FT6 Pro gear drop!

[VegasHockey 1280]

Stay tuned for full reviews and video content.

FYI, just from unpacking everything and tinkering with it in the house, I am impressed. They did an excellent job implementing the Aer-Tec suspension system, even though it was something we have seen similar previously in other equipment.

[VegasHockey 1280]

CCM FT6 Pro shinguard snapshot review is now live. 

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14" CCM FT6 Pro weight: 601 grams
14" CCM FT4 Pro weight: 605 grams
14" CCM Hyperlite weight: 587 grams

AER-TEC THERMOREGULATION SYSTEM
Maximized thermoregulation system with multiple ventilation ports in shin cap and shin liner for maximum airflow, plus FLOFOAM knee donut  contributes to comfort and pro-level protection.

FLOATING COMPRESS-MOLDED HD FOAM
Lightweight pro-level protection for maximum impact calf guards plus added abrasion resistance at bottom.

ANATOMICAL JDP KNEECAP
Removable/adjustable Flofoam knee comfort pad with premium sublimated lining plus JDP kneecap construction to disperse impact force away from the knee joint.

OPTIMIZED ANATOMICAL GEOMETRY WITH STRAP GROOVE
Pro-level shin cap lined with compress-molded exposed ZOTEFOAM and PE plastic anticollapse X-FRAME and multiple ventilation ports for premium breathability.

MOLDED PREMIUM HD FOAM CONNECTED TO KNEE LINER
One-piece knee liner offers a close-to-the body pro-level protection.

UPPER-LOCK STRAP WITH COMFORT CUSHION AND LENGTH-ADJUSTABLE CALF STRAP
Customize to all calf sizes for a snug and extra-comfortable fit.

AER-TEC SUSPENSION SYSTEM MESH LINER TREATED WITH POLYGIENE + ODOR CRUNCH
Max ventilation for evaporation to help keep shins dry and cool + abrasion-resistant 400D nylon bottom  reinforcement.

COMPRESS-MOLDED HD FOAM SIDE GUARD
Pro-level foam for extra side protection.

Edited April 14, 2023 by VegasHockey

[jkent27 6]

Definitely following.  Curious to see if they've improved the elbow pad.

[VegasHockey 1280]

1 hour ago, jkent27 said:

Definitely following.  Curious to see if they've improved the elbow pad.

 

Videos for gloves, elbows, and an update on shins will be published this afternoon. 

[dasuchin 20]

Any thoughts on how less protective the FT6 shins would be vs the ASV? I like the ASV Pro's I have except for the break in the liner rubbing on my shin in a weird way. But I wouldn't mind having a little slimmer of a shin pad if they're not that much less protective.

[VegasHockey 1280]

44 minutes ago, dasuchin said:

Any thoughts on how less protective the FT6 shins would be vs the ASV? I like the ASV Pro's I have except for the break in the liner rubbing on my shin in a weird way. But I wouldn't mind having a little slimmer of a shin pad if they're not that much less protective.

I think with the new Air-Tec suspension system in place the level of protection from direct shots to the shin would be the same.

Impact to the knee would be better on the AS-V Pro since it has D3O, and the AS-V Pro has significantly more protection on the calf and sides. 

 

[Giltis 116]

Great vid. I am so jealous haha.

I've always loved CCM's protective line. I wonder how their elbows are as I've never had an elbow pad that I liked. Either too bulky and most are uncomfortable and get in the way because they don't stay in place.

[Westside 232]

I’m all for improved breathability so I’ll be curious to see if the art-tec really does keep you cooler on the ice. Don’t need new shins or elbows ATM, but those two pieces interest me the most 

[Cavs019 708]

The suspension system on the shins is cool, reminds me of my old RBK 6Ks which I loved. 
 

That being said - the high thigh guard on these is a dealbreaker for me. I love my FT4 Pro shins and one of the best aspects of them is that the thigh guard barely extends above the kneecap. The ones that extend too far always get caught on my pants which I find absolutely infuriating to deal with mid skate. Back in the day I would just cut them off RBKs/Jofas or opt for something like a Nexus shin that let you adjust it down to “zero”. 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Cavs019

[IPv6Freely 2093]

3 hours ago, Cavs019 said:

The suspension system on the shins is cool, reminds me of my old RBK 6Ks which I loved. 
 

That being said - the high thigh guard on these is a dealbreaker for me. I love my FT4 Pro shins and one of the best aspects of them is that the thigh guard barely extends above the kneecap. The ones that extend too far always get caught on my pants which I find absolutely infuriating to deal with mid skate. Back in the day I would just cut them off RBKs/Jofas or opt for something like a Nexus shin that let you adjust it down to “zero”. 

I don't understand why theres no elastic strap on that flap like there is on the same flap on referee shins. It's so much better!

