Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Babolat Pure Strike VS 2022

[pfchang]

Had another go with the stick today with a bigger hitter, I have to say the VS is rock solid in terms of stability. For sub-320 SW (reported?), it's fairly impressive in how it handles against/redirecting pace. Can definitely also feel the mass coming thru on serves too.

Still feels like stick could use a bit more oomph, but then again this is intended for a particular group of players.

Edit: wrote this before even reading @mhkeuns take, interesting to see similar thoughts!

 

[SlowTiger]

I'm out of town for the weekend and I'm not sure what what my schedule looks like next week so I'm posting this based off my experience this far. Not sure if I'll add additional comments before playtest end/due date.

String and tension used for test: Babolat Revenge 16G @ 42 pounds (told ya'll I was going old school for the strings. lol)
Tennis experience/background: On and off since high school. Played college club tennis and a competitive amateur
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Dunlop CV 3.0 with 17g poly around 45 pounds
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 15ish

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: Racquet was great for a majority of my ground strokes.
Forehand: I am able to transition easily from flat to spiny shots. Wasn't a spin machine but it was there when I wanted it. Also, I have to add that you really need to be pushing the gas with this racquet. It doesn't give free points and half @$$ whippy or wristy shots will result in a half @$$ wimpy ball. I had to make sure I was really driving the ball to get decent pace which I wasn't really used to anymore.
Backhand: Slices were great on both wings but man did I struggle with my regular backhands. I have an ok 1 handed backhand or slice when being pushed and on the defensive but for me to hit an offensive 2 handed backhand I need more weight in the head for plow or the weight to carry through. The more even balanced the racquet gets the better my backhand the worse my forehand becomes. I think the best my backhand has ever played with was IG Radical which was 2 points HL, almost even balance but god did my forehand suck with it.
-Serves: Can't say anything except that I loved it. Reminded me of when I used to play with thinner player sticks. The extra weight, HL balance, spin and feel were all better on serves then the style of sticks I've been using and what I've kind of really been lacking on my current racquet.
-Volleys: I don't volley a lot but I also liked this on volleys. It was quick, solid, maneuverable. Has control and great feedback even with my string choice. What else can you ask for? If I miss, it's on me.
-Serve returns: Was not a huge fan of this racquet for return of serve. Fun and solid when I take full swings on a lower level player's serves but I normally block when my opponent has a fast and heavy serve. I felt a bit lacking in stability when I had to do that and often times I was setting up floaties... (Lol. I just realized one of the true one of the true benefits of a stiff racquet after writing this)

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- There obviously is a trade off between power and control. This is more on the control side and I can crank out some nice flat shots with it but overall, it lacked a bit of power for my taste. Wish it had a little bit more weight at the hoop to carry the racquet head through a bit more. I was expecting it to play more like a pure storm but it is different from what I can remember. It doesn't have that free power and is crisp but still easier on the arm. Don't know if that makes sense. May be the shape of the throat that make it feel different. If this was around 10 years ago I'd probably be playing with the PS VS instead of all the other racquets I mentioned in this review. What I think might also help is if I put a multi in the mains with a poly cross. I didn't get a chance to try it during the playtest but it's what I'm going to install next and depending on how it works I may make this my permanent racquet.
Top Spin/Slice-No free spin but it was there on command if you know how to access it so vary game dependent. I slice a lot and those were nasty with this racquet. People already didn't like my slice beforehand and I'm happy to pick a slice fight with anybody with this racquet.
Comfort- I really like the comfort of this racquet. My current racquet is kind of stiff and string sensitive but has been taking a toll on my arm since I've started playing more. This is a nice change or break from the current racquet. 1 thing I didn't like about it was the leather. I used to use leather back in the day because it thought it made me tougher. Stupid noob ego. I eventually started to double OG and then when I switched back to synthetic, I wondered why I ever used leather in the first place. I know it's personal preference but I ended up double OG this too for the extra hand cushion.
Feel- This doesn't feel like any babolat I can remember. It almost feels like it you blended an IG radical and IG prestige together. It's the best of both worlds. I like the softness and feel of this racquet. When playing with the regular pure strike, the throat almost felt hollow. When I crank a forehand, I could really feel a polarized weight with a flex coming from the throat and would at times feel like the throat would snap. I didn't get that here. I almost wish they would keep the RH and widen the throat a little more for power and stability, but it might end up causing that polarized empty feel like with the regular pure strikes if the hallow out the throat some more.
Maneuverability- Very head light and very easy to get the racquet around. Very maneuverable for it's weight.
Stability- Stability was good for me against most players. There was prob 1 or 2 heavy hitters where I struggled using this racquet against their ground strokes and esp their serves, but I feel like that can be fixed with a little lead. Truth be told, none of my racquets are weighted up enough for that


General reaction/comments on overall performance:

This is definitely a racquet that I'll keep in my bag but I don't think I'll be able to use this as my main racquet. It's just not what fits my current game and not what I'm looking for at the moment. It would have been 10 yrs ago but we were also in the age of 12oz 95" racquets 10 years ago. It also may be a stick if I come back to a certain level. It's not an easy racquet for me to wield for a 2+ hour session. It's not a beginner stick nor for the faint of heart but I'm sure it will fit many players as it now falls into the range of these hybrid player sticks like the PS, radical pro and etc. I do see a lot of people starting to rep the Pure Aero VS and the Pure Drive VS. Pretty sure I'm going to see a few of these on the courts soon too.

THANK YOU TW STAFF and BABOLAT for the playtest!!!

 

[megamind]

Never even heard of Babolat Revenge before haha

will post my review too in a bit

 

[SlowTiger]

Never even heard of Babolat Revenge before haha

will post my review too in a bit

I had like 2 sets left from the old days. They were around the time of the GT racquets...I think. It's like a deep ruby red. Thought it be fun to be a babolat fan boy for the playtest. Racquet already looks like the Lambo of racquets.

 

[Chairman3]

I had like 2 sets left from the old days. They were around the time of the GT racquets...I think. It's like a deep ruby red. Thought it be fun to be a babolat fan boy for the playtest. Racquet already looks like the Lambo of racquets.

Color sounds cool

 

[megamind]

String and tension used for test: Razor Code at 49lbs
Tennis experience/background: 4.0 player - played in high school, started hitting again in 2020, and playing leagues recently
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Counterpuncher. I like to place my shots, and use a good mix of flat shots, heavy shots, and slice shots, on both fh and bh. I often find myself stretched out wide trying to save a ball that should be a winner, just to troll my opponent.
Current racquet/string setups: Gravity Tour - Razor Code at 47lbs (strung the VS higher, as I thought Babolat means power, I was wrong haha)
How many hours did you play with the racquet? Around 15 hours - mix of casual rallying + match play


Stock form specs (for the racquet I received, not what's listed on the product page):
Static Weight: 325g (strung + overgrip)
Balance: 10pts HL
Swingweight: 311
Twistweight: 12.59

Customized specs (all comments for the modded racquet are labeled below as [322 sw mod]):
Static Weight: 330g (strung + overgrip + copper tape)
Balance: 8pts HL
Swingweight: 322
Twistweight: 13.13
Mods: (1.8g at 12, 3.6g at 3-9)

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):

Groundstrokes:
Maneuverability is the name of the game here. This racquet excels at the awkward shot. When you're on the run / in a bad position, its speed through the air definitely helps you time things right.
Control is superb too.
This racquet works for flat shots, heavy shots, slice shots.
Just don't expect power. Expect to be bullied around the court, especially if your opponent is using any of Babolat's other offerings.
[322 sw mod] Power is still on the lower end, but definitely much better. I kind of like the power-control balance here, but haven't tried moving the SW up further. Still very maneuverable, and slices are better now.

Serves:
I felt a definite increase in serve percentages. I think perhaps it is due to the racquet's maneuverability, I time things or adjust to a ball toss in the wind better.
However, in terms of power, there is definitely a lot of room for improvement.
Also, I got a lot of bite on slice serves with this racquet.
[322 sw mod] - more power than stock, but still a little lacking

Volleys:
They were ok. Not terrible. Not amazing. Better than my current racquet, but I've hit with better volleying racquets

Serve returns:
Return type one - use the pace of the ball + place it with a nice angle:
This is a really good racquet for this type of return.
Return type two - just bash the ball:
This racquet is not particularly good at this type of return.
Return type three - the chip return:
I didn't think this was good in stock form.
[322 sw mod] Weight definitely helps here


Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)

Power/Control:
In stock, this racquet skews far too much to the side of control. And yes, I'm talking about a Babolat racquet.
[322 sw mod] I'm liking the power-control here a little more.

Top Spin/Slice:
Wouldn't say it's amazing at topspin, but it isn't bad at it. I don't really need more tbh.
It is really good for slicing though. [especially on the 322 sw mod]

Comfort:
I don't have an RDC machine, but it does feel to be more than 63. I'd say it feels more like 65-66 territory.
I wonder if it's due to a lack of vibration dampening tech within the frame.
It doesn't bother me while I'm playing. I enjoy the feeling at ball contact. It's not hollow like typical Babolat racquets.
But, I did feel a little bit of post-match elbow tenderness from this racquet.

Feel:
I enjoyed the feel. Especially when hitting the sweetspot. Not hollow like other Babolat racquets.

Maneuverability:
Really, really, really good. I'm supposed to write 2 sentences, so here's me once again telling you that the maneuverability is absolutely insanely good, some might even dare call it great.

Stability:
In stock form, it had decent stability, given its light weight. I def enjoyed the racquet more by adding weight at 3 and 9, to further improve the stability.

Performance:
I play the good tennis with this racquet (especially on the 322 mod). I think better tennis than with my current racquet of choice. This is a racquet that suits my game style very well. It is a bit stiffer though and I feel some occasional elbow post-match discomfort. Do I, should I, make the switch?

A Note About Falling In Love Again:
The first racquet I ever hit with was a Babolat. I have a lot of fond memories of hitting with Babolat. But then I got injured, and didn't think I'd ever use a Babolat ever again. But here I am, and I like this racquet. So thank you Babolat for making it.

Big shoutout to TW and Babolat for the playtest opportunity!

 

[StringStrungStrang]

I'm out of town for the weekend and I'm not sure what what my schedule looks like next week so I'm posting this based off my experience this far. Not sure if I'll add additional comments before playtest end/due date.

