Bauer Shadow Skates VS CCM XF Pro Hockey Skates review - Which ELITE skates are better ?

[@ByronLee403]

Well done. This is the type of review and comparisons that we need from the hockey youtube community. Keep up the content.

[@BlueFlash25]

I bought Shadows recently and here is my feedback: - tongue 100% digs into your foot more than it should and it could be uncomfortable and disrupting but after I had it in a few games it got resolved and its great but it shouldn´t happen with 1k+ skates. - fit right out of the box is not great so I understand the skepticism, maybe because how hard they are? not 100% sure but again, after baking and even in 2nd half of the 1st game it felt great as if I was wearing them for a long time. Again, its kind of sketchy for skates this expensive but it really gets better if you trust the process, might take couple of games in preseason. - the toe cap feels awesome, thats why I went for Bauer, but my foot has always been weird :P so I gues that is just prefference - stride after few games feels great, no complaints there - tight turns are ok, pretty much what you can expect from supreme lineup. - Wrap around ankles was at the start pretty scary to be honest since you don´t feel the same support BUT I actually quite like it now. Let me explain, right now after I got used to it, it feels like I can do much more than before since bottom part fits me like a glove and doesn´t budge much even if I untie my skates, but that need more testing and comparing to my older skates. - As someone who used a lot of different Bauer skates, nowdays they have unecersarly long break in time. With CCM you need like 1-2 games and they are perfect, with Bauer, especialy Shadows now, its more like 8-10 games. 100% valid point for people to go for CCM instead. -Comfort now is good like 4/5 compared to CCM 5/5 Summary: - If you want something that you are used to just slightly improved in every aspect, go CCM, can´t miss there it´s a safe bet, they are like iPhone 14 Pro -> iPhone 15 pro - If you feel like you have hit a wall and want to try something different, give Bauer Shadows a try, but a warning, you have to be willing to learn, tweak or improve your skating a bit. Like going from Windows to Linux.

[@HockeyTutorialOfficial]

Great feedback and awesome details. Thank you so much sharing your thoughts 💪🏾

[@Pokemonmaster150b]

I think it kinda aligns with people's usual perceptions of CCM vs. Bauer. From what I've read: CCM skates are easier to break in and fit well from the start, but Bauer makes up for the longer break-in time with better performance. Basically, CCM is great for the casual player who wants a skate that fits almost straight outta the box, while Bauer is great for the dedicated player who wants to unlock the next level skating-wise. In the end though, it's all down to foot shape and personal preference.

[@J.Johnson92]

@@Pokemonmaster150b definitely agree, I’ve always been a Ccm fanboy but the new Bauer fit system just simply fits my foot better

[@BlueFlash25]

@@Pokemonmaster150b true, Bauer Shadows are 100% NOT beginner or average skater friendly, CCM are great for casual player but it doesn’t mean they are worse, both have its own strengths, I know you didn’t mean it like that, just saying so people don’t get the wrong idea. 😁

[@J.Johnson92]

I’ve tried on dozens of skates in the past month looking for a new pair and the XF pros killed my foot specifically in the arch while the shadows did not, love the channel but I hope people understand it all depends on your foot size and shape when it comes to how comfortable skates are.

[@HockeyTutorialOfficial]

100000% foot shape and fit will be subjective to each player. But we can only review skates based on what we experience.

[@J.Johnson92]

@@HockeyTutorialOfficial totally understand and trust me I really wish Ccm skates agreed with my feet I’m thinking it’s the one piece boot thing that’s my problem, anyway love the channel!!

[@Max-sn5kt]

@@J.Johnson92have you tried some superfeet insole? I've always had pain on the arch in all the skate that i had whatever brand (bauer, ccm and my old sherwood 5500 and even my k2 inline skate). Since i've removed the original insole for superfeet, no more arch pain

[@Pokemonmaster150b]

Great review. I'm personally a Bauer guy (they fit my feet better), but it's incredibly thought-provoking to see that sometimes, better tech doesn't always equal better performance. I've seen the same happen in Formula 1: teams would add upgrades to their cars that look good on paper...only for the actual car to be not as good as they thought (looking at you, Red Bull 😂) I'm personally gonna stick with the Shadow or the Mach if I wanted to upgrade from my M4's, but tbh I might consider the XF Pros if they fit my feet well. That being said, I might end up sticking with Bauer mostly due to familiarity and fit. Also, Bauer's trigger system seems more convenient than CCM's dial, but that's just my opinion.

