Bauer Vapor Hyperlite Protectives Review

July 8, 2022 || Written by Katie Lakusta

If your style is more evasion and less on power, then the Hyperlite gear is the perfect set for you. No longer is the Hyperlite limited to a few pieces of equipment—now, not only can you have elite-level performance with Bauer, but also that extra protection you need to breeze past the competition with confidence in their lightest, fastest, and strongest gear yet.

Bauer's Lightest Yet

The main theme of the Vapor Hyperlite series is to make gear that is lighter, faster, and stronger, and the new Hyperlite protectives do not disappoint in that regard. The gear looks to be not just the lightest of Bauer’s creations, but one of the lightest sets on the market, with shoulder pads at 700g, elbow pads at 225g, shin guards at 590g, and pats at just above 1200g. The gear’s expert use of lightweight and elite tech helps it reach this feat easily.

Aerolite 2.0 & Connektor

Found in: Shoulder Pads, Pants (Aerolite)

The first major upgrade to the Vapor protective line is in the shoulder pad caps and Aerolite 2.0. We’ve seen Aerolite before in the previous highest-end gear, and in the Hyperlite, Aerolite has been redesigned with a deeper and lower profile for a more aerodynamic performance.

Aerolite is the main material—on the shoulder pads, Connektor is the shoulder cap itself. The Connektor caps float above the shoulders while still being connected securely between the bicep and main vest. The design keeps it loose and flexible enough to move and adapt to sudden maneuvers without moving around too much and becoming a hindrance to full-body strides.

Shocklite Foam & EXOLite Skin

Found in: Shoulder Pads, Pants

Another tech we’ve seen before in other gear lines, Shocklite offers premium protection to the sternum in the shoulder pads, in addition to the spine areas on the shoulder pads and pants. This is a highly comfortable VTX foam that bolsters an incredible light weight and reliable performance, which compliments the Vapor line well. Shocklite went through extensive research before its implementation—over 2000 impacts across 1500 hours of research—to attain a foam that could absorb the most intense impact on the ice. Combined with the gear’s EXOLite skin, which is just as absorbent in its own right, you can rest assured that you will be completely covered and protected throughout the game.

Flexaprene Base Foam

Found in: Shoulder Pads

Exclusive to the shoulder pads, the Flexaprene vest acts as a solid base for the pad to keep everything together. With a renowned agility-based family like Vapor, just settling for any base vest won’t be good enough. Beyond being the main base layer for the shoulder pads, the Flexaprene vest is designed to adapt seamlessly to your movements along the ice. It uses Flexcell foam, which helps it supply a great balance between adaptability and comfort.

Hyperlite HD Foam

Found in: Shoulder Pads, Elbow Pads, Shin Guards, Pants

Hyperlite high-density foam is a staple of the Vapor line across all protective lines. It is well-known for bridging the gap between toughness and flexibility, which is exactly how it follows the premise of the Vapor family.

X-Lite Shield

Found in: Shin Guards

Exclusive now to the shin guards, the X-Lite shield once again provides elite protection without taking too much space or adding too much weight. The shell thickness on the X-Shield shin is strategically varied with a reinforced rib design to reach that optimal protection at a lower weight. X-Lite Shield was previously observed on the sternum of the shoulder pads too, but the pad has now been replaced with Shocklite in that.

Dynaflex & TuneFit Strappings

Found in: Shin Guards, Elbow Pads

There would be very little point to the gear if it was unable to stay securely in place during an intense game, and similarly, who wants to play with uncomfortable straps on their gear? That’s why the Hyperlite protective gear is equipped with Dynaflex and TuneFit strappings. TuneFit is an unwavering, tough strap used often in Bauer gear to keep the equipment locked in and secure. Dynaflex is a bit softer, but it covers more surface area and is just as durable.

Thermocore Zero Liner

Found in: Shoulder Pads, Shin Guards, Elbow Pads, Pants

The Vapor Hyperlite has been upgraded to use a Thermocore Zero liner across the whole collection. Thermocore Zero uses brand new yarn treatment not only to manage odour and sweat for those tough games, but also to deliver a cooling effect. The resulting feel comes off very fresh and clean all game long.

Final Thoughts

It’s kind of hard to believe Bauer could come up with anything that could top their distinguished 2X Pro protective gear line, yet here we are. I have to say after looking at and feeling the gear that I am highly impressed, especially with the addition of Shocklite into the protectives. We’ve seen it at work in the Hyperlite helmet and Bauer goalie gear, and we love to see it in the protective gear too. Overall, huge improvements to an already well-designed line of gear.

Piqued your interest? Take a look at the collection here!

You can also check out our take on the Hyperlite gloves here.