Bauer Vapor X50

[stlBeerLeagueChamp 0]

Bauer Vapor X:50

Flex: 87

Curve: P92 Stick'um

Height: 6'0

Weight: 200

Postition: Beer league forward

Used since: 4/15/11

Aesthetics: When I first went to the LHS to look at sticks I was unimpressed by the aesthetics..I thought the stick looked boring. After playing with it and seeing it in a few other people's hands I am warming up to it. Tastefully classy. 8/10

Weight and Balance: I had originally intended to go into the shop and purchase a super high-end stick like the X60. After getting a feel for most of them it came down to the X50 and the X60. I thought both felt phenomenal coming from a noticeably heavier shaft/blade combo. They were very close but the X50 had a "slight" blade-heavy feel and I just thought it felt better. I could not tell a weight difference when they were both in my hand and knew that I couldn't go wrong with the X50, I saved $100 to boot! 8/10 "slight" blade heavyness (i like it)

Blade: I will say that this was the one area I was concerned about when buying a one-piece. I was coming from a "durable as *$ " Easton ST blade so it had a lot to live up to. It has performed admirably! In a couple months of about 3-4 times a week usage I haven't noticed any sort of issues with durability or premature breakdown. I think I will give the "feel" aspect to the ST though, on the ST the puck just feels softer if that makes sense.. 7/10

Shaft/Flex: I really love the feel of the shaft. It is a more round feel, and is now my shaft-feel of choice and one of the main reasons I chose this stick over some of the Reeboks and Eastons that I held. I would say the 87 flex is maybe a little stiffer than advertised but not by much. 9/10

Stickhandling and Passing: I'm terrible at both, but I will say that this stick has a feel that give me a much greater amount of confidence to try stuff in game than I had before. I will say that I noticed a huge difference in the way the puck comes off your stick when it's a one piece as opposed to a shaft/blade combo. It's hard to explain but it just feels more solid and crisp. 9/10

Shooting: Love the way this stick shoots. My game is more "hang out around the net and get dirty goals" kind of game and on the one timers and quick "just throw it on the sprawling goalie" shots it feels great. When I do end up taking snap shots or slap shots it also feels fantastic. I'm not sure if I'm really all-in on the Multi-shot intellisense stuff but I do feel like my shot is harder and more accurate. I've also gotten compliments from my teammates and the like.. 9/10

Durability: Fantastic so far! There are a few rock-chips in the paint from the slashes and hard play but I can't imagine anything other than a ridiculous slash breaking this stick. I was concerned about peeling because the shop I bought it from had some peeled-paint X50's that were a little cheaper. I will update if this becomes an issue but for now.. 10/10

Conclusion: The best stick I've ever had would be a completely accurate statement coming from my mouth..I encourage all of you to give this stick a try if you want an X60 but can't afford it! I hear it's basically the same stick save for some "Aircraft quality carbon" that you will only find on the X60..

[JR97 2]

Bauer Vapor X:50

Flex: 67 Cut down about 3 inches.

Curve: P88 Stick'um

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 140

Postition: Beer league forward/defense

Used since: 11/01/11 - 9/15/12

Aesthetics: I don't really pay attention to aesthetics unless the stick really draws attention to itself which the Bauer X:50 does not. The 2012 has more black than the 2011. 8/10

Weight and Balance: When compared to the other stick I used at the time, the Bauer One60, weight and balance were comparable. Now that I've played with an X:7.0, the X:50 feels a tad blade heavy. Not necessarily a bad thing. Just something that is noticeable if you have another stick to compare to. 8/10

Blade: I was extremely happy with the blade on my first X:50. It lasted almost an entire year before it finally split along the bottom. Like all blades, it eventually lost stiffness over time but at a much slower rate than others I'd used... mostly Eastons. I'm more of a passer than shooter so ymmv. I loved not only how the puck left the blade but was also received on the blade. No complaints at all. 9/10

