Babolat Pure Drive Roddick 2012 REVIEW!

[Dgdavid]

Originally Posted by holytennis

Then the Ig Prestige Pro might be for you. You don't always have to swing full, it lets you be lazy sometimes. I'm guessing at least.

That is likely the case especially after racketfever's comments. Like my MP but a bit more power, bit more spin. But I have two red rackets already! (joking).

[richsox]

Originally Posted by Dgdavid

Hi richsox. Have to hit against heavy hitters? The better players I play with hit bombs on ground strokes and my Prestige MP lets me defend really solidly and well. The solidity is what I need to retain. Do you think the standard PDR would give that?

Hi DgDavid,

You do have a valid point. I am now tinkering, on "leading up" the PD standard in the throat, to see if that give's me a little more "plow through", as I might get pushed around a bit, by decent players.

That being said, I have found the Std PD to be much more solid than previous versions, i.e. PD GT, and first Cortex version(I started on the Team PD in early 2000's and to me that still takes the biscuit!), but my main issue is not solidness right now, it's the low SW, which I thinks lessens my power on serving my 1st flat serve.

I am weighing up pro's and con's of this lower SW of the PD. It does lend itself to producing great top spin, good for 2nd serve kickers, very comfortable playing wise, but I am think I have lost a few MPH's.

I once demo'ed the Prsetige Pro...what can I say it's a great stick, much better stick than I am as a player (I've got a generous 7.2 LTA rating from my Pro)

[RacketFever]

Originally Posted by Dgdavid

That is likely the case especially after racketfever's comments. Like my MP but a bit more power, bit more spin. But I have two red rackets already! (joking).

Yeah, the Pro let's you have a bit more free power than the MP. It is also a bit more Spin friendly because of the Open Pattern. However, i added about 15 grams of weight to my MP in order to match the specs of the Pro. This increased the power level, almost to as much as the Pro's.

[Federerkblade]

Going to try Prince Rebel 98 and Wilson BLX Blade 98.[/quote]

The Blx Blade 98 is a great racquet. if you handle the swingweight. i can but then my arms gets lazy

didnt realise p weee p were doing two week demos.

[Dgdavid]

The Wimbledon branch does. I'm sat in Starbucks outside it having just swapped the PDR for a Blx Blade.

[Dgdavid]

Originally Posted by RacketFever

Yeah, the Pro let's you have a bit more free power than the MP. It is also a bit more Spin friendly because of the Open Pattern. However, i added about 15 grams of weight to my MP in order to match the specs of the Pro. This increased the power level, almost to as much as the Pro's.

Where did you add the weight and how much? Does it play better than stock?

[RacketFever]

Originally Posted by Dgdavid

Where did you add the weight and how much? Does it play better than stock?

I added about 8 grams at 10 & 2, and 8 grams in the handle to counter balance. It plays somewhat the same, but with more plow through and power.

[Federerkblade]

Davis, what was the Pure drive strung with ? The shop are stringing mine for free and really confused what string to put in ?

[t-swede]

[quote=Federerkblade;6327651]Davis, what was the Pure drive strung with ? The shop are stringing mine for free and really confused what string to put in ?[/QUOTf

for free ? go for a hybrid of rpm blast and tecnifibre x-1 biphase !

[Federerkblade]

[quote=t-swede;6327927]

Originally Posted by Federerkblade

Davis, what was the Pure drive strung with ? The shop are stringing mine for free and really confused what string to put in ?[/QUOTf

for free ? go for a hybrid of rpm blast and tecnifibre x-1 biphase !

ok , can you confirm the rpm blast or cyclone to go in the mains

and the biophase to go on crosses.

also what tensions for the main and cross pls. Do you suggest different tension for main and cross

[Federerkblade]

anyone tried blast and biophase by the way as a hybrid

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by Yourtenniscoach

If you like the PDR you will be disappointed by the PD. Its much lighter feeling and the great plow through that the PDR affords is missing with the PDs feeble swingweight.

I disagree. I bet the reason dg David can't hit big with the pdr is because he is not getting enough racquet head speed to control the ball. I love that stick but it is a 12 oz racquet and it needs real good racquet head speed if you want to control it. it's stiff...heavier and has a bigger swingweight.

