Babolat Pure Aero 2019

Rafaboy · Oct 25, 2018

Harry_Wild said:
Rafa is already a 7.0+ tour level player so you have a long ways to go! I don't think he uses this particular racquet but I like it so that is that! In order for you to be a 5.0 player; you need to work on your game and fundamentals like serving accuracy, footwork, groundstroke production and timing!

also agree with this, perfection of fundamentals essential to consistency.

however, also consider equipment limitations eventually becoming counterproductive.

i.g. entry level player can progress satisfactory to a proudl level with a economy beginner racket. but there became a certain point where he's beating dead horse. he may not realize this, until he plays with more advanced racket, which will feel very uncomfortable at first.

DrWang · Oct 25, 2018

Disappointed.

It has less power than the previous model (fact) and I will say the same when it comes to spin.

I too find the feel heavier and harder to swing, even compared to my PA plus 2016 which easily runs circles around the PA 2019.

Yes, it is more comfortable and has a little more control.

Babolat should introduce a new line of racquets with this new PA and call it the "Aero Strike," series because that's exactly what it is. A hybrid.

On the other hand, Head had raised the RA rating and opened the string pattern a bit on their new speed 360 line. I'm anxious to try those out, specifically the lite version, because I can add weight to and modify it up the ying yang just like many people do with the PA lite. I find these lite versions to be the perfect platforms to customize a racquet the way you want.

stephenclown · Oct 25, 2018

New pure aero labelling has 71RA?

Karma Tennis · Oct 25, 2018

Rafaboy said:
i had 2 of the 2013, and i thought they were great, but after awhile, they seemed bulky.

they were big, bulky, but light and quick. and they could buggy whip like no other rackets could.

they were great across the board, from beginner to advanced.

if the racket was so great, then why did you both get rid of them eventually? aha!?

@Rafaboy, you sum up the 2013 APD perfectly. Yes, I agree it certainly did seem like a bulky racquet. I think that had a lot to do with the shape of the Aero beam.

It did suit a lot of playing styles from beginner to advanced. But like I said earlier, to get the maximum performance out of the racquet, one had to be an elite player.

The main reason I moved on from it was that I'm not an elite player. There are other racquets which offer much easier point and shoot shot making. The 2013 APD allowed me to swing for big targets. But I wanted sticks that would give me a little more accuracy and that's why I moved on.

Karma Tennis · Oct 25, 2018

stephenclown said:
New pure aero labelling has 71RA?

That is the stock UNSTRUNG spec.

When you put string in it the effective RA will drop at least 2 RDC points.

Strung with Poly it will probably be around 69RA.
Strung with Multi it will probably be around 67RA to 68RA

Also, if you put some weight in the handle - Blue Tac or Silicon - that will make the racquet feel even softer.

Nostradamus · Oct 25, 2018

Rafaboy said:
yes i can also agree with your perpective on this. it would be ideal to go out and test a racket and have it feel perfect from day one.

but possibly, in order for the racket to make you better, it must make you feel a little diffrent from what you are accustomed to now?

if racket feels perfect from day one, then maybe its perfect for staying in your comfort zone, in which case, you possibly wont progress far beyond this parameter.

change is often uncomfortable for man(women). but through this change, mankind progress to higher levels of existence and performance.

so what you need to determine, will the discomfort eventually bring out the potential within you to your desired level?

or will the discomfort hinder your progress?

this i cannot answer for you.

They must make the Plus version with 320 swingweight. I demand that from babolat since I spend a lot of money on babolat products

prjacobs · Oct 25, 2018

Not only did the 2013 APD feel great from day one, it still feels great over 5 years later. I tried the frame as a joke - I was using a leaded 12.2 ounce MGRad Pro and the shop I demo from didn’t have the frame I wanted to try. So I thought - let’s see what the hype is all about.
I instantly hit every shot effortlessly - better than with any other frame I’ve used and my game has steadily improved for five years.
The 2013 APD, for me, and for every play tester at TW, is way more maneuverable than the old PA, and has much more feel. Chris @ TW shares my opinion.
I’m looking forward to trying the new PA, but for me, it has to be amazing to outplay my APD.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

stephenclown · Oct 25, 2018

Karma Tennis said:
That is the stock UNSTRUNG spec.

When you put string in it the effective RA will drop at least 2 RDC points.

Strung with Poly it will probably be around 69RA.
Strung with Multi it will probably be around 67RA to 68RA

Also, if you put some weight in the handle - Blue Tac or Silicon - that will make the racquet feel even softer.