[@attilaklepity1155]

I had a totally defferent experience. Went from Hyperlite 2 to Shadow. Shadow has a lot more volume in the same fit than Hyperlite 2. Fit2 Shadow fits almost like a fit3 Mach. Shadow fits me prefectly out of the box even without baking and after baking them I felt like nothing really happened. Almost like a custom skate. Xf pro was big, heavy and clunky and it has too much padding I had the feeling like I was in some kind of sneaker. Comfortable but extremely unstable. The tongue on Shadow is quite stiff but it brakes in and gives you a nice support while Xf pro tongue is again like a sneaker tongue. Comfortable but plain and simple. The new toe cap is amazing and it finally eliminates the unnecessary lowest eyelet. Much easier to tie the skates properly. I really like the powerfly holder and even back in the days when I first tried it and after a little bit of getting used to it I though it's the best holder.

[@kyleyu4030]

This is the general trend I'm seeing with recent CCM and Bauer skates, with CCM being more comfortable out of the box but still clunkier (they are significantly heavier as well if you compare hyperlite2 vs ft6pro). Its rather negligent to only talk about out of the box comfort when people will likely purchase a pair and stick with them for a reasonable amount of time before needing to sell another organ for another pair. At the end of the day, CCM's main selling point and what it's now known for seems to be comfort when Bauers can be broken in pretty quickly with no sacrifice in performance and weight.

[@stoss-11]

If you want a comfortable skate get the Xf's, if you want more performance get the shadows. Ive skated on both of these and Shadow's are a whole other level Fit & Feedback wise compared to the XF's. Had both them in the same size, main thing I noticed was the XF's were way more big & clunky feeling, theres honestly to much padding in them which made me feel less connected to what was going on under my feet even with it being a one-piece boot i felt more in Shadows. XF's are really nice dont get me wrong, but bauer still has the upper hand here in my opion when talking feedback, performance, and fit. That new design on the toe cap is hideous i agree but the wrap you get on the forefoot now is a world of difference. Go try some shadows in your size if you havent yet, i think you'll be pretty suprised on how close it feels to a custom skate.

[@271W4]

Everything you said. Just had a fitting done for shadows after I’ve lost 80 pounds. I was in AS-V pro’s in a size 10 regular. In the new scanning fitting, Bauer recommended an 8 fit 3. I ended up with an 8.5 fit 3 and I can’t wait to get them on the ice. The XF pro had so much padding I felt like I had no feel

[@dbecker33]

Not surprised about Tommy’s thought process: PUCK, WHERES PUCK, I CAN SHOOT. 😂😂 Good work boys!

[@AllegedlyHockey]

Was looking at getting custom shadows but went true svh and I am pretty happy so far.

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

I will never touch Bauer again after going from Bauer Custom to True TF9, much better fit, no pain, much better performance.

[@AllegedlyHockey]

@@StillAliveAndKicking_ were your Bauer skates pro custom or just custom? And what made you go with TF9 over SVH.

[@Thedonron12]

@@AllegedlyHockey I currently have TF9's with TULK Holders, next will be True SVH's but for the price point the TF9 is incredible. Full 1 piece carbon boot same as the SVH and great fit.

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

@@AllegedlyHockey Custom Supreme 2S Pro. TF9 £340, SVH more like £1,000. The TF9 fit better every week, it’s weird. Oh and I use Bauer Speedplates. I’d get SVH if I had the money, as they are better.

[@PricklyMittsHockey]

Tough to get an accurate review of the two brands, people that like CCM skates don’t like Bauer and visa versa. He’s a CCM guy 100% and we all know it and that’s fine.

[@Pokemonmaster150b]

And tbh I think a lot of the CCM vs. Bauer debate is very subjective. CCM skates are perfect for players who like to have a skate that fits straight out of the box. Bauer is perfect for the player who is willing to tolerate a longer break-in period just for better performance. In the end though, it's all about foot shape. I picked Bauers because they fit my foot better.

