CCM U+ Fit 07 Shoulder pads

[Monty22 821]

CCM U+ Fit 07 shoulder pads

Prior pads: Itech 655 "franken pads", Itech 155, Bauer 400, Cooper SBD II, Douglas Defender

A few months ago I noticed my Itech 655 pads were starting to get funky as well as retainin sweat. I took the opportunity to seek out something a bit lighter and lower profile pad. I tried on several brands and these seemed to meet my needs the best.

Fit - I'm 6' 2" and just under 180lbs. I went with a size medium, recommended for a 38"-42" chest. Fit is accurate to that suggestion, and the pads do not shift with use. The bicep pads, while height adjustable are limited in length by a small strap attaching the shoulder cap to the middle of the bicep pad.The bicep pad could be a bit wider, but the padding is solid. If you have long arms like me, you may need to cut this strap to get the extra length. The strap is designed to keep the shoulder cap hugging the shoulder and it's removal will not affect use or function of the pads. (of note height recommendation on the label is 5'5"-5'11")

9/10 ( Not fair to deduct points for the biceps as I am outside the recommended height)

Protection- My search criteria was a lightweight pad with decent shoulder and bicep protection. The two piece low profile shoulder caps do a great job of protecting the shoulder joint front, back and side without looking like you play linebacker for Notre Dame. The floating sternum pad and spine pads are dense and provide adequite protection. If you plan on taking a lot of punishment in front of the net you may want to look at the next higher models, but to date these have been solid for B level men's league.

8/10

Weight-These are lighter than the significantly bulkier Itech 655's. Don't have a scale handy, but the weight feels similar to my old Itech 155 and Bauer 400's. Certainly not a heavy pad at all.

10/10

Durability- I've been wearing these for about 5 months with no visible wear or tear. The white areas of the pad-biceps, shoulder caps and abdomen areas are surprisingly clean as well. The velcro straps are wide and solid, with no wear on them at this point either after pretty consistent twice a week use.

10/10

Intangibles- The thing that drew me to these was the shoulder articulation- full range of motion with very little shifting of the actual components of the shoulder portion of the pad. Break in was quick- halfway into my first game I stopped noticing them. My cage doesn't come in contact with the shoulder caps when I turn my head which is a plus. They don't seem to retain moisture and dry quickly.

10/10

Conclusion- Very happy with these pads. Perfect men's league pad. I would not hesitate to buy these again.