**The PURE DRIVE 2012 Forum (club)**

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I know about Rip Control, but it has horrible feel. To me it feels almost like poly. Yes it has low power, but I want to have nice feel on impact too. Wish there were more choices out there with a soft feel and low power.

I have a half set of gut poly left so I'm trying that and also red alert as well. The feel of rip is fantastic for me. It is crisp though so a lot of people don't like that.

If you are not a string breaker there are a ton of options..try micronite. Mikeler loves it and it lasts..also has a gut full.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

I have a half set of gut poly left so I'm trying that and also red alert as well. The feel of rip is fantastic for me. It is crisp though so a lot of people don't like that.

If you are not a string breaker there are a ton of options..try micronite. Mikeler loves it and it lasts..also has a gut full.

I am not a string breaker and just want something to soften up the ultra stiff Pure Drive without adding too much power to an already powerful frame.. Maybe I'll just try a reverse hybrid of multi/poly?

[Power Player]

Why? That makes no sense. Try the micronite at 60#s. I very likely may give it a run as well. It's described as xone biphase without the tension loss.

You don't need poly in your racquet if you don't break strings. Especially this racquet.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Why? That makes no sense. Try the micronite at 60#s. I very likely may give it a run as well. It's described as xone biphase without the tension loss.

You don't need poly in your racquet if you don't break strings. Especially this racquet.

its just that multi/poly is lower powered than full multi.

Xone is a very powerful multi. Why doesn't anyone mention NXT Control? Seems like it would be a perfect fit in the PD? I loved it in my London at the time and that was a similar powered frame.

[richsox]

Proud to be on Board!

Me = Mid-Forties, 1BH, average club player in UK, play 4 times a week. Loyal Pure Drive User for 10 Years, started with Team version which until the 2012 came along, i used to say was the best ever for me, but the Black Drive is fast becoming an iconic stick.

I string mine with VS Touch @ 57lbs, syntec grip, VS orginal over grip.

Have demo-ed zillions over the years, and even bough a few others only to sell them and return to my Pure Drive Roots.

I am now satisfied to not touch any other rackets. The 2012 is the Daddy!

Long Live the Pure Drives

Ironically I was wondering if the 2012 delivered the same power as previous versions, but I believe that with the new much more solid and muted feel, that it does (but you just don't feel it in the arm as much as in other versions)

[JackB1]

just thought of another string that might be a good choice for the PD...Head FXP Tour. Soft and control oriented. I think it has some poly in there too. Might be similar to NXT Control? It was too mushy and muted in my Instinct, but might be a good fit for the Pure Drive?

[Power Player]

No one knows what works for you. You are going to have to try for yourself. The stick has only been out 3 months. Rip is good..ppa is not as precise..that's all I know so far.

[Torres]

I'm only passing through this PD club out of interest, but everyone's heard of the Wilson weight variances - how would you say the Babolat PDs and similar compare in this regard? Honestly.

The reason I ask is because I turned up at my club today having forgotten to bring my racquets so I borrowed a current PD demo from the club shop.

Although I owned a PD many moons away, I'm no expert on recent iterations of the PD, but the balance and weighting of this racquet just did not feel right at all. Just felt too 'hammer' heavy in the head with a very, very light handle. I could be wrong but I don't remember my old PD feeling like that.

The strings were worn out 16g Xcel that had lost a ton of tension, but I just couldn't jive with the stick, so a friend of mine, lent me his spare APDC. It must be years since I've played with that type of stick but it felt so much better as if there was more mass in the handle (the only change I could see was an OG) with an overall better balance to it / more even distribution of mass, and such an easy racquet to swing! You don't have to do anything to generate power, topspin, keep the ball in the court etc. And an unbelievably forgiving hoopsize (even if its the the slight expense of pinpoint accuracy).

[YesTennis]

Jack- I used VS gut mains/RPM crosses at 60/60. Figured the poly would drop a few pounds quickly. I think a hybrid really compliments this frame well.
I used the FXP tour in a Prestige S and didn't like it at all. I agree that it felt mushy. Don't think I'd try it again
I was thinking about the TF X code ( not X One Biphase) next time, but the current combo works so well I'm somewhat hesitant to change

[YesTennis]

In follow-up to Torres question, I've never played with APD Gt. Just out of curiosity, just wondering how it compares to the PD from anyone who's played with both.

