CCM Dek and Ball Hockey Equipment Review

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CCM has recently launched their own foray into Dek and Ball Hockey-specific equipment, producing a wide range of products that can fill the needs of a multitude of players.

Drawing design and fit cues from their successful QLT line of protective equipment, CCM has brought the tapered, snug fit that favours mobility and lightweight protection, a key priority for any ball hockey player. The result is an improved and refined set of protective equipment for the sport, at competitive price points that will be sure to fit any player’s budget.

Gloves

CCM has produced two lines of ball hockey gloves: a high-protection Pro-style glove, and a more affordable, performance glove. The QLT line of ball hockey gloves provide a lacrosse-style glove fit, providing more mobility in the wrist and dexterity through the fingers and palm. A segmented backhand and fingers improves the overall fit and mobility of the glove, while a large range of sizes (mirroring those of traditional hockey gloves) ensures that there is a right fit for every player.

The QLT190 glove offers a dual-density foam for greater protection, covered by a high-quality, durable nylon shell and synthetic leather patches. The embroidered logo was a nice touch, and really emphasizes the focus on quality and protection CCM has taken when building these gloves.

At the more affordable price point, the QLT170 uses a single, high-density foam to provide a solid protection package inside a glove with an uncompromised fit. The glove remains lightweight and mobile, giving great performance to both recreational players and younger ball hockey fanatics, with the glove being available in junior sizes as well.

Shin Guards

It is in this category that CCM’s Dek/Ball hockey equipment really sets itself apart from the competition. CCM really took the time to ensure that the products they were putting out in their first entry into the ball hockey market filled the needs and wants of the players wearing them, with three unique lines of shin guards, each with its own place.

The first shin guard is their hard shell guard, the QLT190. CCM redesigned the mold for the hard plastic shell, separating themselves from the wider, bulkier fit found in ice hockey-inspired shin guards. The resulting design is much more optimized for the running motion and provides a greater range of motion and flexibility. A perforated foam calf wrap also provides a great deal of breathability and comfort in the back part of the shin guard. The shell design also provides more ankle bone protection and uses materials from CCMs ice hockey protective to improve the durability and protection in the shin guard, an uncompromised performance that will hold up to even the hardest user.

For the soft-guard aficionados in the sport, CCM has also produced a line of soft-shell shin guards that provide a much closer, anatomical fit in the form of the QLT-SFT. Protection comes from the multi-density foams found throughout the pad, hugging close to the leg to provide full coverage with minimal gaps. Ball and Dek hockey players who are fans of D-Gels shin guards will find a familiar home in these shin guards, but at a more affordable price point.

CCM’s final shin guard takes the hard shell guard and removes the knee cap, creating a ball-hockey specific shin protector for the players who preferred soccer guards for the extra mobility – the QLT170. I found this piece of equipment to be the best example of CCM’s commitment to its users’ and players’ feedback. This style of pad isn’t offered by any other hockey manufacturer and CCM has taken the initiative to fill a need for those players compromising protection for greater mobility. The cap-less shin guard features the same impact plastic and foam design from the hard shell cap, with comfort edges on both ends of the guard, to prevent the hard plastic from causing pressure on the knee and ankle joints.

Padded Pants

To round off their equipment line, CCM offers a padded short, built similarly to their padded RBZ-line base layer found in ice and roller hockey. The foam padding on the thighs, and hips are made of the same perforated, single-density foam as on the calf wrap of the shin guards, providing a flexible and breathable protective layer on high-impact areas of the body. The wicking fabric and sturdy waistband makes the padded short incredibly comfortable to wear, with very little restrictiveness while in motion. The removable protective cup in the

Final Thoughts

CCM’s first major venture into the ball and dek hockey market has once again been a reflection of their player-first approach to equipment. A solid line-up of products with a player-centric design, means that there’s a fit for every player at multiple price points. A solid effort by CCM to improve the games of ball and dek hockey players everywhere.