Journey to find the “best” shoulder pads!

[HockeyLover5 2]

I’m an idiot.

I have been struggling to find a pair of shoulder pads that I can confidently say I fully like. I have large FT4 pros that are solid but too big so I’m going to give em to my dad. I just bought Medium AS-V Pro NHL Spec shoulder pads (the variant from EU) which seem decent but I don’t like how the sternum guard sticks out of my jersey so I’m selling them. I really want to find a pair of U+CLs as it seems to be the perfect mix of mobility and protection but I cannot find a pair for the life of me. I’m wondering if I should just get the FT6 Pros or stay patient and hope a pair of crazy lights pop up. I always want the “best” gear. 

My girlfriend is getting sick of me buying so many different pieces of gear just to determine I don’t like em. What are everyone’s thoughts on the “best shoulder pads”? Has anyone made any successful mods to the newer jetspeed s? Please help as my relationship is on the line. 

[althoma1 575]

For adult hockey, the Verbero  SSheild and Stark DC9 are great options. Thsy are both lght, mobile and modular

[Westside 232]

‘Best’ is all relative, right? Do you want protection, breathability, etc. 

I went through this journey years back. At the time I ended up with CCM QLT shoulders. I liked the breathability and profile. They had enough protection for beer league and wouldn’t have prevented the shoulder tear I got wearing them. I wore them for 4-5 years before moving into CLs. Preferred the CLs for moisture wicking and felt the breath ability was about the same, if not slightly better, than the QLT.

When the FT4 line came out they were pitched as true replacements for the CL line. Unfortunately I tried the FT4 Pros and got rid of them almost immediately going back to CLs. For me, the FT4s simply did not breathe nearly as well as the other pads and that’s my primary concern. 

When the FT6 line launched and I found a pair of FT6 Pros for half price I figured why not. IMO CCM improved ventilation significantly compared to the FT4 line and that’s not accounting for the aer-tec part. I sold the CLs and these are now my primary shoulder pads. 
 

So for me and my ‘best’, the FT6 Pros and CLs fit the bill. I wouldn’t pay retail price for them, but if you can get them at a discount, they’re well worth it 

[HockeyLover5 2]

1 hour ago, Westside said:

‘Best’ is all relative, right? Do you want protection, breathability, etc. 

I went through this journey years back. At the time I ended up with CCM QLT shoulders. I liked the breathability and profile. They had enough protection for beer league and wouldn’t have prevented the shoulder tear I got wearing them. I wore them for 4-5 years before moving into CLs. Preferred the CLs for moisture wicking and felt the breath ability was about the same, if not slightly better, than the QLT.

When the FT4 line came out they were pitched as true replacements for the CL line. Unfortunately I tried the FT4 Pros and got rid of them almost immediately going back to CLs. For me, the FT4s simply did not breathe nearly as well as the other pads and that’s my primary concern. 

When the FT6 line launched and I found a pair of FT6 Pros for half price I figured why not. IMO CCM improved ventilation significantly compared to the FT4 line and that’s not accounting for the aer-tec part. I sold the CLs and these are now my primary shoulder pads. 
 

So for me and my ‘best’, the FT6 Pros and CLs fit the bill. I wouldn’t pay retail price for them, but if you can get them at a discount, they’re well worth it 

Agreed, “best” is definitely relative. It seems the consensus everywhere I look is that CLs>everything else. Can’t find a damn pair anywhere though!

[HockeyLover5 2]

5 hours ago, althoma1 said:

For adult hockey, the Verbero  SSheild and Stark DC9 are great options. Thsy are both lght, mobile and modular

Never seen those before! Cool recommendation.

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

https://www.sourceforsports.ca/products/ccm-jetspeed-control-senior-hockey-shoulder-pads-2023-source-exclusive
 

check the JetSpeed SMU series from CCM, particularly the Control. It had some similar features to the CL and are much easier to find. 

[HockeyLover5 2]

5 minutes ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

https://www.sourceforsports.ca/products/ccm-jetspeed-control-senior-hockey-shoulder-pads-2023-source-exclusive
 

check the JetSpeed SMU series from CCM, particularly the Control. It had some similar features to the CL and are much easier to find. 

You think these over the ft6/ft6 pro?

