Bauer Hyperlite 2 Living Review

[ThatCarGuy]

(More pictures may be added at some point)

Considering how frequently I switch back and forth between the two sets I might as well make this. For the time being this won't be as in depth as my G6 review but it should be alright. 

Specs:

Leg Pads-

Hyperlite 2

Small (33+1.5)

Ultrasonic (medium) stiff

Stabilislide

Remove grip knee

Mach tune fit+

No tune fit connect

Thin shin thickness

No knee flap

No boot strap

Offset supreme toe bridge

Skate lace toe ties

 

Glove-

Hyperlite 2

Pro palm

Add DCT to thumb side

Single tee

Skate lace pocket (changed to nylon almost immediately)

Catch grip palm (suregrip)

 

Blocker-

Mach

No thumb pillow

 

The pads

Pros:

Unlike the warriors I have changed absolutely nothing on these besides centering the skate lace toe ties. They're very very stable, slide better than my machs did, and have the usual bauer rebounds. They've been very comfy to wear on ice and the boot flex is a welcome change coming from my mach set. The lower calf strap is interesting and normally I'm not a fan of them but it can be loosened enough to not be a bother. Toe bridge post integration is a big deal for me and HL2 is incredible at it. The thigh is softer than my warrior pads which does allow for easier mobility and they overall feel much more consistent. They are insanely light and haven't softened up in my time with them.

Cons: I should've gone for the thick shin option to give up a little less net that the warrior pads cover. Next time around I'll give the standard vapor tune fit a try considering that would've probably better fit my playing style and if I had ordered a boot strap that probably would've helped prevent thigh overlap as well (which is still not as bad as the warrior set).

The glove

Pros:

I catch with this much much better than mach and ultrasonic but not quite as good as my long gone Reimer supreme 90 glove. Absolutely no stingers in this glove which has been very nice. The suregrip is a noticeable upgrade from the mach grip print as it doesn't slip around nearly as much on the hand.

Cons:

The wrist strap is annoying. I made the mistake of getting pro palm which doesn't seem to break in any further than it has despite making some lacing adjustments for my preferred tee attachment style. The tee is very soft and bends inwards if anything hits it. The single tee spine is ridiculously wide and will be the reason I'm no longer considering bauer single tees for my gloves. The thumb and pinky loops are not adjustable so I can't wear the glove as tight as I'd like. And finally I still simply can't catch with this as well as my G6 glove.

The blocker

Pros:

Why mess with perfection? I loved my mach blocker and saw no reason to stray from it on this bauer set. Just as before its a perfect blocker in my eyes. The rebounds are hot, the palm is soft and cushioned, the finger protection has great coverage but isn't intrusive, wrist mobility is incredible even with a warrior chest protector, and the curve at the top of the board has been used on several occasions.

Cons:

It is without flaw.

Changes

If I were to order again there are a few changes I would make but not many.

For pads as I said earlier I'd opt for the thick shin option and vapor tune fit calf but I would also opt for the leather calf straps and leather boot strap. The pad tends to swing around during movements and I miss the nylon calf strap from my ccms and warriors. The boot strap is to keep the pads centered. I would also opt for a sewn in lower knee flap rather than none at all because I feel the slightly higher knee strap attachment point could also help the pad stay better centered on my leg and not allow it to move as far away from my skate in butterfly.

For the glove I would get the vapor 90 with a double tee and full nylon pocket lacing (even though I would once again change how the tee attaches). I'd also go for a game ready palm with added DCT on the finger side.

No changes will be made to the blocker unless the next supreme blocker sucks.

 

Feel free to ask for any specific pictures of the set or any questions you may have in general.

Edited September 17, 2023 by ThatCarGuy

[Phil1p33]

Does the ultrasonic stiffness give it the same shape as the ultrasonic? Or does it still maintain that hyperlite shape but a stiffer thigh?

[coopaloop1234]

14 minutes ago, Phil1p33 said:

Does the ultrasonic stiffness give it the same shape as the ultrasonic? Or does it still maintain that hyperlite shape but a stiffer thigh?

