Bonjour from Babolat

[Bartelby]

That's true enough, but its still a tad imprudent to have a huge media event unless you've got the product in place.

There may still be a race on as to who will be the first to bring this technology to market, but who knows?

[JAY1]

Originally Posted by Babolat Official

I really like talking about tennis.

Hi Daniel, you're a credit to Babolat. I hope they're aware of what you're doing?!
I run a pro shop in my tennis academy in London and we specialise in Babolat rackets, all my pro's use Babolat rackets, their are seven of us in all and we use right across the range, Aeropro, Pure Drive, Pure Storm GT & Pure Storm Ltd GT.
A couple of questions please Daniel..... 1) Will there be new models for the Pure Storm range for 2014? & 2) Are you able in a small paragraph each to sum up the main attributes & differences between the four Pure Storm's.... GT, Tour, Team & LTD? We are forever having to try and explain the difference's between the four. I know the Team is just a lighter version of the GT (is that right?), but how would you classify all of them in an easy paragraph? Many thanks Jay

[morandi]

I was wondering what Babolats stance on the open string pattern craze that seems to be coming down the pike via Wilson etc... Have they done any R&D into this? I can't imagine a racquet that would be capable of generating more spin than the Aeropro drive.
Also, I have been stringing my Aeropro Drive plus(2013) with 17g RPM Blast at 52, if I wanted to give the 18g a whirl should I adjust the tension? I feel like I could go even a little lower with the 17g. Have you had any time on the new RPM dual? Is there any decrease in playability over RPM blast?

[Francis27]

Originally Posted by morandi

I was wondering what Babolats stance on the open string pattern craze that seems to be coming down the pike via Wilson etc... Have they done any R&D into this? I can't imagine a racquet that would be capable of generating more spin than the Aeropro drive.
Also, I have been stringing my Aeropro Drive plus(2013) with 17g RPM Blast at 52, if I wanted to give the 18g a whirl should I adjust the tension? I feel like I could go even a little lower with the 17g. Have you had any time on the new RPM dual? Is there any decrease in playability over RPM blast?

The RPM Dual is not an octongonal shape anymore like the Blast and team, so it might not give as much spin? But i think the twisted titanium co poly will enhance some spin too. The twisted titanium co poly with the high density co poly improves resistance to abrasion to ensure greater durability. The twisted system provides excellent tension hold as mentioned on the babolat website. And the dual still has the cross linked silicone coating (like the blast and team) enhancing ball bite for more spin.

But will this be a stiff string because of the titanium co poly?

[JAY1]

Originally Posted by JAY1

Hi Daniel, you're a credit to Babolat. I hope they're aware of what you're doing?!
I run a pro shop in my tennis academy in London and we specialise in Babolat rackets, all my pro's use Babolat rackets, their are seven of us in all and we use right across the range, Aeropro, Pure Drive, Pure Storm GT & Pure Storm Ltd GT.
A couple of questions please Daniel..... 1) Will there be new models for the Pure Storm range for 2014? & 2) Are you able in a small paragraph each to sum up the main attributes & differences between the four Pure Storm's.... GT, Tour, Team & LTD? We are forever having to try and explain the difference's between the four. I know the Team is just a lighter version of the GT (is that right?), but how would you classify all of them in an easy paragraph? Many thanks Jay

Also Daniel are there plans to bring out a Pure Storm GT XL in 2014?

[db10s]

Originally Posted by JAY1

Also Daniel are there plans to bring out a Pure Storm GT XL in 2014?

I doubt he would know as that seems to far into the future. He wasn't sure if the PS would be cortexed so I doubt he would know that.

[jonnyboi09]

Hey Daniel, just wanting to let you know that I currently own 3 of the 2012 Aeropro Drive GTs and the 2012 Aero Line Bag and enjoy them immensely. I've always been a Babolat racquet user as I started with the Pure Drive Plus when i began playing 6 years ago. I've never had any problems with any of your products to this point. Also wanted to thank you for this thread and would love to see other brands doing this in the future.

[JAY1]

Originally Posted by db10s

I doubt he would know as that seems to far into the future. He wasn't sure if the PS would be cortexed so I doubt he would know that.

Thanks for that...

[truetifoso]

Originally Posted by tistrapukcipeht

Interesting thread.

I find very funny people saying about the quality of their racquets, saying to invest money in product quality/quality control, more flexible racquets, more arm friendly, but at the end to me it's the most stupid thing I hear, you know why??

1- Babolat isn't forcing you (complainers) to buy their crappy racquets.