[Power Player]

The pd gt is more solid and has less vibrations on mishits. I have. 2 and they are 3 grams apart. Both balance the same when matched with lead.

I prefer the pure drive on serve..it just hits so big. I also am able to hit flatter when needed.

Watching mike russel warm up with his pd. he and I are the same size and age..I'd love to see how he specs out his babolat. I would bet he uses the +.

[YesTennis]

Power Player- I'm only 5'8" but have never tried a +(extended length) racquet. What do you think?

[dkent]

#jackb1- I use VS and RPM blast at 58 and I find it to be very soft feeling but also it takes some of the power out of my PDR. Just wondering why most guys are goin with the PD as a posed to the PDR. I am thinking of having both but I do not want a racket that is too light and has lots of plow through.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by YesTennis

Power Player- I'm only 5'8" but have never tried a +(extended length) racquet. What do you think?

It's the way to go for me. It will help you on serve and groundies. I love the thing.

I added 2 more grams at 12 today..brings my stick up to 327 and the balance is around 2 pts hl. It feels like an absolute sledgehammer crushing the ball. I am guessing the swingweight is 335 or so.

[BC1]

Originally Posted by JackB1

just thought of another string that might be a good choice for the PD...Head FXP Tour. Soft and control oriented. I think it has some poly in there too. Might be similar to NXT Control? It was too mushy and muted in my Instinct, but might be a good fit for the Pure Drive?

I have fxp tour in one of my pds right now. I like it, and at first I thought I had found a replacement for my alu power poly. But Ive gone back to alu power. Actually went to the shop today, between matches to get another pd2012 strung with it (traded in my Juice) . Ive compared them side by side, and to me the alu wins kver the fxp tou. Ive heard all of power players and others reasons why I shouldn't and don't need to be using poly and I am sure they are valid, however I personally have yet to find another string I like as well, in any racquet. And I am not a string breaker. I don't care, I like it and knock on wood do not have arm problems. I find the poly at a low tension just as comfortable and I like the feel. I am convinced arm issues are just as much or more related to how you swing then anything else because I have used soft racquets with soft strings and felt pain in my elbow by swinging improperly.

It might not be for you, but I get more control, more spin, a heavier Ball, and just as much comfort out of Alu Power at 54 LBS. I think that is the same tension dgdavid is using.

I don't wantt to start the poly debate

[Power Player]

There is nothing wrong with liking ALU power. It is probably the best string of all time. It just dies really fast so using it past 8 hours is a huge risk that builds over time. You just have to be careful, and you could have the best swing ever but dead poly will still get you at some point.

I'd love to get back to full poly at one point because I like what I can do to the ball with it, but it ends up costing me more than rip control since i change it out every week.

It's not a debate for me, but a lot of people will read this thread and then start complaining their arm hurts from the racquet because they used full poly.

I'd recommend starting out with a softer song for anyone who is new to this racquet.

[Dgdavid]

I have Alu Power at 53lbs and no plans to change.

[BC1]

Originally Posted by Power Player

There is nothing wrong with liking ALU power. It is probably the best string of all time. It just dies really fast so using it past 8 hours is a huge risk that builds over time. You just have to be careful, and you could have the best swing ever but dead poly will still get you at some point.

I'd love to get back to full poly at one point because I like what I can do to the ball with it, but it ends up costing me more than rip control since i change it out every week.

It's not a debate for me, but a lot of people will read this thread and then start complaining their arm hurts from the racquet because they used full poly.

I'd recommend starting out with a softer song for anyone who is new to this racquet.

I know you're right and I agree, your recommendations for this racquet is the smart way to go. I've been lucky I'm sure, but that's an advantage to being a racquetholic, you never own the same racquet or strings for more then 8 hours of use!

[tennisnut09]

Originally Posted by DrewRafter8

What do you think about the full bed of 7? I'm thinking of trying that after Tour Bite.

DrewRafter, You must try it. It has very good control spin and power. The top spin serve is crazy. I can also flat it with this string when I need it. If you play a lot of single, BHB7 is the one. For double, I like the hybrid a little bit more/the volley. I may go for 54 full bed the next time. How is the tour bite on this PDR? What tension do you like the best? I still have a set 1.20 that I am going to try next. I've used to have the tour bite on my previous racket (prestige MP at 52) and I like it very much.

[ArliHawk]

I joined the club today. Get to pick it up Tuesday.