CCM E1.5 Junior Chest and Arm Protector
There are two types of CCM chest & arm protectors, the CCM Premier and the Extreme Flex series. The Premier is the larger blocking style chest protector while the Extreme Flex is the hybrid style – built for flexibility and movement. The E1.5 chest protector has a lot of great features for young goalies such as the adjustable arm length. Arm length is generally the biggest size issue facing young goalies and parents. When the goalie grows and the arm protection becomes too short, the wrist and forearm become exposed. This can be a very painful spot for a goalie to be hit. With the adjustable arms, parents can keep pace with the correct placement of the chest protector with a few simple adjustments. At Goalies Plus, we have found that this unit can be used at higher levels of youth hockey. The protection and mobility of the E1.5 makes this a top pick for a junior chest protector.
CCM E1.5 Junior Chest and Arm Protector Features
- Sternum: PE foam. Segmented molded PE foam help to increase sternum protection.
- Shoulder Wings: Segmented, molded PE Foam help to offer great protection and mobility.
- Chest: PE foam blocks help to offer great chest protection.
- Bicep/Forearm: PE foam helps to offer great arm protection.
- Elbow: Independent adjustable elbow protector for a customized fit.
- Shoulder Cap: Compression molded PE foam helps to maximize coverage and protection.
Athletic Style (Hybrid) Vs. Blocking Style (Coverage) Chest Protectors
There are two basic designs in the goalie market in regards to chest protectors. These are based on the two types of styles that goalies play – hybrid and coverage. The hybrid goalie needs a more athletic style chest protector that allows him/her to move freely and maximize their agility. These units contour around the body with little to no gaps. The shoulder floaters are also smaller and form around the goalie in a more natural manner. Arms and elbow guards move freely and do not bind up, allowing for maximum mobility. The big upside to having an athletic style chest protector is the movement and freedom these provide. The downside to the athletic style chest is a decrease in size and materials. Now we are not saying they are not protective because most chest protectors are built to a very high standard and are have great protection qualities. However to make something move better you have to take something away and by doing this there will obviously be less material. We can say honestly that athletic chest protectors are extremely protective and the added materials in the blocking style are more about taking up space then adding protection.
The blocking style chest protectors are built for the coverage goalies that like to play big and take up as much space in the net as possible. The shoulder floaters are much wider and usually have multiple layers. The arm and elbow guards are also flared wider to take up as much space as possible. The blocking style chest protector tends to have more gaps and extra space on the goalies body because of the extra size. The upside to the blocking style chest protectors is the extra space it takes up. These chest protectors can easily make the shoulder width of a goalie four to six inches wider compared to an athletic style chest protector. Also, since the arms and elbow are bigger, there are less gaps for the puck to squeeze between the goalies body and arms. The downside to these blocking style units is the lack of movement. Because of the extra bulk, movement can be compromised. You can’t have the best of both worlds, if you make it bigger it will take away mobility.
Sizing Differences: Youth, Junior and Intermediate
Many parents do not understand the sizing terms used in goalie equipment. Youth, junior and intermediate are often confused as too which term goes with which age group. We will explain the differences to help eliminate any errors in the ordering process. Youth goalie gear is the smallest on the market. This is generally for your five year to eight year old goalies. Youth gear is generally less expensive and not made with high quality materials. Higher quality materials and foams at a youth level pose two issues. One; they are too stiff for a small goalie to move around and two; the goalie will outgrow the gear before they even break it in. Therefore it is ok to have lesser quality at the youth goalie gear age group. The junior goalie equipment is for the eight year to the twelve year old goalie. This again is not made with the highest quality materials. The quality is certainly better then the youth gaolie gear however the need for flexibility and movement outweighs the need for high end materials that will last several years. In the junior level gear, specs are more defined and equipment is made with performance in mind. Generally junior goalie equipment will have a lot of performance features that will be found in higher level gear. Lastly is the intermediate level goalie equipment. Intermediate gear is generally for eleven to fourteen year old goalies or even smaller adults. This gear generally uses higher density foams and higher quality materials. Goalies in this age group put a lot of wear and tear on their gear so manufactures need to build it accordingly. Everything about intermediate gear is made with higher level performance features and extra protection features. Players at this age group are playing faster and shooting harder therefore the goalie gear needs to be better as well.