Shaft/Flex: The the X:50 was my 2nd OPS with the Bauer One60 being the first. The first thing I noticed was the lower kick point. My slap shot lost lift but that was more than made up by how quick the puck left the stick on wristers, snappers, and hard passes. The One60 has a mid flex which is good for slappers but since I'm more of a wrister/snapper guy the X:50 has been a better fit for my style. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like feeling a lot of flex in a stick until I shoot and that's what the X:50 gives me. The concave profile feels great in the hands and it's hard to play with anything else now. 9/10

Stickhandling and Passing: I'm not a slick stick handler. I prefer to minimize how much I have to handle the puck and use my legs instead. The One60 was actually a better handling stick for me in traffic because the mid flex helped me 'soften' the hands for whatever reason. However, my passing is so much better with the X:50. The stiffer feel really helps my accuracy and the lower flex point just puts on the zip. 7/10

Shooting: This is where the stick shines. My accuracy with this stick is heads/shoulders above when using any other stick in my stable. I think the stiffer feel/lower kickpoint has a lot to do with that. From mid to close range the puck goes wherever I aim and gets there quick. Last night in warm ups I was bar down or pinging corners on just about every shot. I just need to do that in game. :P My slapshot velocity is about the same as other sticks but getting it up takes a little more effort with this stick compared to others even with the same blade profile. 9/10

Durability: My first X:50 lasted about 10 months of 2-3 games/scrims a week before the crack in the bottom of the blade made the stick unplayable for me. 9/10

Conclusion: The X:50 is a great stick at a great price point. Durability was very surprising and refreshing. I highly recommend. I'm on my 2nd one now and don't plan on deviating from the Vapor line anytime soon.

[romdj 26]

Bauer Vapor X:50

Flex: 100

Curve: PM9 Stick'um

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 185

Postition: Beer league forward B-C Level (C-D last season though)

Background: 1st higher end ops last year, was learning the game with pmpx9950, winnwell GX-7, eq20 before that.

Used since: 28/08/11 - Today (minus the blade)

Aesthetics: I like the look of that stick, not too flashy, but you still know what it is, love the Dark Grey/Orange colour scheme 10/10

Weight and Balance: When compared to the other stick I used, it's a very light stick, with a good light feel, definitely a high quality feel. 10/10

Blade: Overall good feel, good quality when passing, shooting, however after 1,5 months with 2hrs/week of play, the blade shattered and became unplayable, moreover, I haven't been rough on it, it shattered because of a standing slapshot at the blue line.. 7/10

Shaft/Flex: I have relatively large hands and I found the shaft quite small, doesn't bother me though although adding the thickest tackimac on the knob helped a lot with the feel and balance. Because this was one of the first times with a tad too stiff low-kick ops I have had troubles loading shots. And I don't like the fact that broken ops can't easily be repaired. 8/10 (not being available at 90-95 flex and too thin of a shaft)

Stickhandling and Passing: Just like JR97 I'm not a slick stick handler, I like simple smart plays, using your brain by creating plays with team mates and I tend to be nervous when keeping the puck, therefore good skating, good passing and good shots. the x50/pm9 is great for passing that's the big + passes are always tight, precise and rarely wobbly, and that's something I really care for. 8/10 stickhandling (hard with a lie 5 pm9 big distance between the puck and the body, hard to receive a pass in your feet) 10/10 for passing.

Shooting: I haven't taken full advantage of the low kick, I loved taking slapshots after getting used to the stick and the lower lie, Liked one timers, wristers...not so much, it seems like one stick can't manage both wristers & snappers and clappers, if one is good the other won't be. 8/10

Durability: That was my big disappointment with that stick, blade cracked and shattered after 1,5 month, I managed to put an st blade on the butt end, and obviously the kickpoint, balance, shot release really changed. Unacceptable blade durability at that price point imo. On the other hand, the shaft is still stiff (maybe drooped to a 95 stiffness with the reverse geometry and usage) and so far it doesn't appear to show any weak points.Durability: Blade: 0/5 Shaft:5/5 total: 5/10

Conclusion: The X:50 is a good stick, I would not get even close to be buying it anymore, I've had good performance out of it, the shaft structure is really holding on well, the stick'um hasn't gone anywhere, no cracks so far. If it was a Two Piece, yes I would buy it again, however, the good performance got shadowed by the poor blade durability.

66/80-8,25/10