[Sniper9 530]

These companies releasing new stuff so often has made me totally lose interest lol. I know protective comes out every two years which it's been this way for a while, but the annual stick releases are too much. 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Sniper9

[BruinDust 42]

17 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

These companies releasing new stuff so often has made me totally lose interest lol. I know protective comes out every two years which it's been this way for a while, but the annual stick releases are too much. 

 

Is it a problem if they actually make improvements? 

For example, the FT5 Pro has improved durability IMO over the FT4 Pro. All-new Sigmatex material. I'd prefer CCM produce and release a new model each year with improvements than double production on the older model with still contains it's flaws (in the above example durability issues with the FT4 Pro). 

In 2020, the Trigger 5 Pro was released and wasn't received particularly well. I'm sure Ribcore fans were happy to see an improved Trigger 6 Pro in 2021 and didn't have to wait until 2022 for an improved model. 

I only see annual stick releases as an issue if the manufacturer isn't making any innovations or improvements and the new release is basically a repaint. For example, I found there was almost zero difference between the Trigger 2 PMT and the Trigger 3D. There were slight changes but they were so minimal it wasn't noticeable. 

[stick9 892]

On 4/15/2023 at 1:56 AM, IPv6Freely said:

I don't understand why theres no elastic strap on that flap like there is on the same flap on referee shins. It's so much better!

Probably because it's not really needed. Between socks and proper length pants it's not an issue for the majority of players. And it's added cost that most would cut off with the tags.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

That's a bummer, it would be really nice. Easy enough to add yourself, I guess. Interesting they'd choose to do it for ref shins though where that flap isn't going to get caught on pants. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

4 hours ago, BruinDust said:

For example, the FT5 Pro has improved durability IMO over the FT4 Pro. All-new Sigmatex material. I'd prefer CCM produce and release a new model each year with improvements than double production on the older model with still contains it's flaws (in the above example durability issues with the FT4 Pro). 

In 2020, the Trigger 5 Pro was released and wasn't received particularly well. I'm sure Ribcore fans were happy to see an improved Trigger 6 Pro in 2021 and didn't have to wait until 2022 for an improved model. 

I only see annual stick releases as an issue if the manufacturer isn't making any innovations or improvements and the new release is basically a repaint. For example, I found there was almost zero difference between the Trigger 2 PMT and the Trigger 3D. There were slight changes, but they were so minimal it wasn't noticeable. 

Some observations from a store owner who dealt with sales, warranties and customer returns:

The FT4 Pro stick was significantly less durable than the FT5 Pro stick. However, both were more durable than the FT3 Pro. FWIW, I think the FT3 Pro stick was the best Jetspeed released and this is why a lot of NHL players still use it. Despite the stick having a very short lifespan, it had incredible pop. 

The Trigger 5 Pro was widely adopted at all levels, but the primary issue was durability. The Trigger 6 Pro was not adopted as well due to the significant weight increase and change in balance. The weight didn't change in the Trigger 7 Pro, but the balance point did, and the stick was refined further. FWIW, I think the Trigger 5 Pro is better than the Trigger 6 Pro and Trigger 7 Pro.

Fun Fact:

2020/2021 was the release of the FT3 Pro and Trigger 5 Pro. CCM was chasing weight savings for these release years, and did srop the weight of those models significantly, which is why both of those sticks had the weight listed on the back of the stick. Since CCM made changes to the later design of both stick models, which also added weight, they started to remove the weight listing off their sticks.

[VegasHockey 1280]

2 hours ago, stick9 said:

Probably because it's not really needed. Between socks and proper length pants it's not an issue for the majority of players. And it's added cost that most would cut off with the tags.

Funny you mention this. I am actually going to cut the flap off the FT6 Pro and add my own elastic. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

On 4/14/2023 at 5:26 PM, Westside said:

I’m all for improved breathability so I’ll be curious to see if the art-tec really does keep you cooler on the ice. Don’t need new shins or elbows ATM, but those two pieces interest me the most 

I'll be doing my update videos for the shin shortly. I wanted to test them more, and there are multiple factors that need to be considered though for Aer-tec in the shinguard. 

• Type of hockey sock a player wears: Some materials don't breathe well. I noticed a significant difference between knit, CCM SX6000 and CCM SX8000 socks with these shins. 
• Using a long jock vs short: With the long jock I didn't notice any difference in cooling but with a short jock I did feel the airflow difference. 
• Length and type of player sock used: I like to wear taller socks with cut protection that are decently thick. When I used my Howies sock I did feel a difference. 

I skated a few times using both a FT4 Pro shin and a FT6 Pro shin. Neither leg felt cooler or any different from the other. It was only when I changed my long jock pants to short and used a thinner sock that I felt a slight difference in cooling. Again, this was when wearing both a FT4 Pro shin and a FT6 Pro shin. This is one of those situations where I think YMMV if you are buying these specifically for the "cooling" effect. 

