Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2, the lightest Vapor stick yet

If your game lives on the catch and release, the Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2 is built for exactly that. It sits at the top of Bauer's Vapor line, the family Bauer designs around a low kick point, so the load and release happen low in the shaft where a quick snap or wrist shot pays off. Bauer calls it the lightest and most durable Vapor stick in its lineup, which is the headline reason it matters to a shooter counting fractions of a second. Retailers list the senior version at roughly 365 grams.

Here is what actually changed from the first HyperLite. Bauer says the HyperLite 2 comes in about 25 grams lighter than the original HyperLite, and it gets there through a construction it calls ACL 2.0, or Advanced Carbon Layering 2.0. The idea is to use less carbon in the layup without giving up durability, so the weight comes off the shaft rather than out of its toughness. The blade is the other update. Bauer's HYP2RCORE blade core uses a revised carbon bridge that the company says increases recoil by about 10 percent, which is the part a sniper feels most, since blade snap is what puts pace on a puck released in a hurry.

Who is it for? Players who shoot in traffic and off the pass, and who want the lightest possible tool in a low kick platform. If you load your shots from higher in the shaft or lean on a slap shot, a mid kick stick may suit you better, and this is not the value pick in Bauer's range either.

On availability, the HyperLite 2 comes in senior, intermediate, and junior builds, with a range of flex and pattern options through standard retail, so finding one at major hockey retailers is straightforward.

One honest caveat: pricing moves by retailer, flex, and whether the stick is current or on clearance, so check the shop you buy from for the real number rather than trusting a single quoted figure. If you want the lightest low kick Bauer for quick release shooting, this is the one to try.