The pd plus was my choice because the swingweight is good out of the box considering how much power the stick has. It's easy to control since it is around 320 grams after strings and over grip. You can also mod the regular pure drives with lead and make them spec however you want.

But I hit with a big hitter today who played open tournaments when he was a little younger and my racquet never got pushed around because I could always meet the ball out in front.

Also it sounds like he is buying too many racquets and not spending enough time to figure out his game or what he really needs. Pick a racquet and use it a few months so you can figure out exactly what you need or you will be chasing your tail. 2 sets of tennis is just not long enough to know in my opinion.

[Korso]

I love this racquet! This racquet excels with good raquet head speed. I currently have it strung with a copoly in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses to soften it up. Lots of spin and power with comfort. I am curious about a gut/poly setup. Anyone try the setup yet?

[courtking]

after reading all the hype in TT forums.. I had to try one for myself.. We demo the BLX PS 95 for my son but it's not as good as I thought so when we were there we bought the PD Standard L2 for him to play.. My 6 year old son hit awesome with this racket but for me it's quite light.. and the grip is big on Babolat compare to other brand.. so I went back and bought the PDR grip 1, string it up with VSGut main 45lb and RPM 40lb.. It plays much much better than the PD standard and it's still a little too light for me.. I play with a custom KPS88 395g for the past 4 years.. ..
PDR perform extremely well compare to the last 2 versions.. I hate Babolat but this PDR 2012 is nice..
After about 3hrs of play I felt my wrist and elbow stiffen a little bit.. Yeah, the racket feels very stiff even at that low tension.. next time I will try my old setup which is 40lb main on gut and 35lb main cross..
I am planning to put in a fairway leather grip, with few grams of lead at 3,9 and above the grip to crank up the SW and static weight a little bit..

The 1HBH perform great on this new PDR but my forehand kept hitting the net.. The volley touch is unbelievable good.. First hard flat serve is awesome but I double fault alot more than I used to with my KPS.. Even I crush the balls very hard but my wife told me it is not feel as heavy as my KPS88.. I think after the tuning every thing will click..

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by Korso

I love this racquet! This racquet excels with good raquet head speed. I currently have it strung with a copoly in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses to soften it up. Lots of spin and power with comfort. I am curious about a gut/poly setup. Anyone try the setup yet?

I will be soon. Most likely gut at 60#s and poly at 55.

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by Korso

I love this racquet! This racquet excels with good raquet head speed. I currently have it strung with a copoly in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses to soften it up. Lots of spin and power with comfort. I am curious about a gut/poly setup. Anyone try the setup yet?

I love this racket too. It would be perfect if it has little bigger sweet spot though. If they can make this racket into isometric head shape then i think this could become the GOAT of all rackets.

[RacketFever]

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

I love this racket too. It would be perfect if it has little bigger sweet spot though. If they can make this racket into isometric head shape then i think this could become the GOAT of all rackets.

Isometric is patented. Whats wrong with the Babolat's Sweetspot? According to TWU data, it is supposed to have a pretty large sweetspot.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

I love this racket too. It would be perfect if it has little bigger sweet spot though. If they can make this racket into isometric head shape then i think this could become the GOAT of all rackets.

LOL what the heck are you talking about?

This is buckethead. Im about positive.

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by Power Player

LOL what the heck are you talking about?

This is buckethead. Im about positive.

LOL, this is not buckethead, nor am i the fedace fellow who i thought was federer in the beginning.
but i do know buckethead from facebook site. He is one of the most knowledgeble guys in that yonex site and seem to be a nice guy too. I have been using the RDIS 100 for a while now so i do visit that yonex site frequently.
But i will tell you that Babolat has made something very special with these new 2012 pure drives. This model could become their new best seller.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by Nostradamus

LOL, this is not buckethead, nor am i the fedace fellow who i thought was federer in the beginning.
but i do know buckethead from facebook site. He is one of the most knowledgeble guys in that yonex site and seem to be a nice guy too. I have been using the RDIS 100 for a while now so i do visit that yonex site frequently.
But i will tell you that Babolat has made something very special with these new 2012 pure drives. This model could become their new best seller.

?

Interesting.