Hockey Gear Lighter Faster

THUNDER BAY – CHICAGO – Sports News – Ice Hockey is a fast paced sport. Players zip around the ice surface at breakneck speeds. New innovations make the game even faster. Bauer has just unveiled their latest offering in high-tech hockey equipment. Is Hockey about to change and get even faster?

The BAUER OD1N product line includes a re-imagined hockey skate, a fully personalized protective body suit and an ultra lightweight, customized goal pad constructed with materials never before used in hockey. Each of the products was designed to provide a significant on-ice performance advantage that is scientifically proven.

Science Intergrated with Sports Gear

“We challenged our Research, Design and Development team in St Jerome, Quebec to create the ‘concept car’ of hockey equipment,” said Kevin Davis, CEO and President, Bauer Performance Sports. “We asked them, ‘What if?’ What if we took away all the limitations we normally have, like materials, cost and commercialization process and focused solely on creating equipment that can be scientifically proven to make players better. The team focused on this challenge for more than two years and the result is BAUER OD1N.”

The BAUER OD1N product was developed alongside some of the game’s best players, including Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Nic Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin, Claude Giroux and Henrik Lundqvist. All six players played instrumental roles in the development process and continue to work with the company to fine tune the product in advance of international competition in February.

“Today’s hockey equipment is already so good, that it’s tough to imagine that there is still another leap to take as far as technology, but that’s exactly what Bauer did,” said Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks and Team Canada. “As a hockey player, the last thing you want to do on the ice is worry about your equipment. With this new equipment, it’s not even an after-thought because you feel like you’re not wearing anything.”

Lundqvist, the lone goaltender selected by Bauer to take part in the project, has been wearing the BAUER OD1N goal pads since late November. The New York Rangers goaltender is once again expected to be the starting goaltender for Team Sweden in February.

“They are so much lighter than the old pads, you feel faster and you have more energy,” Lundqvist said. “For me, when I play the game, it’s all about quickness and reaction time. To have a pad that helps me in those areas of my game is a major advantage for me. “