2- Babolat is still the best selling racquets as many have pointed out, so why would they try to fix something isn't broken, in other words, why would they make changes in their racquets if they are still best seller, I guess people like it, right?

If you don't like their racquets, and I don't really care about it, buy something else, I hope they continue to make the same racquets with different paint and the idiots keep buying their cheap low quality racquets, if you want to play with their racquets it's your choice, suck it up, don't complain.

As long as Nadal keep playing with it, they will sell millions of horrible racquets to Nadal kids.

This is a really petty and off-putting post. What were you hoping to achieve when you wrote this?

[Babolat Official]

Originally Posted by jonnyboi09

Hey Daniel, just wanting to let you know that I currently own 3 of the 2012 Aeropro Drive GTs and the 2012 Aero Line Bag and enjoy them immensely. I've always been a Babolat racquet user as I started with the Pure Drive Plus when i began playing 6 years ago. I've never had any problems with any of your products to this point. Also wanted to thank you for this thread and would love to see other brands doing this in the future.

Thanks! Appreciate the kind words. Glad you like our product.

[Babolat Official]

Originally Posted by db10s

I doubt he would know as that seems to far into the future. He wasn't sure if the PS would be cortexed so I doubt he would know that.

This guy is right. Product mix isn't set yet. Is that something you would like to see?

[Babolat Official]

Originally Posted by Francis27

The RPM Dual is not an octongonal shape anymore like the Blast and team, so it might not give as much spin? But i think the twisted titanium co poly will enhance some spin too. The twisted titanium co poly with the high density co poly improves resistance to abrasion to ensure greater durability. The twisted system provides excellent tension hold as mentioned on the babolat website. And the dual still has the cross linked silicone coating (like the blast and team) enhancing ball bite for more spin.

But will this be a stiff string because of the titanium co poly?

I did not find as much spin from Dual and it played stiffer (to me). The guys in the office who liked Dual were the same ones that prefer Revenge to Blast or Team.

[Babolat Official]

Originally Posted by morandi

I was wondering what Babolats stance on the open string pattern craze that seems to be coming down the pike via Wilson etc... Have they done any R&D into this? I can't imagine a racquet that would be capable of generating more spin than the Aeropro drive.
Also, I have been stringing my Aeropro Drive plus(2013) with 17g RPM Blast at 52, if I wanted to give the 18g a whirl should I adjust the tension? I feel like I could go even a little lower with the 17g. Have you had any time on the new RPM dual? Is there any decrease in playability over RPM blast?

We do testing on spin production, but I don't know if we have plan to test against the new string patterns. I would assume we will. My next meeting with R&D is late January. I haven't had a chance to demo the new lines, but will try to in the next couple months (for personal knowledge).

I have played with Dual, but only in 16 (I use 18 Blast). It plays stiffer, which I did not find to my liking. I'm going to try the 17 when I get back in the office.

In terms of tension, my belief is go as low as you can (to increase spin) without sacrificing pinpoint control. I know a lot of full poly players are in the 40s (I'm at 4. As the boards will tell you, experimenting is the way to go. The 18 will break much faster than you 17.

Let me know how the tinkering goes!

[truetifoso]

Originally Posted by usta2050

In my opinion, DBecker is in a tough spot because this forum has a few experts that can ask him questions that he cannot respond to.

In the ladder of a French enterprise, he is almost nothing. An entry level sales/marketing newbie who has no decision making over anything that is product related.

So, we shouldn't be too serious with him. However, his passion is genuine.

If I were him, I would give the top guns on the forum freebies and have them talk about the wonders of Babolat. It's easier that way.

Am I the only one who thinks that characterizing Daniel - or anyone - as "almost nothing" is shockingly rude and disrespectful?

Despite the explosion of social media and the dramatic paradigm shift it created in how we communicate and interact with each other, few companies are willing to accept the need to be transparent with their customers. Twitter, Facebook, and the thousands of other social media channels are holding companies accountable for everything they do.

It's clear that Daniel and the folks at Babolat not only accept this, but they use social media to create meaningful and personal conversations with their customers in ways other companies should aspire to. How many other companies can you name in any industry that does what Babolat is doing?

I just completed an executive program at UCLA focused on social media marketing. There is little doubt in my mind that this forum and Daniel's/Babolat's efforts will be fodder for a case study on how to use social media correctly. I'll do my part and send the link to this forum to a few of my professors.

