CCM Ultra Tacks Protective

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Open

[Hills 713]

Again very special thanks to Mod Squad Hockey, JR, and CCM for allowing me to try out this equipment and write/film my thoughts about it. I am extremely grateful.

Personal Details

Male

6'3”

210 lbs

Forward/Defence

B-D level hockey

Before I begin I will not talk about fit or anything until I get time to use them. This is just me doing a very thorough inspection and wearing them around the house.

Shoulder Pads

Shoulder Pad History:

TPS Pro Stock Medium
Warrior Projekt XL

Reebok KFS Large

CCM Ultra Tacks Large

Initial Impressions: Grabbing these out of the box right away I was really excited. I purchased a the Reebok KFS as my Projekt always fit too big,they worked but pucks would find gaps and the shoulders and neck area would move up on me when I moved my arms in tight, and the KFS was just simply not protective enough. I loved the shoulders and the shoulder pad part but the undershirt wasn’t designed as the preliminary line of defense for a shot blocking defenseman.

These like the shoulder pads look like they are made of high quality materials and look high end, they have an interesting triangular foam protection design on the chest and back areas. This is evidently called “Tacks Foam Armour”. To me it almost looks like an expensive quilt stitch interior of a luxury car. This armour interests me as it is relatively thin but soft and I am really wondering how it will hold up to slashes and stopping pucks. I will admit I was slightly disappointed that the sternum and back spine protection wasn’t made of D3O foams but none the less it has a very dense and hard foam protection surrounded by softer segmented foams. I really like how the velcro straps are all small enough to be actually useful unlike my previous pair of shoulder pads (except the Reebok KFS, they fit fine). The long segments of velcro allow for a range of fits to ensure the pad fits for -different stomach sizes.

The shoulder caps are a nice and solid foams with cushioning for added protection and to protect others. After checking out the RBZ shoulders in store I must admit I am a big fan of the shoulder design on those, but after wearing these around the house these never felt intrusive and I am really looking forward to finding out if the elastic attachments to the sternum help with keeping the pads down while you raise your shoulders as that was a huge issue with me in the Warriors. The biceps are adjustable up and down while being made of segmented soft foams on top of a hard foam base. The removeable and adjustable lower bicep protection is a really exciting feature for me as moving them to the lowest position gives me full coverage of my arm while working with the elbow pads. Again I am all about maximum protection.

Elbow Pads

Elbow Pad History:

Beginner Easton SMU Medium

Graf G700 Large

Easton EQ50 Medium

CCM Ultra Tacks Large

Initial Impressions: I really looked over every piece of gear that I received and the elbow pads were the least visually impressive. I honestly think the material on the back of the pad seems cheap compared to the shins and shoulders and even the older Reebok 10K elbow pads. The missed stitching on the bicep protection is unfortunate but I am not worried this will be an issue in the long run. It is an easy fix to do yourself but I feel it is important to report on everything.

The front wrist protection is made of the same hard foams found on the chest and is so far substantial in my initial fist smashing tests. The forearm protection covers my entire arm leaving no gaps. The elbow is made of a softer foam exterior with harder foams and plastics underneath. There is a nice piece of D3O foam protecting your elbow from falls. The upper arm protection is made of the same Tacks Armour found on the shoulders and shins along with the hard foam on high impact areas. I was slightly disappointed that this piece wasn’t adjustable like on my Eq50s but once I moved the shoulder pad bicep guards down the elbows for me don’t need to be adjustable anymore. But it would’ve been a nice feature if I didn’t have the adjustable bicep guards on the shoulder pads.

One of the biggest issues I have had with elbow pads before is the length of the straps so I can keep the pads from sliding around. I have pretty thin arms and these straps are as tight as they can go from the beginning. I really wish companies would add more velcro down the inside of the elbow pad allowing tall no-muscle people like me the chance to strap their equipment tighter. But with that said these straps so far do a better job of holding my elbow pads in place than my medium sized Eq50s. I really like how the biggest strap on these pads goes through the forearm protection and back and not just across is it like other pair of elbow pads. With the 2 piece design you are bound to have some issues in getting your arms completely straight, and I could feel the hard outer plastics digging into the top side of my forearm when stretching my arms out. Now this play would rarely happen in hockey but it is something I noticed. My girlfriend had this issue with her Reebok 10K elbow pads but has told me it went away after a few ice sessions so I will definitely report back if this causes any issues.

