Bauer XV shaft

[Chadd 916]

Opened for review.

[roadrunner 12]

Bauer Vapor XV Shaft

Background: 5’ 9†165lbs.

Shaft: Bauer Vapor XV 102 Flex

Compatible Blades: anything tapered

Options: Senior only 87 or 102 flex both with stick-um grip.

Initial Impression: I was initialy attracted to the Vapor XX as I handled it at the shop it felt flawless, however, I learned from my mistake of buying a one-piece and bowed never to buy one again. I came across the XV and it felt identical. The long taper is what caught my eye. They say 20" but who knows. The paint job wasn't my cup of coffee but nice, it would of been better if the kept it simple and black like the XX.

Stickhandling/Passing/Shooting: The stick-um feel is probably the best grip I've ever used, its just enough when you need it but doesn't get in the way. It does a tremendous job when perfroming these duties. Passing is crisp and clean, there's no vibration when stickhandling and due to the long taper it responds quick and lively. Wristers, my prefered shot has suffered with this stick when I paired it up with a synth blade. I have since switched to a hybrid and I immediately felt a better release. Slappers is where the grip came in handy, like only the Flyweight before it, I was able to rip laser like shots and keep'em low which has eluded me my entire career. The concave edges was easy to adjust to and is a nice adition. (8/10)

Weight/Balance: It says 285grams on the shaft but is seems decieving It think its a bit more. However, I held it up against a Grip Synergy and It was much lighter, I would compare it to a Flyweight. The most impressive part is the balance of this shaft. It sits perfect in my hands and feels equally balanced all the way through be it with a synth or hybrid. It makes it effortless when stickhandling. (8/10)

Durability: I've only had it for a month and a half playing 2 games a week. I've never broken a shaft but it feels very sturdy. The grip is a very thin film and starts peeling on impact. I'll give it another 3 months and it'll be gone. (9/10)

Conclusion: Though I'm still in the midst of getting used to this shaft, its a winner.

Through my experiance I would not recommend it with a comp blade, put and R2 in or any other wood blade. Just like with the Flyweight, it makes a better match for some reason. Just my opinion. Definately a good buy but with all the competition out there I don't think this shaft will get much recognition L2, Synthesis, XN10R2 all have better paint jobs and have a proven track record in the tapered market. Overall (8/10)

[Hiub 0]

Bauer Vapor XV Shaft

Background: 5’ 11†180lbs. Used for High level roller hockey.

Shaft: Bauer Vapor XV 87 Flex

Compatible Blades: Synthesis Si-Core And Vapor XV

Options: Senior only 87 or 102 flex both with stick-um grip.

Initial Impression: Previous to this, I was using an R2 shaft which always felt big in my hands. The slick finish of that shaft always caused it to slip out of my hands. As soon as I picked the Vapor shaft up, the grip felt great. I left the stick uncut and decided to start using a longer stick for better reach. With both the Si-Core and the XV blade, the shaft felt very well balanced and very well weighted. It just seemed as both of my hands were carrying even loads of the stick. It felt a bit stiff at first because my previous shaft was a whip flex, but I soon got used to it. Overall, I loved the shaft straight from the start. (9/10)

Stickhandling/Passing/Shooting: Oh boy, here is where this stick shines. The Stickum coating on the shaft allows me to be extremely sensitive on the puck, and make very slight stickhandling corrections very precisely becasuse no movement is lost from my hands to the shaft itself. Toe drags and quick side to side dekes are great, and the balance of the shaft only helps. I found the 87 flex for me just perfect, as I could unload bombs without putting all my weight into the shaft. This means I just swing the shaft wherever I may be and the puck just explodes forward. It just feels right when shooting like this, but it does feel like some of the power is lost when I put all my mustard into the shot. Its not that the speed of the shot is lower, but the puck seems travel turbulently. Maybe I just shoot too hard... HEH. My wrist shot, combined with the Si-Core blade, is a lazer! It's not so much the blade as it is the curve which is a Modano retail cuve. The grip really helps your wristers and the snapshots from up close, and I can pick corners with great ease without worrying about launching the stick somewhere. Passing is on par with anything I've tried, nice and crisp, as is recieving passes. Overall, I would love to try a 102 flex shaft and see how it feels, but nothing but good things out of the 87. (8/10)

