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http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/files/file/155-2013-bauer-hockey-catalogue/ Skates - This year, Vapor gets the update; flagship skate is the Vapor APX2. The major changes boot-wise are the lacing system - instead of plastic layered in between materials and then grommeted with metal eyelets, it is a solid pre-cut piece, made of the same plastic that is used in holders. The premise behind it is that it will maximize energy as well as provide stability to the boot. Also, no need to worry about rusting eyelets; there aren't any. The holes are D-shaped, which help maintain flat laces. The tongue is also new for 2013; it is a 3-piece tongue; thicker felt on top, but thinner on the foot for a better fit. The X 100 skate is essentially the same spec as the Vapor APX from last year, and the X 90 replaces the 7.0. Supreme and Nexus remain unchanged for 2013. The other big advance in this category is the Tuuk Lightspeed EDGE holder. The holder height has been bumped up 3mm in both towers for a greater attack angle; you are able to turn tighter because the ability to get lower on your turns has been increased. But what is arguably its greatest feature is the blade attachment mechanism; it employs a trigger which is recessed in the last hole in the holder bridge. Pull the trigger and the runner is released; when you put the steel back in, it snaps back in and locks the trigger. It's a great system for those who keep sets of replacement steel and rotate them; very convenient. Bauer will be telling this story on all of their skate boxes as well as an education on optimal skate hollows; in a collaboration with Blackstone Sports, they will list optimal FBV and ROH hollows for your body weight and ice conditions. The Lightspeed EDGE will be available on all Vapor skates from APX2 to X 60 (which is the 3rd skate in the line, going up from the entry level X 40) as well as aftermarket, in all runner options (Fusion/LS2/LS3.) Sticks - Nothing new now; sticks change in October 2013. Helmets and Facial - RE-AKT remains unchanged for 2013. The IMS 11.0 is what is replacing the Cascade M11 Pro; the biggest advance in the helmet is that they are backing up the Seven technology (more on that later) with PoronXRD in key areas. It still keeps the same adjustment system as the M11 Pro. Another key feature is that the Poron and the foam liner in the helmet will be perforated for airflow; which was my biggest issue when I was using the M11 Pro. MSRP $159, available June 15, made in Liverpool, NY, along with all of the different colorways. The IMS 9.0 is the same shell as the RE-AKT (other than that it now has a spring-loaded occipital lock system instead of the tab that is on the RE-AKT,) however, the internals are different. It has their Vertex foam, but doesn't have the Suspend-Tech liner that is found on the RE-AKT. It has a thin layer of VN on top of the Vertex, so at first glance, if you were to flip the helmet around and look into it, it'd look like a VN helmet. It is essentially what a pro VN RE-AKT would look like, if it existed. One point that has to be made is that every NHLer you saw wearing a RE-AKT was wearing the off-the-shelf version. So, now, they have an option if they like that fit/VN feel and don't want the Suspend-Tech, and so do you. MSRP $139, available April 15. The IMS 7.0 is the M11 helmet, however, with the redesigned Seven Technology. Seven tested really well for high-impact, however, not as good on the low-impact side, as the majority of hockey hits are exactly that. The solution was to soften the coils so that they compress easier. MSRP $119, available June 15, made in Liverpool, NY, along with all of the different colorways. 9900 will still be offered in the line through 2013. Facial remains unchanged, but one product has (finally) been tweaked, and that is the Concept2. It is now known as the Concept3; enhanced vision and airflow; vents have been made bigger, and now it comes with a double-coat of anti-scratch material in addition to anti-fog. Even comes with a helmet bag. Gloves - The big change for gloves is the Supreme line; inspired by what the Rangers do to their gloves, the main feature of the Supreme TotalONE NXG is the addition of PoronXRD to the pad that sits on your hand in the glove. It will be lined, however. This addition makes it 23% more protective than the previous TotalONE glove. Single-layer nash palm with three PU patches in key areas for wear. MSRP $179. Followed by the ONE.8/6/4. Continuing with the whole family thing, the Supreme 4-Roll is now a Nexus - the Nexus 1000 has dual density EPP in the rolls, equating to 15% more protection than the previous 4-roll. 3-piece thumb, nash palm with a black nash overlay, airmesh gussets. MSRP $169. The Nexus 800 is identical to the 4-Roll, so no worries for those who like that style glove. Vapor line remains for 2013. Protective - Supreme, Vapor and Nexus are now three complete families with three distinct fit profiles; Supreme is an anatomical fit, Vapor a tapered and Nexus is a traditional fit, if you will. The new TotalONE pant system is comprised of two parts; the inner girdle still has the mobility and adjustment aspects of a standard wrap girdle, however, has their Vent Armor in the hip and kidney areas. It is fastened to the shell using a patented system that has strong Velcro tabs; one in the back and two on the sides. Now, the outer shell has stretch/wear zones and padding in