Going to bump this thread.....
Excuse the selfies, but frankly, seeing these lying flat in the catalogs doesn't really tell anyone much about how they fit on a body.
APX2
CCM RBZ
Old pair of Bauer 6000s with Warrior caps to compare
Like most, I'm always looking for a low profile, lightweight, non-restrictive pair of shoulder pads. I've tried a lot of them and usually end up back in the Bauers eventually. The trouble with the older Bauers is that they do soak up sweat. The newer tech liners do a better job at keeping my dry.
I've been wearing the APX2s for a month or so and have really liked them. The RBZs showed up last week and I've worn them in one game. Both of them are very lightweight, and neither of them soak up sweat. For top-end pads, they're also pretty low profile. You can see how they sit on my shoulders and compare. As far as protection goes, I play in non-check leagues, but both leagues do have a tendency to become a little bit physical. I've chased around guys half my age in the APX2s and taken and dished a few solid bumps and haven't felt exposed. I had some net battles against some wily older guys in the RBZs, including some ex-NHL guys, and also felt well protected.
I had last year's CCM pads too, and they definitely were shorter in the torso. I also didn't like the sternum or spine pads on those, I thought they stuck out too far. The RBZs cured that defect, in my opinion.
The one thing to notice about both the RBZs and the APX2s is that the torso protection is pretty long compared to other shoulder pads. Depending on how tight you wear you shoulder pads and how tight you wear your pants, you might get some interference between the shoulders and the hip pads. I wear lower fitting hip pads, so these both work well for me.
Oh, size-wise, all three of these are larges.
Hope this helps.