Bauer Supreme Shadow Pro Goalie Chest & Arm Protector

New for 2024 is the Bauer Supreme Shadow Chest & Arm Protector.  The Shadow chest is a very mobile unit, probably the most mobile high end pro chest protector on the goalie market today with the HingeArm 3.0 system.  This allows for an extremely mobile in the arm area particularly in the elbow flexing areas.   Because of their flexibility, Bauer chest protectors have been a very strong selling item at Goalies Plus for the past several years.

The shoulder floaters are squared off with Curv Composite reinforcement for maximum net coverage.  Also, the shoulder floaters have a strap across each floater that a goalie can put their suspenders in.  This eliminates the suspender strap falling over the goalies a shoulder and down the arm during play.

Bauer has also created a hybrid tuck belly system that is great for a goalie that tucks their chest protector or wears the chest protector over outside of the goalie pant.

In the sternum area, Bauer uses their DCT foam for high impact absorption.

Bauer has always done a great job making their chest protectors adjustable and the Shadow is no different.  The arm length is fully adjustable along with the shoulder floaters.  The overall collar bone line can be adjusted up and down based on a goalie’s particular needs.

Bauer Supreme Shadow Pro Chest & Protector Features:

• • Model Year: 2024
  • Hybrid Belly System – Never choose between tucking or untucking your chest protector ever again. The interior belly pad tucks into your pants for a snug, connected fit while the exterior pad remains untucked to be as big as possible in net.
  • CURV® Composite – Designed to fit seamlessly into your setup while offering protection, CURV® Composite shoulder floaters feature loops for easy suspender integration.
  • Defense Cloud Tech Sternum – Absorb pucks like it’s your job with DCT Foam in the sternum for elite-level padding and protection from any shot.
  • Airflow Spinal 2.0 – Stay cool on the ice with increased airflow in the back pad — even if you’re on a hot streak.
  • HingeArm 3.0 – Mobility, meet protection. The improved HingeArm 3.0 arms delivers an improved range of motion compared to the SUPREME MACH chest protector.
  • Shadow Chest Protector Style – Athletic Hybrid Style
  • The Bauer Supreme Shadow Pro Chest Protector is a high-level chest protector. Recommended 5 to 7 uses per week.

Athletic Style (Hybrid) Vs. Blocking Style (Coverage) Chest Protectors

There are two basic designs in the goalie market in regard to chest protectors. These are based on the two types of styles that goalies play – hybrid and coverage. The hybrid goalie needs a more athletic style chest protector that allows him/her to move freely and maximize their agility. These units’ contour around the body with little to no gaps. The shoulder floaters are also smaller and form around the goalie in a more natural manner. Arms and elbow guards move freely and do not bind up, allowing for maximum mobility. The big upside to having an athletic style chest protector is the movement and freedom these provide. The downside to the athletic style chest is a decrease in size and materials. Now we are not saying they are not protective because most chest protectors are built to a very high standard and have great protection qualities. However, to make something move better you have to take something away and by doing this there will obviously be less material. We can say honestly that athletic chest protectors are extremely protective and the added materials in the blocking style are more about taking up space then adding protection.

The blocking style chest protectors are built for the coverage goalies that like to play big and take up as much space in the net as possible. The shoulder floaters are much wider and usually have multiple layers. The arm and elbow guards are also flared wider to take up as much space as possible. The blocking style chest protector tends to have more gaps and extra space on the goalie’s body because of the extra size. The upside to the blocking style chest protectors is the extra space it takes up. These chest protectors can easily make the shoulder width of a goalie four to six inches wider compared to an athletic style chest protector. Also, since the arms and elbow are bigger, there are less gaps for the puck to squeeze between the goalie’s body and arms. The downside to these blocking style units is the lack of movement. Because of the extra bulk, movement can be compromised. You can’t have the best of both worlds, if you make it bigger it will take away mobility.

Pro Vs. Mid-level Chest Protectors

The question always seems to come up about pro vs. high and low mid-level chest protectors. Since the heart is very vital to protect, the selection of a proper chest protector should be taken seriously. Pro chest protectors are what the name implies – pro level. These are meant to be worn every day, two hours a day. The hd foams are the highest quality and that allows for great protection and durability. High mid-level chest protectors have very similar characteristics and features compared to pro level chest protectors. These units use a slightly less quality hd foam, but the design is 90-95% the same as the pro unit. The protection is generally not compromised with these foams however the durability is. We say that a good high mid-level chest protector will last a goalie about two to three years based on our usage guidelines. A pro level chest protector will last about four to five years under the same usage guidelines. Protection is the number one element of any chest protector, and we feel both the pro and high mid-level do a great job in this category with the main difference coming down to durability. Now for the low mid-level chest protector, we generally try to stay clear of these units unless the goalie is playing a very low recreational level. There is no need to roll the dice on your head or heart, better to be safe than sorry. The hd foams in these units are pretty low and the goalie can definitely get hurt wearing these. Even the beginner level player from time to time will get their body weight into a shot and really rip one, at this point the lower-level chest protector is beyond its capability. At Goalies Plus we always try to educate our customers and air on the side of caution. Please do your research before buying a chest protector.