Shin Pads

Shin Pad History:

Fury 17inch

Graf 700 17inch

Easton Eq50 16inch

Easton RS 17inch

CCM Ultra Tacks 17inch

Initial Impressions: I have broken the Fury and Graf shin pads that I wore in the past, and the Easton RS pads were horribly designed with ridiculously brittle and hard foams protecting the outer calf. My Eq50s were always slightly too short for me as well (hence why I purchased the RS). Which means I really hope the CCM Ultra Tacks have solved all of my leg protection issues. Taking them out of the box and I was instantly attractive to the design on them. The Tacks armour is a nice touch on the calf and outer knee areas but the painted on detailing and the carbon fibre looking design on the front looks really high end. The plastics seem solid and thick.

I really like the thickness of the calf protection as well as the solid foams on the outside calfs protecting your leg when you get a puck in from the side. The side knee flap is also one of the thickest and largest I have seen. I really appreciate the upper knee protection (which is removable) as I have taken my fair share of puck there, and this is the largest I have seen in on shin pads that I have owned.

I mentioned I had no muscle earlier and this brought up issues with my shin pads as well. The under the knee straps were always as tight as they could go but my knees still shifter around, this brought me to use tape to fix the issue but I have found numerous occasions where I end up falling on the ice and my knee shifts out of place. With the knee strap wrapping around the pad I could actually get the pads to stay on tight without the need of tape. This design is a very welcome one for me. I’ve also ripped the calf straps before on my shin pads trying to pull them tighter and tighter, on most pairs I have to pull them to the edge of the velcro landing area to make them tightish. With these CCM Ultra Tacks my calf strap is landing right in the middle of the landing velcro area and still feeling snug around my leg. The interior padding of these pads don’t have any fancy silicon strips like other brands and I actually like that. Those strips usually fall off and I never noticed them slipping less than pads without them. The removable liner has nice and cushiony sides with a good knee donut. Just wearing around the house the shins never caused any discomfort to my legs. I really like the padded bottom tip which just adds to the high end look and feel of the pads.

Conclusion: While this is just a first impression as you can probably tell I REALLY look over my equipment and these Ultra Tacks look and feel extremely impressive. I am really excited to get these on the ice and really put them through real tests, but so far they definitely passed the eye test and initial fit tests.

I love the detailing and the wrap lock on the shins. Really give them a high end feel.


More of the detailing on the shins.


A view of the Tacks Armour and the elastic straps to help when you raise your shoulders


The missed piece of sewing on the elbow pad. I don't see this being an issue in the long run.


Another view of the missed sewing.

[Hills 713]

So I have been using these for almost a month now and I feel like they no longer feel like a new piece of equipment.

Shoulder Pads: The shoulder pads are still the piece of this set that I am not yet convinced they are my favourite I have ever used. I REALLY like the bicep adjustability and I love how protective this area is. The strap here is a good length where I don't have to pull it all the way across just to keep it from dangling down. I love the softer foams on the outside of the bicep area. I feel the shoulder caps do a good job of staying out of the way while still being protective, they are very unobtrusive and yet have done a good job in protecting me from crashing into the boards and the odd unsuspecting player.

I love how low profile of the front and back plates of this chest feels really good compared to anything else I have worn. Before I always felt my shoulder pads moving around and they usually had a significant bump on the spine and sternum protection that sometimes was noticeable (see Warrior Projekts for an example). While I like the white design it is already turning yellow from sweat (not a complaint, just a comment) here. Another place of huge praise from me is the fit and straps. Something that might not seem like a bit idea, but I've always had issues with keeping equipment tight and length of these straps do a perfect job of keeping the pads close and comfortable. Now the one place I am not sure of yet is the Tacks Armour itself on the front and back plates. Since I have yet to take a puck to this area I cannot comment on the protection level here, and if I continue to be lucky enough to not take a puck to the midsection I will have someone shoot at me to really give these shoulders a thorough test.

