JR Boucicaut

Foot spec - Wide forefoot, wide heel, small arch Last skate worn - Bauer Supreme TotalONE NXG Size - 10.5D Length of review - since August 2012 The Bauer Nexus line debuted in 2012, replacing the Flexlite (as a third skate for Bauer) line. The direction of the line was to offer a skate that would be more traditional in terms of technology, as well as an emphasis on comfort. The Nexus 1000 line is a standalone fit; the 800 on down fit more like the Flexlite did. Fit/Break-in - The Nexus 1000 is built on an oversize last; a D will actually be a true-to-last EE. The boot is pretty much straight-walled; the forefoot tends to be similar to a Vapor EE (albeit with a roomier toecap) however, the boot has a deeper fit and a relaxed lacing pattern, which ends to a wider heel. The skate fit me decently in this aspect; just a tad bit wider than what I've been using in the past few years. The instep was a little bit higher as well. Skate feels extremely supple inside; harkens back to how mid-90s Supreme skates used to feel, with the tan Clarino and plush padding. I baked them once; had a little bit of issues with the right skate, which was because I was overtightening them while lacing. Once I figured out the optimal lacing, my problems were minimal. The only glaring issue I had (and when I write these things, I try to put it in a global context; what may not work for me may work for you) was the tongue. It's a 52oz felt with a lace-bite guard. It had been years since I skated with a felt tongue, and quite frankly, I prefer a molded one nowadays. There were times in which I was fighting it; they would twist on me while I skated. I went ahead and flopped them, but since I was lacing them up fully, the break was before the metatarsal guard. I got to use them about 5 times after I did, and while it improved it slightly, it wasn't something I was fully able to solve. Break-in process went extremely well; it has been one, if not the quickest skates for me to break-in. 8.5/10 (deducted 1 point due to tongue) Performance - As I stated earlier; the line was geared towards those who prefer a traditional boot and put an emphasis on comfort over performance. You don't get the added perks that the Supreme and Vapor offer in terms of their quarter packages, however, you're not exactly getting a circa 1994 boot here. Not once did I feel limited by the skate in any way. One of my main concerns going in was the stiffness - I had said that in the Initial Thoughts thread as well as the LTR - but that thought was eviscerated once I hit the ice. It was plenty supportive on the foot, as well as giving me a bit of forgiveness in the ankle area, which is always a good thing. Don't get it twisted - this is a pro-level boot. 8.75/10 Blade/Holder - The skate comes with a LS2 holder and LS Fusion steel. Halfway throughout the review, I picked up a Step BlackSteel project to review, which has no bearing on this review, so I'll use my standard LS2 score from previous reviews. 9/10 Weight- The skate was not designed to be the skate for the gram-counters out there, however, it is surprisingly light; much lighter than skates in its class/spec. 8.5/10 Protection - When I do reviews for helmets, I mention I'm not a crash-test dummy. The same concept applies for my skate protection; if I'm by my defensive zone hash mark and it's not because I'm lining up for a faceoff, something wrong has happened. I don't get in front of shots. However, the Nexus 1000 does have a bit of padding to it; the internals consist of high-density foam with additional reinforcements. The outer quarter package is Tech Mesh, which was used on top-end non-Curv Vapors (X 7.0, X:60, XXXX, XXX, XX) so it should stand up to rigorous play. 9/10 Durability - I haven't had any issues with anything on the skate; the boots are well-made, no stitching issues, no major gouges, and the wear properties of the Clarino liner have always been strong. 10/10 Conclusion - All in all, it was a pleasant experience reviewing these skates. They've visually appealing, they perform well, and they fill a void in Bauer's lineup. You still see those guys out there with their older Supremes, Tacks or Grafs, and simply refuse to adapt to the technology-driven boots of today. With these, they can be with the times however still maintain the comfort level they are used to. While I like to be on the bleeding-edge of technology personally, these skates certainly didn't hold me back, and should meet your needs for a workhorse skate. Overall - 53.75/60 = 89% Shout-Outs - Once again, must thank Keith Duffy, who is the Sr. Skate Product Manager at Bauer Hockey, for supplying me with a pair. As with every manufacturer, I've always had an excellent rapport with Bauer and our discussions and feedback I have provided to them has been warmly received. Please address any questions you may have in my Initial Thoughts thread. Also, if you want to track the progress here is the Long-Term Review on the skate. It will still be updated to reflect any change on the product.