String and tension used for test: Babolat Revenge 16G @ 42 pounds (told ya'll I was going old school for the strings. lol)
Tennis experience/background: On and off since high school. Played college club tennis and a competitive amateur
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Dunlop CV 3.0 with 17g poly around 45 pounds
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 15ish

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: Racquet was great for a majority of my ground strokes.
Forehand: I am able to transition easily from flat to spiny shots. Wasn't a spin machine but it was there when I wanted it. Also, I have to add that you really need to be pushing the gas with this racquet. It doesn't give free points and half @$$ whippy or wristy shots will result in a half @$$ wimpy ball. I had to make sure I was really driving the ball to get decent pace which I wasn't really used to anymore.
Backhand: Slices were great on both wings but man did I struggle with my regular backhands. I have an ok 1 handed backhand or slice when being pushed and on the defensive but for me to hit an offensive 2 handed backhand I need more weight in the head for plow or the weight to carry through. The more even balanced the racquet gets the better my backhand the worse my forehand becomes. I think the best my backhand has ever played with was IG Radical which was 2 points HL, almost even balance but god did my forehand suck with it.
-Serves: Can't say anything except that I loved it. Reminded me of when I used to play with thinner player sticks. The extra weight, HL balance, spin and feel were all better on serves then the style of sticks I've been using and what I've kind of really been lacking on my current racquet.
-Volleys: I don't volley a lot but I also liked this on volleys. It was quick, solid, maneuverable. Has control and great feedback even with my string choice. What else can you ask for? If I miss, it's on me.
-Serve returns: Was not a huge fan of this racquet for return of serve. Fun and solid when I take full swings on a lower level player's serves but I normally block when my opponent has a fast and heavy serve. I felt a bit lacking in stability when I had to do that and often times I was setting up floaties... (Lol. I just realized one of the true one of the true benefits of a stiff racquet after writing this)

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- There obviously is a trade off between power and control. This is more on the control side and I can crank out some nice flat shots with it but overall, it lacked a bit of power for my taste. Wish it had a little bit more weight at the hoop to carry the racquet head through a bit more. I was expecting it to play more like a pure storm but it is different from what I can remember. It doesn't have that free power and is crisp but still easier on the arm. Don't know if that makes sense. May be the shape of the throat that make it feel different. If this was around 10 years ago I'd probably be playing with the PS VS instead of all the other racquets I mentioned in this review. What I think might also help is if I put a multi in the mains with a poly cross. I didn't get a chance to try it during the playtest but it's what I'm going to install next and depending on how it works I may make this my permanent racquet.
Top Spin/Slice-No free spin but it was there on command if you know how to access it so vary game dependent. I slice a lot and those were nasty with this racquet. People already didn't like my slice beforehand and I'm happy to pick a slice fight with anybody with this racquet.
Comfort- I really like the comfort of this racquet. My current racquet is kind of stiff and string sensitive but has been taking a toll on my arm since I've started playing more. This is a nice change or break from the current racquet. 1 thing I didn't like about it was the leather. I used to use leather back in the day because it thought it made me tougher. Stupid noob ego. I eventually started to double OG and then when I switched back to synthetic, I wondered why I ever used leather in the first place. I know it's personal preference but I ended up double OG this too for the extra hand cushion.
Feel- This doesn't feel like any babolat I can remember. It almost feels like it you blended an IG radical and IG prestige together. It's the best of both worlds. I like the softness and feel of this racquet. When playing with the regular pure strike, the throat almost felt hollow. When I crank a forehand, I could really feel a polarized weight with a flex coming from the throat and would at times feel like the throat would snap. I didn't get that here. I almost wish they would keep the RH and widen the throat a little more for power and stability, but it might end up causing that polarized empty feel like with the regular pure strikes if the hallow out the throat some more.
Maneuverability- Very head light and very easy to get the racquet around. Very maneuverable for it's weight.
Stability- Stability was good for me against most players. There was prob 1 or 2 heavy hitters where I struggled using this racquet against their ground strokes and esp their serves, but I feel like that can be fixed with a little lead. Truth be told, none of my racquets are weighted up enough for that


General reaction/comments on overall performance:

This is definitely a racquet that I'll keep in my bag but I don't think I'll be able to use this as my main racquet. It's just not what fits my current game and not what I'm looking for at the moment. It would have been 10 yrs ago but we were also in the age of 12oz 95" racquets 10 years ago. It also may be a stick if I come back to a certain level. It's not an easy racquet for me to wield for a 2+ hour session. It's not a beginner stick nor for the faint of heart but I'm sure it will fit many players as it now falls into the range of these hybrid player sticks like the PS, radical pro and etc. I do see a lot of people starting to rep the Pure Aero VS and the Pure Drive VS. Pretty sure I'm going to see a few of these on the courts soon too.

THANK YOU TW STAFF and BABOLAT for the playtest!!!

Nice review. I have a lot of similar feelings about this, but you should come to the net more with it. I think it excels there!!

 

[SlowTiger]

Nice review. I have a lot of similar feelings about this, but you should come to the net more with it. I think it excels there!!

Players frame normally do but I gave that up when I came back from retirement

 

[mhkeuns]

In my opinion, there is zero drawback from adding reasonable weight to the hoop. I added about 4 grams at 12. I believe each gram at 12 adds approximately 4 additional SW to the frame. Even with approximately 16 additional SW, it was not sluggish at all. It did not mess with the maneuverability or the impact feel. The added SW provided the put away power it needed. I don’t think I’d need to add anymore weight, or alter the balance, but I might play around with lead positioning.

BTW, I think my frame had a lower SW than the TW average because it was a little under-spec. It definitely doesn’t feel like 322 +16 SW. It still has the HL balance and is much easier to whip around still compared to more even balanced frames like the Blade 98 V7.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Babolat Pure Strike VS 2022 Play Test PT. 1/3

String and Tension used for Test:
Solinco Hyper-G 17 mains @ 45, Nano Vendetta 17 crosses @ 48

Tennis experience / background:
Played as a kid, but only really played for the last 5-6 years. When I finally started again so much had changed about the game, equipment, strings, and technique that it seemed like a whole new game. Realizing that, I began my tennis journey (still in progress) becoming a sort of tennis “otaku” / tennis nerd. Throughout this time I’ve been experimenting with updated techniques (actually learning how to play), equipment, fitness and the fine art of stringing.

Describe your playing style :
Eastern Forehand, Two-handed Backhand. Enjoy both singles and doubles. Level: 4.5-5.0
I play an all-court game, but adapt to what is needed. I’m a bit of a counter-puncher, who has been known to serve & volley. Generally patient and like to use the whole court. I like to hit a variety of shots, to see what response I get, rather than just grinding away at the baseline. Volleys / net play and return of serve are my strengths. Usually looking for an opportunity to come forward, or at least step inside the baseline, taking balls early / or out of the air. Love hitting down the line - it’s my tennis vice.

Current Racquet / String setups:
I have 3 sets of racquets that I have been playing regularly; Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19, Wilson Blade 104 18x19 and Yonex VCore Duel G 97 (330g) 16x20. I generally string them as poly/poly hybrid, a shaped poly main and smooth round poly crosses. Lately, I’ve been playing the Pure Strike 98 and Blade 104 more.

• Babolat Pure Strike (Project One) 16x19 with Hyper-G 17 @ 45#, Nano Vendetta 17 @ 48#, (weighted to 11.6 oz) and;
• Wilson Blade 104 18x19 with Hyper-G 17 @ 46#, Red Devil 17 @ 49# (27.5” weighted to 11.5 oz)

Play Test Specs & Setup Babolat Pure Strike VS:
Unstrung: 10.8 oz. / 305 gr.
Strung w/ overgrip, dampener and band: 11.6 oz. / 330 gr.
Strung with: Hyper-G 17 @ 45#, Nano Vendetta 17 @ 48# identical to my Pure Strike 98 16 x19 for comparison, which I played side-by-side.
Court Type: Hardcourt

Play Test Impressions / Summary:
I have really enjoyed this racquet. First hit was a bit of an adjustment, but from the 2nd day on it has been great! If you are looking for a modern take on a classic player’s racquet - you are in luck! The PS VS is stable, comfortable, connected, precise, low-powered (but not dead), maneuverable and loaded with control, feel & touch. It CAN generate pace & spin when needed, but you need to make that happen. It’s heavy enough to redirect pace and return serves with precision (so good for a counter-puncher like me) but light enough to be maneuverable and give tinkerers room to customize. Think Pure Control, ProStaff as a starting point.
Warning: Those looking for a typical Babolat spin monster / tweener – should probably look somewhere else, but many of you will like it too!

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Babolat Pure Strike VS 2022 Play Test PT. 2/3

Hours Played:
Played about 16-18 hours total, including games & hitting. Played stock with the exception of a vibration dampener, overgrip and band, for nearly all this time then added a little weight in the upper hoop (10 & 2) and handle. My comments unless otherwise noted are in Stock form.

Racquet Performance: Strokes:
Groundstrokes: (9)
What was not to like? Solid, planted, precise are words that come to mind for all strokes. Shots come off the string bed with pace, depth and a low penetrating trajectory. It was easy to redirect shots or find the lines and after a little adjustment, have confidence in going for the lines. As a 16x20 racquet the PS VS is a bit of a hybrid itself, somewhere between the typical 16x19 and 18x20 and its characteristics are representative of this. More spin than a typical 18x20, but less than a typical 16x19. I like hitting ground strokes with this stick. Much more plush than my PS 16x19 and more accurate too. I found myself wanting to swing a bit harder when the opportunity presented itself so I could see the ball shooting through the court.

Serves: (8)
This was a good racquet for serving, but for me not great. I loved the precision / accuracy that allowed for easy placement. Flat serve up the T were especially effective, good pace and pinpoint accurate. While not an overly powerful racquet like a Pure Drive, pace was good because you could go for more because of its accuracy. I felt I could go closer and closer to the lines and hit it consistently, that more than the pace elicited some weak responses. Kick serves were much better than I expected and actually seemed to kick up higher than my PS 98 and they seemed a bit heavier too. Slice serves were effective and benefited from that lower, knifing ball path. I am by no means a huge server, but the recurring theme of accuracy with this stick put me in a good position many times.

Volleys: (9.5)
How a racquet volleys can be a deal breaker for me – and this racquet passed that test with flying colors. Solid, planted controlled and with enough pop/ depth to have confidence in this shot. Volleying at the net I felt the PS VS was just about perfect with no real adjustment. I felt I could do what I wanted, driving or punching shots easily DTL or through the court deep and outta reach. Approach volleys took me a little longer to dial in due to the lower launch angle I need to be conscious of this to get the ball up and over the net. Once I dialed this in the racquets control, stability and directionality made me feel in control. Point and shoot: balls didn’t spray all over the place – rather they went wherever you directed them. Also, want to mention overheads with this were great! The control stability and precision made this a pleasure to smash some overheads and placement was excellent.

