Bauer 2024 - Shadow

[ZeroGravitas]

Can't believe this didn't have its own topic yet!

Below are some spy shots from earlier in 2023 from GoalieGearNerd and Trav4Oilers, respectively.

Someone on Reddit posted the full 2024 so now I feel comfortable sharing snippets from the catalog.

Size chart remains the same as 2023.

Leg pads - Note that there is no mid-level price point Supreme leg pad.

Catcher - Note what appears to be a retail Vapor 90 and a mid-level "Supreme MVPro" Catcher - apparently with the HL2 graphic?

Blocker - Again, like the leg pads, no mid-level price point Supreme option.

 

[coopaloop1234]

Barely any changes from the Mach line. Which is exactly in line with what I've discussed with guys who work in the industry. 

There's a pretty conservative approach to gear due to Covid. So it may be a bit before we see any larger changes from some manufactures. 

Disappointed in the blocker change though. That sidewall is ugly and looks like it'd better fit Jr. gear. 

[IpaddyTECH]

Noticed the lack of a new price point pad. Does anyone know if they'll keep the M5 in production? or is that just what's left on the shelf and the X5 is taking over? I'm hoping to snag a pair of the M5's before they are gone. 

Also I'm curious to see if the SL1D3R Skin 2.0 (geez that's a mouthful) improved the sliding at all compared to the Mach.

[Puckstopper]

Based on the catalog there will be 2 pro lines, 1 mid tier line and 1 entry level line.   

[ThatCarGuy]

2 hours ago, IpaddyTECH said:

Noticed the lack of a new price point pad. Does anyone know if they'll keep the M5 in production? or is that just what's left on the shelf and the X5 is taking over? I'm hoping to snag a pair of the M5's before they are gone. 

Also I'm curious to see if the SL1D3R Skin 2.0 (geez that's a mouthful) improved the sliding at all compared to the Mach.

M5 has sold poorly compared to X5. Bauer probably sees no point in keeping it around

[coopaloop1234]

7 minutes ago, ThatCarGuy said:

M5 has sold poorly compared to X5. Bauer probably sees no point in keeping it around

I imagine the Vapour line in general outsells the Supreme line by a large margin. Most guys in the beer leagues around here aren't rocking Supreme gear if they're wearing Bauer. Hell, Warrior and Brians are more common place than seeing guys in a Supreme leg pad. 

I've only seen someone wear an actual Mach pad (not M5) on the ice twice. Once was myself. 

Edited January 11 by coopaloop1234

[coopaloop1234]

FYI, Here's the 2024 catalogue if anyone wants to see everything available. Goalie Gear starts on page 170. 

Shadow C/A looks like barely a revision of the Mach. Which is fine since the Mach has been lights out for me. 

BTH24 Catalog.pdf

Edited January 11 by coopaloop1234

[Novasteel31]

16 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

I imagine the Vapour line in general outsells the Supreme line by a large margin. Most guys in the beer leagues around here aren't rocking Supreme gear if they're wearing Bauer. Hell, Warrior and Brians are more common place than seeing guys in a Supreme leg pad. 

I've only seen someone wear an actual Mach pad (not M5) on the ice twice. Once was myself. 

Agreed on this, I think I have seen one person rocking a Mach pad everything else Bauer seems to be the vapor line.

I am curious to try the glove out though!

[coopaloop1234]

18 minutes ago, Novasteel31 said:

Agreed on this, I think I have seen one person rocking a Mach pad everything else Bauer seems to be the vapor line.

I am curious to try the glove out though!

I have an Ultrasonic glove coming my way just for shits and giggles. I liked my Mach glove (mostly) and my curiosity is never satiated lol. 

I'm interested as well, though, the entire line from top to bottom is barely a revision of the Mach line. Slightly more pronounced finger sidewall, softer thighrise, wrist strap, and a in/out belly system.

Very, very, conservative revision from two years ago. 

[ZeroGravitas]

1 hour ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Very, very, conservative revision from two years ago. 

I wonder what this bodes for the next Vapor. In the past, Supreme seemed to the testbed for new features. First Bauer pad with the new skin (Odin 1S), first Bauer pad with a knee bracket (Ultrasonic's Stabilislide), first Bauer pad with the calf bracket (Mach). Maybe more that I can't think of.

[coopaloop1234]

3 minutes ago, ZeroGravitas said:

I wonder what this bodes for the next Vapor. In the past, Supreme seemed to the testbed for new features. First Bauer pad with the new skin (Odin 1S), first Bauer pad with a knee bracket (Ultrasonic's Stabilislide), first Bauer pad with the calf bracket (Mach). Maybe more that I can't think of.

From what I understand, this is a ripple effect from Covid and having a lot of companies take a very safe way out with their offerings. It's not like the Hyperlite 2 was that much of a change either, except maybe the C/A. 

From my discussions with guys working retail, this will be a pretty common trend among products for the next year or so. I wonder if it's why there's been so little marketing push for Shadow/Axis XF gear? 