[xstartxtodayx 343]

First let me say this is a never ending journey.  You'll think you found the perfect pair then a season later something will pique your interest and you'll try something different and be on the hunt all over again only to return to your previous "favorite" and find it's not as good as you remember lol it's an evil cycle.

I've been through a bunch but tend to prefer the U+/CL/RBZ line, never tried Jetspeeds or QL's.  I've had some Ultra Tacks and they were nice but didn't breathe as well and I didn't like how boxy the shoulder caps were, they had like a ledge to them.  CL's were the best overall as far as lightness and comfort but their caps are just so big (which is why I never tried QL's or Jetspeeds since they have the same caps).  I tried Vapor 2X Pro and 3X Pro, the 3X Pro was the better of the two and was super light and breathable but just felt awkward when I wore it, the caps or something kept feeling like they were hitting stuff when I moved (also the caps felt like they'd break in pieces if I touched them wrong which is just how Vapor caps are).  I tried Stark at one point, wasn't a big fan.  Tried STX, they didn't stay in place very well.  U+ ones are awesome and havre the best cap/bicep combo but they don't breathe as well as the CL's.  Right now I'm wearing CL's with U+ caps, best of both worlds, they're light, mobile, and breathe really well, ansds the caps are much more low profile (they're not the prettiest since I'm not the greatest with a sewing awl but they do the trick lol).

[start_today 770]

With protective especially, there is no “best.” At some point you are trading degrees of breathability and movement and weight for protection.  So, you gotta figure out how to configure those different things that work for you. Think of it like creating a character in a video game. You have an allotted number of points, so you can’t just put every category at 100. If you want lighter, they’ll be slightly less protective, etc  

It’s been a while since I wore CLs, and everyone liked them, but it’s not like you’re gonna put them on and be like “oh, these are clearly noticeably better than everything else and it was worth paying $200 for a used pair of 10+ year old shoulder pads, plus all the time I spent looking for them.” 

Rather than thinking about “THE BEST,” the about “these are fine.” Get something that does its job and you don’t notice them much, and spend the money on sticks or drugs or something fun. Protective stuff generally won’t improve your game like sticks or skates might*. Just find something you can be content with and don’t overthink it. 

*these really don’t either, but let’s pretend. 

[HockeyLover5 2]

1 hour ago, start_today said:

With protective especially, there is no “best.” At some point you are trading degrees of breathability and movement and weight for protection.  So, you gotta figure out how to configure those different things that work for you. Think of it like creating a character in a video game. You have an allotted number of points, so you can’t just put every category at 100. If you want lighter, they’ll be slightly less protective, etc  

It’s been a while since I wore CLs, and everyone liked them, but it’s not like you’re gonna put them on and be like “oh, these are clearly noticeably better than everything else and it was worth paying $200 for a used pair of 10+ year old shoulder pads, plus all the time I spent looking for them.” 

Rather than thinking about “THE BEST,” the about “these are fine.” Get something that does its job and you don’t notice them much, and spend the money on sticks or drugs or something fun. Protective stuff generally won’t improve your game like sticks or skates might*. Just find something you can be content with and don’t overthink it. 

*these really don’t either, but let’s pretend. 

Thanks for the detailed response! I suppose you’re right. Just wish I could find a damn pair of CL’s to determine whether or not they’re for me. Looks like I’ll have to go with the ft6 pros tho. 
 

Do you have any pics of your franken-shoulders? I’d love to see em!

 

[218hockey 50]

I looked at some of the newer Bauer shoulder's locally and they were tiny. I thought the Seniors were Junior sizes. What's up with that?

My son is currently using Bauer 1N's. The fit and protection are great although they've needed to be repaired more than once. Typical for Bauer shoulder pads.

[Larry54 243]

4 hours ago, 218hockey said:

I looked at some of the newer Bauer shoulder's locally and they were tiny. I thought the Seniors were Junior sizes. What's up with that?

My son is currently using Bauer 1N's. The fit and protection are great although they've needed to be repaired more than once. Typical for Bauer shoulder pads.

Shrinkflation? 😆

[HockeyLover5 2]

Anyone selling Senior Medium U+CL shouldies? I’d pay well!

[stick9 892]

16 hours ago, HockeyLover5 said:

Anyone selling Senior Medium U+CL shouldies? I’d pay well!