Serve Returns: (9)
ROS is another critical part of my game and the PS VS delivered. Specs only tell part of the story so I couldn’t wait to see what it really felt like, and the PS VS continued to be stable and accurate, with enough plow to redirect power without the getting knocked out of my hands. Not a heavy racquet but not a featherweight it had enough in stock form, but really came through with a little extra lead tape in the hoop. The 63 RA made returns better too, comfortable - not harsh, and controlled. This was an area I had to be more conscious of due to the lower trajectory to make sure to clear the net and have enough spin to bring the ball back in the court. It is maneuverable enough, but not lighting fast. Heavy enough to impose your will on the ball (better with some lead tape) and without twisting in your hand. It does not generate ridiculous amounts of spin but you are rewarded with a heavier, more penetrating shot. From the add court when servers went wide the PS VS slice returns were awesome, I could take it cross court or DTL one-handed with enough oomph to keep me out of trouble. I think the 97 sq. in. and 16x20 string bed was predictable and consistent and gave me the option to just start a point and get back to neutral or be more aggressive and press into the corners. The PS VS has more plow than my PS 98, but not quite as quick and with not quite the topspin. It worked well as long as you didn’t get lazy or try to take too big of a swing. As mentioned above if I could change one thing I’d like a little longer handle/ grip for my 2HBH, but it is not a deal breaker.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Babolat Pure Strike VS 2022 Play Test PT. 3/3

Racquet Performance – Attributes

Power/Control: (7.5 / 9.5)
I liked that my partners said that my shots were more difficult to get to, heavier and more through the court. I didn’t feel Power was over whelming or explosive, but it was firmly there and amplified by the ball flight, accuracy and stability of this racquet. As I mentioned this racquet hits a penetrating ball and this is in part due to ball flight / trajectory. It doesn’t hit big loopy shots that might sit up – balls off this string bed knife through the air and seem to accelerate through the court. If your game is based on spin (Pure Aero) this might not be the one for you, but for a players racquet this is a very solid choice. Control is outstanding. So much so that I felt myself being tempted to hit harder and closer and closer to the lines – and I could. It does, after all, share a strong heritage with the Pure Control line. Power levels can be dialed in with a little weighting while the control feels even better. After I added some lead at 10 & 2 I feel the power bumped up - maybe 8.5 or 9. It’s a solid driving power rather than an explosive power – if that makes any sense.

Top Spin / Slice: (8 / 9)
Top spin while not in the Pure Aero category, was more than adequate and let you comfortably keep the ball in play. Spin is available when you need it to dip the ball in, hit angles or push your opponent back, but you need to consciously generate it. In exchange for this, it gives you the option to either flatten out shots or generate spin. Because of this, you get the option of more variety and control over your shots so you can consistently hit the type of shot you want - predictably and with confidence. Balls fly lower and more directly through the court. Coming from a Pure Strike 16x19 I had to be conscious of the height over the net, but once that was resolved I loved how it pushed opponents out of their comfort zone. Slices and slice volleys were outstanding and more of a weapon especially on the BH side as I could knife them DTL or low cross court to great effect. The feel and touch on slices was awesome. The softer but stable frame adds a dimension of control that many frames are lacking and many players have never been introduced to. This is definitely a player’s racquet and slices and ground strokes confirm this.

Comfort: ( 9 )
Softer RA @ 63, but far from soft or mushy, this PS VS is comfortable, solid and easy on the arm. The frame beam is 21 22 21 with a more traditional box hoop, while the throat has been subtly enhanced / modernized and the result is very comfortable, stable and responsive. I think Babolat did a good job blending all these different properties together in the VS while not straying too far from the classic player’s racquet formula. I played quite a number of hours with it and had no comfort or fatigue issues whatsoever, and that is playing with a full bed of poly. Compared to typical stiff Babolat frames this is a breath of fresh air. Needless to say much more comfortable than my PS 98, but on par with the Blade 104.

Feel: (9.5)
Perhaps the best thing about this racquet – it feels great on contact! Is this due to the softer construction? Or Leather grip? I am sure the box shape of the hoop contributes too! It is solid and stable and lets you drive the ball. Serves felt the same and around the net I could drive the volley or angle it comfortably. It was a Goldilocks type of feeling - not too soft, not too stiff, not too heavy, not too light – nearly just right. Plush and controlled (loved it on volleys) on most all but the hardest shots, without losing its responsiveness that gives you confidence to come forward and attack or just go for the lines as you exchange shots. The Feel is outstanding and markedly better than my PS 98. Enjoyable too.

Maneuverability: (8.5)
I liked it. Much more maneuverable than many and quick enough through the air ( it is after all 7 pts HL) but it is not a lightweight. On serves its quick enough to get around on, on groundstrokes again no issues, and more than quick enough at the net, but still not as quick as the PS 98. Not better or worse, just different. For some it won’t be an issue, but for me I needed to recalibrate (even though most of my racquets are right around the same static weight) to take best advantage of the PS VS. After getting acclimated to it (a little better preparation) I rarely had issues, but when really pushed I couldn’t quite do what I can do with the PS 98.

Stability: (9)
This racquet is rock solid, even in stock form and with a little lead it is even better. Stable, firm and planted – all things that give me confidence in my game and when it matters in a game. It had that traditional players racquet feel, plush but not overly muted, yet still responsive. What I particularly liked is the stability at the net, on ground strokes and returns – that’s where I often notice instability in some racquets, but the PS VS was rock solid, especially for its given weight of 11.6 oz. that I played it at. I think the updated throat shape adds to this making it more stable and responsive. The PS VS is definitely more stable than my PS 98, and Blade 104 but not at the same level as the Yonex Duel G 97. The stability and maneuverability is a combo that inspires confidence.

General Reaction / Comments on overall performance:

Looks: First of all this is one of the best looking racquets I have EVER seen. Love the color scheme glossy black/ charcoal metallic / red / white. Loved the leather grip too. Looks even better in person and I could look at it all day, BUT would rather play with it! A good friend always says, “If you like how it looks, you will play better”. It is that kind of racquet!

Should people give it a try? Definitely! I think more people should demo a racquet like this. It is different than what most people are playing with (in a good way) and it could surprise them. Comfortable, controlled, stable, accurate…a lot of people could benefit from what this racquet has to offer.

On weight: Lots of us have liked the feel and control but wanted more power. Well the good news is with a little lead tape – no problem. After a couple weeks stock I tried a little and it does make a difference. I haven’t experimented much, but at 10 & 2 or 12 you will see a bump in power. I will also be trying a weighted butt cap/trap door that I have so I’ll let you know if that makes it a little whippier. I think this a great platform racquet to play basically as is for people who don’t want or can’t swing heavier racquets or for customizing up to RF97 levels.

Physically the handle is a bit short, so if you are a fan of long handles you may be disappointed or just wrap your over grip a bit higher like I did and viola – more space for my 2HBH.
I do wonder if Bablolat will introduce an extended or Plus version as they often do in other lines. I’d be interested to try that as I really enjoy longer racquets.

For me the strings and tension were just about where I like them (or what I am used to) and I think they suited PS VS well.

Of Interest: One thing to know, while it may now be part of the Pure Strike Family, it is not a typical Pure Strike or Babolat racquet unless of course you are a fan of the Pure Controls or Pure Storm racquets. I used to play with a Pure Control 5 or 6 years ago and this is very familiar, but I don't think the same. The 16x20 sets it apart from most Babolats as most others are 16x19 or 18x20. The upper hoop is Pure Control / Storm like with its thin beam and boxy shape and the head size ( 97 sq in.) is not the typical Babolat tweener 100 sq. in. size either. Because of this is more accurate / controlled and lower powered. It has a different feel, softer (RA 63 so more arm friendly) and more control oriented than most Babolat racquets.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

In my opinion, there is zero drawback from adding reasonable weight to the hoop. I added about 4 grams at 12. I believe each gram at 12 adds approximately 4 additional SW to the frame. Even with approximately 16 additional SW, it was not sluggish at all. It did not mess with the maneuverability or the impact feel. The added SW provided the put away power it needed. I don’t think I’d need to add anymore weight, or alter the balance, but I might play around with lead positioning.

BTW, I think my frame had a lower SW than the TW average because it was a little under-spec. It definitely doesn’t feel like 322 +16 SW. It still has the HL balance and is much easier to whip around still compared to more even balanced frames like the Blade 98 V7.

I absolutely agree. A little weight brings out the power without much if any downside.

 

[Kozzy]

In my opinion, there is zero drawback from adding reasonable weight to the hoop. I added about 4 grams at 12. I believe each gram at 12 adds approximately 4 additional SW to the frame. Even with approximately 16 additional SW, it was not sluggish at all. It did not mess with the maneuverability or the impact feel. The added SW provided the put away power it needed. I don’t think I’d need to add anymore weight, or alter the balance, but I might play around with lead positioning.

BTW, I think my frame had a lower SW than the TW average because it was a little under-spec. It definitely doesn’t feel like 322 +16 SW. It still has the HL balance and is much easier to whip around still compared to more even balanced frames like the Blade 98 V7.

This is 100% right in my experience. ~4g at 12 is perfection. Mine are 335SW now and that seems just about perfect.

 

[mhkeuns]

Babolat Pure Strike VS 2022 Play Test PT. 3/3

Racquet Performance – Attributes

Power/Control: (7.5 / 9.5)
I liked that my partners said that my shots were more difficult to get to, heavier and more through the court. I didn’t feel Power was over whelming or explosive, but it was firmly there and amplified by the ball flight, accuracy and stability of this racquet. As I mentioned this racquet hits a penetrating ball and this is in part due to ball flight / trajectory. It doesn’t hit big loopy shots that might sit up – balls off this string bed knife through the air and seem to accelerate through the court. If your game is based on spin (Pure Aero) this might not be the one for you, but for a players racquet this is a very solid choice. Control is outstanding. So much so that I felt myself being tempted to hit harder and closer and closer to the lines – and I could. It does, after all, share a strong heritage with the Pure Control line. Power levels can be dialed in with a little weighting while the control feels even better. After I added some lead at 10 & 2 I feel the power bumped up - maybe 8.5 or 9. It’s a solid driving power rather than an explosive power – if that makes any sense.

Top Spin / Slice: (8 / 9)
Top spin while not in the Pure Aero category, was more than adequate and let you comfortably keep the ball in play. Spin is available when you need it to dip the ball in, hit angles or push your opponent back, but you need to consciously generate it. In exchange for this, it gives you the option to either flatten out shots or generate spin. Because of this, you get the option of more variety and control over your shots so you can consistently hit the type of shot you want - predictably and with confidence. Balls fly lower and more directly through the court. Coming from a Pure Strike 16x19 I had to be conscious of the height over the net, but once that was resolved I loved how it pushed opponents out of their comfort zone. Slices and slice volleys were outstanding and more of a weapon especially on the BH side as I could knife them DTL or low cross court to great effect. The feel and touch on slices was awesome. The softer but stable frame adds a dimension of control that many frames are lacking and many players have never been introduced to. This is definitely a player’s racquet and slices and ground strokes confirm this.

