Enough to take away
Bauer hockey likes to replace their equipment lines once every 18-24 months. It’s not easy to do what they do, supplying the best available performance to the best hockey players in the world, internationally, with customization, user feedback, and help available 24/7. That task couldn’t have been made more difficult for the 2021 hockey season, as they had to apply everything they gathered from their bestselling skate to date, and their new inclusive fitting system.
Introducing the new Bauer Vapor Hyperlite skate line.
When you take into consideration the outstanding success from Bauer Vapor, they had some big shoes to fill (no pun intended). They have been the most used skate by professionals in hockey since the Vapor X:60 (2013). However, that didn’t exactly translate into skates for amateur and minor use. Bauer liked to have skates that fit certain feet. The stock Vapor skate that a store like us would carry would often be narrow, and fit feet that did not have a lot of volume, so it would often turn people away towards something with more space, for growing, and overall comfort.
Now that didn’t necessarily mean that the vapor wasn’t a good skate. It was still something that a lot of people heard of first, and information was easy to come by. Leading to a wonderful backing for last year’s Bauer Vapor 2X Pro skate.
Bauer loves to “one-up” their own work, did they ever.
Replacing the 2X Pro, is the Bauer Vapor Hyperlite. A top end, high performance hockey skate that has a lot to offer. This skate fixes the problem of not having the right fit for a lot of people. With the new fitting system that Bauer introduced last year (Fit 1 Vapor, Fit 2 Supreme, Fit 3 Nexus), this skate is more available to people who want to try the Vapor skates unique and trusted performance.
For the Hyperlite’s construction, they introduce Hyperflex Technology, which combines the layers of the skate for a mold that improves the overall flex of the skate. Taking full advantage of the skates flex, and inclusive profile, allows the skate to reward the player for pushing it. You notice right away when you look at the skate that the top four eyelets are injected material that can famously be found on the 1x (gen 2), 2X Pro and the Supreme 2S pro. They have made adjustments to these four eyelets to allow the player to bring themselves down over the top of the skate better; the result is a skate that almost feels spring loaded.
Also new for the Hyperlite skate is the new Areolite foam. Something Bauer used to make the skate overall more comfortable, while simultaneously removing weight from the boot. The skate offers a lot of support for what feels like the lightest skate Bauer has ever produced.
Personally, when I used this skate, I noticed a couple of things that I would like to get into.
I have a small foot on average, so I fit perfectly in a 7.5, fit 2 Hyperlite skate. My first impression of the skate was, well stiff. The Hyperflex Technology is something that, at a standstill, makes the skate feel rigid, and upright. I noticed a difference in the tongue of the skate right away. It’s a very stiff tongue, with a material underneath that feels like it could almost be Kevlar. I understand that it helps angle my feet for better acceleration and quick side to side movements, but it did not impress me on my first try on.
I can say that it quickly changed when I was molding the skate. After throwing it in the oven and having them tied by one of Skater’s Edge’s experts, I can say that my initial fears were nothing more than in my head. The injected eyelets (which I am NOT a fan of) did mold over my foot really well, and it held the heat over a good amount of time. I felt like I was wearing something completely different by the time I took them off. The skate definitely lives up to its name of Hyperlite, they feel like nothing on your feet. It’s a confidence inspiring feeling, and I’m excited to hear what everyone else thinks of them when they get their own Hyperlite skates.
Now, I did say there was a catch, I want to air my thoughts with this. The Bauer Vapor Hyperlite does not come with a set of steel with the skates. That is something you must by separately. I didn’t understand this at first, and to be honest I still don’t. They do offer some high quality steel in the LS Pulse, LS Pulse Ti, and new for this year the LS Carbonlite, but it’s the only hockey skate that I have to sell to people that does not come with a set of steel. I can’t help but feel like this is a disappointing view from Bauer, considering you can get a Bauer Supreme Ultrasonic skate, which I think is phenomenal, with a set of LS Pulse Ti’s for $130 more. I feel like the Hyperlite has missed the mark a little on what is really, a great skate. A well-constructed boot, with lots of comfort, support, and performance, but without steel, it seems less desirable.
My overall impression is that that this skate has a lot of potential to have the torch passed from the 2X pro, and carry a lot of people over to the Bauer name for the best performance in hockey. The Bauer Vapor Hyperlite has a lasting impression, and is something that you will want to try on as soon as you can.
-Hockey Expert Tyler