Bauer Vapor XXX

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

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[jbyun04 7]

Product - Bauer Vapor XXX Gloves

Fit - I'm a big fan of the loose fit at the same time being a fan of the tight fit. Basically any glove you give me, I will like it except Easton because of the annoying locked thumb in the way. It feels snug and loose at the same time while staying on my hand. 10/10

Weight - Very light. If I were to compare it to the XX's I'd say this dominates it in this area. 10/10

Mobility - I love the ultra thin palms it comes with but as we all know, ultra thin = ultra weak. The thin palms combined with the 3 piece index and 2 piece fingers make this glove really mobile. It also features a Flex-Lock thumb like the XX which allows the thumb to move while remaining locked which is always a plus because it makes life simpler when picking up the stick off the ice. 10/10

Break-in - Maybe it's all in my head but I don't think there was a break-in period at all for these gloves. If there was it took all but 1 game to break them in. 10/10

Protection - Might not be a big of a tank as the XX's but it's still very protective. I've received a lot of whacks to my hand and I've felt nothing. The only time I did feel something was when a puck hit my hand but all I could feel was the impact and not the pain. 9.5/10

Durability - The glove itself is doing fine but the palm is starting to wear out. I've had these gloves for about 2 months and I'm getting the same kind of wear I did on my Vapor X's after a usage of about 1 year. The plus side to this is that Bauer included an extra set of palms so you can get more life out of your gloves but after that it's up to you to decide whether or not you want to pay the cash and get it repalmed. 9/10 for the glove, 7.5/10 for the palm

Intangibles - The glove looks sharp and it feels great. It's light, protective and it includes an extra set of palms. Personally I would probably settle with the Supreme 90's next but until these die, I will love them to death :P

Beware of the price tag if you consider these though.

Conclusion - Overall it's a good glove at a big cost but in terms of performance you get what you pay for.

Final Score: 9.4/10

[forsberg91 0]

Product: Bauer Vapor XXX 14" Navy Blue

User:5'4" 125 pounds

Sticks used: TPS Adrenaline and Easton Stealth (Both non grip.)

Fit: I love the fit of these gloves. Its says that the fit is "tapered" which I like. The cuff is very wide it seems like, which I don't have any problem with.

9/10

Protection: These gloves have plastic inserts in them, so they seem fine. I really havent taken any shots or slashes off of these gloves since I got them (around Christmas.) Seem very well protected.

9/10

Weight: Very light. Love em. I used to think that light weight gloves were not necessary but once I tried these babies out, I loved them. No complaints here at all.

10/10

Durability: I have been using these 4-5 times a week since Christmas and they still seem brand new. I was worried about the palms when I first got these because they seemed so thin, but they are holding up fine.

9/10

-EDIT- After about a year of use now the palms are still holding up...barely. I think my top hand glove's palm is about to go.

Intangibles: Most people think that these gloves look ugly, but I love the look. The material is great. Dries out very fast and is very light. Love em.

Conclusion: I was a little worried after I bought these because the palms seemed so thin and I thought that I was going to blow through them, but they have exceeded expectations. Very light weight, dry out very fast, and they just feel great.

Overall grade: 9/10

Edited October 22, 2006 by forsberg91

[Scurvy 3]

Product: Bauer Vapor XXX 13" Black

Fit: The XXX glove has a looser fit than the XX but not overly loose. The cuff is wide and does not impede wrist movement. Overall, the comfort was very high as I prefer a more loose fit than an overly snug one. 10/10

Protection: With the plastic inserts, these gloves provide very good protection. While they may not provide the protection of the XX, it is still very good. After taking occasional shots off the glove, I barely felt anything. 9/10

Weight: Being a nylon glove, it is exceptionally light. You barely notice that you're wearing them. 10/10

Mobility: The flexible nylon, 3 piece index finger, and segmented fingers provide fantastic mobility. Also, the thumb lock is very mobile and thumb movements are well-controlled. I have never used any glove that provided this much mobility. After wearing these gloves for awhile, a lot of other gloves' fingers feel stiff and uncomfortable. 10/10

Palm: The XXX uses a very thin nash palm to allow for superior performance. Even though the palm isn't extremely durable, the feel you get with it is unlike anything I've used. The feel on your stick is much more responsive and I've never had had no issue with the grip. 10/10

Durability: The glove's durability is very good. The palms do not have any holes after an entire season and the glove is in great condition. I'll probably be using these gloves for a long time. I still have both my replacement palms and don't think I'll be using them soon. 8.5/10

Update** 6/13/07 Once my season ended, I have gone to numerous drop-in sessions (2-3 times weekly). To my surprise, the palms are still holding up well and there is wear but no sign of holes.

Update** 11/08/07 I finally re-palmed my top hand. However, my bottom hand's palm still has a lot of life and I still have another replacement palm. This glove has completely exceeded my expections and I hope the XXXX can raise the bar even higher.

Update** 3/19/08 After re-palming my top hand in November, a hole is already forming. This was surprising considering that it took far longer for holes to form in the original palms installed in the glove. I have lowered the durability rating of the glove by one point.

Conclusion: Although the XXX is a very pricey glove, it is well worth the money. The glove offers so much in the factors of performance, weight, and durability. There is no break-in time and is very comfortable. This is a fantastic glove and I recommend it to all players. Overall, this is easily the best glove I've ever used and I''ll probably end up buying another pair. 10/10

Edited March 20, 2008 by Scurvy