Take all the features and technologies that make Vapor skates great, upgrade them, and combine them into an aesthetically pleasing, pro-level package, and you’ve got the latest Bauer Vapor S17 1X ice hockey skate. The 1X brings a little of the NHL to the local rink for elite- to pro-level players who demand the best features and technologies a pair of skates can offer.

• Tuuk LightSpeed Edge for trigger-quick blade replacement
• Carbon composite, vented outsole for dry, breathable support
• 3-D Lasted Curv Composite quarter package for lightweight, rigid support
• Asymmetric quarter dimensions for anatomical power generation
• Curv Composite ankle support
• FlexLock Pro tongue with thermoformable composite center for custom impact protection
• LockFit dual-zone liner with Anaform ankle pads for comfort and foot stability

The top-line Vapor 1X hockey skate includes the Tuuk LightSpeed Edge holder, the most popular holder in the NHL right now, thanks to Tuuk’s innovative trigger-release system. Now a player can change blades in seconds, for more time on the ice and less time on the bench. The Tuuk holders are also three millimeters taller this year in both front and rear posts, for an improved turning radius.

The holder is attached to a fully carbon composite, vented outsole. The carbon composite is extremely lightweight and rigid, for excellent energy transfer. The innovative bottom vents—used only in the 1X line—allow moisture to drain during the game and help the skates to dry quickly after the game’s over.

The Vapor 1X quarter package is Bauer’s very stiff yet lightweight 3-D Lasted Curv Composite material. The Carbon Curv is also highly thermoformable, so skaters will enjoy a contoured, custom fit after the skates are baked. The 1X quarter package features asymmetrical dimensions, where the inside of the boot extends farther than the outside for a better, anatomical fit around the ankle bones, which are themselves typically asymmetrical. Common sense design. Since much of a skater’s power derives from the inside of the foot, the new boot dimensions deliver a better base of support and improved energy transfer. Combined with the flexible tongue, the Vapor 1X quarter package promises skaters a better attack angle for maximum stride power.

The lace eyelet system in the top-end Vapor has also been updated for improved, locked-in stability. The top of the boot features a comfort edge wrap to reduce abrasions from the rigid 1X boot. And the 1X includes a Curv Composite ankle support—a feature found only in this skate—for a lighter, stiffer response. 

The 1X tongue is a 3-piece, FlexLock Pro model with class-leading thickness and comfort. The newly added thermoformable composite material down the tongue center not only offers excellent impact protection, but also promises a custom fit once baked. The 1X comes with Bauer’s Lock-Fit Pro liner with memory foam padding for comfort. The slightly abrasive liner will help lock the skater’s foot to the boot, thanks to its dual-zone texture. The liner has a tacky upper for stability and a smoother lower portion for premium comfort.

There’s almost too much to say about the Vapor 1X. Bauer has put all its best, most innovative thinking into the top-end, elite model. Pro-level players will find a lot of value in all the design features and technological updates that help make the Bauer Vapor 1X skate one of the best money can buy.