Bauer Supreme 1S Goal Skates Review

For many years now, Bauer has continually been the company ahead of the curve, when it comes to goalie skates. Their biggest changes were seen in 2011 when Bauer released the Supreme One100 skate that featured the all new Vertexx cowling that provided goalies with a better attack angle. 2016 brings goalies the Supreme 1S goal skate, which trumps the One100 all together.

A Brand New Look

With the grown popularity of composite boots for goalie skates, the protective cowling has become unnecessary, leading to a trend of very minimal use of plastic. The Supreme 1S goalie skate is the first to have no formal cowling and instead features Bauer’s new Vertexx Edge Holder. The Vertexx Edge Holder looks like that of a player skate holder, but is designed specifically for goalies.

Lower

This new holder increases the overall skate height by 5mm, which then increases the goalie’s attack angle by 10% from the original Vertexx cowling and 38% from any traditional cowling.

The Vertexx Edge Holder also features Bauer’s innovative trigger release system. Whether it’s between periods or between whistles, the trigger release system allows goalies to switch their steel within seconds, so they can always keep a fresh edge on the ice.

3mm LS3G steel comes stock with the Vertexx Edge Holder, which is designed to better transfer energy from the goalie, through the skate, to the ice. The LS3G steel also has a better surface finish for a longer lasting sharpening.

Because this is the first goalie skate without a formal cowling, it’s also the first time Bauer has featured a full composite outsole on a goalie skate. The composite outsole solidifies the sole of the skate, which then increases the potential energy transfer when making pushes on the ice. While this energy transfer may not literally be felt, any goalie should notice more consistency in their skating.

Upper

While the new Vertexx holder is a really cool innovation, the most integral part of the Supreme 1S skate has to be the Curv Composite boot. The Curv is 3D anaformable, meaning the boot will mold to the anatomy of the goalie’s foot, resulting in a very comfortable fit. The overall intention of the Curv Composite boot is to keep the goalie’s foot locked in to the skate for more efficient skating and powerful pushes.

You may have noticed that no cowling means no extra toe coverage, and that makes it look a little too much like the 1S player skate. Thankfully, all of the new Supreme goal skates feature a new goalie specific toe cap that is reinforced by adding layers to the mold of the toe cap and stiffening it.

Bauer continues the newer asymmetric design, first seen on the Supreme TotalONE NXG skates, on the 1S’s this season; a shorter cut on the lateral side of the boot and a taller cut on the medial side of the boot. The shorter cut on the lateral side allows the goalie to get into a deeper stance without creating stress on their ankles, while the taller cut on the medial side stabilizes their stance and maintains protection. The tongue of the 1S also features an asymmetric design that increases comfort while the goalie is in their stance.

Liner

Bauer mixes comfort and performance on the inside of the boot, making the 1S one of the most comfortable skates for a goalie to play in. Bauer’s Comfort Edge foam provides a comfortable cushion for the ankles, and molds to the shape of a goalie’s ankles for a custom fit. To keep performance at a peak level, Bauer uses 37.5™ Technology as the liner for the inside of the boot. 37.5™ Technology keeps your feet dry and locked in place for better control. 37.5™ also dries up to 5 times faster than similar materials.

How does it work?

37.5™ material is made up of millions of tiny particles that are embedded into the fabric to increase the surface area. These particles act like "hot rocks" in a sauna allowing sweat to evaporate, rather than just being wicked away from your body. These "hot rock" particles attract sweat and evaporate it when your body heats up. Because evaporated sweat is a gas, it finds its way into the air, allowing the fabric to stay almost unbelievably dry, even during heavy use.

Concluding Thoughts

The Bauer Supreme 1S is definitely an upgrade from an already great NXG skate. Bauer’s continued use of their Curv Composite maximizes performance for goalies, but the Comfort Edge foam and 37.5™ Technology provide that necessary comfort. All of that aside, the Vertexx Edge Holder is the big feature of this skate, as it completely separates Bauer from the rest of its competitors. While they have definitely started another trend, it is safe to say Bauer has made the most unique goalie skate on the market.

The Supreme 1S is Bauer’s new high-end goalie skate and will have a mid-level option in the Supreme S190, and an entry-level option in the Supreme S170. If you’re in the market for some new skates, the 2016 Bauer Supreme line will be available May 13th 2016.