They pop up from time to time on sideline and eBay. I set up a daily alert when I was looking. 

I ended up with FT4 Pros on closeout and haven't looked back. 

[ProfessorBarDownski 11]

On 3/23/2024 at 9:24 AM, HockeyLover5 said:

I’m an idiot.

I have been struggling to find a pair of shoulder pads that I can confidently say I fully like. I have large FT4 pros that are solid but too big so I’m going to give em to my dad. I just bought Medium AS-V Pro NHL Spec shoulder pads (the variant from EU) which seem decent but I don’t like how the sternum guard sticks out of my jersey so I’m selling them. I really want to find a pair of U+CLs as it seems to be the perfect mix of mobility and protection but I cannot find a pair for the life of me. I’m wondering if I should just get the FT6 Pros or stay patient and hope a pair of crazy lights pop up. I always want the “best” gear. 

My girlfriend is getting sick of me buying so many different pieces of gear just to determine I don’t like em. What are everyone’s thoughts on the “best shoulder pads”? Has anyone made any successful mods to the newer jetspeed s? Please help as my relationship is on the line. 

I have the FT6 Pro shoulder pads, feels very mobile and light like ur not wearing anything. 

[swede 49]

There are no shoulder pads that fit a bigger than average ”frame”, so if you have broad shoulders or a bigger chest or just have more muscle or fat than the ”normal” hockey player, all shoulder pads will fit wrong or look wrong on you..

I like lifting weights, and have been hitting the iron for over 25 years so yeah, all shoulder pads have a wierd fit on me and make me look like a linebacker when the jersey goes on. Not even customizing of the pads will change that..

When you get past the whole look thing,  or how you think or want the pads to make you look its all about fit and protection.

CCM have always fitted me better, Bauer shoulders are a no go for me. 

My top picks are Ccm Rbz 130 or Ccm Qlt 270. Enough protection for my style and level of the game.

[Siponarius 17]

I haven’t been active much lately with recovery from a broken knee, and lack of ice times. I was the same, blowing good money after bad on shoulders that didn’t fit right. 

Before I got hurt, stopped wearing my shoulders, a pair of older Supreme TotalOnes, and started wearing a padded shirt that I made. Which was fine, until some plug who I play with and can’t aim took a shot during warm ups and bounced it off my shoulder. I put my TOnes on, and remembered how bulky they were. 

I went back to the grind stone ,and saw an archived post here and then it dawned on me: I had always assumed removing the caps meant the whole piece, and never considered removing the hard shells from the foam. 

Fast forward, a couple hours of seam ripping, and getting  some donor material from a pair of older X800 SMU shoulders (mostly for the Velcro and an extra foam pad), and here’s what I have. I restrung the shells with some 10lb test fishing line and glued some Velcro on the back side for when I need the hard shells, which is rarely. The black vapor foam is if I need extra padding without needing the shells.  Otherwise, just rocking the TOne foam with the bicep guards. 
 

 

Edited Wednesday at 02:48 PM by Siponarius

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Go find some CCM U+ CL online somewhere. 

[ggmunsen 14]

On 12/15/2024 at 8:30 PM, Siponarius said:

I haven’t been active much lately with recovery from a broken knee, and lack of ice times. I was the same, blowing good money after bad on shoulders that didn’t fit right. 

Before I got hurt, stopped wearing my shoulders, a pair of older Supreme TotalOnes, and started wearing a padded shirt that I made. Which was fine, until some plug who I play with and can’t aim took a shot during warm ups and bounced it off my shoulder. I put my TOnes on, and remembered how bulky they were. 

I went back to the grind stone ,and saw an archived post here and then it dawned on me: I had always assumed removing the caps meant the whole piece, and never considered removing the hard shells from the foam. 

Fast forward, a couple hours of seam ripping, and getting  some donor material from a pair of older X800 SMU shoulders (mostly for the Velcro and an extra foam pad), and here’s what I have. I restrung the shells with some 10lb test fishing line and glued some Velcro on the back side for when I need the hard shells, which is rarely. The black vapor foam is if I need extra padding without needing the shells.  Otherwise, just rocking the TOne foam with the bicep guards. 
 

 

Let's see a pic of the current state of these, because DIY gear mods are great