Comfort: ( 9 )
Softer RA @ 63, but far from soft or mushy, this PS VS is comfortable, solid and easy on the arm. The frame beam is 21 22 21 with a more traditional box hoop, while the throat has been subtly enhanced / modernized and the result is very comfortable, stable and responsive. I think Babolat did a good job blending all these different properties together in the VS while not straying too far from the classic player’s racquet formula. I played quite a number of hours with it and had no comfort or fatigue issues whatsoever, and that is playing with a full bed of poly. Compared to typical stiff Babolat frames this is a breath of fresh air. Needless to say much more comfortable than my PS 98, but on par with the Blade 104.

Feel: (9.5)
Perhaps the best thing about this racquet – it feels great on contact! Is this due to the softer construction? Or Leather grip? I am sure the box shape of the hoop contributes too! It is solid and stable and lets you drive the ball. Serves felt the same and around the net I could drive the volley or angle it comfortably. It was a Goldilocks type of feeling - not too soft, not too stiff, not too heavy, not too light – nearly just right. Plush and controlled (loved it on volleys) on most all but the hardest shots, without losing its responsiveness that gives you confidence to come forward and attack or just go for the lines as you exchange shots. The Feel is outstanding and markedly better than my PS 98. Enjoyable too.

Maneuverability: (8.5)
I liked it. Much more maneuverable than many and quick enough through the air ( it is after all 7 pts HL) but it is not a lightweight. On serves its quick enough to get around on, on groundstrokes again no issues, and more than quick enough at the net, but still not as quick as the PS 98. Not better or worse, just different. For some it won’t be an issue, but for me I needed to recalibrate (even though most of my racquets are right around the same static weight) to take best advantage of the PS VS. After getting acclimated to it (a little better preparation) I rarely had issues, but when really pushed I couldn’t quite do what I can do with the PS 98.

Stability: (9)
This racquet is rock solid, even in stock form and with a little lead it is even better. Stable, firm and planted – all things that give me confidence in my game and when it matters in a game. It had that traditional players racquet feel, plush but not overly muted, yet still responsive. What I particularly liked is the stability at the net, on ground strokes and returns – that’s where I often notice instability in some racquets, but the PS VS was rock solid, especially for its given weight of 11.6 oz. that I played it at. I think the updated throat shape adds to this making it more stable and responsive. The PS VS is definitely more stable than my PS 98, and Blade 104 but not at the same level as the Yonex Duel G 97. The stability and maneuverability is a combo that inspires confidence.

General Reaction / Comments on overall performance:

Looks: First of all this is one of the best looking racquets I have EVER seen. Love the color scheme glossy black/ charcoal metallic / red / white. Loved the leather grip too. Looks even better in person and I could look at it all day, BUT would rather play with it! A good friend always says, “If you like how it looks, you will play better”. It is that kind of racquet!

Should people give it a try? Definitely! I think more people should demo a racquet like this. It is different than what most people are playing with (in a good way) and it could surprise them. Comfortable, controlled, stable, accurate…a lot of people could benefit from what this racquet has to offer.

On weight: Lots of us have liked the feel and control but wanted more power. Well the good news is with a little lead tape – no problem. After a couple weeks stock I tried a little and it does make a difference. I haven’t experimented much, but at 10 & 2 or 12 you will see a bump in power. I will also be trying a weighted butt cap/trap door that I have so I’ll let you know if that makes it a little whippier. I think this a great platform racquet to play basically as is for people who don’t want or can’t swing heavier racquets or for customizing up to RF97 levels.

Physically the handle is a bit short, so if you are a fan of long handles you may be disappointed or just wrap your over grip a bit higher like I did and viola – more space for my 2HBH.
I do wonder if Bablolat will introduce an extended or Plus version as they often do in other lines. I’d be interested to try that as I really enjoy longer racquets.

For me the strings and tension were just about where I like them (or what I am used to) and I think they suited PS VS well.

Of Interest: One thing to know, while it may now be part of the Pure Strike Family, it is not a typical Pure Strike or Babolat racquet unless of course you are a fan of the Pure Controls or Pure Storm racquets. I used to play with a Pure Control 5 or 6 years ago and this is very familiar, but I don't think the same. The 16x20 sets it apart from most Babolats as most others are 16x19 or 18x20. The upper hoop is Pure Control / Storm like with its thin beam and boxy shape and the head size ( 97 sq in.) is not the typical Babolat tweener 100 sq. in. size either. Because of this is more accurate / controlled and lower powered. It has a different feel, softer (RA 63 so more arm friendly) and more control oriented than most Babolat racquets.

Great review!

 

[mhkeuns]

Will be posting another brief review with PSVS modded with 4 grams @ 12. I think there should be a tour version that comes with more static weight & SW. This frame is for those who like to personalize/customize their frames.

 

[TW Staff]

Friendly reminder, reviews are due this Friday, June 3rd by 5 pm PST.

Thanks!
TW Staff

 

[Chairman3]

Will be posting another brief review with PSVS modded with 4 grams @ 12. I think there should be a tour version that comes with more static weight & SW. This frame is for those who like to personalize/customize their frames.

They used to have a VS Tour version of the Pure Aero....so maybe there's hope.
If our racquets had come on spec or a tad over, I probably wouldn't have many complaints, but 6grams under is quite a bit.

 

[Kozzy]

They used to have a VS Tour version of the Pure Aero....so maybe there's hope.
If our racquets had come on spec or a tad over, I probably wouldn't have many complaints, but 6grams under is quite a bit.

I don't know - since it takes weight so well, I like that it comes in light. Means I can make it exactly how I want. I don't think I have a use for a heavier version out of the box, but I understand that some don't like to customize, and I think that's the biggest drawback to the platform frame.

 

[mhkeuns]

I’m one of those who never feel confident about my modding skills, There seems to be a fine balance between making a frame powerful while not making a frame sluggish, and too often I can make a frame powerful but too sluggish use in games. The PSVS definitely takes weight really well, I do not notice any drawback from adding 4 grams at 12, just easier access to power. It does seem like Babolat is offering a prostock frame to the general public.

 

[Kozzy]

I’m one of those who never feel confident about my modding skills, There seems to be a fine balance between making a frame powerful while not making a frame sluggish, and too often I can make a frame powerful but too sluggish use in games. The PSVS definitely takes weight really well, I do not notice any drawback from adding 4 grams at 12, just easier access to power. It does seem like Babolat is offering a prostock frame to the general public.

Yeah, I totally get that. Glad you had success adding 4g at 12.

 

[AMGF]

This is 100% right in my experience. ~4g at 12 is perfection. Mine are 335SW now and that seems just about perfect.

I agree. I’m trying to decide between 4g or 6g but either feels great.

 

[AMGF]

To everyone that complains about power, try 4g to 6g at the top then take a radar and check your speed. I think the muted feel hides the real power of this frame. Actual ball speed is higher than it feels.

I get more power on serve with this racquet than my Ezone98+, Ezone100+ and PureAero+.

 

[mad dog1]

I’m one of those who never feel confident about my modding skills, There seems to be a fine balance between making a frame powerful while not making a frame sluggish, and too often I can make a frame powerful but too sluggish use in games. The PSVS definitely takes weight really well, I do not notice any drawback from adding 4 grams at 12, just easier access to power. It does seem like Babolat is offering a prostock frame to the general public.

Get a briffidi. It’s been worth every dollar for me.

 

[mad dog1]

Will be posting another brief review with PSVS modded with 4 grams @ 12. I think there should be a tour version that comes with more static weight & SW. This frame is for those who like to personalize/customize their frames.

Seems all the current VS offerings generally come in under spec with lower than targeted SWs. This is the case with both my PA VS and PD VS which I had to apply 24” of lead to each in order to get the strung SWs up to ~320.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

I’m one of those who never feel confident about my modding skills, There seems to be a fine balance between making a frame powerful while not making a frame sluggish, and too often I can make a frame powerful but too sluggish use in games. The PSVS definitely takes weight really well, I do not notice any drawback from adding 4 grams at 12, just easier access to power. It does seem like Babolat is offering a prostock frame to the general public.

Yeah there is always a balance, but luckily you can add or remove lead tape pretty easily. I always start small and build up...a little goes a long way usually. Some people even use blue tape to place some weight while they are seeing where and how much. Still the real test is on the courts and how you feel. I created a weighted buttcap for Babolat (others too) trap door that makes weighting the handle easier for me. I've seen other creative way too. I do think this Babolat Pure Strike VS is a great platform to mod slightly, but I always adjust my racquets somewhat !

 

[megamind]

Yeah there is always a balance, but luckily you can add or remove lead tape pretty easily. I always start small and build up...a little goes a long way usually. Some people even use blue tape to place some weight while they are seeing where and how much. Still the real test is on the courts and how you feel. I created a weighted buttcap for Babolat (others too) trap door that makes weighting the handle easier for me. I've seen other creative way too. I do think this Babolat Pure Strike VS is a great platform to mod slightly, but I always adjust my racquets somewhat !

Noob question, how do you create a weighted buttcap

 

[Kozzy]

Noob question, how do you create a weighted buttcap

I don't weight the buttcap, but I've had good success just popping it off and then putting the desired amount of DAP Blue Stik in there.

 

[mhkeuns]

Pure Strike VS Playtest Part 2 (*after adding 4 grams at 12)

Playtest duration - 8 hours mix of rallying, singles and mostly doubles

-Groundstrokes: The ground strokes from both side became more penetrating. It took less effort to hit with force and became less hesitant to pull the trigger. I was able to attack from all areas of the court, instead of trying to get to the net to finish the points. Before adding weight, constructing points was fun but challenging against advanced heavy hitters.

The most noticeable difference, other than having more power, was the slice. It was nice and effective, but with added weight the slices were skidding and much more effective, The topspin strokes, as well as the flat shots, were also more penetrating, but I wasn’t noticing any more gains in spin.

Adding weight makes this frame really shine. The racket demands good foot work and early preparation like any other player’s rackers, but it becomes a lot more user-friendly.

-Serves: It was easy to generate the RHS, even with the added weight, and I was able to hit some hard flat serves with confidence. It definitely didn’t take as much effort to hit hard serves. Maneuverability wasn’t effected at all. It seemed like my kick serves became faster and more bouncy. There was zero drawback from adding weight,

-Volleys: Punch volleys became more potent while still maintaining predictable responses on the touch volleys. Again, adding weight had zero drawback on volleys.

