Bauer Vapor 1X '16

The Vapor 1X is the most designed, researched and tested skate in Bauer's 87 year history. The Vapor legacy continues as the most popular within Bauer's 3-fit platform. Its standard v-fit profile consists of a standard width through the toebox and forefoot with a low-volume, narrower fit in the heel and ankle. The 1X offers the lowest-volume fit overall when compared to its Supreme and Nexus counterparts. While the Vapor fit may not work for every foot type, those who do benefit from its fit characteristics often swear by its “second skin” fit and feel.

The OD1N concept skate provided the inspiration behind the updated X-Rib pattern. Performance lab tests showed improvements in heel and ankle lock, which resulted in quicker cross overs and tighter turns. This X-rib pattern adds structural support to the skate as well, and can be found throughout the Vapor line of skates. The 1X is built off Bauer’s 3D Lasted Composite upper, but we are introduced to a flashier version of an Aluminized Curv® Composite material. The fully composite upper has become standard issue for Bauer’s top of the line price point skates due to its unsurpassed strength, durability, support, and feel. The plastic ankle support that was used in the APX2 model has been substituted with a Curv® composite ankle support in the 1X, making it even better at heat molding and lighter overall. Since there are some significant spec differences between the stock APX2 and the stock 1X skates, we decided to provide you with more of an apples to apples weight comparison. We weighed one size 8 skate from each model without a footbed or without steel. Here were the results:
1X = 614 grams
APX2 = 660 grams

The Injected Stability Lacing System has also been revised. It has been hollowed out a little bit in order to provide better wrap over the foot, and it features a Lace Lock configuration on the 4th and 5th eyelets. The benefits of this innovative, one-piece construction maximizes energy return and provides explosive energy transfer with each stride and increases stability throughout the life of the boot.

The 1X offers many refined comforts, arguably making it the most comfortable Vapor skate to date. Featuring a 37.5™ liner, fabrics with this technology dry up to 5 times faster than similar fabrics without it. 37.5™ helps to regulate your core body temperature, keeping your foot drier for longer which enhances control and performance. The Form Fit Lite tongue is also different than the tongue used in the APX2. It uses a 52 oz. white felt through the center of the tongue with 40 oz. white felt on the sides plus it has an integrated Curv® composite insert for increased protection and support. Rounding out the comfort story is Bauer’s Total Edge Comfort padding, which helps to alleviate abrasions at the high ankle keeping you comfy when bearing down into those tight turns.

The boot sits atop an ultra-lightweight, vented, carbon composite outsole with the Tuuk Lightspeed Edge holder. This holder design provides an added three millimeters of height, in comparison to the Tuuk Lightspeed 2 holder thus allowing the skater to get lower to the ice for sharper, tighter turns without “bottoming out”, all while allowing runners to be changed out in seconds with the pull of a trigger. The holder is complemented by an elite grade stainless steel Tuuk LS4 EDGE runner, which adds another three millimeters in profile height. This further increases the angle of attack, expands on your profiling options, increases the longevity of the steel with considerably more sharpenings, not to mention the performance enhancements of energy transfer and strong edges offered by such premium steel.

With a considerable investment by Bauer in Sensor technology, came the study of balance and pressure distribution mapped as you skate. The center of pressure became the focus as Bauer created algorithms to figure out optimization. Bauer's SPEED PLATE™makes its debut in this Vapor 1X skate. It features a recovery alloy technology, which basically means that it can be heat molded repeatedly and will either form to a customized fit or to its original form. When this footbed is customized to your foot, it essentially marries the shape of your foot to the skate and puts the center of pressure more over the blade, which allows for better balance, control and performance.