too high.

[althoma1 574]

I've tried them all on. Feel awesome. Incredibly light. Don't like the shoulder caps.. pop up too high.

I've also tried on most of the new U+ CL protective. They're all incredibly light as advertised and the material certainly seems like it would repel water well to keep you lighter throughout the game.

I found the elbows to be a little stiffer than my current Warrior Projekts, howevever; I find most other elbows to be stiffer than the Projekts. The CCM elbows did seem like they'd protect well (perhaps a little better than my white projekts as the slash guards and caps were harder).

I found the shoulders were definitely light and were comfortable when I put them on, but the caps did bunch up when I raised my hands over my head - I know this isn't a common movement for playing hockey and is only really used for celebrations, but I do prefer no restrictions or bunching no matter how I move my arms. I don't get any restrictions or bunching with my Farrell pads (although I use them sans caps so it's not really a fair comparison...I have worn them with caps and while the caps are somewhat big then don't seem to bunch) and the new blue and grey Projekts and the Reebok pads I tried on didn't have bunching issues. I think the caps would disperse impact well and the spine and sternum protection is good on the CCM U+, but I'm not so sure about the protection level for the rest of the chest/back beyond the sternum and spine. Now, the protection in that area is probably on par with most competitors high end pads as it generally seems to be a thin/flexible area - I just feel I have a bit more protection/coverage with the Farrell cubes in that area (although the Farrells don't come down that low and have no side protection). Personally, if I wanted something with more shoulder protection and some side protection I'd probably go for the 2012 projekts since they felt a little more comfortable for me than the CCM U+ CL pads when I tried both on.

The shins felt pretty good - my current Projekts fit me just a touch more comfortably, but the CCM U+ is close. I don't have any reason to doubt the protection of the CCM U+ shins. They seem like they'd be just as protective as any other high end shin.

I didn't try on the pants so I can't say anything one way or another about those.

[JSK81 400]

Like I've said before, the CL shoulder pads need a bit of breaking in. They lose the stiffness after couple of uses.

[yf51 0]

Thanks guys. Can someone say anything specific about elbow pads? They look very nice and I like the lightness but elbow should be one of the most protected places so wouldn't it be less protective than Jofa/Rbk top models?

[althoma1 574]

Thanks guys. Can someone say anything specific about elbow pads? They look very nice and I like the lightness but elbow should be one of the most protected places so wouldn't it be less protective than Jofa/Rbk top models?

I haven't use the elbows, but I tried them on and felt them. My concern with the elbows wasn't protection - it was that the slash guards were stiffer than my current white projekts and they felt a little less mobile overall. With that said, I think the white projekts are the most mobile, comfortable high end pads on the market today so it's tough to compete with them on mobility/comfort (I did get a good bruise with the Projekts a couple weeks ago when falling hard on my elbow so while they're the most mobile pad, I may be sacrificing a bit of protection for mobility). The CCM U+ CL elbows are definitely the lightest high end elbows, but still felt like they'd be protective - the slash guard was stiff and so was the elbow area. They didn't just put soft/flexible U-foam similar to the chest/back area on the shoudler pads (the areas outside of the sternum and spine).

Based only on trying them on and feeling them I suspect the elbows will be protective. Personally, I'd lean more toward the 2012 Projekts (the blue and grey ones) when replacing my elbows as those feel a little more comfortable/mobile than the CCM's, but seem to have more protection than my current white Projekts. The CCM's are light, seem to be protective and compete well against most of the other high end pads when it comes to mobility, but they're not at the Projekt level when it comes to mobility/comfort. Personally, comfort/mobility is the top priority to me and I'm willing to sacrifice a little protection if necessary. I don't think you'd be sacrificing protection with the CCM U+ elbows though.

The protection of the U+ line overall seems to be good. The area that I'd be a little concerned about is the non-sternum/spine torso areas on the shoulders, but most shoulder pads are thin in that area to allow for flexibility and mobility.

[yf51 0]

Thanks. Very informative. How would you compare their protection with top RBK models?

[althoma1 574]

Thanks. Very informative. How would you compare their protection with top RBK models?

It'd be better if someone who has actually worn both chimed in on that, but my best guess based on only trying on and feeling both the top RBK and CCM U+ models is that they'd both be very protective, but the CCM U+ is lighter and a bit more mobile than the RBK due to the U+ foam and three piece (instead of two piece like the RBK) construction. I'd choose the CCM U+ CL elbows over the RBKs myself (but would be more likely to go with the 2012 Projekts).

[yf51 0]

Thanks again. I wont be able to try them on so this helps.

[Gr8erade 1]

I'm one of the guys who wears them and think that they work. They are definitely lighter than anything else I've tried in a high end, protective pad.

I went with the crazy strong shoulders and the crazy light elbows, shins and pants. The CS shoulders are still very light, but I liked that the bicep guard was adjustable, whereas the CL bicep guards werent. I did shorten the straps on a pair of larges because I seemed to be between mediums and larges. I tend to wear mediums or larges, depending on the brand. I've gotten past the idea that they must be less protective because they're so light. I've taken a fair share of abuse in them and haven't wished I were wearing bulkier or heavier pads. They're surprisingly protective for their weight. My previous shoulders were U+ Pros, which I also really liked.