Elbow Pads: I am extremely pleased to say that these elbow pads have easily taken over as my favourite I have ever worn. I have always had problems with pads slipping down (even with smaller sizes and elbows with built in silicon grip added to the inside), but these Ultra Tacks have been nothing but wonderful. They aren't the most mobile pad out there but I can never notice them unless I really try to and put my arms in awkward and unnatural positions for me while playing. I can still feel discomfort when putting my right arm absolutely straight down where the very edge of the pad comes in contact with my forearm, but I have never felt this discomfort while actually playing.

The forearm protection is very good and I have taken a couple of shots and slashes there with no pain whatsoever. The length of the pads comes down far enough to cover a good portion of my wrist and I feel more protected in these than I have with any previous pair of elbow pads.

The missed stitching on the left pad hasn't gotten worse or changed at all and has proven to be a non-factor. The only thing I would want CCM to change in the future is to add more velcro contact places on the pad. Since this is a large set (and I had issues with mediums before) I have to angle the straps to get the most out of their length. While there is enough of a velcro landing area to keep the pads snug, a bit of the sticky velcro is left free and catches on my jerseys so I have to be very precise when strapping up.

Shin Pads: Just like the elbow pads these are now my go to and my favourite pair of shin pads I have ever owned. I was at first concerned about the length just because unlike the other pair of 17inch shins I own these are much bulkier and wider fitting. I am very happy to report that the length of these is perfect. I could tell when first receiving these pads that they had protection in mind and I was right. I have taken numerous shots to the lower part and mid part of the shins and have felt absolutely nothing. Not even slight pain or bruise from any shot. That is including shots to the inside and outside parts of the pad and not the plastic fronting. I was worried about the Tacks Armour here but since taking a few pucks to the inside of the leg the shins proved to be absolute tanks. I haven't taken a puck to the knee cap but have fallen on them multiple times and am happy to say that they did their job in staying on straight and keeping my knee safe and secure.

The strapping on these shin pads is also the best I have ever worn. The lock strap is a better alternative that similar design by competitors and I can really lock my knee in place with it. The calf strap is whatI am extremely pleased with. The large soft landing area of the velcro means I can get the pads really tight while not exposing the sticky velcro parts to get caught up on my socks. This also allows for easy adjustment and tightening, something which was a problem for me before since I actually ripped off the ends of velcro straps on shins by trying to pull them tight enough. I never have to use shin pad tape while wearing these and I fee more secure in them than I have with my previous pairs wrapped as tight as possible.

The last thing to comment on is the top of the knee flap, I wish companies made these bigger and more substantial, but the one on these is the best I have used yet. With other shins (both smaller and larger in size) the knee flap would sometimes get stuck above the very end of my pants, but I have yet to have that issue and annoyance while wearing these shins.

Conclusion: Since it has only been about a month and I haven't done completely thorough testing I won't give a score rating yet. But everything so far leaves me extremely pleased and happy I got a change to try this equipment out. The shins and elbows have already replaced my previous favourites and the shoulders are well on their way.

[Hills 713]

Upcoming is my review portion of this protective line. Each piece will have it's own write up, photos, and associated video.

CCM Ultra Tacks Shin Pads

Shin pads are a very important piece of player protective gear for me because of how many shots I have taken there and how many different pairs I have tried to find a durable and protective pair of shin pads. These CCM Ultra Tacks have been absolutely fantastic and have easily replaced my beloved EQ50s.

Fit: I have been shuffling back and forth between 16 inch and 17 inch shin pads since I started and could not find a good compromise between length/coverage/durability before and finally I hit that sweet spot. These shins seem to fit true to length while also being large width wise. Before I had issues with long shins pushing down onto my skates, they were rated at 17 inch like these Ultra Tacks and yet were longer than the Ultra Tacks. The width at the bottom of these shins fit nicely with tucked in tongues and even people with thicker legs will not have an issue with doing up these shins. CCM did an excellent job (the best I have seen) in the calf wrap and the knee Lock Strap. The calf wrap has enough velcro contact space that I can tighten them as tight as I want and there is no extra loose sticky velcro to get caught up on socks (this is a first for me) all while there is plenty of room left for people with bigger calves. The Lock Strap uses a solid nylon strap that wraps around the outside of the shin and has allowed me to completely eliminate the need for sock tape. These shins stay completely still and the Lock Strap is a huge factor to this. There isn’t much adjustability here but even so these are the best fitting shin pads I have worn 10/10