1-2 points is the expected value for just the strings and I would question 4 points every time. Angell states 3 points reduction from bare hairpin to fully assembled and strung. For example, the pure drive is listed at 72 RA on Babolat and 71RA on TW. More than likely TW tested a softer frame and one shouldn't expect 67 RA as a base. Previous pure aero was 69 on TW and 72 on Babolat but the one I used felt much stiffer.

Edit* from Chris

We typically see a drop of 2 points once strung. You can also get a difference by simply flipping the racquet as flex is sometimes a point different each side.

Cheers,
Chris, TW

Rafaboy · Oct 25, 2018

Nostradamus said:
They must make the Plus version with 320 swingweight. I demand that from babolat since I spend a lot of money on babolat products

YES YES I DEMAND THAT TOO!
not because i want it, but because i bought 16 bab frames over the years, and i deserve that they listen to us.

but to tell you the truth, i dont really care for that babolat guy with his passive answers that every body treats like golden honey fallin from the clouds. hardly ever says n e thing substantial.

Rafaboy · Oct 25, 2018

Karma Tennis said:
@Rafaboy, you sum up the 2013 APD perfectly. Yes, I agree it

The main reason I moved on from it was that I'm not an elite player. There are other racquets which offer much easier point and shoot shot making. The 2013 APD allowed me to swing for big targets. But I wanted sticks that would give me a little more accuracy and that's why I moved on.

an elite player can probably hit with a 2 by 4 if he wanted to. if the racket is already difficult to place shots, why would he want to even try? there far more accurate ones with less effort

Rafaboy · Oct 25, 2018

prjacobs said:
Not only did the 2013 APD feel great from day one, it still feels great over 5 years later. I tried the frame as a joke - I was using a leaded 12.2 ounce MGRad Pro and the shop I demo from didn’t have the frame I wanted to try. So I thought - let’s see what the hype is all about.
I instantly hit every shot effortlessly - better than with any other frame I’ve used and my game has steadily improved for five years.
The 2013 APD, for me, and for every play tester at TW, is way more maneuverable than the old PA, and has much more feel. Chris @ TW shares my opinion.
I’m looking forward to trying the new PA, but for me, it has to be amazing to outplay my APD.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

if the racket is so great and perfect for you, then you wouldnt think of even trying the 2019.

you would instead be aware of any local kryptonite sales that could impede your progress.

prjacobs · Oct 26, 2018

Rafaboy said:
if the racket is so great and perfect for you, then you wouldnt think of even trying the 2019.

you would instead be aware of any local kryptonite sales that could impede your progress.

I’m trying the frame out of curiosity - and fun...
I think that’s allowed [emoji4].

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

marquette100 · Oct 26, 2018

Babolat really messed with this frame. They turned it into a frame that every racquet company makes a version of. Nobody made anything like the 2016 pure aero. Don't they know we want more, more, more. More power, more spin. NOT LESS! Very disappointed in this frame. Will be buying a couple more of the 2016 pure areo's. Why aren't they on better sale yet?

Nostradamus · Oct 26, 2018

marquette100 said:
Babolat really messed with this frame. They turned it into a frame that every racquet company makes a version of. Nobody made anything like the 2016 pure aero. Don't they know we want more, more, more. More power, more spin. NOT LESS! Very disappointed in this frame. Will be buying a couple more of the 2016 pure areo's. Why aren't they on better sale yet?

you are saying it has Less spin and Less power. it might be cause the frame is more Flexible now. Babolat seem to be just responding to so many players that wanted more Flexible Aeros that is more arm friendly. but then when they did that frame became less powerful.

Rusbus · Oct 26, 2018

I created an account just to talk about this...I have no idea what the other posters are talking about but IMO this is a fantastic update. I got noticeable more spin...Enough for myself and guys I was playing with to notice a difference. I am coming from the 2016 version.

Only other noticeable difference is the frame did feel more muted/less jarring. Great feeling racquet!

Playing with Volkl Cyclone Tour at 52

Deleted member 746200 · Oct 26, 2018

I didn’t feel much difference comparing to the original pure aero. Just a little bit softer other than that it’s a pretty much exact racket. It’s a good thing Babolat doesn’t change too much to their popular frame though.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Harry_Wild · Oct 26, 2018

Nostradamus said:
They must make the Plus version with 320 swingweight. I demand that from babolat since I spend a lot of money on babolat products

Move to the 7.0+ top 20 player level and Babolat will be very accommodating to your racquet wishes. You need to improve your playing level moving from recreational to ITF, Challenger, ATP 250s, etc... to GS!

