Babolat first generation - Page 9

ericsson · 07-18-2011, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niktub

Can you post pictures?

Yes sir i can.

here a (cell phone) photo of a Pure Drive generation 1 with different specs:

280gr unstrung
34mm balance

To be continued... (will post a lot more later this week in better quality)

niktub · 07-18-2011, 05:52 AM

Fantastico Thanks
The double line ones are the very first ones?
So the Soft and Pure Drives had almost the same specs...

movdqa · 07-18-2011, 08:35 AM

Nice history lesson here.

Thanks for the pictures.

MarrratSafin · 07-26-2011, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericsson

Yes sir i can.

here a (cell phone) photo of a Pure Drive generation 1 with different specs:

280gr unstrung
34mm balance

To be continued... (will post a lot more later this week in better quality)

Wonderful, ericsson! Thanks for sharing. I saw an original Pure Drive listed as 280g some time ago, and I couldn't figure out at all what that was about. It wasn't a Soft Drive pj for sure and I assume the guy got the specs wrong!

Never knew the earliest ones have different specs closer to the Soft's, now I understand.

ericsson · 07-31-2011, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarrratSafin

Wonderful, ericsson! Thanks for sharing. I saw an original Pure Drive listed as 280g some time ago, and I couldn't figure out at all what that was about. It wasn't a Soft Drive pj for sure and I assume the guy got the specs wrong!

Never knew the earliest ones have different specs closer to the Soft's, now I understand.

Hi MS, yes the early ones were slightly lighter and the paintjob slightly different, the blue is brighter:

ericsson · 07-31-2011, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niktub

Fantastico Thanks
The double line ones are the very first ones?
So the Soft and Pure Drives had almost the same specs...

The double lines are amongst the first ones but not all paintjobs, will talk about it more later on...

Yes almost but as i mentioned earlier, the construction is the most important thing that is different as the Soft Drive contains fiberglass.
Here a picture of the first Soft Drive (used by Carlos Moya and Rafael Nadal in his younger years)

A lot more pics to come so stay tuned...

MarrratSafin · 08-01-2011, 07:34 PM

Way awesome ericsson. Thanks for sharing!

The slightly brighter cosmetics look great to me. Now, I'd be hoping to pick up one of these 280g Pure Drive's sometime. Btw, I simply love how the Soft Drive plays, have always enjoyed the feel of frames with fiberglass. Leaded up of course as it's too light in stock form.

ericsson · 08-01-2011, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarrratSafin

Way awesome ericsson. Thanks for sharing!

The slightly brighter cosmetics look great to me. Now, I'd be hoping to pick up one of these 280g Pure Drive's sometime. Btw, I simply love how the Soft Drive plays, have always enjoyed the feel of frames with fiberglass. Leaded up of course as it's too light in stock form.

Yes you are right! the Soft Drive is an excellent light stick, it plays so easy.
Fiberglass is a great material, i also love it.

Here a rare picture, Rafa a long time ago with the first Soft Drive:

MarrratSafin · 08-03-2011, 03:10 AM

Nice! Where did you find such a clear photo? And here's a video of Rafa playing with the Soft!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3sZF_8upX0

ericsson · 08-03-2011, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarrratSafin

Nice! Where did you find such a clear photo? And here's a video of Rafa playing with the Soft!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3sZF_8upX0

My disk is full of tennis related photos, impossible to say where i got it...
I saw that video awhile back, very cool indeed.

ericsson · 08-04-2011, 01:58 AM

Here a picture of the early buttcap, one has the original double line logo (oldest) and the other the normal Babolat silver logo:

ericsson · 08-07-2011, 03:22 AM

MarrratSafin · 08-07-2011, 03:53 AM

This is out of the world ericsson. Spectacular! Thanks for sharing.

Do you have people/connections who send them to you or did you get most of them from way back then?

PS. I can still see something missing...

I bet you know!

vsbabolat · 08-08-2011, 08:02 PM

ericsson, Fantastic!

ericsson · 08-08-2011, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarrratSafin

This is out of the world ericsson. Spectacular! Thanks for sharing.

Do you have people/connections who send them to you or did you get most of them from way back then?

PS. I can still see something missing...

I bet you know!

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

ericsson, Fantastic!

Thank you guys! unfortunately i dont think i will keep all of them as i have a lack of space...

@MS: yes i know

To answer your question, it's a little bit of both, some i have a long time some are recently. Sometimes i just get lucky!

Anyway, i have a unknown older (green) Babolat model, i will post it one of these days, never heard of it...

gunnd5000 · 08-15-2011, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericsson

Anyway, i have a unknown older (green) Babolat model, i will post it one of these days, never heard of it...

sounds very interesting

forthegame · 01-29-2012, 04:26 PM

Stumbled upon what I think is a 1st gen Pure Drive...

Will hit with it tomorrow. Rated 67 flex on the racquet, scares me but will try it out.

Dave M · 02-28-2012, 02:57 PM

Just to share this first pic of two of the new frames i've acquired.
Big thanks to Ericcson for his advice before I decided to make the purchase.

chrischris · 03-26-2012, 01:42 PM

That is one GREAT racket. I had a couple once. miss them dearly.

Hannah19 · 04-24-2012, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mctennis

I had the Pure Drive and Pure Control when they came out. To me they were hard on the wrist. I sold them both. Wish I would have kept them now.

Just got 3 of the Chinese Pure Control's (see pic above) in and tried one of them today.
Nice stick, loads of spin....

07-18-2011, 08:35 AM	#163
movdqa Hall Of Fame Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 4,162	Nice history lesson here. Thanks for the pictures. __________________ 4 x IG Prestige MP, 70 cm, 376 grams, 386 SW, ALU Power @54

08-01-2011, 07:34 PM	#167
MarrratSafin Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,845	Way awesome ericsson. Thanks for sharing! The slightly brighter cosmetics look great to me. Now, I'd be hoping to pick up one of these 280g Pure Drive's sometime. Btw, I simply love how the Soft Drive plays, have always enjoyed the feel of frames with fiberglass. Leaded up of course as it's too light in stock form. __________________ Head PT630/280.

08-03-2011, 03:10 AM	#169
MarrratSafin Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,845	Nice! Where did you find such a clear photo? And here's a video of Rafa playing with the Soft! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3sZF_8upX0 __________________ Head PT630/280.

08-04-2011, 01:58 AM	#171
ericsson Hall Of Fame Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Land of beer and chocolate Posts: 3,549	Here a picture of the early buttcap, one has the original double line logo (oldest) and the other the normal Babolat silver logo: __________________ Sports do not build character. They reveal it.

08-07-2011, 03:22 AM	#172
ericsson Hall Of Fame Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Land of beer and chocolate Posts: 3,549	__________________ Sports do not build character. They reveal it.

08-08-2011, 08:02 PM	#174
vsbabolat Legend Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 7,430	ericsson, Fantastic!