Protection: I am one of those players that is not afraid of blocking shots, I blame my own stupidity as well as being a goalie my entire life… because of this protective shin pads are a HUGE must for me and I have broken multiple pairs by just getting in the way of shots. These shins I am very happy to say are the most protective shin pads I have ever worn. From the D3O knee protection to the thick and completely wrapping calf protection and very solid and thick plastic shell. Taking shots to the front of the pad leave no feeling at all and the D3O foam and fit of the pads make falling almost a comfortable experience where you never have to worry if you are going to end up with a bruised knees. The Tacks Armour around the calf and the hard exposed foams do a good job of protecting the outside of your legs, but I wish this area was actually thicker and slightly more protective. I have taken very hard shots on here and could feel them, but the pads did their job and saved me from injury. I just wish CCM could’ve used more D3O foam here on the back of the shin pads just to increase protection a little more. One thing I found REALLY good with these shins is how the back wrap covers a lot of surface area of your leg. Other shins leave a lot of space exposed and the Ultra Tacks do a great job of giving maximum protection. 9.5/10

Comfort: With D3O foam on the knee, Tacks Armour on the calves, foam on the bottom of the shins to dampen impacts on the skates, to thick internal padding the CCM Ultra Tacks are a ridiculously comfortable shin pad. The calf elastic is completely wrapped by the back of the leg protection and there is never any pinching or discomfort. The only discomfort I have ever felt wearing these shins was when I tightened the Lock Strap too tight, I thought I needed them tighter to ensure they wouldn’t move around and a simple loosen of this strap fixed the issue. The lock strap is also in a great place below the knee that doesn’t cut off circulation or reduce mobility. 10/10

Mobility: The Ultra Tacks line is again not CCM’s mobile line of equipment. These shins are bulky and made to take up space and block shots. I have never felt restriction while wearing these but I understand people could find them bulky. Since I have had no issues mobility is perfect for me, but keep that in mind if you like smaller and more form fitting shin pads these might not be for you.. 10/10

Weight: Once again the CCM Ultra Tacks line is not the lightweight line. I have compared it to other manufacturers’ shin pads and found them very close in weight while being more protective than the other shins. Again I have never felt or noticed wearing the shin pads while playing so the weight isn’t heavy enough to complain or for it to matter for me. 10/10

Shin Pad Weight:

CCM Ultra Tacks 17inch: 854grams
Easton RS 17inch: 694grams
Easton EQ50 16inch: 851grams
STX Stallion 16inch: 710grams
STX Surgeon 14inch: 805grams

Durability: Every pair of shin pads I have owned before this have had durability issues. One pair had both knees crack in half on me, another pair had dents form in the front of the shin face while another pair had the tab on the calf strap rip straight off when I was trying to tighten them. So far the only way to tell that these Ultra Tacks have been used is that there are paint scrapes from pucks on the face of them. There are no pulls in any material, the straps are still perfect. I have also taken very hard shots to the face of the pad and they have held up absolutely perfectly and I cannot see durability being an issue here. 10/10

Intangibles: Like the shoulder pads and elbow pads I wish D3O foam was used more throughout the shin pads especially on the back calves of the shins but besides that everything of these shin pads are great. I love the design of the shins and how the straps work. 9.5/10

Conclusion: Like the rest of the Ultra Tacks line these are the best shin pads I have ever worn. If you are looking for an extremely protective and well made pair of shin pads I would absolutely recommend the CCM Ultra Tacks and have been doing so. My only issues are very minimal and basically me nitpicking. 9.5/10

The paint is coming off but that is the only noticeable sign of wear.

Showing the thickness of the CCM Tacks vs another brands.

Showing the thickness of the CCM Tacks vs another brands.

The backs of my most recent shin pads.

Sizing comparisons: 17inch, 14inch, 16inch, 16inch

CCMs always sat flush and straight on my leg and I have no issues with them moving at all.