For whatever reason, I tend to block a lot of shots and the CL shins have worked very well. The back of the pads are the foam, so it is thin, but actually does offer some slash and puck protection to the calves while not being bulky. I used to wear Rbk 9Ks.

The elbows are nice . I don't remember them being particularly stiff when new, and if they were, they broke in quickly. I've worn projekt elbows and while nice, I had two problems with those, I found that they fell apart on me, and they also didn't stay put. I haven't had that problem with the CLs. I was pleasantly surprised that they do anchor very nicely to my elbow. I've worn Rbk/Jofa 7ks, and these are definitely less bulky and lighter. I like my 7ks and wasnt going to replace them until after my good experience with the rest of the CCM line. So I tried the elbows and liked them very much.

As for the pants, I ended up needing larges, even though I wear mediums in most other pants. They felt a little stiff at first and I was a bit skeptical that I would like them. They also were lower cut across the hips than I was used to. But after a half dozen games in them, I have to say that I like them. I also like that they're two piece pants. Again, light and still protective.

It is true that these pads don't absorb sweat. They don't get heavier, and they dry very quickly after a game.

I haven't had any durability issues after a month with any of these pads.

In case someone thinks I'm drinking CCM koolaid, other than the U+Pro shoulders and CL skates, I've never liked or worn CCM before. At least not since the early 90s.

[davidfinlay276 4]

The elbows are nice . I don't remember them being particularly stiff when new, and if they were, they broke in quickly. I've worn projekt elbows and while nice, I had two problems with those, I found that they fell apart on me, and they also didn't stay put. I haven't had that problem with the CLs. I was pleasantly surprised that they do anchor very nicely to my elbow. I've worn Rbk/Jofa 7ks, and these are definitely less bulky and lighter. I like my 7ks and wasnt going to replace them until after my good experience with the rest of the CCM line. So I tried the elbows and liked them very much.

I too have the Rbk 7k pro elbows, and tried on the U+ CLs in store and loved them, strongly considered buying them despite already having some really good elbows (I still might buy them, actually). The CCM U+ CL elbows were super light, really mobile, and they seemed to stay in place phenomenally well. Most elbows move around on me a lot, my Rbk 7k pros move around only a touch, but the CCMs felt like they were perfectly locked in place, the little donut thing really grips/hugs your elbow. They definitely don't seem as protective as the Rbks, the 7k pros are an extremely large, basically bulletproof elbow with great coverage, the CCM elbows had less coverage and don't feel as solid in general, but I think they'd offer more than enough protection for beer league.

One thing I noticed, don't go too big on them. I normally wear either a M or a L in most brands, the M fit me great, but the L was a bit big, which meant they fit horribly. There's less give on them than on a traditional pad, you can't be off on the size, if there's a bit too much volume in the forearm (like there was for me with the larges) they simply won't close properly and will feel very awkward. I would say this for all equipment regardless, but you really need to buy them in an actual store, where you can try them on.

[althoma1 574]

The elbows are nice . I don't remember them being particularly stiff when new, and if they were, they broke in quickly. I've worn projekt elbows and while nice, I had two problems with those, I found that they fell apart on me, and they also didn't stay put. I haven't had that problem with the CLs. I was pleasantly surprised that they do anchor very nicely to my elbow. I've worn Rbk/Jofa 7ks, and these are definitely less bulky and lighter. I like my 7ks and wasnt going to replace them until after my good experience with the rest of the CCM line. So I tried the elbows and liked them very much.

Did you size down for the Projekt pads? I wear large in most elbow pads, but had to go with mediums in the 2010 Projekts. I could slide off the larges when fully strapped and still have to do the mediums up fairly tight, but the mediums generally stay in place unless I'm really hooked or grabbed (then they need to be readusted). I did have the stitching come apart on the middle strap after a few months and have had to have them resewn and I now see that some of the fabric on the middle strap of one of the pads is starting to tear after almost 2 years of use. I don't want people to get the impression I'm drinking the Warrior koolaid either - I just happen to find the projekt shins, elbows, girdle and gloves are the most comfortable for me (the new Warrior Helmet on the other hand wasn't that comfortable for me at Winterfest. I prefered the fit of my current Cascade M11 or the new Bauer RE-AKT), but I do concede that there were some stitching issues with the straps on the elbows and if you didn't size down on them then I could see how there'd be a lot of slippage.

I'm not saying the CCM U+ CL elbows are super stiff - if I tried them on alone or against most other top pads I'd say they're mobile. What I did was put a new medium projekt on on elbow and a large CCM U+ CL on the other elbow and flexed and moved my arm with them both on - the projekts were noticeably more mobile and comfortable for me, but the CCMs were lighter and the stiffer elbow joint and slash guards suggested to me that they'd be more protective than the current white projekts. When I had first tried the U+ CL pads on at Winterfest it wasn't head to head against the Projekts and they felt mobile to me - it's only when I had them both on at the same time that I really noticed the difference. The new 2012 projekts seem to fit more true to size and are also stiffer/harder in the elbow and slash guard areas so I think they're worth considering as well for anyone currently looking for new elbow pads. The CCM's certainly seem like one of a few great options.

