Admittedly, I’ve become something of a gear whore. I’ve been hunting down new hockey equipment to upgrade my 15-year-old set of gear. I hope to continue to write about what I learn through my journey.

This first post reviews CCM’s new U+ CL shoulder pads, released in April 2012. CCM introduced a new line of products that they claim are “crazy light,” and their U+ CL shoulder pads lives up to the name, weighing in at about 750 grams for medium-sized pads. Coming from some old school pads, I can really feel the difference in weight.

Lightweight

The weight reduction was the result of a new technology called U-Foam, a lightweight foam that enabled the CCM designers to create a light, strong, and water-resistant padding. U-Foam is used throughout the construction of the U+ CL shoulder pads, including the shoulder caps, which have been traditionally made with plastic. The only plastic found on the pads are the sternum and spine protector on the front and back, respectively.

Even though U-Foam is light, it is still strong. This bowling ball test video below illustrates U-Foam’s ability to disperse and absorb the energy of an impact.

Water Resistant

U-Foam was designed to be water resistant and non-absorbent, so the U+ CL shoulder pads don’t get much heavier as you sweat. You can see how little water it does absorb in the video below. The CCM designers also included channels on the inside of the pads where air and sweat can flow, providing wearers with improved comfort.

Breathability

One of my key search criteria for a replacement shoulder pad was breathability. As I mentioned previously, the design of the pads includes channels on the inside of the pads, such that the pads don’t simply conform and stick to your body. This design allows air to flow easily between the pad and your skin (or shirt if you wear one). Additionally, the sternum protector is vented allowing air to flow freely into the pads.

Low Profile

CCM has incorporated the clavicle protector design from the 2011 U+ line of shoulder pads, where the protector overlaps the shoulder caps. This design allows for a less bulky fit, and a low profile look, without sacrificing personal protection.

Construction

The construction of the pad around the torso is made of three parts, both front and back. This design allows the parts to move independently, so padding doesn’t bunch up as your body moves.

Room for Improvement

Although I really like the U+ CL shoulder pads, there are still a few things I’d like to see:

1. The bicep guards are not adjustable, unlike other top end gear from other manufacturers. The bicep guards are attached directly to the body with sewn in straps. Other shoulder pads I’ve seen have a velcro system where players can move the bicep guards up or down depending on personal preference.
2. The bicep guards are single pieces, where other manufacturers utilize multiple segments to form the guards. By using a multiple segment system, CCM could improve on the already impressive mobility.
3. The U+ CL doesn’t provide any abdominal protector (or flap), that I’ve seen on other top end shoulder pads. The result is a gap between the bottom of the shoulder pads and the top of my pants. CCM could provide a U-Foam flap that is attached either by velcro or straps. Players could then decide if they wish to keep or remove the extra protection.

And there’s only one thing that only time will tell: The durability of U+ CL shoulder pads. Since these are new to the market, there’s very little that I can tell that would lead me to believe these pads are more or less durable than its competitors.

Performance – In My Opinion…

After practicing with these new pads, I feel that I have greater mobility than my old pads, particularly around the shoulder caps. The shoulder caps on my old pads always felt like they crept up to the side of my head when taking slap shots, or whenever I needed to raise my arms up. The new pads move more naturally with my shoulders so I don’t feel the bulk of the shoulder caps.

The three piece construction around the torso makes a big difference, as at no time, did the padding shift as I moved. The closest analogy I can come up with is that it felt like wearing a shirt instead armour. Each part moved with the body, and I felt that I was well protected at all times.

The U+ CL shoulder pads provides excellent ventilation. The strategically placed holes and vents in the sternum protector allows a lot of air flow to get between the shoulder pad and the body. I stayed cool throughout games and at no did feel overheated, as I did in my old pads. My old pads always felt like I was wearing a sweater. When skating, I can really feel the air flow through pads particularly when I wear an Under Armour Heatgear shirt underneath. So far so good; I haven’t had the need to dump a bottle of water down my back to stay cool.

I can’t comment too much on protective qualities at this time as I haven’t taken a hit, nor blocked a shot while wearing the new CCMs yet (its off-season, what can I say). I can state the U-Foam has similar compressive qualities as foams used by other manufacturers, so I would conjecture that the U+ CL should be able to handle the same forms of impact as other shoulder pads. If anyone has had some experience with the U+ CL shoulder pads taking a hit, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d like to hear about it.

My only negative is the sizing. My shoulders fit wider than a small-sized pad, but the medium is slightly wider than I would prefer and feels a bit loose. I guess you can’t make the perfectly sized pad that fits everyone. I’m not a pro so I’m not about to get custom shoulder pads.

Overall, the low weight combined with the excellent mobility made wearing the CCM U+ CL shoulder pads feel like not wearing any shoulder pads at all. I’m really happy with this purchase, and look forward to many years of play with these pads.

For more information visit CCM’s product website; and visit your local hockey shop to try on a set.

UPDATE:

August 13, 2012

A cosmetic update. The chrome silver coating the “CCM” logo on the sternum protector has started to come off in little flakes. Not a big deal. It certainly doesn’t change the protection it offers.