[Hills 713]

Now since I have written the last part of this review I have even more information on the Shin pads, and have to knock them some points. I have taken shots directly off of the front of the knee while wearing this shin pad before and had no problems with protection, until yesterday when I took a wrist shot to the inside of the knee. The shot still hit the plastic right on but it hit the thinnest area of protection on the knee pads and has left me in considerable pain and limping around. I REALLY with CCM put D30 foam on this area as well since the padding here is actually thinner than where the D30 is located on the knee cap. Since the rest of the shin pad is still ridiculously protective my new rating for it is still very good and I'd still recommend these pads to anyone. 8/10

Shoulder Pads: I have now used this set since the middle of June and it has become my goto equipment when I hit the ice. I had a few questions about the shoulder pads and am now confident about how they play and perform.

Fit: Unlike shoulder pads I have worn in the past I have never had an issue with the straps or extra material bunching up while playing. The straps are all perfect length for me, for the first time allowing me to go both tighter or looser and still having enough velcro for more adjustability. The caps fit perfectly and are in the right spot covering my shoulders, before previous shoulder caps would move around and end up in the wrong position. The chest and back padding fit snuggly without any air gaps or the protection bunching up. It fits flush and exactly how I want it to. 10/10

Protection: I can’t comment on whether or not the D3O foam makes a difference as I have never noticed it. Which is also a good thing as the caps have done a good job protecting me while playing. I’ve taken a couple high shots off my shoulders and didn’t feel a thing and falling into or hitting the boards ended with the same result of not feeling the impact. My favourite part of these shoulders is the bicep protection and the adjustable lower piece. The combination of hard foams and soft really cushions impact while offering a shield like barrier. I really like how you can adjust the lowest guard up and down depending on how high your elbow pads go. With this adjustability the shoulder pads help minimize protection gaps.

The sternum and spine protection are made of a hard foam and do a great job protecting from pucks and cross checks while at the same time not being huge and bulky like on my Warrior Projekts. The one area I am slightly disappointed with is the rest of the chest and back protection. While the Tacks Armour is an interesting material and design but I do not feel it is thick enough for CCM’s protective line. I have taken a couple of pucks to my chest and a few elbows which both left me with more discomfort than I would’ve liked. I feel CCM could’ve used more of the thicker material used on the bicep protection here for an even more protective shoulder pad.This doesn’t mean that these Ultra Tacks aren’t protective enough, I just wish there was more padding for CCM’s most protective line. 7.5/10

Comfort: Some equipment has pressure points or small areas that create discomfort while wearing them. I always wear a long sleeve performance undershirt under my equipment so this issue is usually mitigated. I ended up forgetting my undershirt a couple of times and having to wear these shoulders bare chested and armed. The lining is comfortable and didn’t cause me any issues with or without the under armour, but the velcro attachment pieces for the removable lower front and back protection feel sharp to bare skin as they are not sewn completely flush with the pad and sit a bit loose on the top of the material. This caused the velcro attachment to be fairly uncomfortable with rubbing against my skin. 8.5/10

Mobility: The shoulder caps are unobtrusive and yet cover my shoulders well. I’ve never once had an issue where wearing the shoulder pads ever affected my movements or was even noticeable while playing. While these are bulky pads compared to other lines it seems CCM did not sacrifice mobility when designing these, you can still notice they are on but I had no issues with them. 10/10

Weight: These are by no means the lightest shoulder pads on the market, but that is to say they are protective unlike the super lightweight Sher-wood 5030s. With that said they are considerably lighter than my previously worn pads and never once felt bulky or combersome. 8/10

Durability: Besides yellowing of the white materials from sweat there is not a single piece of wear evident on these shoulder pads. The elastics are still solid and there is stitching is not coming undone. 10/10

Intangibles: Besides my wish for a thicker stomach and back padding the only thing I wish CCM changed on these would be how the lower bicep piece is adjustable. This piece moves up and down via velcro. My issue with that is that the velcro isn’t big enough to really hold it in place. I am afraid it will fall off (it hasn’t yet when playing but has when putting it on) since I wear it at the lowest spot and not all of the velcro on the detachable piece sticks to the shoulder bicep piece. I also wish D3O was used throughout more of the pads and perhaps integrated into the sternum and spine protection. One final piece I wish was modified was the strap tabs on the chest, they are too thin and are difficult to pull the straps off of the velcro, I wish they had a rubber tab at the end which would make them easier to pull off. 9.5/10

Conclusion: Like I said earlier, this is my favourite pair of shoulder pads ever. My only complains are pretty minimal and if you are looking for a very protective shoulder pad while not sacrificing a tonne of mobility this is definitely a great option. The Ultra Tacks line has become my primary set of equipment for good reason. 9/10

Elbow Pads: Like the shoulder pads the Ultra Tacks elbow pads are now my goto pair. They aren’t perfect but they are close.