-Serve returns: Just like the ground strokes, I was having more confidence to rip the returns. Serve return is one of my strong points, and I try to put a lot of pressure on the servers by attacking as much as I can. Knowing that I have the maneuverability along with plow through to crush the incoming balls, I was more than happy to go after the serves.

Comments on racquet performance in each area

Power/Control- Definitely noticed the increase in power immediately. It took much less effort to counter heavy incoming shots, as well as initiating attacks, even from the baseline. The control, however, didn’t suffer at all. If any, the control became better with more aggressive strokes.

Top Spin/Slice- The spin potential was already great before adding weight, but the slices became a lot heavier. Sometimes I’d use the slices to attack and move the opponents because they were skidding and staying really low. Definitely additional plow through made hitting slice/topspin strokes more effortless and effective

Comfort & Feel - Did not mess with the comfort or feel at all

Maneuverability- I’m usually hesitant about adding weight because it just makes me go through endless rounds of tweaking that I eventually end up taking everytning off and start back from the beginning. The usual issue is losing maneuverability while adding power and stability. With this stick, I guess because it was so maneuverable to begin with, I didn’t feel any reduction in maneuverability, It felt just as whippy.

Stability- This racket is rock solid with or without the weight.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:

This is truly the racket Babolat needed in the line up because even with all the dampening technologies in their frames, the stereotypical view of the Babolat frames are arm killers for many players. This is a soft feeling player’s racket that is highly customizable and can compete with rackets like the Prestige, Radical, Blade and other 97-98” player rackets. The PSVS should be great for the Pro,Staff 97, Ultra Tour/Pro and Microgel Radical MP users who want a more forgiving and easier to mod frame that only needs a little weight to really shine. No need to worry about counter-balancing.

 

[tomato123]

Seems all the current VS offerings generally come in under spec with lower than targeted SWs. This is the case with both my PA VS and PD VS which I had to apply 24” of lead to each in order to get the strung SWs up to ~320.

I requested a pair of the new Wimbledon Pure Drive Team racquets with the advertised TW specs and the racquet technician said literally the entire batch was severly underspec by 10+ SW points. Poor guy said he went through 70+ racquets to try and meet my request and couldn't find anything.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Pure Strike VS Playtest Part 2 (*after adding 4 grams at 12)

Playtest duration - 8 hours mix of rallying, singles and mostly doubles

-Groundstrokes: The ground strokes from both side became more penetrating. It took less effort to hit with force and became less hesitant to pull the trigger. I was able to attack from all areas of the court, instead of trying to get to the net to finish the points. Before adding weight, constructing points was fun but challenging against advanced heavy hitters.

The most noticeable difference, other than having more power, was the slice. It was nice and effective, but with added weight the slices were skidding and much more effective, The topspin strokes, as well as the flat shots, were also more penetrating, but I wasn’t noticing any more gains in spin.

Adding weight makes this frame really shine. The racket demands good foot work and early preparation like any other player’s rackers, but it becomes a lot more user-friendly.

-Serves: It was easy to generate the RHS, even with the added weight, and I was able to hit some hard flat serves with confidence. It definitely didn’t take as much effort to hit hard serves. Maneuverability wasn’t effected at all. It seemed like my kick serves became faster and more bouncy. There was zero drawback from adding weight,

-Volleys: Punch volleys became more potent while still maintaining predictable responses on the touch volleys. Again, adding weight had zero drawback on volleys.

-Serve returns: Just like the ground strokes, I was having more confidence to rip the returns. Serve return is one of my strong points, and I try to put a lot of pressure on the servers by attacking as much as I can. Knowing that I have the maneuverability along with plow through to crush the incoming balls, I was more than happy to go after the serves.

Comments on racquet performance in each area

Power/Control- Definitely noticed the increase in power immediately. It took much less effort to counter heavy incoming shots, as well as initiating attacks, even from the baseline. The control, however, didn’t suffer at all. If any, the control became better with more aggressive strokes.

Top Spin/Slice- The spin potential was already great before adding weight, but the slices became a lot heavier. Sometimes I’d use the slices to attack and move the opponents because they were skidding and staying really low. Definitely additional plow through made hitting slice/topspin strokes more effortless and effective

Comfort & Feel - Did not mess with the comfort or feel at all

Maneuverability- I’m usually hesitant about adding weight because it just makes me go through endless rounds of tweaking that I eventually end up taking everytning off and start back from the beginning. The usual issue is losing maneuverability while adding power and stability. With this stick, I guess because it was so maneuverable to begin with, I didn’t feel any reduction in maneuverability, It felt just as whippy.

Stability- This racket is rock solid with or without the weight.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:

This is truly the racket Babolat needed in the line up because even with all the dampening technologies in their frames, the stereotypical view of the Babolat frames are arm killers for many players. This is a soft feeling player’s racket that is highly customizable and can compete with rackets like the Prestige, Radical, Blade and other 97-98” player rackets. The PSVS should be great for the Pro,Staff 97, Ultra Tour/Pro and Microgel Radical MP users who want a more forgiving and easier to mod frame that only needs a little weight to really shine. No need to worry about counter-balancing.

Yes this racquet shines when you make it your own and add a little weight in the hoop. Great write up! I am still playing with my set up on this one.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Noob question, how do you create a weighted buttcap

I will post a pic of mine, however I am having trouble accessing this TT site for the last few days. When I get it sorted out I'll post it. Basically I took a nut or washer and glued it to the inside of the trap door, then filled it in with silicone. Very simple and effective. Since the Babolat Trap doors are mostly the same I can switch the one from my PS 98 16x19 to the PS SV to see if I like it. Makes all the difference on my PS98.

 

[mad dog1]

I requested a pair of the new Wimbledon Pure Drive Team racquets with the advertised TW specs and the racquet technician said literally the entire batch was severly underspec by 10+ SW points. Poor guy said he went through 70+ racquets to try and meet my request and couldn't find anything.

Lower is better than higher though.

 

[Kozzy]

Pure Strike VS Playtest Part 2 (*after adding 4 grams at 12)

Playtest duration - 8 hours mix of rallying, singles and mostly doubles

-Groundstrokes: The ground strokes from both side became more penetrating. It took less effort to hit with force and became less hesitant to pull the trigger. I was able to attack from all areas of the court, instead of trying to get to the net to finish the points. Before adding weight, constructing points was fun but challenging against advanced heavy hitters.

The most noticeable difference, other than having more power, was the slice. It was nice and effective, but with added weight the slices were skidding and much more effective, The topspin strokes, as well as the flat shots, were also more penetrating, but I wasn’t noticing any more gains in spin.

Adding weight makes this frame really shine. The racket demands good foot work and early preparation like any other player’s rackers, but it becomes a lot more user-friendly.

-Serves: It was easy to generate the RHS, even with the added weight, and I was able to hit some hard flat serves with confidence. It definitely didn’t take as much effort to hit hard serves. Maneuverability wasn’t effected at all. It seemed like my kick serves became faster and more bouncy. There was zero drawback from adding weight,

-Volleys: Punch volleys became more potent while still maintaining predictable responses on the touch volleys. Again, adding weight had zero drawback on volleys.

-Serve returns: Just like the ground strokes, I was having more confidence to rip the returns. Serve return is one of my strong points, and I try to put a lot of pressure on the servers by attacking as much as I can. Knowing that I have the maneuverability along with plow through to crush the incoming balls, I was more than happy to go after the serves.

Comments on racquet performance in each area

Power/Control- Definitely noticed the increase in power immediately. It took much less effort to counter heavy incoming shots, as well as initiating attacks, even from the baseline. The control, however, didn’t suffer at all. If any, the control became better with more aggressive strokes.

Top Spin/Slice- The spin potential was already great before adding weight, but the slices became a lot heavier. Sometimes I’d use the slices to attack and move the opponents because they were skidding and staying really low. Definitely additional plow through made hitting slice/topspin strokes more effortless and effective

Comfort & Feel - Did not mess with the comfort or feel at all

Maneuverability- I’m usually hesitant about adding weight because it just makes me go through endless rounds of tweaking that I eventually end up taking everytning off and start back from the beginning. The usual issue is losing maneuverability while adding power and stability. With this stick, I guess because it was so maneuverable to begin with, I didn’t feel any reduction in maneuverability, It felt just as whippy.

Stability- This racket is rock solid with or without the weight.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:

This is truly the racket Babolat needed in the line up because even with all the dampening technologies in their frames, the stereotypical view of the Babolat frames are arm killers for many players. This is a soft feeling player’s racket that is highly customizable and can compete with rackets like the Prestige, Radical, Blade and other 97-98” player rackets. The PSVS should be great for the Pro,Staff 97, Ultra Tour/Pro and Microgel Radical MP users who want a more forgiving and easier to mod frame that only needs a little weight to really shine. No need to worry about counter-balancing.

Awesome review! I concur with basically everything you say here. I do think it's a step forward as a player-style frame, in terms of still feeling really great, and having excellent control and maneuverability, but also just a bit more easy access to power than your classic player frame. And it's really pretty impressive that @AMGF has measured it delivering more MPH on serve than his EZONEs or Pure Aero+'s. What a fantastic racquet.

 

[AMGF]

Awesome review! I concur with basically everything you say here. I do think it's a step forward as a player-style frame, in terms of still feeling really great, and having excellent control and maneuverability, but also just a bit more easy access to power than your classic player frame. And it's really pretty impressive that @AMGF has measured it delivering more MPH on serve than his EZONEs or Pure Aero+'s. What a fantastic racquet.

Totally agree with the review as well.
I keep reading about the lack of power and will test normal rallye ball with the radar next time I play. Maybe when I test slap fh and serve, the fact the racquet is really quick compensate somehow (and more) as my mph are higher than my powerful tweeners.

If my mph are equal with rally balls then the low power is all in player’s head due to how the frame feels. We’ve seen this quite often when TW tested frames with the Playsight. Some of them would say the racquet was lower powered or had less spin yet data would show otherwise. I trust radar/playsight much more than impressions when it comes to ball speed.

Based on impression the PureAero+ is the most powerful frame I own. But not on the radar. Weird but true.

 

[megamind]

Totally agree with the review as well.
I keep reading about the lack of power and will test normal rallye ball with the radar next time I play. Maybe when I test slap fh and serve, the fact the racquet is really quick compensate somehow (and more) as my mph are higher than my powerful tweeners.

If my mph are equal with rally balls then the low power is all in player’s head due to how the frame feels. We’ve seen this quite often when TW tested frames with the Playsight. Some of them would say the racquet was lower powered or had less spin yet data would show otherwise. I trust radar/playsight much more than impressions when it comes to ball speed.

Based on impression the PureAero+ is the most powerful frame I own. But not on the radar. Weird but true.