ProRadTour · Oct 27, 2018

I just picked one up today, I had the specs measured and surprisingly, the RA was 67 unstrung. I wouldn't have believed if I wasn't in store myself to see it on the Babolat RDC. The unstrung specs were, weight was 307g with the plastic on the handle, 289 swing-weight and 31.5 cm balance.

I swapped out the base grip with a leather grip, strung with over-grip and dampener it's now at 334g.

Looking forward to trying it out tomorrow.

Rafaboy · Oct 27, 2018

ProRadTour said:
I just picked one up today, I had the specs measured and surprisingly, the RA was 67 unstrung. I wouldn't have believed if I wasn't in store myself to see it on the Babolat RDC. Weight was 307g with the plastic on the handle, 289 swing-weight and 31.5 cm balance.

I swapped out the base grip with a leather grip, strung with over-grip and dampener it's now at 334g.

Looking forward to trying it out tomorrow.

289 sw does not sound correct.
add ons must contribute to overall heaviness.

my overall weight with thin overgrip and 18g cyclone totaled 324g

let us know how it plays for you

Karma Tennis · Oct 27, 2018

ProRadTour said:
I just picked one up today, I had the specs measured and surprisingly, the RA was 67 unstrung. I wouldn't have believed if I wasn't in store myself to see it on the Babolat RDC. Weight was 307g with the plastic on the handle, 289 swing-weight and 31.5 cm balance.

I swapped out the base grip with a leather grip, strung with over-grip and dampener it's now at 334g.

Looking forward to trying it out tomorrow.

@stephenclown.

ProRadTour · Oct 27, 2018

Rafaboy said:
289 sw does not sound correct.
add ons must contribute to overall heaviness.

my overall weight with thin overgrip and 18g cyclone totaled 324g

let us know how it plays for you

No add ons, forgot to mention the frame was measured unstrung. The only "add on" was the plastic over the handle, other than that completely stock. The advertising/cardboard insert was removed before the specs were measured. The plastic on the handle and the Babolat grip band totaled 4 grams of weight. Once I removed the plastic and grip band, the frame was 320g strung with original base grip. The extra 14 grams on my final spec are a combination of leather grip, over grip and vibration dampener that I added after stringing the frame.

The specs of the frame I got hold of are close to the TW averages except for the RA. Will report back on how I find the frame performs.

stephenclown · Oct 27, 2018

Karma Tennis said:
@stephenclown.

So basically you have quoted a different machine that who knows that the calibration is like and so far out of spec that you are happy lol. This means even more of a lucky dip when purchasing. Good luck.

Rafaboy · Oct 27, 2018

ProRadTour said:
No add ons, forgot to mention the frame was measured unstrung. The only "add on" was the plastic over the handle, other than that completely stock. The advertising/cardboard insert was removed before the specs were measured. The plastic on the handle and the Babolat grip band totaled 4 grams of weight. Once I removed the plastic and grip band, the frame was 320g strung with original base grip. The extra 14 grams on my final spec are a combination of leather grip, over grip and vibration dampener that I added after stringing the frame.

The specs of the frame I got hold of are close to the TW averages except for the RA. Will report back on how I find the frame performs.

first u say, no add ons. then the last part you say leather,overgrip, dampner. add ons!

DrWang · Oct 27, 2018

Nostradamus said:
you are saying it has Less spin and Less power. it might be cause the frame is more Flexible now. Babolat seem to be just responding to so many players that wanted more Flexible Aeros that is more arm friendly. but then when they did that frame became less powerful.

It does have less power and spin. I let several people who use the 2016 PA try the 2019 300 gram and Team model. One is a professional coach, two 5.0-5.5 doubles players, and one phenomenal teen.

ALL, pretty much said the same thing, less power and less spin compared to the previous model. That's not to say it's not powerful or you can't generate spin with the new PA. It just means there is less of it with the new model compared to the previous version. I'm waiting for a plus version.

Nostradamus · Oct 27, 2018

DrWang said:
It does have less power and spin. I let several people who use the 2016 PA try the 2019 300 gram and Team model. One is a professional coach, two 5.0-5.5 doubles players, and one phenomenal teen.

