Bauer Vapor Flylite Hockey Stick Review

Low Kick Point and Twitch Taper

Like all of Bauer’s Vapor sticks, the Flylite uses a  low kick point , which means the stick bends closer to the hosel and blade. This design makes it easier to snap your shots quickly and efficiently, while additionally being able to handle the puck better in close quarters. In today’s fast-paced game, being able to make quick decisions and even quicker maneuvers is imperative if you want to keep your pace up. To compare, a mid kick hockey stick flexes a bit higher and closer to the middle of the shaft, which increases shot and pass power, focusing heavily on control—but even then, many mid kick sticks over the past few years have been changing their designs to fit the increasing speed of modern hockey. These sticks are also still not as fast as low kick sticks.

On that topic, the Vapor Flylite has also adopted the Twitch taper. We’ve seen the Twitch taper before, in Bauer’s limited Twitch stick last season. Unlike how it was with Bauer’s XE taper—which was what Vapor sticks had been using before—the Twitch taper is located higher on the stick, translating to a more efficient energy transfer and reactive release on the shot. This kind of design is exactly what you want for an upgrade on a low kick hockey stick.

Graphics

This is actually not the first time Bauer has used the name “Flylite” on a hockey stick—in the past, Flylite sticks were often black with red and green accents, which reflected the classic colours of the Vapor family.

The Flylite’s new look shifts to a black and silver colouration with vivid purple and nitrogen blue accents. The part that stands out to us isn’t just the colour, however—it’s the flame-inspired patterns that those accents come in, which run all the way down the shaft. Coupled with the iridescent finish common on most top elite sticks today, the Flylite looks to not only make you shoot and handle the puck better, but also make you look like a force to be reckoned with, too. the guys here described the silver sections as looking almost like "burnt metal," a detail that leans hard into the stick's fiery aesthetic. You can check out their impressions and more in our video review of the Vapor Flylite!

HYP2RCORE Blade Technology with Aluminum

The Flylite uses rounded geometry and a HYP2CORE blade, which we’ve seen previously in the Hyperlite 2 stick. Like other low kick sticks, the Flylite is engineered for rapid energy transfer, and the blade’s 10% increase in recoil makes every shot feel like a rocket off your blade. The carbon bridge is stiffer to help achieve this while also making it easier to stickhandle and control the puck.

The blade also includes aluminum integration for enhanced durability. Aluminum was used as a stick material a long time ago to replace wood sticks, and although it did reduce the weight by a decent amount, it didn’t last as long with the introduction of the composite hockey stick in the early 2000s. Composite is much more flexible and offers a better puck feel than both aluminum and wood, but it did lose some durability from both. In the Flylite, Bauer reinforced the blade with a combination of carbon and aluminum, blending the best of both materials for enhanced durability during play.

Advanced Carbon Layering 2.0

ACL 2.0 has been a part of Bauer’s sticks for years, and continues to play a big part in Bauer’s shaft construction today. The carbon weave is strategically layered to keep the shaft both ultra-lightweight and durable. With this design, the Flylite is able to keep a remarkable 360g weight (variance: +/-10g).

Beyond the advantages that ACL 2.0 brings, including saving weight and increasing durability, this technology also enhances the stick’s overall responsiveness. The strategic carbon layering and nano-resin infusion work to dampen vibrations while optimizing flex, creating a better and closer connection between your hands and the puck. This translates to smoother and more efficient stickhandling through traffic, quicker release on the shot, and greater accuracy in your shots and passes.