Very curious to know the rally ball speed comparison
Side note: somebody needs to invent a radar gun for RPMs

 

[Kozzy]

Totally agree with the review as well.
I keep reading about the lack of power and will test normal rallye ball with the radar next time I play. Maybe when I test slap fh and serve, the fact the racquet is really quick compensate somehow (and more) as my mph are higher than my powerful tweeners.

If my mph are equal with rally balls then the low power is all in player’s head due to how the frame feels. We’ve seen this quite often when TW tested frames with the Playsight. Some of them would say the racquet was lower powered or had less spin yet data would show otherwise. I trust radar/playsight much more than impressions when it comes to ball speed.

Based on impression the PureAero+ is the most powerful frame I own. But not on the radar. Weird but true.

That sounds great. I remember noticing that on the Playsight data as well - they'd say the playtest frame had less pop or spin, but then the numbers would be higher. I wonder if that's why they stopped using it? I wish they would go back to it, because that was cool. I also wish they'd do a series using Playsight to show some real world info on how things compare for a given player. Mostly, I wish I had Playsight

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Totally agree with the review as well.
I keep reading about the lack of power and will test normal rallye ball with the radar next time I play. Maybe when I test slap fh and serve, the fact the racquet is really quick compensate somehow (and more) as my mph are higher than my powerful tweeners.

If my mph are equal with rally balls then the low power is all in player’s head due to how the frame feels. We’ve seen this quite often when TW tested frames with the Playsight. Some of them would say the racquet was lower powered or had less spin yet data would show otherwise. I trust radar/playsight much more than impressions when it comes to ball speed.

Based on impression the PureAero+ is the most powerful frame I own. But not on the radar. Weird but true.

Yeah impression are one thing but numbers are another. I think this tends to happen with softer frames, since it masks some of the power. A bit more muted than a stiff frame. Even I was surprised when my hitting partner how much more powerful my shots were with the PS VS.

 

[Chairman3]

The Chairman3's review of the Babolat Pure Strike VS

Part ONE


String and tension: Big Banger Original @48lbs; Head Lynx Spin2 @48lbs

Tennis background: Playing for about 4 years, no prior experience, average NTRP 4.0; looking for the right racquet to help me move to the next level ; my strokes are more "traditional" my balls are slightly flatter closer to a Federer than a Nadal, just as a point of reference. But I really use almost every type of shot when I play.

Play style: Attacking/all-court player, like to approach and finish points at the net in singles and also play a lot of doubles. As stated above, I want a racquet that can do everything, I like to be able to use every shot when I play.

Current racquet: Ultra Pro 16M weighted to about 320g and 31cm balance (unstrung) used with poly at 48-50lbs; lately using Big Banger Original but it varies.

Time used: As soon as I received my racquet I began using it as my main racquet for all tennis I played with no switching. This amounted to about 18-20 hours over a two week period playing singles and doubles.

Groundstrokes: Forehands are nice, this racquet is very whippy in stock form. I never really understood what exactly reviewers meant by that until I played this racquet and felt it. Forehands were easy to whip through. The racquet is lower-powered so you don't get quite the "heavy-ball" as some frames, but it has decent power in stock form. The trajectory is flatter, more like an 18x20 than a 16x19, at times I actually wanted a little more spin, and it required a more deliberate stroke. For my two-handed backhand, I felt I needed good footwork and timing to really get a deep penetrating ball. The whippiness made it easy to loop in (topspin) backhands but one of my favorite shots is down the line and it often felt as though I was pushing the ball more than really swinging through it. Part of this is the weight, my frame came in underspec by 6 grams and this likely caused a lower swingweight. I did find myself over-swinging a bit as the racquet swings so easy/fast and I was trying to get more power, this usually did not work and this is where a little bit of weight would have helped the racquet do more of the work for me.

Serves: I primarily rely on my kick serve for both first and second serves. This racquet did not fail me, that whippiness mentioned above came in handy big time on serves. I was easily able to get racquet head speed up and generate above average kick with pinpoint accuracy. Flat serves were average and again a bit of weight would likely lend some more power but not take away the beloved whippiness. Serving with the racquet was easy but as with groundstrokes I did find myself swinging too hard at times trying to get that tiny bit of extra power, sadly it just wasn't there. When serving with this frame, it is a case of placement over power.

Volleys: This racquet is very maneuverable. One of the main attributes, and one of my favorite, is the maneuverability. Volleys were great. This and returns are two areas where I actually did necessarily need more weight, returns we will get to in a minute. But with volleys, the racquet never became overwhelmed with a powerful groundstroke, it held its own and sent the ball back. The maneuverability allowed you to really finesse those touch/drop volleys and get the racquet in position quickly. The maneuverability allowed you to be a tad lazy, the racquet was easy to get in place even if your body was not. However, outside the sweetspot there is no help or power from the racquet. I think this racquet is stable and easy to volley with, if you were really trying to punch a volley you might want a little more power/weight. No complaints though, the racquet excelled here.

Serve returns: As with volleys, this racquet really does not lack stability in stock form. This will tie into some of my later comments regarding the feel/flexibility. I had no trouble returning hard, fast, flat, kick, really any serve. It was not as easy to "push back" someone's pace, but there was no real racquet twisting or instability. A broader observation permeating most areas of the review is that this is a light player's racquet; it is not giving you anything for free, even more so because the weight. Nonetheless I enjoyed returning serve, the maneuverability and stability made it very easy and I really was not desperate for more mass in this area, as with volleys.

 

[Chairman3]

Part TWO

Power/control: Maybe unfortunately, this racquet falls right in the middle. I felt myself wanting slightly more directional control and more "easy" power. I define easy power as a racquet that has enough mass or swingweight that it feels effortless to hit a heavy ball, but we'll get back to that. For me and my style, the 16x20 neither had enough pinpoint control like an 18x20 nor enough spin/power like a 16x19. This is not necessarily a knock on the frame, most of these could be resolved with different string set ups and or a bit of customizing, it is just an observation since this is a review. In the power department, it could definitely use a bit of mass to up the swingweight and that "easy" power I mentioned. I have yet to fully tinker but likely will soon. Stock it does strike a good balance of power and control but really doesn't excel in either. To me the control is no better than my Ultra Pro 16x19, which is also a 97sq-in head.

Topspin/slice: This racquet plays more like an 18x20 to me as far as trajectory or launch angle. It is not a Pure Aero and for me did not generate a ton of topspin, except on serve. I felt like it had good spin when hitting a kick or slice serve. With a little different string or tension you could definitely improve on the topspin. I found it to be plenty to keep my shots dipping in, so I really don't have a complaint here. I struggled on defensive slices. This has more to do with the weight as I like a bit of mass to help me when I am on the run and hitting a slice. For a normal slice shot, I did find it to be a bit launchy, more like hitting a slice with a 16x19. I did not get those low, biting slices like with an 18x20. Drop shots were ok, but again could be a tad launchy for me.

Comfort: I did not find this racquet to be uncomfortable. I do not think this is a comfortable/plush racquet, even despite the lower RA, but better than a normal Strike for sure. If you played poly at a tension higher than 50lbs, I could see some arm issues arising, particularly at the stock weight. I think this racquet needs some mass to help with comfort by reducing shock. Comfort could obviously be improved with various string setups as well. As with most racquets, the racquet is not forgiving outside the sweetspot. Comfort is very subjective, I would say try it and if you start feeling anything, STOP.

Feel: This is tough, I do not find this to be a traditionally flexy comfortable feeling racquet. Despite the RA, I think it feels more like other Babolats, that is to say a stiffer/firmer response, not harsh just not plush or flexy like I was expecting. This was not my initial impression but came after several weeks of playing it. The more I played with it the more I realized it was not as much of a plush/flexy response like my Ultra. To me this is another case of an RA not being representative of how it feels. As far as feel from a playing perspective, this racquet gave ample feedback, like other player's frames. I could tell if I hit the sweetspot or not and it was good for touch shots. I think this is more of a modern take on a traditional player's frame. Like when carmakers take a retro design and modernize it. To me the racquet has that more modern (stiffer) feel than something like my Ultra or a Prestige. If I had to compare it, I would compare it to the latest Radical Pro, firmer for free power but not harsh or stiff like a Pure Drive.

Maneuverability: I spoke to this in other areas, this was my favorite attribute of the racquet. This racquet moved and swung so easily. Easy to get in position, easy to take back, easy to swing, just all around maneuverable. I do think the racquet needs a tad more weight, but it is so maneuverable stock that I think 5-15 grams could easily be added without turning it into a log.

Stability: Again, another area I tried to touch on in other areas. This racquet, for its weight, is pretty solid and stable in stock form. I played a variety of players some killed the ball, some hit slower, but really did not get a lot of instability anywhere. I mentioned this in serve returns, and it relates to my comments on feel, I think the racquet is firmer than the RA would have you believe. This is my basis for its natural stability. Flexy racquets usually aren't that stable, but this one is pretty stable despite its lighter weight. I do not think the racquet really needs more weight for stability purposes.

Final thoughts:
I really thought this was going to be the Babolat that made me a convert, sadly I think it retains too much of that Babolat DNA. It just does not have the feel/response that I have come to prefer. I think this is a great modern player's frame with some traditional elements. I also think this racquet could be played in stock form for a more advanced player than I. I find I need a tad more weight to help me out, but that is my main reason for wanting to add weight. I agree with others' sentiments that this is more of a platform frame intended to be customized. I currently have 6 grams of weight at 3 and 9; 3 grams on each side. I will play it like that for a bit and see how it goes. I may then try some at 12 and see what that does. I also want to reiterate that for a lower RA, it does not feel comparable to a racquet like my Ultra or other low RA racquets I have played. It has a decidedly firmer feel, but not harsh. I really enjoyed the playtest and was hoping this would be my new racquet, at least in stock form it is not. The paintjob is great as everyone else has mentioned, and I have not had any issues with chips or scrapes. The bumperguard is a neat idea, but we will see how it does in the long-run.

This is a great racquet that even suits my style, it is just not quite the racquet for me in terms of feel. I could see a Pro Staff user liking this racquet.

Thank you Babolat and @TW Staff for the opportunity, it was a great playtest. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Part TWO

Power/control: Maybe unfortunately, this racquet falls right in the middle. I felt myself wanting slightly more directional control and more "easy" power. I define easy power as a racquet that has enough mass or swingweight that it feels effortless to hit a heavy ball, but we'll get back to that. For me and my style, the 16x20 neither had enough pinpoint control like an 18x20 nor enough spin/power like a 16x19. This is not necessarily a knock on the frame, most of these could be resolved with different string set ups and or a bit of customizing, it is just an observation since this is a review. In the power department, it could definitely use a bit of mass to up the swingweight and that "easy" power I mentioned. I have yet to fully tinker but likely will soon. Stock it does strike a good balance of power and control but really doesn't excel in either. To me the control is no better than my Ultra Pro 16x19, which is also a 97sq-in head.

