CCM CL Elbow Pads

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

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[SmokinApricot 22]

I received a pair of CCM U+CL Elbow Pads for this review. Before I start I wanted to give a big thanks to Modsquadhockey, JR, and CCM for making this happen.

OK now for the details of the pads and a little more about me.

Product Specs

• CCM U+CL Elbow Pads Senior Size Small

About Me

• Female 5'7" 165lbs
• I play 4-5 times a week right now. 1 League game (Adult Rec co-ed Around C level) and 3-4 pratices/private lessons per week
• Previously used Elbow Pads: Bauer Supreme One60 Size Small

These arrived very quickly and were packaged nicely. Nothing spectacular in the packaging itself just a cardboard box with the elbow pads inside, but it did the job. Once I opened the box here is what I saw:

My initial impression when I saw the pads was that the looked nice. I liked the black and grey color scheme with the red accents. The Bauer's I had used before were mostly white and easily discolored from sweat. I have no reason to believe this will happen to these. I hate to say this but they are actually Crazy Light! I haven't put them on a scale yet, but they are noticeably lighter just in your hands than previous pads I've used before. I didn't get a picture of this, but on the outside of the elbow cap printed into the design is wording indicating the left and right pads. A nice touch and it blends in well.

The forearm protection is very stiff and wraps around very well. Great slash protection and as you can see it almost comes to a point in the middle. Not really sure what that is for besides aesthetics. The bottom of the forearm protection is made out of the U foam material and looks sturdy and well built.

As you can see in the picture it has 3 straps. The lower 2 that hold your forearm in are made out of neoprene material and are very soft, but grippy. They anchor with velcro. The pad is segmented into 3 sections so it moves very freely with no binding.

Looking at the elbow cap it is a bit bulky which I expect from CCM. It is definitely more prominent that the Bauers I was using, but less so than the Easton Stealth RS. It gives the impression that you could take a hard impact directly on your elbow and not shatter it. Also the cap might be more prominent, but CCM did a great job of keeping the forearm from being bulky and restrictive. The upper arm protection is made out of the U Foam material and provides a nice wrap. It has a joint protection piece and the strap is regular elastic with a Velcro closure.

Looking at the inside of the pad it has a nice neoprene elbow donut. The neoprene makes it very sticky and I expect it not to move at all during play, while the donut really sucks your elbow into the pad giving it a great fit. The liner on the rest of the pad is made out of a vented mesh and I think it will breath well and not get too hot.

I have used these so far only taking shots in my driveway to make sure they were the correct size. I will be using these later on this week on the ice for both practice and a game and will be updating this review with my thoughts.

[SmokinApricot 22]

I used these for the first time in a game situation on Monday. Felt great when I put them on, but the real test is how they feel once you start moving during a game. I usually wear a long sleeve undershirt, but Monday I forgot it and brought a short sleeve one instead. I was a little worried about rubbing. During warmups they felt good, took a few shots and didn't feel any discomfort or awkwardness in my shot motion. During the game these kept in place the entire time, very light and didn't feel bulky. The sweat actually gave the neoprene forearm straps some gripiness and they vented as well as you can expect.

I will be using these on Friday during a practice with a long sleeve undershirt and am hoping that they stay in place with that as well. I have been pleased so far and hope that these don't break down quickly like past Warrior Projekts (the white ones) that I have used before.

[SmokinApricot 22]

Used them again today in practice, this time with a long sleeve undershirt. Stayed in place again quite well. I am really liking the 3 piece construction. It makes a noticeable difference in your range of motion. The only complaint that I have is that I wish the forearm straps were a little longer. I am 5'7" and have average length arms so I am a small (tried mediums, but they are just too long) but the arm straps make it a little snug on my forearm. This could just be me and the next time that I use them (on Monday) I will try to stap them looser.

[SmokinApricot 22]

I have waiting a few weeks between updates so that I could get a chance to really put these through the wringer. I have used them upwards of 30 times to date and I am extremely pleased with the results. There are no cosmetic wear showing on any part of the pads. The mobility still feels great and I don't think I could go back to a traditional 2 piece pad now. I have found that I actually prefer to wear these with short sleeve shirt because once you start sweating the liner gets really grippy and does not allow the pad to move around. I have been abusing these in the sense that I have practices 3 days in a row with a game one the same night as well and have been leaving them in the bag and not airing them out or spraying them and they still look/smell new as I mentioned above. I am not sure how this is possible when the rest of my gear needs a through spraying to de-smell, but I am impressed.

[SmokinApricot 22]

Have used these upwards of 75 times now and still like as much if not more than day one. Still look and feel brand new. If this is indicative of CCM's quality I am impressed with their new line. As mentioned above I have been wearing these with a short sleeve base layer and sweat pretty heavily, but these dry very quickly. I just pull them out of my bag and they are dry and ready to go again in a few hours. I have liked these so much I am actually looking at picking up the shoulder pads. The only "issue" I have had with them is it took a few uses to really get the strapping dialed in for my arm with no pinching, etc. but once I had at nailed I haven't had any issues moving forward. I will be using these for a long time to come.