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CCM SpeedBurner Stick Review
We have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to test out the new SpeedBurner stick from CCM for a couple months now. Our conclusion: The SpeedBurner is the ultimate “shooter’s stick.”
CCM has once again partnered up with TaylorMade to create a “loaded blade” technology. This essentially creates a trampoline effect, similar to that of a driver head striking a golf ball. The puck really explodes off the stick, and your shot is noticeably harder. The one downfall to this comes when you catch/receive passes, or are attempting to stickhandle in tight spaces. The puck tends to “pop” off the blade, so if you do not have quick hands it can work to your detriment.
We also found that the Speedburner is noticeably stiffer than other brands. For instance, if you use a 95 flex in a Bauer, you might be better suited with an 85 flex in the Speedburner.
Overall, we would give the CCM SpeedBurner stick a solid 8 out of 10, and we would recommend it for any pure shooter with a heavy shot.
Hockey Parent’s Guide to Fitting Shoulder Pads
In the physical nature of hockey, it is important to have properly fitting shoulder pads. One of the common tendencies when fitting shoulder pads is to look at the shoulder caps themselves. While this is important, there are many other factors to look at when evaluating the fit of a shoulder pad. Below are some of the key features of a good shoulder pad:
- Shoulder Caps- Shoulder caps come in many different shapes and sizes. One of the common misconceptions is that a bigger shoulder cap is more protective. Bigger is not necessarily better. Many shoulder pads now come with a more tapered fit around the shoulder, but offer the same level of protection. You want to make sure the shoulder caps sit directly on top of the shoulders. A shoulder pad that is too large, will slide down the arms of the player and will be more susceptible to shifting around. One that is too small will not properly cover the shoulder.
- Clavicle Protection- Many shoulder pads do not come with a reinforced clavicle protection, so it is important to make sure that there is a reinforced piece of protection over the collar bone. A good shoulder pad will offer this protection.
- Upper Arm Protection- This part of the shoulder pad is often adjustable, and can be slid up and down to offer the best overall protection for the upper arm. The arm of the shoulder pad should meet the top of the elbow pad to ensure the most quality fit.
- Sternum Protection- One of the often overlooked pieces of protection is the sternum. A quality shoulder pad will contain a reinforced piece of padding directly over the sternum area. Many cheaper shoulder pads will offer limited or no protection through this area of the chest.
- Spine Protection- Another extremely important piece of the shoulder pad is the spinal protection. A quality shoulder pad will have a reinforced padding all the way down the spinal cord to ensure protection in an extremely sensitive area of the body. A cheaper shoulder pad will not contain this piece of padding.
Fit Instructions- You want to make sure that the shoulder caps sit directly over the shoulder bone, fully covering the collar bone on each side. The upper arm should meet the top of the elbow pad to fully cover the arm. The shoulder pad should also cover down to at least the middle of the stomach in the front, and midway down the back, where it should meet the hockey pant for full back and kidney protection.
Hockey Parent’s Guide to Fitting a Helmet Properly
As a parent, there are many things to think about when outfitting your hockey player. With all that we know about concussions, the most important piece of equipment is the hockey helmet. There are a few important pieces to focus on when fitting a hockey helmet. Most notably- proper fit, protection level and life span.
Proper fit: A proper fitting helmet should fit snugly on the player’s head. Any sign of a helmet rattling around, or fitting too loosely can be a major issue. Hockey players can take a variety of impacts, and a helmet that does not sit tightly on the head can lead to a variety of dangerous scenarios. Mainly, the helmet being dislodged from the player completely.
One of the commonly overlooked aspects of fitting a helmet, is how the cage fits onto the helmet itself. Many helmets are sold in “combo” form, with a cage already attached, but it is important to know that sometimes cage size and helmet size are not always consistent with each other. That is why we recommend buying the cage and helmet separately, to ensure the absolute best fit. The cage should sit right on the player’s chin, and should be firmly locked into the “J-Clips” on the side of the helmet. This ensures that the cage will not be driven into the players chin upon impact- which is a common factor in concussions.
Protection Level: Hockey hits come in all types, sizes and intensities. Often times, it is not necessarily the biggest hit on the ice that causes injury, but the most “awkward” hits. Different types of protection levels are essential in preventing concussions. Most helmets on the market help to protect against linear or direct impacts to the head. The difference between the cheaper and more expensive helmets though, is the quality of the foam used within the helmet. The best type of foam to look for is layered EPP or Poron. Most helmets in the $120+ range contain these materials. Low-end helmets often contain one layer of standard VN foam, which loses protective capability over time as it hardens.
The one aspect that differentiates the BEST helmets, from the lower-end helmets, is a helmets protection level against rotational impacts. Most helmets can withstand a linear or direct impact, and can sufficiently protect the player, but the rotational impacts typically have a more devastating impact on a players head. There are numerous helmets on the market that take this into account- most notably the Bauer Re-Akt series and the CCM Resistance series. These technologies help the head move independent of the helmet, so the awkward angle impacts, which cause the head to snap around with the helmet are mitigated.