Topspin/slice: This racquet plays more like an 18x20 to me as far as trajectory or launch angle. It is not a Pure Aero and for me did not generate a ton of topspin, except on serve. I felt like it had good spin when hitting a kick or slice serve. With a little different string or tension you could definitely improve on the topspin. I found it to be plenty to keep my shots dipping in, so I really don't have a complaint here. I struggled on defensive slices. This has more to do with the weight as I like a bit of mass to help me when I am on the run and hitting a slice. For a normal slice shot, I did find it to be a bit launchy, more like hitting a slice with a 16x19. I did not get those low, biting slices like with an 18x20. Drop shots were ok, but again could be a tad launchy for me.

Comfort: I did not find this racquet to be uncomfortable. I do not think this is a comfortable/plush racquet, even despite the lower RA, but better than a normal Strike for sure. If you played poly at a tension higher than 50lbs, I could see some arm issues arising, particularly at the stock weight. I think this racquet needs some mass to help with comfort by reducing shock. Comfort could obviously be improved with various string setups as well. As with most racquets, the racquet is not forgiving outside the sweetspot. Comfort is very subjective, I would say try it and if you start feeling anything, STOP.

Feel: This is tough, I do not find this to be a traditionally flexy comfortable feeling racquet. Despite the RA, I think it feels more like other Babolats, that is to say a stiffer/firmer response, not harsh just not plush or flexy like I was expecting. This was not my initial impression but came after several weeks of playing it. The more I played with it the more I realized it was not as much of a plush/flexy response like my Ultra. To me this is another case of an RA not being representative of how it feels. As far as feel from a playing perspective, this racquet gave ample feedback, like other player's frames. I could tell if I hit the sweetspot or not and it was good for touch shots. I think this is more of a modern take on a traditional player's frame. Like when carmakers take a retro design and modernize it. To me the racquet has that more modern (stiffer) feel than something like my Ultra or a Prestige. If I had to compare it, I would compare it to the latest Radical Pro, firmer for free power but not harsh or stiff like a Pure Drive.

Maneuverability: I spoke to this in other areas, this was my favorite attribute of the racquet. This racquet moved and swung so easily. Easy to get in position, easy to take back, easy to swing, just all around maneuverable. I do think the racquet needs a tad more weight, but it is so maneuverable stock that I think 5-15 grams could easily be added without turning it into a log.

Stability: Again, another area I tried to touch on in other areas. This racquet, for its weight, is pretty solid and stable in stock form. I played a variety of players some killed the ball, some hit slower, but really did not get a lot of instability anywhere. I mentioned this in serve returns, and it relates to my comments on feel, I think the racquet is firmer than the RA would have you believe. This is my basis for its natural stability. Flexy racquets usually aren't that stable, but this one is pretty stable despite its lighter weight. I do not think the racquet really needs more weight for stability purposes.

Final thoughts:
I really thought this was going to be the Babolat that made me a convert, sadly I think it retains too much of that Babolat DNA. It just does not have the feel/response that I have come to prefer. I think this is a great modern player's frame with some traditional elements. I also think this racquet could be played in stock form for a more advanced player than I. I find I need a tad more weight to help me out, but that is my main reason for wanting to add weight. I agree with others' sentiments that this is more of a platform frame intended to be customized. I currently have 6 grams of weight at 3 and 9; 3 grams on each side. I will play it like that for a bit and see how it goes. I may then try some at 12 and see what that does. I also want to reiterate that for a lower RA, it does not feel comparable to a racquet like my Ultra or other low RA racquets I have played. It has a decidedly firmer feel, but not harsh. I really enjoyed the playtest and was hoping this would be my new racquet, at least in stock form it is not. The paintjob is great as everyone else has mentioned, and I have not had any issues with chips or scrapes. The bumperguard is a neat idea, but we will see how it does in the long-run.

This is a great racquet that even suits my style, it is just not quite the racquet for me in terms of feel. I could see a Pro Staff user liking this racquet.

Thank you Babolat and @TW Staff for the opportunity, it was a great playtest. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Great write up! There is a lot to like about the PS VS. Glad you mentioned the unique bumper guard. Except for stringing I barely noticed it. I do like the wrap around coverage, most of us could use the extra protection. FWIW check out Cam Norrie, I think he plays this racquet or a Pure Control and doing quite well with it!

 

[pfchang]

String and tension used for test:

Toroline Ether 1.25 @ 46/45

Tennis experience/background:

Been playing 20 years, played club in college, but for the most part regular casual play pretty consistently. 4.5 strokes on a good day. Usually do doubles if competition is involved.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):

I generally try to play the quintessential American tennis game, big serve and big forehand, so I’m more of a baseliner than an all-court player. Decent power off both wings, with a OHBH, net game is definitely a weakness.

Current racquet/string setups:

Over the course of the past year or so, I’ve split my time with DR98 and Blade Pro, which are pretty different. In the process of switching over to the Blade Pro, which is what I play with more these days. Tension usually around 46-48, I don’t have a regular setup since I just have a batch of random strings waiting to be used up.

How many hours did you play with the racquet?

Probably about a solid 10+ hours.

-Groundstrokes:

Two things that are immediately apparent upon first hit is stability and precision. I mentioned previously how surprising the stability was, especially in stock form, and I think that is a major factor that contributes to the point and shoot nature of the stick. I felt like I had a lot of confidence in picking spots to hit to as opposed to general “zones” when hitting with other babolats. That being said, with this being such a control frame, there is an expected loss of pop. It definitely is quite the drop off coming from a Blade Pro, and I did feel like I had to invest more effort into getting the same level of depth that I normally do. Regardless, the stick comes around quick, and is fairly maneuverable, so generating RHS is not cumbersome. I definitely felt pretty dialed in with my FH after a little adjustment period, but my OHBH needed some more adjustment due to the balance difference with my BP. Once again, once I got decently adjusted, the stability on that side was a pleasant surprise.

-Serves:

Being a 305 gram frame, I have yet to really find one of that weight class that ends up feeling anemic on serves. Stability and maneuverability definitely help with getting RHS thru the ball, so I found no issues with flat serves, though getting pace with the BP seems more effortless. However, I especially liked how I was able to aim for spots more so than the BP. As for kick and slice serves, I didn’t find any deficiencies in that regard, and perhaps even a bit more kick with the maneuverability benefit.

-Volleys:

I didn’t get too many reps with volleys unfortunately, but aside from the torsional stability, there is a decent amount of touch with the frame. I found no issue with deep, penetrating volleys, and drop volleys actually felt surprisingly good for a babolat stick. Once again, maneuverability is a big plus here.

-Serve returns:

ROS was somewhat bittersweet for me, as I felt I was generally able to pick out my “direction” and didn’t feel too much racket twisting when redirecting pace. The one big thing that I felt was lacking that is somewhat obvious is just lack of forgiveness. Was a bit harder to get returns back deeper compared to the BP, and this feeling perpetuates somewhat on defense for “stick save” shots. But when I had looks to rip on weaker serves, the racket definitely shined in being precise with kill shots.

Power/Control-

As mentioned earlier, the general theme for the stick is control, with stability. There’s not much free power or “pop” to go around, but still sufficient plow to hit heavy shots deep. I didn’t get the chance to mod the stick yet, but a pinch of lead ought to do wonders for more plow without blowing up the SW or sacrificing maneuverability. At least from recent memory of babolat sticks I’ve used, this is probably the premier offering for control out of babolats current options.

Top Spin/Slice-

I generally try to stick with 16x19 patterns, but while the stringbed was a bit denser, neither me nor my hitting partner noticed a big drop off with spin. Slices still felt like they cut thru the ball with ease while keeping them low. I do feel like I was hitting a bit flatter with this stick but that could be a byproduct of the adjustment coming from the BP. Regardless, I feel like spin was ample and sufficient.

Comfort/Feel-

To lump these two together, I was extremely impressed with the touch and flex of this frame. If I were blindfolded, I wouldn’t have guessed that this was a babolat. I generally have not had too much issue with the arm and have been transitioning to lower flex frames recently for some added control, so this was well aligned with that. I had no issues with comfort, and felt like there was quite the nice flex/pocketing on ground strokes and touch shots. Once again, probably the premier option in terms of feel from babolat’s current lineup.

Maneuverability-

As others have mentioned, the maneuverability of the racket was more than adequate, but perhaps some of that comes at the cost of a lower SW and plow through capability. It will be interesting to see how much this may change when lead is added, but in the stock form this was still an overall net positive, as it helped with getting more RHS on serves and ground strokes, while maintaining maneuverability for net exchanges.

Stability-

Aside from the feel of the stick, the other big surprise from the frame was stability. Even from the first hit, the stick just felt rock solid. If not for the need for some more plow, I would say the stick would be fine in stock form. At least in recent memory, this was one of the top performers in terms of stability for me.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:

Overall, I was quite impressed with the frame and what babolat has managed to accomplish given their penchant for making stiffer power frames. At the same time, I knew from first couple hits that the stick wasn’t for me, which I think is ultimately a function of less forgiveness and free power. At least for me, if babolat were able to somehow magically mix in elements of the normal PS power and forgiveness, we’d probably have a DR98 2.0 on our hands here. I could see this stick being perfect for advanced players who play with the control echelon of rackets, such as Vcore Pro or Prestige.

Big thanks to TWH and Babolat for letting me be a part of the play test, was an awesome experience.

 

[mad dog1]

Great write up! There is a lot to like about the PS VS. Glad you mentioned the unique bumper guard. Except for stringing I barely noticed it. I do like the wrap around coverage, most of us could use the extra protection. FWIW check out Cam Norrie, I think he plays this racquet or a Pure Control and doing quite well with it!

Think Norrie uses the Strike 16/19.

 

[Chairman3]

Great write up! There is a lot to like about the PS VS. Glad you mentioned the unique bumper guard. Except for stringing I barely noticed it. I do like the wrap around coverage, most of us could use the extra protection. FWIW check out Cam Norrie, I think he plays this racquet or a Pure Control and doing quite well with it!

Thank you.
The one negative about the bumper guard is if you play on clay. It digs in if going for a low volley or pick-up and clay can get stuck in the bumper guard, temporarily.
Slightly annoying, but usually falls out while playing.
Otherwise this is a great racquet, I'd say a more accessible player's frame, BUT, with plenty of room for customization.

 

[boulderchips]

Think Norrie uses the Strike 16/19.

