Bauer XV blade

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

open

[Cavs019 708]

5'9 175

Used with 85 synthesis P106 curve

Intro:

I purchased this blade on ebay for much less than retail just to try it out. The p106 is a little more curve than I usually use, however its fairly similar to the drury which is my usual curve of choice.

Stiffness:

This blade is very stiff, feels identical to an inno blade which leads me to believe its probably inno manufactured. 10/10

Weight/Balance:

This blade is fairly light, however it felt slightly bottom heavy in the synthesis. I'm someone who can't stand bottom-heavy sticks, so this was one of my few gripes about this blade. In a different shaft, perhaps an XV, the balance would be better 7/10

Stickhandling/Recieving Passes:

I've used just about every comp blade/ops on the market, and its safe to say the XV is up there with the best in terms of feel. The insert bauer uses definately dampens hard passes, moreso than the si core blades. The feel is miles better than the synthesis blade, and toe drags and other moves were a breeze. 9/10

Shooting:

The stiffness of the XV combined with the whip of the 85 flex shaft proved to be fantastic in regards to shooting. The puck just flies off the blade, great for people who take alot of snap shots.

Durability:

I've used this blade for about 15 sessions and there are no chips, dents, or scratches. 9/10

Conclusion: This is an excellent tapered offering from bauer and a good alternative to the r2 and synthesis blade. I previously had a drury synthesis blade in this shaft, and the XV provides me with much better puck feel. If the blade was a little bit lighter, it would be the perfect blade.

Overall: 8.5/10

Edited July 3, 2004 by Cavs019