[A.YOUNGoalie13]

I think all of this largely stems from the fact that stiff pads aren’t as popular as people think. The ideal goalie for stiff pads are athletic ones ie: Vasilevskiy, Sorokin, etc. you need the hip flexibility and mobility for them. The average consumer especially at the lower price points is rarely in this category. Most of us on here are aware that just about all the nhl supreme user don’t even use the top bauer flex profile because it’s too stiff. Most still use the 2s profile. While pads like Quick’s are still likely a thing of the past, the supreme/axis style pads are not realistic for a cast majority of users. They aren’t optimal for younger goalies learning the position because they need something that works with them and not against them. And again most older guys tend to struggle with them because they can’t seal their 5 hole and so on.

[creasecollector]

20 minutes ago, A.YOUNGoalie13 said:

I think all of this largely stems from the fact that stiff pads aren’t as popular as people think. The ideal goalie for stiff pads are athletic ones ie: Vasilevskiy, Sorokin, etc. you need the hip flexibility and mobility for them. The average consumer especially at the lower price points is rarely in this category. Most of us on here are aware that just about all the nhl supreme user don’t even use the top bauer flex profile because it’s too stiff. Most still use the 2s profile. While pads like Quick’s are still likely a thing of the past, the supreme/axis style pads are not realistic for a cast majority of users. They aren’t optimal for younger goalies learning the position because they need something that works with them and not against them. And again most older guys tend to struggle with them because they can’t seal their 5 hole and so on.

Well said, and agreed.

[ilyazhito]

11 hours ago, coopaloop1234 said:

I imagine the Vapour line in general outsells the Supreme line by a large margin. Most guys in the beer leagues around here aren't rocking Supreme gear if they're wearing Bauer. Hell, Warrior and Brians are more common place than seeing guys in a Supreme leg pad. 

I've only seen someone wear an actual Mach pad (not M5) on the ice twice. Once was myself. 

I wear Ultrasonic. I might go Mach once my Ultrasonic pads no longer work. 

[IpaddyTECH]

Thanks for the info all. That makes sense. I'm guessing I better jump on some m5's soon. 

To me it's surprising the m5 has done so bad. I read on hear that it's similar in quality to the mach but in some ways more like the more popular Ultrasonics (cortech which slides better, and a better precurve with more flex). Maybe it just hasn't been marketed well. 

[TheGoalNet]

In speaking with Bauer, it's pretty skewed that retail customers like the Vapor line

1. Glove - 590 style break is the most comfortable for most people. Supreme gloves tend to do better with large goalies or goalies with bigger hands

2.Stiffness - Stiffness scares people and Vapor is as flexible as they come, without compromising the shape

3. Weight - Lighter things do better at retail and Vapor pads are noticeably lighter

FWIW, I think if more people tried Supreme with an open mind, they would like it better. The less athletic you are or athletic saves (Jonny Quick style) you're making, the less the need for the vapor flex. However, if you are flying blind and dropping $3,000... I completely get Vapor feeling like the safer choice.

[coopaloop1234]

51 minutes ago, IpaddyTECH said:

Thanks for the info all. That makes sense. I'm guessing I better jump on some m5's soon. 

To me it's surprising the m5 has done so bad. I read on hear that it's similar in quality to the mach but in some ways more like the more popular Ultrasonics (cortech which slides better, and a better precurve with more flex). Maybe it just hasn't been marketed well. 

M5's are still as stiff as an Ultrasonic pad which is still in the "too stiff" category for a lot of consumers. Couple that in with the Vapour gloves both being more popular than the Supreme versions at retail and people wanting a matching set, it's no big surprise that Vapour still comes out on top. 

This is my own thoughts, so not really based on any tangibles, but, I have this feeling that users looking for a stiffer pad in general are more likely to get a Pro level pad as they start to trend into the less "casual" side of the playing sphere (if that makes sense). The only guys I've seen rocking Mach or Ultrasonic gear at the multiple leagues around here have always been "better" goalies. Same with Px9 gear now that I think about it. 

Not saying that owning Ultrasonic pads makes you a good goalie (yes I am), but, It's just an anecdotal trend I've seen. 

20 minutes ago, TheGoalNet said:

2.Stiffness - Stiffness scares people and Vapor is as flexible as they come, without compromising the shape

A common comment I see about guys going from a softer pad (eflex/velocity) and going into a Vapour pad is how stiff it is. The lack of torsional flex throughout the majority of a pad, even for Bauer's soft line, always throws people off the first time they try it out. It can be a make or break feeling for some guys. 

Edited January 12 by coopaloop1234

[TheGoalNet]

1 hour ago, coopaloop1234 said:

M5's are still as stiff as an Ultrasonic pad which is still in the "too stiff" category for a lot of consumers. Couple that in with the Vapour gloves both being more popular than the Supreme versions at retail and people wanting a matching set, it's no big surprise that Vapour still comes out on top. 