ALL, pretty much said the same thing, less power and less spin compared to the previous model. That's not to say it's not powerful or you can't generate spin with the new PA. It just means there is less of it with the new model compared to the previous version. I'm waiting for a plus version.

yes I am eagerly awaiting for it too. but I am afraid it might have SW higher than 330. then it will be useless. I will then call it "Pure Disaster" instead of pure aero.

jmacdaununder2 · Oct 27, 2018

Sorry to be the voice of dissent here @Rafadamus, but how is the new PA 'tweener', even with mods, going to take you to levels that a modded UT apparently couldn't?

JonnyAbs · Oct 27, 2018

jmacdaununder2 said:
Sorry to be the voice of dissent here @Rafadamus, but how is the new PA 'tweener', even with mods, going to take you to levels that a modded UT apparently couldn't?

Your mistake is that you question the illogical. You are not going to agree with or like the answer!

JonnyAbs · Oct 27, 2018

My 2019 PA arrived thursday and i played with it for 2-3 hours that night against a guy pretty damn equal to me. I won 7-6, 7-6. In both sets, i was down 3-0. Although this racquet is a little less powerful than the 2016 pa, that is an improvement because the latter was a rocket launcher.

I was down each set because i was fresh and at full steam and had trouble controlling the balls. They were sailing long and wide. As i tired, i actually improved because i could keep the balls inside the lines.

This racquet feels so solid, esp for a 325 gram racquet with dampener and OG. Handles pace well and has great plow through. I really like backhands becuase i have less fear of the ball sailing. Forehands can be a winner or an error.

Looking forward to getting out with it again soon. I am not sold on it because of the lack of consistency. I really think the perfect racquet would be this with 2013 drill pattern. Dont really love FSI.

Rafaboy · Oct 28, 2018

jmacdaununder2 said:
Sorry to be the voice of dissent here @Rafadamus, but how is the new PA 'tweener', even with mods, going to take you to levels that a modded UT apparently couldn't?

who is rafadamus?
no dissent perceived. each player his own preference and opinion.

statements i make are true to my level and style. exceptional players have their own styles and form. as compared to the cookie cutter usta approved form.

for me, once warmed up, less power and less spin than the 2016 PA, is advantage for me. because it allows me to hit a full power, relaxed with confidence, that the ball will respond according. therefore, no limitations at this level.

it seemed like in playtest vids, women had a few more complaints noticed. perhaps they can hit better with more powerfull racket.

for me, its not fun hitting erratic spin and power that too difficult for thehitting partner to rally back.

others say not enough power, or spin. is also probably true for them, even at advanced levels.

Rafaboy · Oct 28, 2018

JonnyAbs said:
Your mistake is that you question the illogical. You are not going to agree with or like the answer!

so is my answer so illogical that u cannot agree with it?

or is it so logical, that it blows your mind?

Karma Tennis · Oct 28, 2018

Rafaboy said:
or is it so logical, that it blows your mind?

Kramer? ...... Is ... that ... you ... Cosmo?

I thought Jerry was the tennis player and you were the Ball Man!

Rafaboy · Oct 28, 2018

Karma Tennis said:
Kramer? ...... Is ... that ... you ... Cosmo?

I thought Jerry was the tennis player and you were the Ball Man!

i remember that one.
so is the whole series sane or insane?

DrWang · Oct 28, 2018

Nostradamus said:
yes I am eagerly awaiting for it too. but I am afraid it might have SW higher than 330. then it will be useless. I will then call it "Pure Disaster" instead of pure aero.

Heh heh. Good name for that! Let's up it's up to par with the 2016 plus because that one and PD plus are beasts.

Harry_Wild · Oct 28, 2018

I went through quite a few 2019 Pure Aero frames before came across a 329g. Most were 319g. Stiffness of 65! All are unstrung!

A_Instead · Oct 28, 2018

My 2 were hand picked with lightest swing weight and static weight....
Put a hybrid in them...48lb
To me this new generation feels most similar to the current pure drive..but with less pop and power compared to the pure drive....and yes..less than then last generation pure aero...it is a nice new offer...

avocadoz · Oct 28, 2018

I can’t believe people are complaining about the lack of power with the new PA when it’s still a rocket launcher compared to most racquets out there. Are you people pushers and can’t generate even a little bit of your own power? I strung this thing with Hyper G at 60 lbs and it’s still a powerful frame.

JonnyAbs · Oct 28, 2018

avocadoz said:
I can’t believe people are complaining about the lack of power with the new PA when it’s still a rocket launcher compared to most racquets out there. Are you people pushers and can’t generate even a little bit of your own power? I strung this thing with Hyper G at 60 lbs and it’s still a powerful frame.

