The History

In early 2015, Bauer released the newest stick in the Vapor family, the Vapor 1X. Bauer created the original 1X stick by by ditching the dual kick point found in the APX2, adding a Quick Release Taper for lightning-fast release times, and designing a fresh new outer graphic.

The Changes

With the 2016 model, far less changes were made - the biggest being the improved Quick Release Taper. By adding both vertically- and horizontally-oriented carbon fiber in the bottom of the shaft, the 2016 1X stick brings players a slightly lighter and faster-releasing stick than the 2015 1X.

The outer graphics were also updated. Bauer kept the silver and red color scheme from the original 1X but made the red much more prominent and metallic near the top of the shaft.

To read about the rest of the features found in the 2016 Vapor 1X stick, be sure to read our in-depth 2015 Vapor 1X Stick Review.

2015 Bauer Vapor 1X

2016 Bauer Vapor 1X

The Price

Apart from the new taper design and graphics, the most noticeable difference between the 2016 and 2015 Vapor 1X sticks is the price. Bauer hiked up the price on the 2016 1X to a staggering $299.99 (which ends up being around $326.99 if you have to pay sales tax).

Bauer has been known for their continually-rising prices on new products, which is generally $10-$20 per generation for sticks. For example, the 2013 Vapor APX2 launched at $259.99 and the 2015 Vapor 1X at $269.99. However, this $30 price adjustment is pretty unreasonable, especially with only minor changes being made to the stick.

The Final Impression

In conclusion, the 2016 Vapor 1X is a great stick for players who want a low kick point, but is only worth buying if it's payday and if the mortgage and car are already paid off.

When designing the 2016 1X stick, the design team at Bauer must have had the same mindset as James Franco during the famous speech scene from the movie The Interview:

In all honesty, it would be better to buy the 2015 Vapor 1X stick instead since its price has dropped down to $159.99. Make sure to grab the 2015 models soon, as they tend to sell out once the price drops!

Check out both the current 2016 Bauer Vapor 1X stick and the discounted 2015 Bauer Vapor 1X right here at DiscountHockey.com! Thanks for reading, and we'll see you on the ice!