[Gr8erade 1]

I size down with everything Warrior. I wear large CCMs and mediums in the projekts. I ended up having to tape my elbow pads down before finally getting fed up with them. I thought the design was good. They just didn't work for me. I actually liked the projekt pads and used the shoulder pads as a base for a frankenpad because I liked the torso protection.

And FWIW, I lost the stitching on the straps, but I also had them totally separate along the forearm into almost 2 pieces. (talk about mobile.....). I speedy stitched it back together, but moved on to something else after that

I think there's a lot of good options for protective pads. It's a matter of what fits and what you're comfortable in.

[WhiteBread9 0]

One thing I noticed, don't go too big on them. I normally wear either a M or a L in most brands, the M fit me great, but the L was a bit big, which meant they fit horribly. There's less give on them than on a traditional pad, you can't be off on the size, if there's a bit too much volume in the forearm (like there was for me with the larges) they simply won't close properly and will feel very awkward. I would say this for all equipment regardless, but you really need to buy them in an actual store, where you can try them on.

Would you mind telling me how tall you are? I'm just over 5'10" with a slight build and I felt like I was swimming in the mediums. The tag on the inside of them says they are designed for people in the 5'5"-5'11" range. I really like the pad but the smalls come up about an inch shorter in the forearm which is really unfortunate for me because they would leave a decent gap between my gloves

[klang1127 0]

I work for a hockey retail company in the detroit area and we've sold a lot of the new CL and CS protective equipment everyone seems to be very happy with the fit and comfortability of them especially the shoulder pads and pants

[mike_big_mac 1]

Hey guys, dumb question here... was wondering of any of you wearing the new pant can comment... put them on, they felt ok (stiff like you said and will hopefully break in)... however I felt as if I were wearing a diaper (thats the best way to describe it)... the foam part in the butt just seemed to sit all weird. Anyone else notice this?

[jsykes 35]

Yes, the foam around the butt is fairly bulky and does feel like you have a load in your pants. That should flatten out a bit and break in with the rest as you wear them, but if yoiu do not need all that padding in the rear, you may want to check out the CS or even the U+12. The 12 especially I find to be a good bargain of a pant, most of the padding of the CL without going overboard though (great for adult/recreational leagues) and since it has slightly less padding about the same weight as well. Good pant for the money.

[icewalker_bg 126]

Hey guys, dumb question here... was wondering of any of you wearing the new pant can comment... put them on, they felt ok (stiff like you said and will hopefully break in)... however I felt as if I were wearing a diaper (thats the best way to describe it)... the foam part in the butt just seemed to sit all weird. Anyone else notice this?

i am not sure what you mean, but i have the u+12 pant, just walking around the house with mine it is as if i have nothing on. after all, they are the lightest pant on the market.

the only thing that disturbs me is that that they ARE extremely loose and wide on the bottom, so the front padding seems to shift to the side and the zippers king of make their way towards the knee cap. not sure if this is a good or bad thing, still not sure if i will use them or sell them. they are medium and my v08 and u+ pro pant medium also are much tigher on the bottom. i cannot stress enough how much the diameter on the bottom portion is bigger on the new u+ pant than anything i have seen.

[arfax 0]

i am not sure what you mean, but i have the u+12 pant, just walking around the house with mine it is as if i have nothing on. after all, they are the lightest pant on the market.

the only thing that disturbs me is that that they ARE extremely loose and wide on the bottom, so the front padding seems to shift to the side and the zippers king of make their way towards the knee cap. not sure if this is a good or bad thing, still not sure if i will use them or sell them. they are medium and my v08 and u+ pro pant medium also are much tigher on the bottom. i cannot stress enough how much the diameter on the bottom portion is bigger on the new u+ pant than anything i have seen.

Would you say the U+12 is an upgrade in protection over the v08s?

[icewalker_bg 126]

yes, more protection on the side. also it seems thicker and obviously ligher

[AIREAYE 248]

I'm going to disagree, the U+12s are not as good as the V08s. While it may be thicker, it is not as dense as the V08s so it's a tradeoff. I also prefer the tailbone protection of the 08s much better than the 12s. The V08s and 06s were remarkable, some of the best pricepoint pants ever made imo.Weight shouldn't be a huge concern since the pant is so close to your centre of gravity.

[icewalker_bg 126]

^did you try both of them getting hit and falling on the tailbone? no doubt the v08 were good pants but just too heavy and really heavy when they get wet and took forever to dry. and the 12 have definately more protection on the side of the legs.

[icewalker_bg 126]

for the tailbone i do not see what is so much better on the v08, i do not have them anymore but as far as i remember it was not something special. i was definately feeling it when falling down on my ass. I have not tried the 12 pants yet but it covers a very good area, and it seems that it is very similar to the v08 maybe better because it has plastic inserts in the back and feels very solid.

a couple of pics of the u+12 protection on the ass for those wondering: