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sirozha

Reebok 20K / CCM 20K (Pro Return) Elbow Pads

By sirozha, in Ice Hockey Equipment

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sirozha    0

sirozha
Posted

Hi,

I'm getting back into playing hockey after not having played for 30 years. I'm gradually getting hockey equipment, and am currently enrolled in an adult hockey clinic. It seems to me that I'm motivated to get a next piece of equipment when I get injured doing my hockey clinic. It started with me only having a helmet, skates, gloves and stick during my first practice when I busted my knee really bad hitting ice several time (due to my skates not being sharp enough). Once that happened, I went ahead and purchased a pair of shin guards. During the following practice I fell doing one of the drills and slid into the goal post hitting my hip. I immediately acquired a pair of hockey pants, realizing they would have saved me from a lot of pain and a huge bruise.

So far, I've acquired the following:

Reebok 30K skates

Reebok 30K gloves

Reebok 11K helmet with Bauer Hybrid Shield

CCM RBZ shin guards

Reebok 20K Pants

I was hoping that it was enough as long as I was not playing in a league, being enrolled in the hockey clinic, but during my last practice, I fell and hit my elbow bad enough that I was ready to get the rest of the equipment - elbow pads and shoulder pads.

I've done some extensive research into both shoulder and elbow pads (by Bauer, CCM, Reebok, Easton, Warrior, etc.) but was pretty much undecided whether to get lower-end ones due to the local league being unchecking or go with pretty much the same level of equipment as I had already acquired (listed above). After much deliberation, I decided to go with higher-end equipment just to be sure that I am well protected. CCM RBZ shoulder and elbow pads were on the top of my list, but I find them a little overpriced and not sure if they are protective enough. I think I would be fine with CCM RBZ if they were not so expensive, though. Money is not an issue, but I don't want to squander it just because CCM wants to charge so much for their top-of-the-line RBZ gear.

So, since most of my equipment is Reebok, I decided to go ahead and get both Reebok shoulder and elbow pads. With CCM phasing out Reebok this year, the stock is running thin. In fact, I was not able to find Reebok 20K elbow pads in my size (medium) anywhere, but yesterday I searched them on eBay and found a guy selling a new pair of CCM 20K (pro return) elbow pads in medium size. He claimed they are they same ones as Reebok 20K (just branded as CCM). I reviewed the pictures he posted and compared them to the pictures of Reebok 20K elbow pads still available on Ice Warehouse and Hockey Monkey, and it in fact appears they are the same exact elbow pads as Reebok 20K. Once I purchased them, I came across a post on here saying that 2013 Reebok 20K elbow pads were recalled, and then I found another post (by googling it) suggesting that both Reebok and CCM 20K elbow pads were recalled. However, all major online retailers as well as my LHS still carry Reebok 20K elbow pads (just not in my size), so it would suggest that Reebok continued to make these elbow pads in 2014. Could someone confirm that CCM 20K (pro return) elbow pads are the same as Reebok 20K and were recalled at the same time as Reebok 20K?

Here's a link to these very CCM 20K Elbow pads:

http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mzXhQqKX3gp7X0vqyiyEX3Q.jpg

Here's the recall notice:

https://reebokccm.com/en/urgent-safety-recall

Thank you.

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Cosmic    178

Cosmic
Posted

I do not know how much protection you think you need for elbows. I like alot of protection myself, and have elected for 20K Pro Shins, skate fenders, Warrior Pro Stock pants, CCM CL shoulders, etc. For what they protect (where there is padding), the CCM CLs and RBZs are awesome. Meaning, I took some hard falls where I had my skates kicked out from under me, fell six feel and landed hard and directly on one elbow, and did not feel it. However, these are not comprehensive wrap type elbows, so if I were playing in a checking and slashing league, then I would likely elect for a more robust elbow pad, like the Reebok or Warrior or whichever. So, what are you needing? Comprehensive wrap? Or just enough foam and plastic in the elbow so that when you wipe out, you stay healthy?

Performance wise, I do not think you can beat CCM CL/ RBZ. You really do not notice that they are there, and they are super light. They grip onto the elbow terrifically as well and feel one with the arm.