[@Max-sn5kt]

⁠@@Pokemonmaster150bin both brand i've found the break in similar. I end up in CCM cuz the bauer fit profile does not fit my feet, fit1 in vapor & supreme are to small and fit2 are to big on vapor & supreme.

[@Pokemonmaster150b]

@Max-sn5kt Tbh a lot of the CCM vs Bauer vs True debate ultimately ends up in "Which one fits my foot best" Wound up in Bauer because my feet fit Bauers well compared with other brands.

[@brandonboyer5355]

Have you thought about finding a Bauer fanboy with comparable skill to Tommy for these reviews? They could argue their points and opinions on each skate.

[@adelsteiner9671]

I went in to my local store for shadows came out with XF pros, the bauers just felt cheaper on my feet. I have had zero issues with the xf pros so far and i only play twice a week. Thanks for the video looking forward to the bauer tracer vid.

[@alexanderhurtig2067]

Did you pick same FIT in both? Or different?

[@adelsteiner9671]

@@alexanderhurtig2067 same after the new bauer scan system

[@notdeadyet717]

felt cheaper lol shut up

[@matthewm8021]

Ultimately, skates are very personal. Everyone’s foot is different so what will feel best is going to vary from person to person. One person’s opinion doesn’t mean much at the end of the day. People need to go try stuff on a buy what feels best. As an example. I went from Bauer vapor 3x to Bauer Mach. Both are size 8.5 Fit 3 and they fit very differently. I’ve had pain in the Mach that I never had with the vapors right out of the box. I’ve been able to solve the pain with footbeds, but it took some trial and error.

[@rustlerboi1052]

I'm so happy with the conclusion on the low ankle height of the Bauer's! I had this exact problem with my Mach's... I could not stand how low the ankle height was. I tried everyting - rebaking and forming the top, but it would not work. I got a set of True Custom SVH and havne't looked back. Best skate I've ever had.

[@olivierbeaumont8465]

Currently I use ft6 pro and the aura skate and I wish that my aura figure skate as the same tongues, for me it's the greatest achievement from CCM. Olivier

[@alexanderhurtig2067]

I got the Shadows and I agree 100% with you. I’m between Fit 2 - Fit 3. If I want to go with XF , it’s Regular or Wide the way to go? Heard that CCM are little bit wider in every model?

[@jasentra]

I think it’d be more likely that Regular would be your fit, especially with the amount of volume in the XF Pro.

[@sutkacy]

In my opinnion is depends of the feet. I tried all brands (have lot of skates) and bauer fits the best for me

[@J.Johnson92]

Same here, I liked the XF pros but they killed my arch while the shadows did not and were way more comfortable

[@Pokemonmaster150b]

Same here. That's why I went with Bauer.

[@MrSinner6000]

I had a similar issue with the XF Pros hurting my arch when attempting to fit it to the same size of the shadows size 5.5(fit 2). But then I actually went down a full in size in the XF's and the wide fit and the XF's were a ton better. So when trying between brands, make sure you try on different sizes and fits.

[@sutkacy]

@@MrSinner6000 Totally agree, have to try on different sizes and different brands to find the best options

[@exploited8779]

CCM are the highest performing skate right now in 2024 in my opinion, from the XF pros to the FT6 pros Bauer has nothing that compares to the performance of the one piece boot and comfort. I wear custom ft6 pros and they are the best skate i have ever worn, the first skate to dethrone the ft2 skate. I tried the shadows, machs, hyperlite 1-2 and nothing compares.

[@unclemike660]

great vid! enjoyed the comparo and the enthusiasm!

[@calgary2800]

Agree, with CCM beating out Bauer right now. I shop the less stiff skates and in the Tacks and Supreme line for example Tacks is much more comfortable, better material and better build than similar level Supremes.

