Nike Bauer Vapor XXV (2007)

[Chadd 916]

Open for review

[ramensandwich 1]

NBH Vapor XXV skate

Reviewer background:

5' 8", 150 lbs, 7.5D, right wing, on ice three times a week, experienced skater

Fit:

I have skated in Z-air and Tacks, and neither fit at all. This skate fits me nicely, I have a narrow heel and a somewhat wide forefoot. These skates lock your heels in amazingly. After baking, they conformed to my feet perfectly. Toe caps on these skates are a bit narrow and can pinch one's toes at times. They are a bit too narrow for me in the forefoot region, but it's not too bad that I can't handle it. Just getting in a somewhat properly fitted skate has done wonders for my performance.

9/10

Blade/Holder:

The LS2 steel doesn't hold an edge very well. Tons of nicks and burrs all the time, they look like I've been walking on asphalt with them on. I have to get them sharpened much more frequently than the Eastons i came from. The holders feel fine when skating but they are really spongy when playing the puck with my feet.

6/10

Weight/Protection:

These skates are essentially the XXXX with a smaller price tag. I saw no difference in protection between the two models, and both are very light. I prefer the thick felt tongue of the XXV to the one in the XXXX. These skates are a bit lacking in the protection department, hard shots off the ankles sting. The tendon guards are the most protective I've ever used though, they are very stiff. I cant give much insight into the stiffness of the boot, because I don't weigh enough to flex many boots on the market.

7/10

Durability:

I have skated in these for 5 months and they have retained their stiffness nicely. Stayed solid so far, No bad cuts or bruises on them, no broken steel, so i guess I'm doing pretty good so far. I am completely satisfied with this aspect of the skate.

9/10

Intangibles:

The standard laces killed my fingers. Ugly red trim on the boot that i had to color over with a silver sharpie.

7/10

Conclusion:

This is a good skate for those that fit properly in a Vapor, but are not willing to pay the pricetag to get the XXXX. They are essentially the same boot and holder minus a few extra features. These skates have improved my performance greatly, and are very durable. Worth the money!

FINAL: 8/10

[Bravada 442 0]

NBH Vapor XXV skate

Reviewer background:

6'0", 180 lbs, 9D, Defenseman/Centre(only if we are loaded up with D guys), on ice 2 times a week, intermediate experience (only been on ice for about 4 years)

Fit:

Nice, smooth fit. Had an experienced LHS fit me here in Western PA and got me into the 9D which is the perfect size and allows me to ever so gently feather the top cap. Stiff boot with a fantastic feel. I'm a much bigger fan of these than the Supreme's that I came over from.

9/10

Blade/Holder:

I like the longer glide that LS2 gives me over the previous Tuuk that I had on the supremes. I prefer a long stride (I have very long legs for my height) and these provide the stability I'm looking for in terms of my stride. My turns seem to be tighter and I've taken a couple of big slappers off the holder without any damage visable, no nicks, just a very slight black mark. My other skates (CCM Tacks and Supremes) usually would have nice large nicks in them in short order.

9/10

Weight/Protection:

I'm amazed at how light these are. I did not try on the XXXX because of the price tag, but a friend has them and I really can't tell any noticeable difference holding the two different skates. I'm impressed with the protection, especially low on the skate. More protective I feel than my other skates. Tendon guard is very protective, ankle and forefoot protection is more than adequate.

8.5/10

Durability:

They feel like they are not going to break down no matter what I do to them. The tendon guard has a little bit of a rub hole in it but I blame that on myself instead of on the skates because I am very very heavy on my right foot in terms of stops and starts. I've been in these for about 4 months and expect to have them easily for another year to 18 months without problems.

9/10

Intangibles:

I love the look of the skates. Doesn't make any difference in how they perform, but I like the black/red/silver coloring and really allows them to standout. Also, had them baked and pressure fitted and there was really no break in period at all. They were just as comfortable as my previous skates the first time I skated in them, and they have gotten to the point now where I almost hate to stop skating once the game is over.

8.5/10

Conclusion:

NBH has done an outstanding job in offering a skate that is nearly on par with their top line skate for a price that is significantly cheaper. This skate is something that I hope they continue to produce in the future without many changes because I can't imagine finding a skate that fits my personal needs more than this. I tried on a number of skate before selecting this (RBK7K, Supreme70, CCM Vector 8.0) and this was the best fit and best quality of those choices. I couldn't be happier.

FINAL: 8.75/10

[Cole13 0]

NBH Vapor XXV skate

Reviewer background:

6'4", 215 lbs, 10EE, Wing, both left and right, the odd time centre, on the ice usualy 5-6 days a week , intermediate skating experience

Fit:

Fairly good fit, i had them fitted and baked at a LHS where the guy knew what he was doing and they are a little narrow right at the toe cap and it rubs fairly hard there, found ways to fix it/deal with it though.

8/10

Blade/Holder:

Seem to be holding up well, in my last two pairs (easton synergy 300's and rbk 3k's) i had a holder break in both pairs i rlly dont have any complaints about the blade/holder. 10/10

Weight/Protection:

I really like how light these skates are, i had gone with cheaper skates before and therefore dealt with heavier skates, i decided to upgrade to more expensive saktes thsi year and love them, didnt see much a of weight diff. while holding them compared to the XXXX's, i have taken some shots in teh foot and again, way better protection than in my older cheaper skates.

