matthewmarleyA culmination of 5 years research and design, the Super Tacks are CCM’s top line skate – and as you would expect, they’re absolutely jam-packed full of awesome features and innovative design.
Their premier place in CCM’s line up doesn’t come cheap though – which is why we’ve tested the Super Tacks more rigorously than (we think!) any other review out there. If you’re going to spend big money on skates, you want to know that you’re making a decision based on all the most important information – and written by someone who’s used them to hit the ice hard.
Our test skates
We tested the Super Tacks in a 9D size – which weighed in at a nimble 843 grams.
The skates look brilliant out of the box, it’s clear that there’s a lot of carbon fibre used in the construction as the weave is visible throughout the skate. The yellow and silver highlights that are used throughout the Tacks range give a classy look whatever you’re spending – but the addition of carbon really makes the Super Tacks visually stand out above the rest.
First impressions
When red-hot new skates arrive in the post we do exactly the same as you – get them on and get out onto the ice as quickly as possible.
My very first impression was around the fit – even before they went in to be baked and moulded the quarter package area felt amazing, something I put down to the new asymmetrical heel support that forms the foundation of the boots one-piece design.
The skate’s also extremely stiff – no surprise considering all that carbon – and that stiffness really translates to the ice. I really felt like my energy was translated totally, giving an explosive feel to my skating.
Technical features
Size: 9.0 D
Weight: 843 grams
Heat mouldable: Yes
Quarter Package: There is no independent quarter package as such – the boot is constructed as a MonoFrame 360 One-Piece Carbon Composite
Ankle padding: Multi-density memory foam
Heel support: Anatomically formed Carbon Composite
Tendon guard: Super-stiff (with more upright design)
Lining: TotalDri liner with Durazone Abrasion contact patches
Footbed: Currex Sole
Outsole: There is no independent sole – the boot is constructed as a MonoFrame 360 One-Piece Carbon Composite. The sole area does carry an air vent however.
Tongue: ADV Pro moulded tongue – with lace-bite protection
Blade holder: Speedblade 4.0
Runner: Speedblade Black
Warranty: Boot (90 days) Blades (365 days)
The CCM Super Tacks experience
The one-piece carbon MonoFrame makes skating in the Super Tacks an unbelievable experience – the unique manufacture method contributes to this massively. However, it would be doing CCM a disservice to focus entirely on this – as there’s a host of other more discreet features that add up to make this skate the superstar that it is.
We’ll break it down for you, feature by feature:
TotalDri Liner
It astounds me that skate reviews never pay as much attention to liners as I want – so I’m going to go into some detail here.
We all get sweaty when the pressure’s turned up in a game – and there’s nothing worse than feeling it wicking back through your socks and making you uncomfortable. The TotalDri liner does an amazing job of pulling the moisture away from your foot – but not only that, it wicks toward a specially moulded vent in the bottom of the carbon boot body.
I don’t know if I perspire more than the rest of you – but I do notice a slight slipping in my skates when I’m sweating it out mid-game – it’s minimal, but if you’re anything like me, you need your mind on the game 100% and not on discomfort and play in your skates. The Durazone Abrasion patches do away with any slippage whatsoever – I’m talking zero; I’ve hammered these skates now and love the way they grip my foot and keep me dry.
Tongue
The ADV Pro moulded tongue that we’ve seen on other high-end CCM’s features again on the Super Tacks – and it’s great, it moulds beautifully around the upper ankle and is padded in all the right places.
In fact, CCM have actually taken some padding away where analysis showed it wasn’t needed, so weight is cut from previous incarnations – while comfort and protection is still firmly in place. Finally, a moulded outer skin gives the laces a nice bed to smoothly run against.
Speedblade holder and runner
CCM have opted for the Speedblade 4.0 holders and Speedblade Black runners to connect you to the ice – and I’m a fan. Compared to the slightly older E-Pro holder there’s about 4mm of extra height, giving a better angle and allowing you to get that bit closer to the ice when you’re pushing a really severe turn.
360 MonoFrame
Although there’s more to this skate than just the innovative design that’s gone into making the boot body – no review would be complete without an understanding of what the carbon one piece does for your game.
When the boot’s been baked is when the MonoFrame is most noticeable. When a flat sole is bonded to the outer boot body, the design means that there’s some unavoidable gaps between the edge of your foot and the bonded part of the skate – something the Super Tacks do away with completely. If you’ve ever heard people say a skate ‘fits like a glove’ – I’d be astounded if anything they’re talking about could possibly fit your foot in the same way this one-piece body does.
While comfort is a massive bonus for the one-piece design, it also means a greater foot-to-skate contact area and absolutely no loss of energy through the boot.
I know what you’re thinking; skates at this level are generally all stiff and efficient at transferring power to the ice – so it’s takes a fundamentally different approach to creating a skate to turn good into great, and CCM have nailed it here.
Overall thoughts
I’ve never hit the ice in a skate like the Super Tacks before now – and they’ve genuinely made me reassess what I thought was possible from a skate.
CCM have thrown away the rule book when they’ve created the MonoFrame 360 one-piece boot body – and as a result, they’ve created something that stands head and shoulders above anything else on the market. Of course, that’s just my opinion, but I’ve never been one to give in to gimmicks – we’ve all seen skates that promise the Earth and deliver very little.
If you want a skate totally lives up to hype, the CCM Super Tacks are going to be perfect for you – I’d be amazed if you didn’t completely fall in love with them and what they do to your game.