It'll have the Ultrasonic shape. Bauer's thighrise profiles are dependent on the stiffness profile you choose. 

 

[ThatCarGuy]

27 minutes ago, Phil1p33 said:

Does the ultrasonic stiffness give it the same shape as the ultrasonic? Or does it still maintain that hyperlite shape but a stiffer thigh?

 

12 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

It'll have the Ultrasonic shape. Bauer's thighrise profiles are dependent on the stiffness profile you choose. 

 

Pictures added to better answer this question

[Lucky Pucker]

What do you mean by the “thick shin” option? Having trouble picturing how this would help with the coverage.

For context, I’ve ordered pads exactly once, and didn’t go off script for anything… lol!

[ThatCarGuy]

4 minutes ago, Lucky Pucker said:

What do you mean by the “thick shin” option? Having trouble picturing how this would help with the coverage.

For context, I’ve ordered pads exactly once, and didn’t go off script for anything… lol!

Stolen from @erik19 who got the thick shin option vs standard shin thickness

[SteveF]

What is the advantage of nylon over skate lace in the pocket?

[ThatCarGuy]

16 minutes ago, SteveF said:

What is the advantage of nylon over skate lace in the pocket?

I prefer the visibility into the pocket nylon offers over skate laces

[Lucky Pucker]

30 minutes ago, ThatCarGuy said:

Stolen from @erik19 who got the thick shin option vs standard shin thickness

Ok, so not a pronounced difference to the naked eye, but enough for you to notice. 
BTW - what time is it over there…? Shouldn’t you be getting some shut-eye? It’s like 6:40 pm where I am, and I think I’m about to fall asleep in my supper! LOL!

[ThatCarGuy]

1 minute ago, Lucky Pucker said:

Ok, so not a pronounced difference to the naked eye, but enough for you to notice. 
BTW - what time is it over there…? Shouldn’t you be getting some shut-eye? It’s like 6:40 pm where I am, and I think I’m about to fall asleep in my supper! LOL!

It may or may not be past midnight. We have late practices and games usually so my sleep schedule has adjusted as such. I'm usually up playing games or talking with friends back home until roughly 1am if not later

[Lucky Pucker]

Just now, ThatCarGuy said:

It may or may not be past midnight. We have late practices and games usually so my sleep schedule has adjusted as such. I'm usually up playing games or talking with friends back home until roughly 1am if not later

Lol! It’s just the old man in me thinking “fuck, it’s past 9:00 pm?!?!”

It’s all really amazing for you, dude; thrilled for ya! I think I read somewhere else that it’s going well for you, yeah? 

[ThatCarGuy]

1 minute ago, Lucky Pucker said:

Lol! It’s just the old man in me thinking “fuck, it’s past 9:00 pm?!?!”

It’s all really amazing for you, dude; thrilled for ya! I think I read somewhere else that it’s going well for you, yeah? 

Yup! Loving it here and getting a ton of playing time. Our team is very young for J20 but from the looks of it we will still be very competitive and hopefully out up some good numbers this year. Also finally starting to put on some weight which is unusual for an American in Europe but I'll take it. 

[MTNSELECT]

On 9/16/2023 at 12:06 PM, ThatCarGuy said:

(More pictures may be added at some point)

Considering how frequently I switch back and forth between the two sets I might as well make this. For the time being this won't be as in depth as my G6 review but it should be alright. 

Specs:

Leg Pads-

Hyperlite 2

Small (33+1.5)

Ultrasonic (medium) stiff

Stabilislide

Remove grip knee

Mach tune fit+

No tune fit connect

Thin shin thickness

No knee flap

No boot strap

Offset supreme toe bridge

Skate lace toe ties

 

Glove-

Hyperlite 2

Pro palm

Add DCT to thumb side

Single tee

Skate lace pocket (changed to nylon almost immediately)

Catch grip palm (suregrip)

 

Blocker-

Mach

No thumb pillow

 

The pads

Pros:

Unlike the warriors I have changed absolutely nothing on these besides centering the skate lace toe ties. They're very very stable, slide better than my machs did, and have the usual bauer rebounds. They've been very comfy to wear on ice and the boot flex is a welcome change coming from my mach set. The lower calf strap is interesting and normally I'm not a fan of them but it can be loosened enough to not be a bother. Toe bridge post integration is a big deal for me and HL2 is incredible at it. The thigh is softer than my warrior pads which does allow for easier mobility and they overall feel much more consistent. They are insanely light and haven't softened up in my time with them.