The FT6 Pro feels like an incremental improvement in design over the FT4 Pro. I like the changes to the liner, and they reinforced the areas where the FT4 Pro had repeated catastrophic issues. 

[Jbear 113]

I got a $7 D30 square, cut it to size and glued it into my FT4 Pro shinnies...they are just about as protective as my AS1's (whichhavesaved my Canadien bacon on many occasions.

  There are a lot of ways to improve gear that don't require another $200 expenditure. If you're a strong player...shaving a dozen grams is not why I would change up.  Bulk is another story...I love the HP45 pants, but I will say, my FT4 Pro's are much slimmer and very close in protection to the point where I don't even consider that.  

We've had the discussion...IMO...current release cycles are too short, unnecessary,  and irresponsible.  But...that's kind of the world now, and I can't find another one so...guess I'll just go for the ride. 

[Cavs019 708]

The biggest issue with the annual releases is that they more or less cripple smaller shops. Otherwise I don’t really care as no one is forcing any of us to buy the new release. The Trigger 4 is my favorite out of all the builds and I’ve been able to stock up for cheap the more “dated” it gets. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

5 minutes ago, Cavs019 said:

The biggest issue with the annual releases is that they more or less cripple smaller shops. Otherwise I don’t really care as no one is forcing any of us to buy the new release. The Trigger 4 is my favorite out of all the builds and I’ve been able to stock up for cheap the more “dated” it gets. 

100% it does destroy smaller stores. Big box stores get such large rebates on the back end that it doesn't matter if they sell items at cost or lower than cost since they do so much volume. Also, they can just write off the sales of items lower than cost to decrease taxes, but that's a whole other story. 

[Westside 232]

6 hours ago, VegasHockey said:

I'll be doing my update videos for the shin shortly. I wanted to test them more, and there are multiple factors that need to be considered though for Aer-tec in the shinguard. 

• Type of hockey sock a player wears: Some materials don't breathe well. I noticed a significant difference between knit, CCM SX6000 and CCM SX8000 socks with these shins. 
• Using a long jock vs short: With the long jock I didn't notice any difference in cooling but with a short jock I did feel the airflow difference. 
• Length and type of player sock used: I like to wear taller socks with cut protection that are decently thick. When I used my Howies sock I did feel a difference. 

I skated a few times using both a FT4 Pro shin and a FT6 Pro shin. Neither leg felt cooler or any different from the other. It was only when I changed my long jock pants to short and used a thinner sock that I felt a slight difference in cooling. Again, this was when wearing both a FT4 Pro shin and a FT6 Pro shin. This is one of those situations where I think YMMV if you are buying these specifically for the "cooling" effect. 

The FT6 Pro feels like an incremental improvement in design over the FT4 Pro. I like the changes to the liner, and they reinforced the areas where the FT4 Pro had repeated catastrophic issues. 

Thanks for the run down. I typically wear pro stock socks with Kevlar backing, warroad long sleeve pants, and short wool socks for my feet 

[Cavs019 708]

Speaking of the FT6 Pro line, any word on when the skates will be available for custom orders?

Edited April 17, 2023 by Cavs019

[dasuchin 20]

15 hours ago, Westside said:

Thanks for the run down. I typically wear pro stock socks with Kevlar backing, warroad long sleeve pants, and short wool socks for my feet 

Dumb question but, do you wear a separate jock with those warroad pants? And I'm guessing whatever separate jock you wear also holds your socks? I've thought about trying those but not sure what I'd do for jock and socks.

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

15 hours ago, Cavs019 said:

Speaking of the FT6 Pro line, any word on when the skates will be available for custom orders?

I'm waiting on the date as well, late May, early June is what I've been told

[noupf 42]

22 hours ago, Jbear said:

I got a $7 D30 square, cut it to size and glued it into my FT4 Pro shinnies...they are just about as protective as my AS1's (whichhavesaved my Canadien bacon on many occasions.

  There are a lot of ways to improve gear that don't require another $200 expenditure. If you're a strong player...shaving a dozen grams is not why I would change up.  Bulk is another story...I love the HP45 pants, but I will say, my FT4 Pro's are much slimmer and very close in protection to the point where I don't even consider that.  

We've had the discussion...IMO...current release cycles are too short, unnecessary,  and irresponsible.  But...that's kind of the world now, and I can't find another one so...guess I'll just go for the ride. 

Want to do the same to my EQ50 shin guards.  They have served me well over the years but the hex foam in one knee cap is completely flat.  Got tripped and went down directly on my knee cap last night and its really sore today.  Not the first time this has happened in the last 2-3 year either.  Where did you find the D30 stuff?    And did the glue work?  I was thinking of stitching it onto the back of my removable shin liner ( on the back side where the donut hole cut out is ).  I have no idea if the D30 material is something that can be stitched though...….