Life Span: Another critical and overlooked area in preventing concussions, is paying attention to the “life span” of a helmet. Routinely, a player can wear the same size helmet for years and years. A lot of times, a youth hockey player can stay in that same size helmet until adulthood. Just like anything that gets worn down over time, a hockey helmet needs to be re-examined and at times replaced completely. The important piece to look at, is the foam within the helmet. The foam is designed to take repeated impacts, but over time as the impacts increase, and sweat is absorbed and dried out into the material- the foam hardens. As the player takes an impact, this hardened foam is driving into the head, which can cause major head trauma.
Made of Hockey: CCM Protective Equipment
The CCM protective equipment continues to be the lightest, strongest and most comfortable hockey equipment on the market today. Similar to the way Bauer excels in the skate category, CCM holds steady as the industry leader in shoulder pad, elbow pad, shin pad and hockey pant sales.
Much of the CCM protective equipment is modeled after the legendary Jofa Hockey brand, which was acquired by Reebok/CCM. Jofa was highly popular throughout the NHL for many years, and their style of equipment lives on today through the CCM brand.
The CCM Crazylight U Foam technology creates an extremely light feel to their equipment, while the water resistant material doesn’t retain sweat, which can weigh a player down during a hockey game. While many different brands produce shoulder pads and elbow pads that can be unnecessarily bulky and large, CCM understands that hockey is a game of speed. The reduction in weight and size of their product is ideal for the best on-ice performance. All of this is done without compromising the protection of the player.
When it comes to choosing the best protective hockey equipment based on comfort and protection, CCM is the consensus pick from the staff at Sports Etc.
Goalie Gear Made Exclusively For Sports Etc!
For 35 years we have been working with goalies and goalie manufacturers to bring the best selection of quality gear to our customer base. On occasion we like to sit down with our best suppliers to come up with gear that can’t be purchased out of a catalog. This allows us to present to our goalies something unique that will give them features and advantages that would otherwise not be available without doing their own custom design. For the 2015 season we are presenting our best selection of exclusive gear ever, including the pro goalie inspired Vaughn Vision pro catcher, the throwback Brian’s G-Netik B-Star gear and the CCM Extreme Flex II leg pads featuring an exclusive graphic and a double external break not found in the catalog version. To check out these and other unique exclusives check out our Goalie Exclusives Page!
Vaughn Vision “Pro Spec” Catcher and Velocity 2200 “Tuukka” Style Blocker
Brian Vintage “B-Star” Gear
CCM E-Flex II Exclusive Leg Pads
CCM RBZ Hockey Skate Available NOW!
CCM RBZ Hockey Skate Available Now!
CCM, the legendary skate maker, launched it’s Freakishly Fast new skate CCM RBZ this July! This skate is setting the hockey world abuzz! The all new CCM RBZ skate is engineered to provide you the most extreme foot speed in hockey. Featuring new custom support insoles for greater reaction speed, the advanced SpeedCore composite quarter package for explosive turns and the all new SpeedBlade + 4.0 holder that increases your turning radius by up to 10% for the most aggressive angle of attack in hockey. This is Speed to the Extreme.
Not sure if this skate is for you? Well we have a fleet of CCM demo skates which you can try RIGHT NOW!!! Contact us for details!
CCM Extreme Flex Pro Goalie Gear In Stock Now!
The Legendary Name In Hockey Makes It’s Return To Goalie Equipment With The New Extreme Flex Goalie Gear
The name says it all for the new CCM Extreme Flex Pro. It is both extremely flexible in the boot and has a good amount of torsional flex in the shin area. This allows the goalie to more easily load his/her push leg in a butterfly recovery as well as easily direct rebounds to the corner. The face of the pad is layered in a soft foam giving the goalie closer rebounds.
The new 90 degree boot angle is both flatter and softer than what is found on it’s Reebok counterpart, the Premier 4. The knee and calf landings are binding-less to provide maximum durability. The tight leg channel with calf Velcro allows the goalie to maintain control of the pad without having to wear the leather straps tight. The open knee cradle allows ample space for bigger knee guards as well as offering superb pad rotation and balance. Unlike the Reebok P4, the CCM E-Flex pads have an flat inside medial (inside) edge, which means that the goalie is more stable and in control when in the butterfly. The knee lock Velcro can attach to the outside of the knee cradle or to the outside calf wrap.
The new CCM Extreme Flex Pro leg pads are the perfect combination of a butterfly and hybrid style pad.
MOBILITY: 90 deg. angled soft boot for extreme mobility
REBOUND CONTROL: Low-density soft foam on the front reduces rebounds to assure improved control
STABILITY: Flat inside edge stabilizes the pad flush to the ice with binding-less knee and calf wrap for increased durability
BALANCE: Wider knee stack landing surface keep goalies balanced in the butterfly
In Stock Now for Purchase Or Let one of our goalie experts help you design your customized CCM Extreme Flex Pro gear
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Email: info@sportsetc.net