Bauer Hockey Skates

Bauer hockey skates are synonymous with hockey and the NHL. They have a long history of high quality products and today they are still at the forefront of the league, and provide great choices for players of all experience and age levels. Take a look at a brief history and background of the Bauer company, as well as their current lineup of skates for you to choose between and consider.

The Bauer Company

Bauer has been around for quite a long time, over 80 years all told since their original inception. Way back in the 1920s, Bauer hockey skates were the first in the world to have the blades already attached to the boots and the Bauer Supreme hockey skate was born. This early progress marked the company's long history of product innovation and leading the way with new and improved technology.

In the 1960s, after losing much of their standing to other companies, Bauer was able to revitalize itself, partially through new and improved technology once again, and partly through highly visible sponsorships. They had Boston Bruins great Bobby Hull wearing and endorsing their skates and this played a large role in enhancing their image and spreading the word about what they were offering and capable of.

Bauer introduced the TUUK chassis in 1994, which helped to make skates lighter and more durable by improving the connection between the steel of the blade and the boot. It was another great step in the history of Bauer hockey skates. Soon after, Nike purchased the brand, and the Nike Bauer era lasted until 2008. Bauer was then sold off to a different company, returning to being known solely as Bauer. They then purchased another company themselves, rival Mission-Itech, adding to their product line and enhancing their capabilities.

The Current Lineup of Bauer Hockey Skates

Currently there are nearly 20 different pairs of Bauer hockey skates for players to choose from. This huge selection makes it easy for people to find a pair of skates that's not only comfortable and fits their style and preferences, but also works with their budget and their price range as well. All of these different skates are divided into three families or product lines. They are the Supreme, the Vapor, and the Flexlite.

The Flexlite family of Bauer hockey skates is made to be accessible to everyone, and are designed to provide great comfort and fit right from the first time you ever lace them up. There are three different models within the family, the Flexlite 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0. More individual features and specifications are added and improved with each model.

For example, the Flexlite 4.0 has patented, integrated heel and ankle support, lightweight Insta-form ankle pads, a footbed with moisture management and heel support, variable stiffness Flexposite quarter package, a full fiber composite outsole and the Tuuk Lightspeed 2 with LS2 stainless steel runner. That's all a pretty big mouthful, but you can sum it all up with a wide range of features and design specifications made specifically for maximum comfort and usability.

The Vapor lineup of Bauer hockey skates is built for maximum acceleration and speed. They are geared towards players who already thrive on their speed, and want to utilize each and every stride to be even faster and more dynamic than before. They utilize the LS2 holder and runner system, touted as one of the best systems in all of hockey, maximizing acceleration and producing tight, quick turns.

The Vapor skates like the Vapor X:60 utilize a unique X-ribbed construction to produce a great fit and feel. It also features a superior, highly durable, highly protective liner and an anatomically molded tongue called the Form Fit-2 tongue to enhance flex and fit. The Vapor X:60 is the best in class of the Vapor skates, and the other models include the X:50, X:40, X:30, X:20, X:15 and X:05.

Finally you make it to the Supreme lineup of Bauer hockey skates. This is the premier line of t Bauer skates, and they are designed for power, for maximum force and acceleration and all around capability and strength. At the top of this line of Bauer hockey skates is the Supreme TotalOne Skate.

These skates were completely redesigned with entirely new construction, engineering and manufacturing processes to help improve actual on-ice results. They are revolutionary in this sense and are leading the pack for continued innovation, producing faster first steps, increased acceleration by literally propelling players forward and more. They are the lightest and most advanced skates ever produced by Bauer.

The Tuuk LS Fusion Runner combines high grade aluminum with stainless steel for maximum strength while reducing weight and delivering improved speed and power. Total Edge Comfort alleviates high ankle abrasion and pain, and provides additional padding and support. The Reflex Tongue utilizes ALIVE composite inserts which can be customized for three levels of stiffness. The inserts act like a springboard, keeping you comfortable and in the right position after every motion you make.

Then you have the anatomically correct ALIVE composite upper and insole design, which has less negative space and provides a custom fit for every fit at every angle using anatomical thermoforming. It means that you'll have a close, perfect and secure fit perfectly matched for yourself, which will enhance your ability to skate and your confidence on the ice.

All of these features were specifically for the Supreme TotalOne skate, which is the head of the entire lineup of Bauer hockey skates. However, you'll also find the Supreme One100, One80, One70, One60, One40 and One20, all of which are feature rich and provide many of the same benefits.

Hopefully by now you have a better idea of what Bauer and Bauer hockey skates are all about. Clearly, the company has a really long and proud history, dating them back all the way to the beginnings of the NHL. All of these years later, they remain one of the best brands in the business, and they achieve that status with their continued innovation and great range of products. Their diverse and highly capable line of Bauer hockey skates today ensures there is something for each and every player, regardless of age, experience or style.

Ken Abbott has been in the specialist retail sports equipment business for 18 years, running three retail shops and for the last ten years, a thriving online mail order business. More recently he is now focusing his energies on advising and helping less experienced marketeers and also combining with like minded people to develop internet marketing strategies and ideas.

You can visit his websites at: http://www.crazykennys.com and http://ken-abbott.com