This is my own thoughts, so not really based on any tangibles, but, I have this feeling that users looking for a stiffer pad in general are more likely to get a Pro level pad as they start to trend into the less "casual" side of the playing sphere (if that makes sense). The only guys I've seen rocking Mach or Ultrasonic gear at the multiple leagues around here have always been "better" goalies. Same with Px9 gear now that I think about it. 

Not saying that owning Ultrasonic pads makes you a good goalie (yes I am), but, It's just an anecdotal trend I've seen. 

A common comment I see about guys going from a softer pad (eflex/velocity) and going into a Vapour pad is how stiff it is. The lack of torsional flex throughout the majority of a pad, even for Bauer's soft line, always throws people off the first time they try it out. It can be a make or break feeling for some guys. 

I get needing a "feel", but I can't think of a functional reason why anyone needs more torsional flex than Vapor

[coopaloop1234]

10 minutes ago, TheGoalNet said:

I get needing a "feel", but I can't think of a functional reason why anyone needs more torsional flex than Vapor

I'm sure you could argue that being comfortable in your gear is a pretty functional reason. 

We know that Bauer pads have a very 'boxy' feeling to them, especially with the inclusion of stabiliflex/stabilislide. Some guys may just never gel with that feeling. 

Hell, functionally I like the idea of a calf bracket that was introduced with the Mach line. In practice it wasn't my favourite.  

[TheGoalNet]

22 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

I'm sure you could argue that being comfortable in your gear is a pretty functional reason. 

We know that Bauer pads have a very 'boxy' feeling to them, especially with the inclusion of stabiliflex/stabilislide. Some guys may just never gel with that feeling. 

Hell, functionally I like the idea of a calf bracket that was introduced with the Mach line. In practice it wasn't my favourite.  

Yes, that's what I mean. Feel / being comfortable matters. If you're not comfortable, you won't play well.

For better context, I can explain the technical advantage of the calf pillows standard on lots of pads. I can't explain the technical benefit of more torsional flex than a Vapor.

[xmikex32]

I'm rocking M5 pads and blocker right now but just sold my Mach glove due to the fact that i just couldn't get comfortable with it and didn't like the break and how i had to close it with more fingertips. I'm surprised to hear the M5 not  doing well they are pretty stiff and I'm not the most flexible but I've never had an issue with them being stiffer. The only downside is that they are kind of heavier/ clunkier feeling since the shin area is thicker than the vapor. I'm intrigued with the Vapor line just because its so popular but i was worried about the rebounds not being a hot as the supreme so I went M5. I also don't know about the vapor blocker since it sits higher up on the hand and the rebounds aren't as hot, from what i was told. I do like the feel of the glove and probably going to pick up a Vapor90 to try.

[coopaloop1234]

17 minutes ago, xmikex32 said:

 i was worried about the rebounds not being a hot as the supreme so I went M5. I also don't know about the vapor blocker since it sits higher up on the hand and the rebounds aren't as hot, from what i was told. I do like the feel of the glove and probably going to pick up a Vapor90 to try.

Rebounds between the lines is pretty much identical. 

[TheGoalNet]

1 hour ago, xmikex32 said:

I'm rocking M5 pads and blocker right now but just sold my Mach glove due to the fact that i just couldn't get comfortable with it and didn't like the break and how i had to close it with more fingertips. I'm surprised to hear the M5 not  doing well they are pretty stiff and I'm not the most flexible but I've never had an issue with them being stiffer. The only downside is that they are kind of heavier/ clunkier feeling since the shin area is thicker than the vapor. I'm intrigued with the Vapor line just because its so popular but i was worried about the rebounds not being a hot as the supreme so I went M5. I also don't know about the vapor blocker since it sits higher up on the hand and the rebounds aren't as hot, from what i was told. I do like the feel of the glove and probably going to pick up a Vapor90 to try.

You bought good gear. The "lack" of sales is just due to lack of education, people being scared to take a risk, etc

[xmikex32]

1 hour ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Rebounds between the lines is pretty much identical. 

That’s good to know so far I’ve been happy with the gear and it’s done me solid. I might try some vapors next time just to change it up and see how they play. 

[IpaddyTECH]

11 hours ago, coopaloop1234 said:

M5's are still as stiff as an Ultrasonic pad which is still in the "too stiff" category for a lot of consumers. Couple that in with the Vapour gloves both being more popular than the Supreme versions at retail and people wanting a matching set, it's no big surprise that Vapour still comes out on top. 

This is my own thoughts, so not really based on any tangibles, but, I have this feeling that users looking for a stiffer pad in general are more likely to get a Pro level pad as they start to trend into the less "casual" side of the playing sphere (if that makes sense). The only guys I've seen rocking Mach or Ultrasonic gear at the multiple leagues around here have always been "better" goalies. Same with Px9 gear now that I think about it. 

Not saying that owning Ultrasonic pads makes you a good goalie (yes I am), but, It's just an anecdotal trend I've seen. 

That makes sense. I'm just an odd duck then. I can't say I'm a good goalie (purely because I don't own bauer pads yet haha) but I have a wide butterfly despite short legs and prefer straighter stiffer pads.