First off, I would like to say, I bought 2001 model of the 652's with the integrate F-I-T system with silver and black boot, it looks different than the one in the picture, but I am sure they are more or less the same. Anyways, I have owned 5 pairs of player skates in my 15 years of hockey(most of them in the first couple years because of my foot growing) and I have never bought anything but CCM, I am love CCM products and am loyal to them until the end. The 2001 652's are very comfertable and with the integrated F-I-T system where they were actually oven moulded to my foot, there was no break in period, never got a blister or anything. They have very good padding and taking shot, while never comfertable, isn't that bad as long as you never take it in the wrong place. That you can't avoid with any skate but goalie skates.

The one thing I have really like about CCM player skates, and I am told is true on all of the recent models of tacks skates is the Front Forward Rocker. Now for anyone who doesn't know what this is, instead of you lying reletively flat on your blade, you are leaning slight forward, or rockered forward so that you are resting slightly on the balls of your feet. It's kinda the same as running shoes how the sole is made to make you run on the balls of your feet. Why this is good is that it makes it easier to get on the balls of your feet where you get the most push and can get going the fastest. My junior and semi-pro friends always rocker their skates for that reason, you can go to any skate sharpening shop and pay between $10-$30 to get them custom rockered, and like my friends, if you do that, you will probably get them MUCH more forward than CCM puts them. Like I know someone who if you with no force stand up his skate, it will rocker forward enough to leave about a 1 to a 1.25 inch gap between the last about 3 inches of his blade and the ice. Conversely, you can rocker them backwards, thus putting you on your heels and skate backwards better. Forwards generally rocker forward and defenceman backwards for obvious reasons. I am a forward so I like the frontward rocker. The reason why CCM does this is 2 reason, 1- it helps you skate faster, obviously. 2- it gives them an edge in the market because if you go and buy a non-rockered skate(pretty much ANY other skate on the market) you basically have to learn how to skate again because of the difference. So people looking for new skates who used CCM before will more or less HAVE to buy another CCM skate. To parents, for that reason, don't flip flop between different skates of any kinds for your kids, especially younger ones, older ones won't have too much trouble adjusting.

Now as for alternatives to this skate, any higher model of the 652(like th 1052 etc...) will have some better qualities, but this is a really good skate for the recreational player and you don't need to pay more money for higher models than this when this is really all you need. As for other companies, my brother uses Easton Ultralite's and he likes them and some people like Bauer Vapours. I haven't used any, so i really can't comment, I have only used CCM skates.

Last thing, I live in Canada, so I pay Canadian prices, so i will put what I paid in CANADIAN funds, not the USD it says below my article.

Recommended: Yes