I don't know what stick he uses, but it's a 16x20.

 

[mad dog1]

I don't know what stick he uses, but it's a 16x20.

thanks, bud! Then he’s probably using the old pure storm tour or pure control tour.

 

[Kozzy]

thanks, bud! Then he’s probably using the old pure storm tour or pure control tour.

According to the Tennis Nerd, it's the Pure Control Tour

 

[Trip]

2022 Babolat Pure Strike VS Playtest (Part 1 of 2)

First off, I would like to say a huge "Thank you!" to @TW Staff and Babolat for making this play test possible! I feel quite honored to be able to partake in the playtest and it's been a pleasure getting to review this racquet!

I received the 2022 Pure Strike VS (Size L2) on 5/12/22. As you can see below, my sample came in pretty well under-spec, with the following measurements:
- Static Weight: 304.00g (6.00g under the advertised 310g)
- Unstrung Balance: 30.6cm (11.5 points head-light)
- Unstrung Swing Weight: 285 (via calibrated Briffidi SW1)
- Strung Swing Weight: 314 (first string job)

MODIFICATION DISCLOSURE: This review was performed with the following racquet modifications:
- Grip: Babolat leather grip was removed and two Wilson Feather Thin grips were installed, plus two Gamma Supreme overgrips, to built up the grip to my normal L4/L5, with as little weight as possible.
- Weight: I added 2 grams to 12 and 1.5 grams to 6 (3.5g total on the hoop), to bring strung swing weight from 314 (which was very difficult to play with) to an acceptable 321.

String and tension used for test: 2 String Jobs:

• #1 - Babolat Xcel 17 (1.25) mains / Head Velocity 17 (1.25) crosses, @ 60/60 pounds
• #2 - Mayami Big Spin 17 (1.25) mains / Tier One Ghostwire 17 (1.22) crosses, @ 54/50 pounds

Tennis experience/background: I'm 39 years old, fit and athletic with a sports background. I've played tennis at the recreational competitive level for 30+ years, stepping up my frequency of play since last year to multiple times per week. I'd self rate at a 3.5, maybe 4.0 on a good day.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I play an all-court game, with a flat serve, semi-western forehand and full eastern one-handed backhand. I like to play predominantly first-strike, with a bit of point construction and net play thrown in; not much baseline grinding.

Current racquet/string setups: Strings: usually poly/poly (low 50's string bed tension) or synthetic/poly (55-60 string bed tension). Racquets: 20-22mm player-ish frames with slightly more dense patterns, and stock unstrung weights 300-320g; all setup 7.5 to 12 points head-light strung (the heavier, the more head-light), with ready-to-play strung weights anywhere from 335 to 342g, swing weights from just under 320 to upper 320's. Current setups include:

• Yonex VCore 95 (SV, '18 and '21)
• Yonex VCore Pro 97's (97HD, 2021 97 310 and 97D)
• Prince TT100P 2019
• Prince Phantoms (almost all of them, both X and P series)
• Head G360+ Prestige Tour & MP

How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~15 hours, with time split equally between a multi/multi string bed and a poly/poly string bed.

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:

Groundstrokes: 8/10 - Groundstrokes from both wings were what I would call calibrated -- a "what you put in is what you get out" type of experience, with the average output leaning more towards "aggressive neutral ball" than anything else; the kind you tend to get when hitting with no limit on the low-end, but somewhat of an upper-end ceiling. That said, the frame handled almost every type of incoming groundie very well, and produced an outgoing shot with a structure slightly reminiscent of the hollow/crisp Babolat feel, but with a level of "give" that just isn't present in any Drive or Aero, much less a Strike. Strokes had a nice smoothness to them, plus the precision that you'd expect from a 97, albeit via a slightly smaller-than-average sweet spot, which was noticeable. Compared to other racquets, I would call the PSVS a slightly softer version of the ProStaff 97 v13 in feel with a bit less "thud" factor.

Serves: 7/10 - The frame was very accommodating on serve, with the standout strength being targeting, less so pace. I found a higher-than-average ability to hit my intended spots, regardless of whether it was a flat, kick or slice serve, but I did find myself double-faulting slightly more than usual, likely due to not getting enough time to gel with the frame's weight distribution. Coming back to pace, I did notice a dip in velocity with my particular setup (321 swing weight; ~13.5 twist weight). Compared to some other racquets on serve, the PSVS resembles a lighter, airier "L" or "S" class model in its plow-through, but with full player-frame level accuracy.

Volleys: 7/10 - Volleys were generally stable and accurate, with a bit of "give" (just like ground strokes), which made targeting fairly easy, but tended to want to produce more of a dying, skidding drop volley than a high-paced, penetrating drive. Off-center hits did make the racquet flutter a bit more than some of the higher-twistweight frames I'm used to playing with (like the Head G360+ Prestige Tour), so I had to take extra care to be getting as much sweet spot on the ball as I could. When I did, the touch was deft and direct. In the hands of a seasoned, 4.0+ net player, I could certainly see the PSVS doing well.

Serve returns: 6/10 - Returns were probably the most varied area with the PSVS, with the average result on the side of slightly lackluster. On the plus side, when tagging a return just right, the frame produced some phenomenally placed returns, more so than a lot of other frames I've played. However, I would call those the minority occurrences, and quite often I was left feeling that the lower twist weight and moderate flexy feel was giving up more return "oomph" than I was desiring. This ended up in the form of 1-2 more short balls and quick put-aways per game for my opponent than I was used to seeing.

(Part 2 of 2 in the following post)

 

[Trip]

2022 Babolat Pure Strike VS Playtest (Part 2 of 2)

Comments on racquet performance in each area:

Power: 6/10 - Power potential felt comparable to the Head G360+ Prestige MP, in that there is some inherent power on tap, but it's only really accessible with full cuts through the ball, placing an extra emphasis on timing, coil/uncoil and proper kinetic chain release in order to rip a winner with this thing, to say nothing of just a pacey-enough, quality rally ball. The same goes for serve; I was able to find power there, too, but I really had to unleash with proper mechanics in order to get velocity to where it usually is with a bit more casual approach using other frames.

Control: 8/10 - Control was spot-on, just about what one would expect for a 97 with a 16x20 pattern and 8 throat mains; the PSVS has good levels of precision when hitting both flat and with higher amounts of spin. Control was also enhanced from higher-than-average flex and dwell time, as the ball seemed to "stay on the frame" for just that split-second longer, allowing for even more micro-adjustment to be applied mid-stroke. I would liken the overall control level to a Prince Phantom 97P or a 98" with a mixed spin/control pattern of medium-tightness, such as the Tecnifibre TF40 16x19.

Topspin: 7/10 - The moderately open 16x20 yielded just about the same amount of topspin one might expect to get with the likes of the Yonex VCore 95 (which is also a 16x20, but plays more like a 97 or 98). I would say overall the racquet is going to help with topspin more than it will curtail it, but you need to be cognizant about crafting your strokes for spin; it won't just be applied on auto-pilot, such as what you might get with a more open 98" or 100" frame with 6 throat mains. Also, I found spin was equally applicable on both wings, due to the maneuverability of the frame allowing for easier rotation of the shoulder and wrist on my one-handed backhand (again, just like the VC95 allows for).

Slice: 7/10 - For as open as the string pattern is, it's still closed enough to produce good sheer friction across the ball, thus producing a nice slice with good spin, albeit perhaps a bit more floaty or loopy than desired due to lack of plow-through (when playing the frame stock or close to it with sub-320 swing weight). I would say the best aspect about slicing with the PSVS is the low barrier to entry -- the level of maneuverability and ease-of-attempt means that it's almost always accessible as an option, even when on the run.

Comfort: 8/10 - For as direct a feedback as you get with the PSVS (which is fairly direct), I thought the comfort level was still on the safe side. Using the most harsh string setup I played -- full poly setup of Mayami Big Spin @ 54, crossed with Tier One Ghostwire @ 50 -- even after 2 hours of a mix of 4.0 singles and 3.5 doubles on a 65-degree day (so not too much string softening), I felt absolutely no arm fatigue. I realize that's not a whole lot of time to draw conclusions from, but on the flip side, I've played with plenty of frames where I've just about had to call it quits with similar string setups in much less than 2 hours... I attribute the comfort level to a combination of the lower RA stiffness rating and a tastefully applied amount of dampening, somewhat akin to how Yonex dialed in a better level of VDM with the 2021 VCore Pro series. Big props to Babolat here.

Feel: 8/10 - Feel was somewhere between direct and slightly muted, with a bit more of a tilt towards the direct and connected side. Paired with the overall feel is the flex, which was very uniform, handle to tip; very similar to the modern classic Yonex VCore Pro 97HD (2019 green and gold model), albeit with a lighter, more airy/porous graphite layup. Overall, excellent feel.

Maneuverability: 9/10 - This is quite possibly the biggest standout area. The entire frame just feels very easy to maneuver in the hand, much more so than its 310g static weight might suggest (similar to the VCore 95 in a way). The extra head-light balance aids in making this racquet extra easy for a one-handed backhand, stretch or flick volleys, and/or any type of reaction-based movement.

Stability: 7/10 - On the one hand, for how light this racquet plays and how much flex and feel it offers, the amount of stability is impressive. On the other hand, though, compared to frames with higher RA stiffness and/or internal ribbing or foam filling, it does leaves a bit to be desired, especially when punching back hard shots or serves. The 13-ish twist weight (strung) can be a bit of bear in those moments.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overall, like @Chairman3, I was curious to see if this might be "the Babolat for me". All-in-all, it's a nice frame, with plenty of upsides, but also no big "Wow!" factor that might make one pause and go, "Jeez, what have I been missing?!" On that note, the PSVS is clearly a platform frame, and as such, requires at least a little weight and fine-tuning to take it from, say, a 60% fit for most players, to an 80% fit, or higher. That right there is going to deter many a would-be convert hoping for a pickup-and-play experience. For those willing to put in the work, though, I can see this frame being very effective, especially for someone looking for a bridge between a heavier player frame and a light, crisp, modern-era tweener. As for me, I'm still on the fence, and will clearly need (and look forward to) more time with it, before I make up my mind.

In closing, I hope at least some of this review has been helpful, thank you to @TW Staff once again for making it possible, and to anyone with any questions, fire away and I'll do my best to answer! Cheers and happy hitting!

 

[StringStrungStrang]

To everyone that complains about power, try 4g to 6g at the top then take a radar and check your speed. I think the muted feel hides the real power of this frame. Actual ball speed is higher than it feels.

I get more power on serve with this racquet than my Ezone98+, Ezone100+ and PureAero+.

That is impressive. I've got a Ezone 98+ and the power level (impression) is much higher than the PS VS. Totally different feel.