Bauer Vapor X5 Pro Intermediate Goalie Leg Pads

Bauer Vapor X5 Pro Intermediate Goalie Leg Pads

The Bauer Vapor X5 Pro is considered the hybrid style pad in the Bauer line.  The Vapor X5 pad has a great pre-curved  “s” shape that allows just about any goalie to seal the five hole.  Goalies with a narrow and medium butterfly width can use the Vapor pads and know they can still perform at the highest level.  Bauer also uses a CURV Composite material in the thigh rise which keeps the thigh rise stiff and not does not become prone to becoming soft and sloppy over time. The Vapor X5 goalie pad also has good lateral flex which again is ideal for the hybrid style goalie as the pad will move more independently (top, middle and bottom) compared to a stiffer blocking style pad. The boot of the Bauer Vapor 3x pad uses a stock 110 degree break.  Again this is the softest boot Bauer offers and it provides the most mobility possible.

Developed for performance-level goalies, these pads come packed with features and tech to bring your game to its best. Designed to promote comfort and stability, while matching the anatomy of your leg to create a more natural feel, you can achieve your top performance level game after game.

Key Features:

STABILI-GRIP KNEE BLOCK – Adhesive layering on the knee block designed to prevent the knee from sliding off while entering and exiting the butterfly.

THIN PROFILE INSERT – A new thinner insert in the curved Vapor profile promotes a more streamlined and anatomical fit on the leg.  Compared to the previous 3x pads, the X5 has a thinner overall profile.

Hybrid Calf System – Command the paint effortlessly with a Single-Bracket Hybrid System providing increased stability in the butterfly while retaining Vapor’s signature flexibility

The strapping system will have a new Tune Fit System.  The newer version adds a strap at the lower calf area which allows the pad to connect to the goalie’s leg better than previous generations.

In the toe area, Bauer will continue to use the bungee cord system from past generations of Vapor and Supreme goalie pads. For years manufactures have used a skate lace to connect the toe of the pad to the toe of the skate. In recent years, after market bungee toe tie products have become very popular because they allow the toe of the pad to stretch from the toe of the skate with an elastic type effect. This stretching and recoiling improves the recovery process and creates more power pushes for the goalie. This toe system also takes pressure off the goalie’s ankles, knees and hips because it eliminates the quick stop and jerk process that skate lace has when it runs out of slack.

Bauer Vapor X5 Pro Goalie Leg Pad Features:

• Model Year: 2023
• Pad Flex: Soft Flex with New THIN geometry for full leg connection + CURV Stiff Thigh
• Calf Plate: Hybrid Calf Support System- single calf bracket for stable mobility
• Strapping: Tune Fit Strap System featuring new lower calf strap for leg connectivity.
• Boot Flex: FREE-FLEX 110 Degree Boot (Soft for Flexible Feel)
• Toe Attachment: Centered Elastic Toe System
• Knee Block: STABILIFLEX Knee Block to limit over-rotation with some flexibility
• Knee Wing: Comes with pads in box
• Sizing:
  • X-Small = 29+
  • Small = 30+
  • Medium = 31+
  • Large = 32+
  • ** Please note that Bauer size small compared to other brands.  See our pad sizing page for more help **

Difference between the Bauer Vapor & Supreme Goalie Pads

The main difference comes down to the Bauer Vapor being a hybrid style goalie pad and the Bauer Supreme being a blocking style or butterfly style goalie pad.  The Vapor goalie pad is a softer pad with more horizontal flex and lateral flex while still keeping a stiff face for maximum puck rebound.  The Vapor pad has more pre-curve “S” shape to the pad, this allows a goalie with a narrower butterfly technique to opportunity close the five-hole completely.  The Vapor pad also has a thinner profile compared to a Supreme pad. The boot flex of the Vapor pad is a stock 100 degree versus the stock 125 degree of the Supreme.  The Vapor pad comes stock with a Stabiliflex knee block while the Supreme comes stock with the Stabilislide knee block.

The Supreme goalie pad is much more rigid (at the pro level, at the M5 senior they are a softer core) with only one break below the knee. The Supreme pad has a “L” shape – straight from boot to bottom of the knee and then straight from bottom of the knee to top of the pad vs. the Vapor which is a s-shaped core..  This design is best for a goalie with a wide butterfly technique – an example being a goalie like Ben Bishop of the Dallas Stars.