Fit: I have worn both medium and large elbow pads in the past. Because of my height and lack of muscle finding a pair of elbow pads that fit me length wise but are far too loose widthwise where they start falling off while I am playing. These elbows are a good length and the straps are adequate to keeping the elbows in place on my arms. I like the top strap where I don’t have to fully tightening it to keep that piece fitting snuggly. While the forearm straps work for me they are tightened as tight as they can go before their sticky velcro is exposed and would start getting caught on my jerseys. I wish there was a bit more adjustability to ensure they would fit a broader range of body shapes/sizes but for me these pads are the best fitting pad I have worn where the pads don’t slide around on my arms at all. 9.5/10

Protection: Protection is one of the most important feature I am looking for in elbow pads and these had a lot to live up to since I was coming from a pair of Easton EQ50s which I felt were REALLY good. Well the protection on these Ultra Tacks is even better. The D3O foam beneath your elbow is really nice for added protection. The forearm protection has the same hard foam that is on the sternum and rib protection of the shoulder pads. I personally wish this was D3O foam but I honestly can’t say that the foam used here is not protective enough, it is great. I have taken sticks and pucks to this area while barely feeling anything. This foam is also used on the outside of the bicep protection as well as a Tacks Armour. I feel the Tacks Armour on the elbow pad is more suited for this piece than it is on the shoulder pads. The only thing I wish these elbows had in terms of protection is removable slash guards going deeper into my gloves. 9.5/10

Comfort: 99% of the time these elbow pads are comfortable and unobtrusive. The other 1% is when I outstretch my arms as much as possible and the bottom lip of the elbow pad digs into my forearms. I can feel the plastic (or really hard foam) that makes up the shell of the pad dig into my forearm, I feel CCM could’ve added some extra padding here to ensure this doesn’t happen. While it doesn’t usually occur when playing it happened a few times during games or skating around. 8/10

Mobility: These are not the most mobile elbow pads on the market. They are 2 piece design unlike the more mobile 3 piece CCM RBZ elbow pads. With that said I have not had any issues when playing with them (except what was mentioned in the comfort part). I have never felt limited by the pads or held back by them in anyway. I feel I have an almost full range of motion with slight limitation of fully extending my arms. 9/10

Weight: Like the shoulder pads these are not designed to be the lightest pair of elbow pads on the market. But the weight is never a hindrance and I have never felt that a lighter pad would benefit me more. 8/10

Durability: When I got these elbow pads there was missing stitching on the upper arm protection area, this area has not gotten worse and I have no issues with the missing stitching at all. There is no noticeable wear on the elbow pads besides the yellowing of white material from sweat. All of the velcro is still in tack and the straps have not loosened over time. 10/10

Intangibles: Like the shoulder pads I wish D3O foam was used more throughout the elbow pads especially on the front forearm protection. I also wish these elbow pads and slash guard protection extruding from the bottom of the pads and heading into your gloves like the Warrior Dynasty HD Pro have, or perhaps an attached slash guard made of D3O like Bauer’s PoronXD slash guards. I also think the elbow pads feel cheap in comparison to the other products in the Ultra Tacks line, the outer cloth material feels really cheap compared to the other materials used, this doesn’t affect performance of course but is just how they look and feel. 8/10

Conclusion: Just like the shoulder pads these elbows are the best I have ever used. There are a few improvements I believe could be made for the ultimate set of elbow pads on the market. But if you are looking for an extremely protective and well made pair of elbow pads I would absolutely recommend the CCM Ultra Tacks. 8.5/10

[Hills 713]

Here is the video portion of the reviews:

 

Shoulder Pads:

 

Elbow Pads: