Bauer Protocol Pro Goalie Stick Review

Bauer Protocol

The Bauer Protocol Pro goal stick is the first Bauer innovation series stick modelled from the Bauer Supreme line. With previous iterations focusing on the Vapor line and creating the lightest goal stick on the market, the Bauer Protocol instead focuses on providing the most complete performance.

The new Bauer protocol is engineered specifically for goalies who aren't afraid to play the puck. This stick brings together some of the best features of both the Supreme and Vapor lines, while taking inspiration from Bauer's most popular player specs. This stick is designed to help goalies get the puck off their stick faster and with more control.

The Bauer Protocol is available in left-handed 24", 25", 26" and full-right 24" and 25". Using a 25" paddle, we weighed the goal stick in store, and the Protocol came in with a weight of 598 grams, which is on par with Bauer's Shadow pro goal stick. Compared to the AG5NT, this stick is slightly heavier (~20 grams), but the Protocol is designed more for performance and control rather than weight and subsequently speed. That doesn't mean the stick is heavy, however—the balanced feel still contributes to its light feel.

The Graphic

The Bauer Protocol looks sharp, giving off an undercover agent or "Dark Knight" aesthetic. The deep black and purple offers and unique and subtle design. In contrast, the chromatic purple gives the stick an extra flash when it catches the light. Within the reflective branding, the stick features an intricate pattern that feels like you're looking at a circuit board within the internals of the stick. I think this really adds to the high-tech look and feel of the stick. The stick also features a dark purple tinted clear coat over top of the Textreme Carbon, offering a really cool look that we haven't seen previously.

The stick has a cool graphic on the backhand side of the shaft, with the words "LAUNCH PAD." I like this because not only does it offer a high-tech feel, but it almost seems like it's placed there to indicate where to place your glove for maximum pop when you play the puck. Finally, there are some cool barcode graphics among other details that make this stick feel like an innovative prototype.

The one caveat of this new goal stick is that the Bauer Protocol is only offered in the purple colourway. Goalies care about their style, and purple may be hard to match with the majority of team colours. We would have maybe liked to have seen this stick in multiple colours, like teal, red, or silver to fit with more teams, but the purple is still slick.

P28G Curve

The first thing you'll notice on the Bauer Protocol is the new P28G curve. The P28 curve is one of the most popular options for players across the NHL. It features a sharp toe curve that opens up to create incredible control over your passes. As Bauer states, the P28 curve is "ideal for quick playmaking," which is the most important aspect for goalies playing the puck.

The P28G joins the P31 and P34 as Bauer's stock curves available off the rack. The P31 is the most popular with it's mid-curve and closed toe, while the P34 has a much flatter heel-curve with an open toe. This P28G takes an aggressive approach with an open toe-curve. Overall, the P28G curve is designed for greater accuracy and to help lift the puck off the ice, all while making your play quicker than ever.

As for the blade materials, the Protocol blade uses the same Textreme carbon material used in the Bauer Supreme Shadow goal sticks. Sticking with the tried and true, you can be confident in the performance and construction that has proven itself time and time again.

Hybrid Toe

Another exciting development is the new hybrid toe. This shape is designed to improve puck control without sacrificing any ability to stop hard rims and seal against the boards. 

Square Top Toe

The square top section of the toe is designed to maximize your blade size and create a flat seal against the boards. Square toes have been popular amongst goalies for these exact reasons, however, they can make it a bit more difficult to control the puck with the toe of the blade. 

Round Bottom Toe

The rounded bottom of the toe is designed to compensate for the challenges the square toe can create. Most player blades are rounded to allow for maximum puck control. This accomplished the same thing for goalies, enabling them to pull the puck off the boards quicker to make a pass, or even stick handle when under pressure.

Supreme Spyne Paddle Geometry

The Supreme Spyne paddle design has been around since 2018, with a few revisions introduced since then. While the Spyne was initially met with skepticism, over the past 6 years it has been tried and tested, solidifying itself as yet another Bauer innovation that has stood the test of time to become a mainstay.

The Supreme Spyne enables the stick to be lighter by reducing the amount of material used, while also producing a most durable paddle. By layering the carbon materials together the paddle is essentially reinforced without any room for give between layers. This makes it an ideal option for saving the puck.

Vapor PENTA-GRIP

The Bauer Protocol is the first Supreme-style goal stick to include the Vapor PENTA-GRIP. While this may not be exactly revolutionary, it helps create a stick that takes some of the best from both of Bauer's top of the line goal sticks, and brings them together.

PENTA-GRIP is designed to give goalies better control over their stick while in their stance. By providing a better grip, goalies can react with higher confidence when making saves. Not only does it serve as a performance benefit, but PENTA-GRIP also makes the stick more comfortable to hold. 

77 Flex Profile

To help make the Bauer Protocol the ultimate choice for goalies who like to play the puck, Bauer decided to lower the flex profile on this goal stick. Currently, the standard flex for goalie sticks is 87 flex; in fact, goalie sticks rarely even list the flex now because it's the only choice.

All of that changes with the new 77 flex profile on the Bauer Protocol goalie stick. By lowering the flex, Bauer has made it easier to leverage flex when playing the puck. This is especially important since goalies lack the leverage a player has due to a goalie's trapper lacking grip. In testing the stick, I can say that this is the first goal stick I've used that truly felt like it had a kick-point. 

Additionally, a lower flex profile can make it easier to raise the puck, helping goalies get the puck down ice quicker. For those who dream about their first goalie goal, this stick could make it a matter of when, not if. 

Matte Shaft

Another change is the new soft matte shaft. Not only does this grip have a unique feel, but it actually serves a purpose beyond aesthetics. 

The typical Bauer goalie paddle has a composite feel which is good, but can have its challenges. When dry, the shaft on the Bauer Shadow goal sticks can occasionally feel sticky leading to more resistance when moving your blocker hand. On the other hand, they can also become too slippery when the shaft gets some ice on it. The matte feel intends to make the level of friction more consistent in all conditions.

The matte grip is designed to provide goalies much more control when transitioning their blocker from the paddle to the shaft when poke checking or playing the puck. With limiting the friction between the blocker palm and the shaft, the soft matte feel still enables goalies to quickly grip the shaft to retain maximum control of the extension of a poke check.