Before I get off my soapbox, I want to reiterate how offended I am by your comment. I'm sure you'll point to your comment that recognizes Daniel's "genuine" passion for tennis, but it is condescending to the extreme. Daniel has responded to just about each and every post with a question directed to him in a timely and well-thought out manner.

Please just say "thank you" and learn from the hundreds of posts in this thread.

[Bartelby]

'Dramatic paradigm shift' is hyperbole, to say the least, social media may have started out as horizontal but it's only useful for business when its top-down communication, however disguised.

Businesses wants to persuade and who better to do the persuading than the customer, if you can cajole them into doing the 'hidden persuasion'.


.

[Babolat Official]

Originally Posted by JAY1

Hi Daniel, you're a credit to Babolat. I hope they're aware of what you're doing?!
I run a pro shop in my tennis academy in London and we specialise in Babolat rackets, all my pro's use Babolat rackets, their are seven of us in all and we use right across the range, Aeropro, Pure Drive, Pure Storm GT & Pure Storm Ltd GT.
A couple of questions please Daniel..... 1) Will there be new models for the Pure Storm range for 2014? & 2) Are you able in a small paragraph each to sum up the main attributes & differences between the four Pure Storm's.... GT, Tour, Team & LTD? We are forever having to try and explain the difference's between the four. I know the Team is just a lighter version of the GT (is that right?), but how would you classify all of them in an easy paragraph? Many thanks Jay

Thanks for the note! I was in London for the ATP WTFs, what a city!

1. Yes, not sure on specific updates yet.
2.Tried to keep this real simple, email me if you want more detail or have questions on specifics (I can provide more numbers, flex, etc.). dbecker@babolat.com

Pure Storm - our classic feeling racquet. Thinner beam (21mm), tighter string pattern (16x20), midsize head (98 in), more flexible than the PD & APD lines.
Pure Storm Tour - heavier version of the Pure Storm
Pure Storm Team - lighter, bigger head size (100 vs. 9
Pure Storm LTD - heavier than Pure Storm, smaller head (95 vs 9, thinner beam (19 vs 21mm), tighter string pattern (18x20 vs 16x20)...plays different than the rest of the family

hope that helps!

[thecrusher956]

Saw Tsonga using blacked out frame at Hopman Cup, what is this frame and when is it coming out?

[Babolat Official]

Originally Posted by JAY1

Hi Daniel, you're a credit to Babolat. I hope they're aware of what you're doing?!
I run a pro shop in my tennis academy in London and we specialise in Babolat rackets, all my pro's use Babolat rackets, their are seven of us in all and we use right across the range, Aeropro, Pure Drive, Pure Storm GT & Pure Storm Ltd GT.
A couple of questions please Daniel..... 1) Will there be new models for the Pure Storm range for 2014? & 2) Are you able in a small paragraph each to sum up the main attributes & differences between the four Pure Storm's.... GT, Tour, Team & LTD? We are forever having to try and explain the difference's between the four. I know the Team is just a lighter version of the GT (is that right?), but how would you classify all of them in an easy paragraph? Many thanks Jay

Thanks for the note. I was in London for the ATP WTFs, what a city!

1. Yes, not sure on specific updates yet.
2.Tried to keep this real simple, email me if you want more detail or have questions on specifics (I can provide more numbers, flex, etc.). dbecker@babolat.com

Pure Storm - our classic feeling racquet. Thinner beam (21mm), tighter string pattern (16x20), midsize head (98 in), more flexible than the PD & APD lines.
Pure Storm Tour - heavier version of the Pure Storm
Pure Storm Team - lighter, bigger head size (100 vs. 9
Pure Storm LTD - heavier than Pure Storm, smaller head (95 vs 9, thinner beam (19 vs 21mm), tighter string pattern (18x20 vs 16x20)...plays different than the rest of the family

Hope that helps...

[truetifoso]

Originally Posted by Bartelby

'Dramatic paradigm shift' is hyperbole, to say the least, social media may have started out as horizontal but it's only useful for business when its top-down communication, however disguised.

Businesses wants to persuade and who better to do the persuading than the customer, if you can cajole them into doing the 'hidden persuasion'.


.

I don't want to turn this into a debate on social media, but when you have a chance take a look at this.

http://bit.ly/SSImfj

Feel free to contact me at spdrcr@me.com if you'd like to discuss further.

Cheers.

[gino]

I just wanted to quickly interject and say thanks to Daniel for doing this. Babolat is taking great steps by having you on the forum, and for younger college players life myself it is really great to hear from someone in the industry who is so accessible and willing to communicate with consumers.

Thanks again

Gino