Bauer Ultrasonic Catcher & Blocker First Look Review
A question that gets asked a lot in the goal equipment world is, how do you improve on a winning formula? The Bauer 2S Pro glove and blocker were a significant improvement from its predecessor the 1S. So, what's new? I went straight to Bauer’s goal category managers, Mark Gignac and Spencer Freer, to find out.
Bauer UltraSonic Catcher
The UltraSonic catcher retains this same design, closure angle and shape as the two previous supreme gloves.
Catchlite - Game Ready Palm
Right out of the box, the UltraSonic glove was super fappy. I noticed immediately how easy it was to open and close the glove. The addition of CatchLite which made its debut on the Vapor 2X Pro creates this amazing game ready feel.
What exactly is CatchLite?
Spencer and Mark say, "It's an upgraded Jenpro like material that is used in the palm, upper T and backhand of the glove. The suppleness of the material creates the easy closure out of the box. An additional benefit of the CatchLite material is that it is also more durable."
Break Angle
The break angle remains the same as last year's 2S Pro which is similar to CCM’s E-Flex 600 break. This break is geared toward the goalie that is looking for a wide-open catch surface and a fingertip to thumb angle closure.
Palm Protection
Bauer’s Curv Composite Technology is used in most of Bauer's elite level protective equipment. Its once again incorporated from the cuff and extends into the face of the glove for added protection. The main theory behind the Curv Composite material is when the trapper begins to fully break in and the inner foam materials compress. Curv Composite give an additional layer of reassurance and protection.
Poron XRD has also been added. This is a highly impact absorbent foam that is placed in the high impact area of the palm. The combination of Curv and Poron XRD together definitely helps to reduce stingers.
T-Pocket
The stock T-pocket is a wide open, deep double T that comes standard with skate lace to improve puck retention. For goalies that prefer a traditional lace (nylon cord) or a single T, these options are available on custom orders.
CatchGrip Interior Palm
The inner liner features Bauer's CatchGrip material which is a nonslip liner that provides better grip for your hand. I had a chance to try it myself and I found it eliminated the need for an aftermarket solution like the very popular Lizard Skins inner glove. Like any piece of gear, this will be a personal preference, but I'm a big fan of the performance of CatchGrip.
Supreme UltraSonic Blocker
Bauer’s new UltraSonic blocker is one of the more exciting pieces we'll see drop in 2020. I know that blocker reviews typically aren't first page news, but there are a lot of exciting new features to talk about.
Curv Composite
The UltraSonic blocker is well balanced on the hand and naturally assists your wrist to tilt forward creating a backhand forward stance. The blocker board is a bit thicker than Bauer’s Vapor 2X Pro but that extra thickness aids in the "control" factor of the blocker.
Bauer's 2S Pro and 2X Pro blockers set a benchmark on how a rebound should come of a blocker and the UltraSonic continues to deliver on this aspect. The lively rebound can be largely attributed to Bauer's Curv Composite material. The rigidity of the carbon material helps to give that pop goalies are looking for.
Quattro Control Palm
The Quattro Control palm material is the same material used in Bauer's previous models but has been optimized and redesigned. When compared to the 2S Pro palm, Mark and Spencer found that there was too much excess palm material that caused bunching when holding a stick. The redesign of the palm at 14.5" offers a snugger fit on the hand and a better feel while holding your goal stick.
Free Floating Cuff
Improvements in wrist mobility with the open free-floating cuff and decluttered backhand allow for a more open feel and better stick control.
The molded cuff piece adds fluidity and gives a finished look to the blocker. It really shows the attention to detail that Bauer continues to put into their designs.
Improved Finger Protection
ShockLite is a new feature which is a combination of high-density foam and Curv Composite. This, along with Poron XRD will provide your digits with top-level protection.
There's also new a velcro finger adjustment that allows you to dial in the fit and tension on the finger protection of the blocker.
Pro Custom Spec Options
Bauer has expanded customization options with the UltraSonic launch. You can now choose construction and graphic separately. You're able to order Ultrasonic construction with 2X Pro graphics and vice versa. Customizer is now live. You can customize three primary front facing colour zones and a variety of back facing colours as well. TrueDesign full custom graphic is also an option which gives you full control over the entire graphic.
UltraSonic Trapper
- Palm Size: Intermediate / Senior
- Palm Thickness: Game Ready/ Pro/ Practice - an additional 3mm of Poron foam can be added at the base of the palm
- T-pocket options: Single / Double
- Lacing Options: Nylon / Skate Lace
UltraSonic Blocker
- Palm-size: Intermediate /Senior / X-Large
Final Thoughts
Although at first glance, the UltraSonic glove doesn’t seem like it has a ton of changes when comparing it to the 2S Pro. However, the addition of CatchLite makes a huge improvement on a design that was already a winner. Yes, it really does make that much of a difference and yes, the glove is awesome.
It's not often our staff gets excited about a blocker launch but the UltraSonic delivers the goods. This is simply a great blocker for any goalie looking for hard controlled rebounds off the blocker face while not sacrificing overall coverage. It’s common for goalies to simply "match" their blocker to their catch glove of choice when purchasing a new set but could we see a trend to where the opposite happens? Hey, these are crazy times we're living in! Make sure to follow us on social media, by Liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram and Twitter!
Written by Cam Matwiv
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