Bauer Vapor 2X Pro Chest Protector Review
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Written By: Matt Gordon.
Just like the leg pads, trapper and blocker the Bauer 2X Pro chest has seen a complete makeover, so they can truly become a reactive line of gear. After getting some time to play around with the chest and see what it's all about, I think the 2X Pro chest is going to one of the best hitting the market this year.
First Impressions
Right out of the box this chest feels game usable, the redesigned arms optimize mobility and don’t require much of a break in period. As well I was really blown away by how comfortable it was.
Shoulders and Floater
On the 2X Pro chest the shoulders remain much the same, sticking with the AEROLITE technology along with the Free-Flex edge for maximum mobility. The shape of the floater has been slightly adjusted as well going to a wider, squared off floater near the top and making the floater shorter and thinner at the bottom. They have also removed the binding from the floater, which creates more flexibility. A new addition is the Arch Adjust Collar Fit system which I feel is a huge upgrade, the adjustable velcro really allows you to choose how you want the shoulders to sit, allowing you to find your perfect fit. Bauer also sticks with nearly the exact same shoulder caps, the 2X is just slightly rounder.
Arms
Bauer has completely redesigned the arms for the new 2X. New is the DYNAMIC 3.FLEX Arm construction allowing for much more flex in the arm adding to the reactiveness of the chest. The Curv Composite forearm and bicep floaters have been removed, but instead are now built into the arm. The mesh elbow pad has been replaced by a new all nylon elbow pad that is much more form fitting that the square one on the 1X, the new elbow pad is able to be tightened by two elastic straps. The catching arm also features a removable HD foam wrist protector to add a little extra protection for those desperation saves.
Another new feature to the arms is the adjustable length, the previous 1X was a sewn in arm with zero adjustability with the 2X Pro they have changed that by adding in their Extension Fit -2 Arm Length Adjustment, the new system is very simple to use, it’s a basic lacing system with a plastic lock at the top. The system is quick and easy to use, it's a huge improvement over the sewn in arm. Lastly Bauer has fixed the one of the biggest complaints from the 1X, the poking feeling in the armpit
Stomach
The Stomach is again equipped with HD foam, just like the 1X. New to the 2X is the Core Extension System these three removable pieces of foam sit at the bottom of the stomach allowing for you to adjust the length and fit of the chest to fit your needs. The Fast Strap Closure is back again and as good as ever, personally I think that it's the most effective body strap across all chests allowing you to perfectly dial in your fit.
Other Features
This time around Bauer has used Curv Composite in the sternum rather than AEROLITE which is a nice addition to see. As well the ThermoCore Liner has replaced the Transfer mesh liner with 37.5 technology, the ThermoCore liner keeps you comfortable as we as cool at the same time.
Final Thoughts
Overall the 2X Pro Chest is a huge, much needed upgrade over the 1X. So far the redesign of the entire 2X line is going well and will hopefully create a bigger gap between Bauer’s two lines and helping the Vapor line truly become a reactive line of gear. With all of Bauer's new improvements I can see the new Bauer 2X Chest being one of the best and most popular on the market this year.
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