Bauer GSX Goalie Chest Protector & Pants Review

This is an update to a line that already existed rather than a new product, and across most of the senior range that is what it feels like — a few refinements, better flex through the elbow and the hinge, the same recreational brief as before. The junior chest is the exception, and it is the reason this one is worth six minutes.

The chest and arm protector

The adjustable arm survives all the way down to the bottom of the line, which is the best single thing about fitting a GSX: real length flexibility at the lowest price Bauer sells. The elbow is the more flexible style modelled on the Elite above it, mobile without giving away much coverage for the level it is built for, and there is still a hard plastic layer in there — nobody is being sent out in foam blocks. A belly extender adds the same kind of adjustability through the torso.

Where the money comes out

The wrist strap is a different, less refined material than the one on the Elite. The shoulder cap is single where the Elite steps up to a double. The front floaters are more flexible, which helps the fit and costs a little protection. And there is simply less padding overall. Cam’s word for the whole package is recreational, and he means it as a description rather than a knock: light, mobile, easy to get out on the ice in.

The junior chest is the real update

This one is not lipstick. The cut has changed, the shoulder floaters now wrap around and give the unit a far better presence on a smaller body, and it has picked up a reinforcement over last year’s model — so it is more protective than the chest it replaces, not less. That moves the junior GSX from a basic first chest to a direct competitor with the other junior options on the wall.

The pants

The inner belt is the pro feature that made it down to this price point. The thigh is wide open, with thicker foam and plastic than the previous year’s pant, though Cam is clear that is a bump rather than a leap. What you do not get is the length extender or removable thigh pads — and on the second one, most goalies take those out anyway. The belt is non-removable, or as the guys joke, removable with a pair of scissors. The whole pant is light.

Who it’s for

First-timers getting on the ice, recreational adults skating for fun, and junior goalies, where this year’s update lands hardest. It is also a genuinely strong ball hockey and roller hockey option: light, breathable, and still enough protection for what those games throw at you. Play mid-tier and above as an adult and Cam would move you up the line — and whether you are at that line is exactly the question he and the goalie experts at The Hockey Shop Source for Sports answer every day.