Update - We no longer have to be notified when a review is posted; we receive an alert.

Yep. They are the NHL gold standard.

No, Koncept was around last year.

Judging by the fact Luxe wasn't, my guess is no.

Why surprise? It had been in the lineup for 2 yrs. The Covert is more Luxe than Projekt.

Yes, same as Luxe. You mean Dynasty protective... One thing to note; Warrior will no longer be putting lies on their sticks, nor will they be producing multiple lies on patterns.

USA MSRP - AX1 - $239.99AX2 - $179.99AX3 - $119.99AX4 - $89.99AX5 - $59.99 CDN MSRP - AX1 - $259.99AX2 - $199.99AX3 - $119.99AX4 - $89.99AX5 - $69.99

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/files/file/152-2013-warrior-hockey-catalogue/ Sticks - New for 2013 is the updated Dynasty line – continuing with the AxySym technology. The Dynasty AX1 has been upgraded in several areas; the biggest changes are on the bottom half of the stick. Starting from the fuse point (HiFused), the lower part of the shaft has been reinforced to prevent twisting, and the blade is the same as what was debuted on the Covert DT1. The matte clear shaft has their Velvet finish, and the SlickGrip (which has a textured feel on one side of the shaft) is the Grip version. AX2 shares the same blade however doesn’t have the shaft reinforcement and the fuse point is lower. While the AxySym tech goes down to the lowest model, from the AX3 and down, other than weight, you’ll lose one of the spars in the blade. Covert line carries over for 2013. The goal sticks carry over for 2013, however, there is a new Swagger stick – which is the TF2. Biggest difference between them is that the regular Swagger has a reinforced heel and comes in more colorways. Helmets – unchanged Protective – This is where Warrior went out and made things a little more simple in terms of lines; there will only be one line of protective going forward. Going with their cap technology, which consists of multiple layers of materials to disperse impact and reduce weight, they’ve also changed the liner; they are going with Polygiene, which has been used in other sports equipment to reduce odor and moisture management. The liner’s color is yellow (that is Dynasty’s color, Covert is blue.) The elbow pads are very impressive – if you are one of those guys like me who won’t get rid of their Jofas, this surely makes it tempting to. The shin pads are a bit leaner than previous Warrior shin pads as well, and fit very well. There will be three models of protective – Dynasty AX1/AX2/AX3, and what’s even better is the price points they are placed at. Also, one of the biggest stories they want to tell this year is fit – Warrior is introducing an intermediate sizing chart – on shoulder pads, they will go Jr S/M, L/XL, Int S/M, Int L/XL, then Sr S-XL. On the shins, they will have an Int 14” and 15” which will be less bulky than their Sr counterparts (although there will be a Sr 15”) Gloves – Keeping with the line trimming, the Franchise-style gloves remain unchanged, however, the Luxe and Projekt lines have been scrapped. The Covert glove will be a mash-up of those two models; a tapered fit, with the SmartPalm+ palm that was featured on the Projekt glove, and the Bone System padding that was on the Luxe. Other new features include the vented outer, which is mesh-like to the touch. The liner will be their Chillwave, however, will have Polygiene, and is blue. Very good feel out of the box. Pants – this category has been simplified as well; only one family of pants in the Covert, which is essentially an tweaked Projekt pant - forward-canted, floating waist pad with a dual belt system (you pull down and it tightens, doesn’t go around your waist.) Chillwave/Polygiene liner. Projekt girdle and Bonafide pants carry over from 2012 to round out the line.