GekigangarIII

Helmet: Mission Carbster - a bit heavier than some, but way more comfortable. Visor: Oakley half aviator - no fogging and clear vision shoulder pads: Nike V-10 super light, comfortable and excellent mobility elbow pads: Easton Z-air (2001) - super mobile and light and don't slip thanks to the silicone liner Pants: Easton air 2004, light and protective. Was using M-1s but ripped them to shreds after about a year of use Gloves: Mission M-1/Mission helium/Easton air (2002)/TPS response plus Shins: Easton Z-air 2001 - very comfortable and broken in, also playing with Jofa 9090s every now and again Skates: Mission Purefly Pro-stock with Pitch holders: awesome comfort (pro clarino liner)

Product: 14" Bauer Vapor XX gloves Background: 6'1" 198lbs Forward/Defense Fit- The fit of the glove is more of a snug fit. Actually it's more "secure" than snug. Compared with the Vapor XV and the old Nike Quest models, the XX is definitely more "loose" than the aforementioned gloves. The XX does an excellent job of cutting the "slop" or "play" in most gloves while still giving excellent freedom of movement. There is no feeling of having gloves 'around' your hands, it's more a feeling of having the gloves be part of your hands. They've definitely done some biomechanical research when creating the design of these gloves. They flow with every movement of your hands and wrist. There is no break-in with these gloves. They feel great on the first use, and they will only get better with sweat. The index finger is triple jointed, which gives excellent range of motion and the fingers are angled so that your hand can close and open very naturally when stickhandling. For me personally all of the segments on the fingers met perfectly with my knuckles, this provides excellent mobility and a no real feeling of being 'disconnected' from my stick. The cuff is adjustable (which I have not attempted to adjust as it is fine where it is) which is a nice feature. The cuff allows for unrestricted movement in all directions. It is wide, yet still enclosed and protective of the wrist. Outstanding. Protection- These gloves are absolute tanks as far as protection is concerned. Easily as protective as the 5000 or any glove on the market for that matter. What is so stunning about the gloves, is the combined freedom of movement and natural feel while still being so protective. Two traits that are typically mutually exclusive when it comes to gloves. You usually have to sacrifice one for the other, not the case here. The gloves are covered with dual density foams, multi-layered in most spots. Typical "soft" areas are all well covered (pinky, index finger, low side of the cuff, etc.). Plastic inserts the forehand which are probably redundant (with all the dual-density foam being enough) give extra protection against sharp impacts. I have been hacked/slashed several times, typically I don't realize it until I get on the bench and see someone's tape marks on the gloves. Weight- Not the absolute lightest glove in the world, though by NO means are they heavy in the least. They are consistent with the weight of other top tier gloves on the market (M-1, Eagles, name a great glove). The great thing about them is that they are balanced very well. Something most people don't think about. They are balanced between the forward section of the glove and the cuff making them seem even lighter. Some gloves have issues with the cuff being heavy (which tends to make the gloves feel heavy) or the forward section being heavy (making them feel like they'll fall off). No such problems with these, they are perfectly balanced. Durabillity- The material of the glove is also very wear resistant. Mine are about 3 months old with heavy usage (at least 4 times a week) and they still look new (granted I have the all black model). But the material is not worn, scuffed or torn. The outer materials are of very high quality. The textured materials take wear very well as well. My main concern was the palm of the gloves which are very different from any other glove. It is a neoprene 'like' material labeled "stretch-palm". Though I would say it more closely resembles a nike dri-fit or under armour material. I initially thought it would wear very poorly, but in contrast it is one of the most durable palms I have seen since goatskin. These gloves have been used quite often and there is absolutely NO visible wear on the stretch-palm material at all. It looks absolutely brand new. Maybe I am just not hard on palms but I'm pretty shocked at it's durability. Intangibles- The looks of the gloves are less than conventional, to say the least. Some will not get past the look of the glove alone. I am rather taken by the looks of them. While they are certainly flashier than my typical taste, the option of the all black model subdues alot of the flash and you're left with a very modest looking glove, albeit still very different looking. Some people may have issue with the stretch-palm as well. While it did take some getting used to for me, I have really grown to like it very much. Initially, they feel "slippery", but it is deceiving. The slippery part you feel is actually the *interior* of the palm, not the outside. The feeling goes away with a few uses, I believe the stretch palm breaks-in on the inside and feels more natural with use. It is a different experience than most nash palms but I have grown accustomed to it. Actually most regular palms feel a little 'dead' to me. The stretch-palm combined with the Dri-fit interior of the glove keeps them *very* cool indeed. One of the best features if you ask me. Overall- Combine the coolness, protection and range of motion of this glove with any other on the market, it will not lose. I feel Bauer has really come out with a winner in this glove. Obviously alot of R&D (and quality assurance) has been poured into this product. The only detractors I can see with the glove is the cost (it's a flaghip product and has a price to match) and perhaps some people won't accept the stretch-palm. But I said that about tapered shafts, supple-fit skates, nylon gloves and many other innovations that people eventually came around to accept with actual use. Many people may opt to go for the XV at it's significantly lower pricepoint. It does share many of the features of the XX, I find the fit to be similar to the XX with the exception that the XV is significantly tighter fitting. Also, it uses different materials (less dual density and no PE inserts) as well as mostly silk screened graphics substituted for the mult-layered stitched materials of the XX. The standard nash palm of the XV will probably win some over, but I've grown to really like the XX palm. This glove is a real winner and I look forward to the gloves that will eventually compete with it. Overall Rating- 9.5/10