With shins, I insist on comprehensive wrap trpe shins, since so many pucks are flying around that are 6 inches to 18 inches off the ice. And thus, I went with the 20K shins. All other shins, I find to just leave too much inner and outer leg exposed. It does not matter if it is beet league or pro- pucks will seem to find their way to the inner ankle/ lower shin for me, since I am always on the forecheck and defensemen tend to panic when they see 6'2, 220 lbs coming at them and just try to fire it through me as a last option.

In beer league though, not too much flying around high except the occasional stick or deflection.

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sirozha    0

sirozha
Posted

So, I got the CCM 20K elbow pads today. I immediately noticed the plastic on the sides of the elbow pad unlike the Reebok 20K that I saw on Hockeymonkey.com and Icewarehouse.com. I tried to google the part number listed on the tag attached to the left elbow pad, but Google finds absolutely nothing. So, for several minutes I wondered if I actually received some kind of Chinese knock-off. The review on Icewarehouse specifically mentioned the fact that you can squeeze the Reebok 20K laterally and you will feel that there are no hard materials in there - only high-density foam. However, when trying to bend the elbow pad from the front, it feels like there's plastic there due to a high-quality high-density foam. So, the reviewer on Icewarehouse was saying that these elbow pads are very protective even though they have no plastic in them; hence they are very light weight. Imagine my surprise when I saw the plastic trim all around the elbow pad. When trying to squeeze this elbow pad laterally, I absolutely cannot do it - there's hard plastic in there, which barely yields when I squeeze it with all my strength. I tried to feel through the elbow pad pushing through with my thumb, and it sure feels that the plastic that is exposed on the outer trim is actually a plastic insert that covers the entire elbow pad as a pretty thick layer of plastic between two layers of high-density foam.

However, after a little more googling, I found a Canadian store that is selling Reebok Pro 20K elbow pads that look identical to the CCM Pro 20K elbow pads that I've just bought on eBay. You can see the plastic trim that I mentioned above - look at the black straps fed through the openings in the white plastic in these photos:

http://www.thehockeyshop.com/reebok-20k-senior-elbow-pads.html

The regular Reebok 20K elbow pads do not have this plastic piece:

http://www.totalhockey.com/product/20K_Elbow_Pads/itm/11891-41/?mtx_id=0

So, I'm wondering:

1. Are these genuine CCM/Reebok elbow pads since I can find absolutely no reference to the part number listed on the tag: 14H-SUP-EP20CP

2. Should I keep these or return them and get a retail version of Reebok 20K elbow pads that have no plastic insert.

As far as answering the question about how much protection I want - I have now played about 5 or 6 times without proper protection and have injured myself pretty hard. I consider myself a decent skater, but like I mentioned before, I haven't played in 30 years, I seem to fall more than I should when I do drills. So, I would rather have more protection at the expense of a little more weight than go with the lightest gear and risk an injury.

The league I am thinking about joining is a non-checking league, but people do shoot puck pretty hard, so I'm sure I will be hit in the chest at one point. I'm also sure I will hit boards and ice hard when I start playing. I have tried on RBZ shoulder pads, and they do feel amazing, but they don't seem to have enough protection from a puck hitting you in the chest at 100 mph.

Thank you.

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sirozha    0

sirozha
Posted

Did you see my above posts?

:-)

I answered your question. Check it out again.

I personally would vote against the RBZ's.

They are a cheaper less protective version of the previous years CL model. Compare the sternum and back plates to the RBZ's. Same design however they took out protection and material to save money, and then call it a new better model.

They do it every year. They did it to the 10k KFS to the 11k KFS, list goes on. Retail models of 10 years ago are the pro only models today :rolleyes:

Yes, I've read your responses. Thank you.

I had already ordered the Reebok 20K shoulder pads when I posted my question about the CCM/Reebok 20K elbow pads. So, I will see how protective they are when I get them, but they do seem to be more protective than the RBZs.

I have seen some Bauer shoulder pads that look much more protective than the RBZs. I'm looking for high-quality gear with better than average protection, but Reebok 20Ks are on sale right now due to them being phased out by Reebok/CCM, so it's a good time to pick those up if there's interest. I would have bought Reebok 20K shin pads as well if not for there inferior strapping system. I do not want to tape my shin pads, and the CCM RBZs that I bought seem to be very light weight with excellent protection and great strapping system, not requiring any taping.

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