[@notdeadyet717]

With the Shadow's you need to give a proper chance to break them in. That could mean a good 8-10 skates for some people, others might get that quicker. I get where people are coming from with expecting them to just be perfect in every category right away with how much these cost but you really need to eliminate the monetary emotions you're tying to the product. At the end of the day the skate you're most comfortable in is probably better for you and I feel like with most people the CCM's are going to provide more comfort straight out of the box but that doesn't necessarily mean a better performing skate. The shadow's took more time to break in for me but once they did, in my opinion, it is a far superior performance ice skate than the XF Pro's. The XF Pro's were more comfortable right out the box but the shadow's, once broken in, were just lights out. With the shadow's I just feel like it slingshots you into stride.. they're incredible honestly. You really need to take these reviews with a grain of salt and try for yourself.. Tommy is clearly a CCM guy and that's totally fine but he just kind of acts like Bauer skates are terrible. It's a little ridiculous.

[@enthused7591]

It's a little wild to me that it took this long for manufacturers to figure out how to make skates that have liners and tongues that feel like that ultra comfortable memory foam out of the box without baking while maintaining the support for the ankle. I've never been interested in baking a skate, so I usually just wear them in.

[@MrJkent27]

Anyone that’s watched your channel even a little bit knows you’re CCM guys, but I’m surprised you would try and torpedo Bauer like that. I’ve owned supreme MX3’s for the last ten years. In the last year I bought Machs & Shadows. I can tell you that all three are the exact same height at the “neck” of the skate. The Machs & Shadows fit exactly the same other than maybe a tad more room in the forefoot of the Shadows. I don’t feel like I have any less support in either skate.

[@Connor_27_13]

Do a Sherwood encrypt review

[@Max-sn5kt]

This morning i've try my encrypt 2, and i was pleased so far for now for my summer homemade preparation

[@matthewwallace568]

Amazing review! I've been skating machs, and I knew right away that Bauer dropped the ball with the shadows. The shadows feel like a Walmart version.

[@271W4]

I went the other way, I tried the XF Pro coming from my AS-V pro and I feel like CCM went the wrong way. The toe is just so weird

[@matthewpakkala4902]

I recently bought shadows and have been using them for a couple of months. I would like to try the ccms to see how much better they feel. I think I can see what you mean by the fit doest really work in the bauers, and there are a lot of times i have to re adjust my laces to get it more snug and comfortable however the performance in the shadows, in my opinion , is undeniable. they are explosive, stable in turns and very light. i feel agile and fast in them. I absolutely love my skates but am curious to see if what all the hype is about with the ccms now.

[@JasonMtl1981]

can I play with the intermediaire skate is there any difference .. ?

[@strengthartist8476]

Can we see a comparison of the new True Catalyst 9X4 skates vs. CCM XF Pro please?

[@HockeyTutorialOfficial]

Was hoping no one would ask for that 😂😂😂 damn it. Here we go! 🫣

[@strengthartist8476]

@@HockeyTutorialOfficial 😆yay

[@mattd81811]

Why ask Tommy about a Bauer skate? 😂. Absolutely no chance the CCM are better looking then the shadows.

[@squizz1984]

why ask him about anything Bauer. he can be unbiased with other brands but as soon as someone mentions Bauer his mind is already made up

[@geneh2972]

Higher upper cuff with more stability and Step Steel runners, I'm really thinking of going to the dark side after being in Bauers all my life. At the very least, I'll step into a pair of these. I also prefer stiffer boots. Nice review! Do you know the difference in forward/neutral pitch between these 2 skates?

[@AngelSanchez-rw3tv]

I just bought a pair of XF pro Wide and the boot feel awsome!!! had some Bauer Nexus N1 before, for my wide feet. just having some issues with the fact that the bauer have more forward pitch, and the CCM do not. Also the CCM feel a lot heavier than the bauer, but a part from that, they're great.

[@jasentra]

It may just be the case that you will have to change the profile of the runners to have a slightly more forward pitch to compensate for what you’re used to :)

[@jonnybrown5904]

I really love your videos. But maybe finding multiple people to review that aren’t strictly CCM fanboys would be better. Ultimately skates fit people differently in asking one person doesn’t really give us anything. It’s all good that he loves CCM but when it’s blatantly obvious it kind of gets annoying

[@WilliamPalmer-nd2jo]

I am looking for skate recommendations, I am 75, haven’t skated in over years, but I get back into skating again ?