Cons: I should've gone for the thick shin option to give up a little less net that the warrior pads cover. Next time around I'll give the standard vapor tune fit a try considering that would've probably better fit my playing style and if I had ordered a boot strap that probably would've helped prevent thigh overlap as well (which is still not as bad as the warrior set).

The glove

Pros:

I catch with this much much better than mach and ultrasonic but not quite as good as my long gone Reimer supreme 90 glove. Absolutely no stingers in this glove which has been very nice. The suregrip is a noticeable upgrade from the mach grip print as it doesn't slip around nearly as much on the hand.

Cons:

The wrist strap is annoying. I made the mistake of getting pro palm which doesn't seem to break in any further than it has despite making some lacing adjustments for my preferred tee attachment style. The tee is very soft and bends inwards if anything hits it. The single tee spine is ridiculously wide and will be the reason I'm no longer considering bauer single tees for my gloves. The thumb and pinky loops are not adjustable so I can't wear the glove as tight as I'd like. And finally I still simply can't catch with this as well as my G6 glove.

The blocker

Pros:

Why mess with perfection? I loved my mach blocker and saw no reason to stray from it on this bauer set. Just as before its a perfect blocker in my eyes. The rebounds are hot, the palm is soft and cushioned, the finger protection has great coverage but isn't intrusive, wrist mobility is incredible even with a warrior chest protector, and the curve at the top of the board has been used on several occasions.

Cons:

It is without flaw.

Changes

If I were to order again there are a few changes I would make but not many.

For pads as I said earlier I'd opt for the thick shin option and vapor tune fit calf but I would also opt for the leather calf straps and leather boot strap. The pad tends to swing around during movements and I miss the nylon calf strap from my ccms and warriors. The boot strap is to keep the pads centered. I would also opt for a sewn in lower knee flap rather than none at all because I feel the slightly higher knee strap attachment point could also help the pad stay better centered on my leg and not allow it to move as far away from my skate in butterfly.

For the glove I would get the vapor 90 with a double tee and full nylon pocket lacing (even though I would once again change how the tee attaches). I'd also go for a game ready palm with added DCT on the finger side.

No changes will be made to the blocker unless the next supreme blocker sucks.

 

Feel free to ask for any specific pictures of the set or any questions you may have in general.

What is the new break like on the Hyperlite 2?

[ThatCarGuy]

1 hour ago, MTNSELECT said:

What is the new break like on the Hyperlite 2?

Very very similar to a traditional 590 (pointer to mid thumb) but I've struggled to get comfortable with it. The glove constantly slides off my hand and the lack of traditional thumb and pinky loops only makes that worse. 

[MTNSELECT]

Have you ever used a Mach or M5 glove? It is extremely loose and I can't get it tight, is it the same on the HP2 glove?

On 11/3/2023 at 11:09 AM, ThatCarGuy said:

Very very similar to a traditional 590 (pointer to mid thumb) but I've struggled to get comfortable with it. The glove constantly slides off my hand and the lack of traditional thumb and pinky loops only makes that worse. 

 

[coopaloop1234]

23 minutes ago, MTNSELECT said:

Have you ever used a Mach or M5 glove? It is extremely loose and I can't get it tight, is it the same on the HP2 glove?

 

That's a common complaint for the Mach glove. Hyperlite 2 glove has a more traditional internals if that's what you're asking. 

 

[ThatCarGuy]

1 hour ago, MTNSELECT said:

Have you ever used a Mach or M5 glove? It is extremely loose and I can't get it tight, is it the same on the HP2 glove?

 

I had a Mach and ended up replacing the velcro strap with nylon. Helped tons and didn't feel bad but still couldn't catch with the glove

[Irbe01]

Has anyone else had issues finding a comfortable strapping setup on the Hyperlite 2 leg pads?  I found my favorite strapping setup in minutes on my Hyperlite 1's, but I have struggled to find that really comfortable strapping setup on my HL2's.

