CCM RibCor 40K Stick Review

Although it was rumored for quite a while, Reebok has finally made their strategic exit from producing hockey equipment. Instead of releasing any new Reebok products, their line was absorbed into the CCM brand.

The CCM RibCor 40K stick was one of the first to make that transition, and we were fortunate enough to receive a review unit from our friends at CCM. We’ve used the stick for a bit, and put our thoughts together with a full review below.

Specs: CCM RibCor 40K Stick, 75 Flex, Phaneuf Blade Pattern

Design and Construction

CCM’s version of the RibCor stick primarily involves a name change and some updated stick technology. The RibCor 40k uses the ribs in the shaft to pre-load the stick to help create a lightning quick release. That same technology was carried over from the Reebok version of the RibCor, and was found to be pretty successful there.

CCM developed a new blade for the RibCor 40k stick to improve accuracy. The blade is stiff in the heel, and increases in stiffness as you move towards the toe of the blade. This increase in stiffness helps to prevent the blade from opening up when you shoot, allowing for precision accuracy.

The shaft is constructed using premium carbon fiber and what CCM calls their Tri-Matrix construction process. With this process, the fibers are weaved at 90 degrees through the middle of the shaft to provide strength, while there is a 45 degree weave in the lower portion to provide a quicker load and release. This carbon fiber design also helps to provide good feel and feedback in a nice and lightweight package.

Shooting and Accuracy

CCM’s new blade design for the RibCor 40k stick turned out to be a real solid addition. While using the newest RibCor, I found that snap shots and slapshots remained accurate and on point as I expected. I typically see a blade open up more on slapshots than anything else, which can be a real cause of frustration whether it’s in warm ups or in a game. It was good to see that the additional stiffness helped to prevent such a situation from occurring.

One of the biggest changes I made with this demo stick was using a 75 flex instead of 85.  I wasn’t sure what kind of difference that would make on my shooting, but it turned out to be helpful. The 75 flex offered more kick than I was used to, especially on wrist and snap shots. The additional kick resulted in a bit of a faster shot from my eyes, but the difference wasn’t crazy. With slapshots, it seemed negligible. I can’t say that a 75 flex boosted my shot power that much more than what an 85 would have. It felt different though, and good different. The additional load you can create gives a nice sense of feedback and responsiveness when shooting that I appreciated. This could also be due to the weave and carbon fiber used, which is designed to do just that.

Obviously the biggest impact on shooting would be made from the ribs on the Ribcor 40k, right? From my experience, I liked what the ribs provided, but I don’t know that it’s a game changing addition. Shot releases were quick, and I guess the ribs helped with that, but I’m not sure that my release was really any faster than some of the really low kickpoint sticks out there. I’m also not convinced that the pre-load factor really made it easier for me to load up on shots. The adjustment to a 75 flex from an 85 could have eliminated any difference I may have noticed.

Overall, the RibCor 40k still shoots quick and on target. Throughout my time using it, I was very pleased with the shots I was getting away, and scored plenty of goals with this as my main stick as well.

Feel

The CCM RibCor 40k is a great feeling stick, all around. It’s a light stick and well balanced, offering a nice feel in your hands.

The grip finish on the stick let’s you remain comfortable while holding it, knowing that the stick will not be sliding out of your hands. CCM’s grip is tacky enough to be effective, but it’s not overpowering as some grips can be. They’ve nailed the proper amount of grip without becoming annoying.

Puck feel with the RibCor 40k is quite nice as well. You get a good amount of feedback from the puck when stick handling that you can be confident skating with the puck. I would say that I was more impressed with the blade and puck feel on the Tacks stick, but the RibCor is still nice.

I was disappointed when catching passes with this stick though. The puck would typically bounce off the blade more than it does with other high end sticks, and that caused some frustration. Because of this, I had to spend more time with my head down watching the puck after catching a pass than what should be necessary. Those couple moments there where you lose feeling of the puck can make a huge difference as the level of play you’re involved in increases. That was my only real issue though when it came to puck feel.

Durability

My luck with the CCM RibCor has been better than our experience with the Reebok RibCor, which broke during our review period. The CCM version, on the other hand, has held up well to everything that I’ve put it through.

The blade and portions of the shaft show signs of wear, with multiple cuts and scratches on the surface. Fortunately, none of those have been deep enough to impact play or cause any larger cracks or breaks.

CCM’s first version of the RibCor has also held up quite well in terms of sustaining its flex and rigidity. There was never a time when I was using the stick that felt it may have been losing its pop, or that the blade may have started to go soft. It was pretty consistent throughout the few months I used it.

Overall Impressions

CCM has continued to impress me with their product lines and new offerings. The fact that they took over the RibCor line is not really a big deal, but does create a nice alignment for CCM to take on Bauer. Now that CCM has the RibCor in it’s line up, they have three unique offerings which can compete against any other manufacturer.

The CCM RibCor is a really nice stick though. Do I think it’s the top stick to come from CCM? Not quite. I would still give that nod to the Tacks stick, but the Ribcor is definitely a great runner up. Everything from the design and technology to the performance of this stick are all top notch, and I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on the RibCor 40k if I were looking.

If you’re interested in purchasing the CCM RibCor 40k stick, head over to Ice or Inline Warehouse. You can grab the new RibCor 40k stick now for only $259.99.

Have you used the new RibCor 40k stick? If so, leave us your personal review in the comments below so you can help other Hockey World Blog readers make a great new stick purchase!