[@patrickschneider6277]

Weight of each pair?

[@MileManderson]

i went from ccm ft6 pro to bauer shadow skate , worse choice i ever made , i had bauer mech before ccm ft6 pro and i love it , so i assume shadow would be same a mach but man i was wrong , i gutted that i dident try on the new ccm xf pro , atm bauer shadow skate feel like very very loose and have to learn to skate all over again , and like in this video said fitment feel alot lower on ankle then ccm does , been on the ice for atleast 5 hour ish now and still not getting any better , so if you looking to buy new shadow try it on first before buying it .

[@jeremystrauss3440]

I had ft6 pro, waiting for the XF pros to come in, I got to try them early through ccm, and they are a completely different fit compared to the ft6 in the toe box. People say they have arch pain, but I didn’t experience that, and you can get superfeet for that

[@evank33]

With the true svh skates now being cheaper than the new bauers I'd say without a doubt just get the Trues. Best skate in the game, close second to CCM.

[@mugwhy1441]

I tried both of these last night with a m40 and a hyperlite 2 I feel the complete opposite to you guysI prefer the bauer not that the ccm isn't a great boot I just found the bauer was alot more comfortable and felt better as a fit

[@crackedice8]

I break bauer holders in 2 weeks. Haven't broke xs holders yet but ccm boots go soft/ fall apart in 3 months while Bauer boots "not holders" last.

[@berenegal-wm8dh]

Anyone tested the ccm Skates? I really need a new pair of ribcore 100k Skates they Look very equal 😂

[@patrickcpuc5]

Interesting....I just tried just about every CCM and Bauer skate and bought the Bauer Supreme Mach. In fairness I didn't try these two skates because they were just released so I can't attest to either. But I can tell you that the Bauer were hands down the more comfortable skates. I also think that this is based on foot dimensions and size, I am a size 9 US and Wass in a Fit 2 in skates. My foot size out of skates is a US 11. Growing up I leaned on the CCM Super Tacks and the Daoust skates. Only until I was in my 30's did I transition to Bauer but will still try all other skates too. Great comparison though. I don't know if any of the extras in the Bauer Shadows warrant the $400-500 increase over the Supreme Machs but hey let's give it to marketing cause people will buy them.

[@Smeble68]

I LOVE my XF Pros

[@Joe-q1x]

Bauer tracer video?

[@HockeyTutorialOfficial]

As soon as we get one

[@masterluke2646]

Are the coming new Jetspeed Skates?

[@Bsaunders17]

Of course. As of now it doesn’t look like my local shops are restocking any more ft 6 gear. Protective, skates, anything. Even in jr or intermediate for my son.

[@Connor_27_13]

Still no Bauer Tracer review

[@HockeyTutorialOfficial]

Yes, we are extremely busy. It will come as soon as we have time to do it.

[@andersborum9267]

Worth upgrading from FT6 Pros?

[@HockeyTutorialOfficial]

Only if you need a stiffer skate. Other than that. I personally wouldn’t

[@andersborum9267]

@@HockeyTutorialOfficial will definitely check them out. Great video by the way, comes across as very transparent and trustworthy.

[@Bsaunders17]

I would wait for the new jetspeed. Doesn’t look like my local shops are restocking any ft6 stuff. Most likely to make space for the new jetspeeds

[@andersborum9267]

@@HockeyTutorialOfficial was hoping for a lighter skate, but with the padding it’s an unrealistic expectation.

[@beardefu3706]

I'll take the Mach's

[@khalidalyaqout9510]

Ccm W

[@CGYFlam3s]

NHL players losing blades during games... all bauer, all the time.

[@Acyclistandhockeysnob]

I’m interested in hearing the comparisons to these two with the new Catalyst 9x4 skates. I got the 9x4’s as a warranty replacement for my Cat9’s heel cracking and the 9x4 is absolutely amazing. The tongue is an insane improvement too.

[@HockeyTutorialOfficial]

I can’t wait share that video either. They are almost flawless

[@DD-jx9jd]

Would love to see that and include the custom svh

[@lloydthesquirt8550]

Compare the true svh to the true 9x4 skates. Anyways great video 👍