10/10

Durability:

They are holding up very well, i skate with a hockey class at my school 4 days a week, and weekly hockey practices with my team, so they got alot of use this year and they are in very good shape except for the odd scuff which doesnt really matter. Seem to be very durable so far 10/10

Intangibles:

The skates look very nice, almost identical to the XXXX'S, and i also found no break in period with them, except on the toe cap where it will still rub a bit after using them for 6 months. 8/10

Conclusion:

I really like these skates, although i dont really have much to compare them to, they are the first pair of somewhat higher end skates i have used and they seem to be fairly good. The rubbing in the toe cap is a little annoying but more likely a poor fitting job than the skates fault. An affordable good quality skate, i would recommend to anyone.

FINAL: 8.5/10

[srv2miker 0]

NBH Vapor XXV skate

Purchased in Jan. 2007

Reviewer background:

6'3", 225 lbs, 9.5EE, Defense, play 1-2 times a week, intermediate experience

Other skates worn: NBH Vapor V, Graf 727, CCM 952 Tacks

Fit:

Tried on numerous skates when purchasing the XXVs, including RBK 7Ks (felt like putting my foot into a boot filled with marshmallows) and NBH Supreme One70 (too narrow in toe cap). As soon as I put on the XXvs I knew I'd be walking out of the store with them. They felt extremely responsive, and allowed me to "get out over my skates" really well in a deep knee bend.

Having used them on the ice, my opinion has changed a little. I've built up a huge callous on my big toe from rubbing inside the left skate toe cap, and I also have to skip the 2nd eyelet from the top or else I can't get enough forward flex. If you like a stiff boot, this is definitely one for you. Don't let the stiffness put you off though, because the lacing work-around does the trick and gives the best in both worlds, in that you can achieve forward flex but keep a lot of lateral stiffness.

8.5/10

Blade/Holder:

No problems at all with either the blade or the holder. No cracks in holders, just the usual dings and dents that accumulate. Seems to keep a good edge, but I get a shallow hollow (3/4) so hard to say for sure how long it would last with a more common ROH. I felt the pitch on my Grafs was a little too much, but the Tuuks work with my game nicely.

9.5/10

Weight/Protection:

Very light skate, which was a big improvement coming over from tanks like the Grafs. The protection has been more than adequate, and I can't remember a single stinger to the foot since I've worn them. The XXXXs might be a gram or two lighter, but if you're working on a budget (like I was) these will feel nearly as good as top of the line, which is saying something when they're almost half the price.

9.5/10

Durability:

Very satisfied with the durability of this skate. No cuts, tears, or rips anywhere after 2 years of wear. The only imperfections are the usual assortment of puck marks (hard to avoid in a silver skate), and some of the metal in a couple of the eyelets has started to pull out. No Vapor horror stories here - a really well put-together boot.

9.5/10

Intangibles:

The looks don't sway me one way or the other - that's more a comment on me as a consumer than on the skates themselves. Stock laces that come with the skate suck, had to turf them really quickly.

8/10

Conclusion:

Extremely satisfied with my purchase of these skates, as they're easily the best I've ever worn. They were about $100 more than I wanted to pay, but I'd say they've been worth every penny. I wanted a skate that would be durable, responsive, allow for forward flex, and provide lateral stiffness - this skate scored on almost every count, with some alternate lacing required for the forward flex. If these skates fit well and you don't want to break the bank on XXXXs, I'd recommend giving them a shot.

Final Score:

FINAL: 9/10

[Jarick 5]

BAUER VAPOR XXV

Size: 7.5EE

Reviewer: 5'8" 175

Foot: Slightly wide at ball of foot, slightly narrow at heel, medium arch

Time Used: 1.5 years

Introduction

My first skate as an adult was a Vapor VI that fit well but broke down quickly, both in the boot stiffness and outsole. I upgraded to the Vapor XIX in size 8D, but was sized incorrectly, and after a year I sold those to get these skates in a smaller and wider size.

Fit

Before purchasing, I tried on nearly every skate out there in as many sizes as I could, and the Vapor series skates in EE were by far the best fit for my feet. I had these skates fitted with thin dress socks both with baking and an air bladder system. As a result, they fit great, and I can still play even with the laces loose or coming untied. The newer Vapors have a bit wider toe box and more padding above the ankle to lock the heel in. Between the proper size and these refinements, I found my edges much easier, my foot didn't roll around anymore, and my skating improved quite a bit. 10/10

Blade/Holder

My old Vapors had slightly longer runners, so at first I noticed I didn't get quite as much glide, but I could make sharper turns. The steel is very good, and with a bit of a touch-up using a Miraclestone, I can go several weeks between sharpenings. I've been using the LS2 holder for a while now, and I like the feel. They aren't too stiff or soft, fairly springy, and they place me a bit on my toes, which I prefer over standard holders. 10/10

Weight

These skates are very light in weight compared to cheaper models and close enough to high end skates for me. They do not absorb moisture enough to get any heavier throughout a game. It's possible to have lighter skates, but not necessary. 10/10

Protection

These skates have taken a number of pucks off them and protection is great from the sides. Anything on the tongue isn't nearly as protective, so those will sting a lot more. 8/10

Durability

The skates have held up very well, without any problems with stitching or cracking. The liner has also held up very well. My previous XIX's had a problem with the tendon guard wearing through the liner and rubbing against my foot, but I've taken care while putting them on and taking them off and there seems to be more padding in that area, so no problems so far. Holders and boot have quite a few puck marks, but no real damage. 9/10

Price

These skates were pretty average in terms of price compared to other manufacturers. 8/10

Intangibles

I immediately replaced the liners with Superfeet to get better feel for the ice. I typically skip the top eyelet when lacing up for a bit more forward flex. The tongues don't have much give in them so you can't flop them.

Conclusion

This is a great skate for someone who does not need ultra high end stiffness and weight. Just be sure to be properly fitted because they won't break in much at all.

Overall 9/10