Weight/Balance: The weight of this shaft seems somewhat decieving. It is so well balanced that it tricks you into thinking its a tad heavy, but when you just move your wrist the whole thing just seems to follow without that lag that you feel when using a heavier stick. When I think about it, it is incredibly light, and stickhandling feels great with the shaft. (10/10)

Durability: I have had the shaft for about 4 months now and still feels as strong as the day I got it. I did notice that the shaft almost "broke in" after a month or so of using it, and it became a LOT more predictable when shooting slapshots. The grip coating is still intact, and I do not play sissy hockey. Usually play the hands or the stick, playing D being used for roller hockey. I did peel off the XV stickers, as they were starting to peel off and looked kind of cheesy in my opinion They could have skimped the metallic look and just printed on the shaft like the rest of the graphics. The whole shaft looks a lot sleeker just saying "vapor." (9/10)

Intangibles: The stick is a hell of a lot lighter than I would have thought, and the grip coating just feels better than I could have imagined. Easton's and the Rubber's grip was a bit too much for me, but this is just the perfect amount of tack. (10/10)

Conclusion: A couple of years ago, I was using a PINK whip flex TPS Rubber, so a paintjob is not going to make or break a stick for me. It might to a 10 year old, but I prefer the shaft to perform and be durable, not look prissy. The shaft feels strong, the grip is still there after 4 months of abuse, and my shots still come out as accurately as they did when I purchased the shaft. Great durability and performance so far, and it really suits my style of play. If it wasn't for those stupid stickers and the fact that the shaft finally settled down after a couple of weeks of using it, I would give it a 10. (9/10)

[third man in 0]

Bauer Vapor XV Shaft

Background: 5’ 8†155lbs.

Shaft: Bauer Vapor XV 87 Flex

Compatible Blades: anything tapered (I use a P10 - Gagne XV composite)

Options: Senior only 87 or 102 flex both with stick-um grip.

Initial Impression: I had been looking for a high-end tapered shaft with a grip coating and I found out about the XV. I ordered online so I didn't know what to expect with the shaft. First thing I noticed was the concave feel of that shave, which took some time getting used to coming from a Synergy grip. I found the shaft to be very light and well balanced with the blade in and all.

Stickhandling/Passing/Shooting: I really liked the grip on this stick from the minute I held it with some gloves. Stickhandling was a tad different, coming from a stiffer stick to this one, but I became adjusted rather fast and all is well now. Passing is very solid with this shaft as the flex allows me to put some extra zip on my passes. Shooting was my main concern was my previous stick was very unpredictable and it's stiffness caused a lot of my shots to go off target. No need to worry though as this shaft was just right for me, my shooting style, and weight. I could now put a lot into my shots without having to throw all of my weight into it and the extra flew really put some more mustard on my wristers. Shots really seemed to come off of this stick just like a OPS and I am very pleased with its OPS-like performance.(9/10)

Weight/Balance: I immediately thought this shaft was pretty light and I still stand by that. While it may not be the lightest shaft on the market, it's not heavy by any means. I find the shaft to be very well balanced, especially with the XV blade. (9/10)

Durability: I've had this shaft for about 3-4 months and it's seen a good amount of games. However, the true test will be when I enter the real season (college club hockey) which is more competitive and skilled than the men's league I was playing in. So far I haven't had any durability issues though...except for some of the grip peeling, but I feel like it's still there for the most part. (8/10)

Conclusion: It took a few weeks to adjust to the concave edges and the different flex, but I really like this shaft a lot. I feel like I have total control of my shots with this stick, and that's the way it should be. I was really impressed with the balance as most two-pieces I have used have been blade heavy. I would recommend this shaft to anyone looking for a solid tapered shaft that delivers a good "kick". (9/10)