the kidney and thigh areas, just like what NHL EQMs (and me) have been doing. NXG comes in at $149, only sold in combos, however, the shell will be sold separately if you need to change colors. The ONE.8 version comes in at $119, and will offer a custom program for team sales. Nexus inherits the Supreme pant line from years past - small tweak by adding EPP in the kidney area. Also, the standard pant shell offering has been modified to fit over pants, not girdles. Vapor line remains for 2013. The latest retail trend is for the NHL-spec 1/2" foam shoulder caps to trickle down to retail, which is a good thing. Bauer is taking a different approach to it; what they did was to add two densities of Vent Armor foam (a layer of plastic is sandwiched between to keep the cap shape); the softer foam will be on the top of the cap, and the denser foam will be on the inside of the cap, all the while maintaining the same thickness of previous Bauer shoulder caps. That's the premise behind the NXG shoulder pad, also, the rear of the shoulder pad (areas where a player would get cross-checked) has been improved, trickling down to the ONE.6 pad. New tooling on the elbow pads - there is a groove along the middle of the pad so that it fits closer to the elbow. On the NXG, the part that touches the elbow is PoronXRD, followed by a mid-density foam, then the shell, and then a softer cap on top of the shell. On the shin, PoronXRD in the kneecap as well. These areas are uncovered; the thought is that most players use baselayers nowadays, and since elbow/shin pads fit closer to the body, it won't shift and adds a more comfortable feel. Release date is April 15 on protective.

Foot spec - Wide forefoot, wide heel, small arch Last skate worn - Bauer Supreme TotalONE Size - 10.5D I have tested Supreme skates for Bauer since 2004 - from 8090 to ONE90 to ONE95 to TotalONE to T1 NXG Length of review - since March 2012 Now to the details - Fit - The TotalONE NXG's pattern is identical to the TotalONE. We will address the changes between the two skates, but certainly won't be in this section. The skates felt very good out of the box; I had started out with the Stiff inserts and did not experience any of the initial problems that I did when I had TotalONE. I swapped the stock insoles out for my custom Superfeet that were in my previous skates. What is different this time around is that I a) did not have to do a rebake, which I normally did with every skate I've had, and b) I never had that "take these things off of my feet" feeling that I normally get with skates. Absolutely zero heel slip, which was something I marked the TotalONE down for in the last review. 9.75/10 Performance - When I reviewed TotalONE, I stressed how important it is to figuring out your optimal stiffness for the inserts. However, this time, I already knew what worked so once I got my XS inserts there wasn't a learning curve. HOWEVER - the biggest difference between that skate and this one is the tendon guard. The area around the tendon guard has been notched, and the tendon guard itself has been re-engineered. The difference is 5°, however, that equates to 15% more range of motion...and yes, it is noticeable. I had that "oh, damn" moment on my fifth time on the skates - started to realize how much more I was getting out of my stride; enough to go back to the TotalONE to see if it was there all along; it wasn't. Starts were very good, as well as cornering. At that point, it was fun to push the limits. 10/10 Blade/Holder - The skate comes with a LS2 holder and LS Fusion steel. Initially, I went ahead and put my old Fusion on there, but decided to take them off once I skated; they felt too low. Instead of putting the new Fusion steel back on, I had found a set of regular LS2 steel in my garage that was never sharpened, however cross-ground. I went ahead and just put that on instead; no knock against Fusion; cross-ground steel is exposed to the elements so just wanted to sharpen them before they rusted. The LS2 is a good holder; not my favorite, but it works. 9/10 Weight- On par with TotalONE, which I called "best in class" in my review two years ago. It still applies. 10/10 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. The skates do feel solid though, they have since ONE95 and the introduction of ALIVE/Curv. One thing to note though, the 3Flex Inserts now have extended material - think Always maxi-pads with "wings." What is good about that is that it does offer more protection across the top of the foot against skate cuts and the like. 9.5/10 (.5 more from TotalONE due to the new inserts) Durability - My pair seems to be well-made. Stitching is spot-on, mount is spot-on, nothing alarming. The liner has not shown any issues of wear around the top eyelets (which was an issue due to the tongue construction of the TotalONE. The NXG tongue was changed with that in mind.) 10/10 Conclusion - I really enjoyed the previous iteration of this skate; they really worked well for me. The thought that the skate could be improved wasn't one that I really had - I expected a possible graphics package change but didn't expect that much more of an improvement when the NXG came around. Simply not true - I believe that the tweaks made do make it a better skate. Overall - 58.25/60 = 9.7/10 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 (the past month hadn't been reported, lots of work on MSH) here is the Long-Term Review on the skate. It will still be updated to reflect any change on the product.