I toyed with the length of the toe laces (I am using TGN spec Pro Laces) because of the new non-offset toe bar.  I strapped the TuneFit 2.0 strap higher and lower, and tried the lower calf strap tighter and looser.  I also tried strapping the knee strap tighter and looser to the calf wrap.  I can't strap that one across the knee because it causes too much interference for me.  

I have now ended up tying my TGN Pro Laces fairly tight to the toe bar (only 2 small knots), keeping the lower calf strap loose, strapping the TuneFit 2.0 strap to the center of the Velcro area, and strapping the knee strap just slightly snug to the calf wrap.  This has so far been working for me for a few games now.

How are you all strapping your HL2's?

[coopaloop1234]

58 minutes ago, Irbe01 said:

Has anyone else had issues finding a comfortable strapping setup on the Hyperlite 2 leg pads?  I found my favorite strapping setup in minutes on my Hyperlite 1's, but I have struggled to find that really comfortable strapping setup on my HL2's.

I toyed with the length of the toe laces (I am using TGN spec Pro Laces) because of the new non-offset toe bar.  I strapped the TuneFit 2.0 strap higher and lower, and tried the lower calf strap tighter and looser.  I also tried strapping the knee strap tighter and looser to the calf wrap.  I can't strap that one across the knee because it causes too much interference for me.  

I have now ended up tying my TGN Pro Laces fairly tight to the toe bar (only 2 small knots), keeping the lower calf strap loose, strapping the TuneFit 2.0 strap to the center of the Velcro area, and strapping the knee strap just slightly snug to the calf wrap.  This has so far been working for me for a few games now.

How are you all strapping your HL2's?

Just a thought, but have you tried swapping out the tune fit 2.0 for a tune fit+ ?

The anchor points for the Mach and Hyperlite 2 are identical, as is the female velcro end on the outside. It's made to be easily swapped between the two strapping set ups. 

 

[Irbe01]

1 hour ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Just a thought, but have you tried swapping out the tune fit 2.0 for a tune fit+ ?

The anchor points for the Mach and Hyperlite 2 are identical, as is the female velcro end on the outside. It's made to be easily swapped between the two strapping set ups. 

 

I have never tried the TuneFit+ straps or a Mach pad.  I did see that you can buy the straps online.  Are they more comfortable than the TuneFit 2.0 straps in your opinion?

[coopaloop1234]

6 minutes ago, Irbe01 said:

I have never tried the TuneFit+ straps or a Mach pad.  I did see that you can buy the straps online.  Are they more comfortable than the TuneFit 2.0 straps in your opinion?

They're different. I was a fan of them, but I went back to using my Ultrasonic set that uses the Tune fit 1.0 strapping set up. 

Tune Fit+ is similar to the FRS strapping from True. It's a calf oriented proffessor strap that's a very set and forget style. 

[FieldMouse]

What were your FTK or ATK and height measurements?

Looking at ordering a set but I'm trying to verify sizing. There isn't much in terms of stores in my area.

I'm 5'7" with a 19" FTK and coming from 32" GNETIK V. I'm leaning towards small at the moment.

[ThatCarGuy]

On 12/2/2023 at 2:44 AM, FieldMouse said:

What were your FTK or ATK and height measurements?

Looking at ordering a set but I'm trying to verify sizing. There isn't much in terms of stores in my area.

I'm 5'7" with a 19" FTK and coming from 32" GNETIK V. I'm leaning towards small at the moment.

I'm 5'11" and have a 19.25 ftk. Small fits me great! 32+1 Brian's Iconik was spot on for me too

Gave the pads and blocker their last try today. The pads just don't move with me like my G6 set and the mach blocker feels a little bottom heavy after using the G6.1 for so long. This set will be up for sale soon

[ilyazhito]

What is your FTK? Mine is somewhere between 20.75 and 21.

[ThatCarGuy]

30 minutes ago, ilyazhito said:

What is your FTK? Mine is somewhere between 20.75 and 21.

19.25in