CCM Tacks XR Pro Goalie Skate Review — Finally, Real Forward Pitch from CCM

CCM has long been the neutral option on the skate wall, and the Tacks XR Pro is the model that changes it. The headline is the pitch: the XR Pro puts you noticeably more on your toes, much closer to the forward pitch most goalies are already used to. Kevin Woodley and Cam from The Hockey Shop went through what is new.

The forward pitch

That one change opened the skate up to goalies who could never make CCM work. Ann-Renee Desbiens was one of them — she had not been able to get into CCM’s more neutral skates before. She tried the XR Pro, wouldn’t give the demo set back, and has been in them ever since.

Toe cap and tongue

The goalie toe cap is trimmed down, which cuts bulk and gives you a better attack angle. The tongue is a much softer memory foam, built to allow forward flex without the lace bite that usually comes with it.

Ankle and eyelets

Memory foam through the ankle heat molds and locks your heel back. The eyelet package is extended and curved so it wraps the foot, replacing CCM’s old ruler-straight lacing.

Steel and insole

Step Black Steel comes stock with a profile already ground in. Hidden under the rivet cover is the CCM ProPulse support insole — a peel-and-stick arch riser you can add right out of the box if you need more support.

Who it’s for

Goalies who like a forward pitch and have written CCM off in the past, anyone shopping a new top-end skate, and high-arch goalies who normally have to buy an aftermarket insole. The XR Pro is available in senior and intermediate at The Hockey Shop Source for Sports.