1000% agreed. It is asinine.

@Rafaboy I was not talking about you above. But I might have interpreted @jmacdaununder2's "Rafadamus" as just being about Nostra, but maybe he was addressing both of you. I disregarded all talk after the Nostra comment he/she made about wanting a racquet to turn him/her into a 5.0 because it was not worth a discussion and was a waste of time.

JonnyAbs · Oct 28, 2018

Harry_Wild said:
I went through quite a few 2019 Pure Aero frames before came across a 329g. Most were 319g. Stiffness of 65! All are unstrung!

Hmm, maybe they were that much weight unstrung because of the cardboard insert and plastic wrap? It should be about 300 grams unstrung and 315-320 strung with all paper and plastic removed.

Rafaboy · Oct 28, 2018

JonnyAbs said:
1000% agreed. It is asinine.

@Rafaboy I was not talking about you above. But I might have interpreted @jmacdaununder2's "Rafadamus" as just being about Nostra, but maybe he was addressing both of you. I disregarded all talk after the Nostra comment he/she made about wanting a racquet to turn him/her into a 5.0 because it was not worth a discussion and was a waste of time.

jonny, no offense perceived. another poster starts to get contentious, but i shrug off animosity until it becomes blatant.

a good racket can take u to upper levels, if your present one limits you.

Rafaboy · Oct 28, 2018

JonnyAbs said:
Hmm, maybe they were that much weight unstrung because of the cardboard insert and plastic wrap? It should be about 300 grams unstrung and 315-320 strung with all paper and plastic removed.

mine is 324 strung with lighter poly, and this frame was lightest compared to selection in the store.

but my 3/8 grip makes it feel lighter than a 1/4 in same weight

bigdaddy · Oct 28, 2018

Without searching back through this thread when is the tour coming out?

JonnyAbs · Oct 28, 2018

Rafaboy said:
a good racket can take u to upper levels, if your present one limits you.

It can probably help you the max of a .5 usta rating by using a racquet more suited to your game/ability. The rest is the person.

bigdaddy said:
Without searching back through this thread when is the tour coming out?

Early 2019

Rafaboy · Oct 28, 2018

JonnyAbs said:
It can probably help you the max of a .5 usta rating by using a racquet more suited to your game/ability. The rest is the person.

Early 2019

with time, it can take you higher than that, depends on vast difference in racket.

Nostradamus · Oct 28, 2018

Rafaboy said:
with time, it can take you higher than that, depends on vast difference in racket.

so what is the verdict ?? is this better than Aeropro drive 2013 ? Is it better than Pure aero 2016-17 ?

jmacdaununder2 · Oct 28, 2018

My question was if an Ultra Tour is limiting your game how can a PA19 be expected to take it to new levels, other than by temporarily disguising/mitigating technical flaws? Ultra Tour will give you nothing for free in terms of spin and power, but it will provide unlimited precision and feedback, helping you to correct inherent weaknesses in your strokes.

Karma Tennis · Oct 28, 2018

Anyone who is serious about improving their game in the short term needs to ditch all the modern equipment and spend about 500 hours of hitting with a PS85.

Rafaboy · Oct 29, 2018

^^^ if this theory is correct, then it follows that, if one took a little league baseball bat with same swingweight and balance, and played tennis with it for a year, then he would advanced to professional level by end of year.

Rafaboy · Oct 29, 2018

Nostradamus said:
so what is the verdict ?? is this better than Aeropro drive 2013 ? Is it better than Pure aero 2016-17 ?

define what you mean by "better".

it would depend on player preference. for me, it would allow to play at higher level than the other two. and yet, its a bit more difficult to play than the others. you need to hit harder and not as forgiving, yet more stable.

but i also have a problem that not every night i am hitting the same. tonight i
didnt feel 100%
effort, so the 2016 actually felt better and more natural, without need to push myself to extremes.

now, if you are asking me, which would be best for you, then it's impossible to make that determination, because i know nothing about you, playing style, level, man or woman, age,
body proportion, oops! please pardon me, didnt mean to seem to drift into too much of a personal territory. lol but we may need to meet on court in order i make the recommendation by observing all of the above? ....just kidding!

but the best way is to try all three, and let us know your preference.

how did your demo come along, with the PA 2019?

Nostradamus · Oct 29, 2018

Rafaboy said:
define what you mean by "better".

it would depend on player preference. for me, it would allow to play at higher level than the other two. and yet, its a bit more difficult to play than the others. you need to hit harder and not as forgiving, yet more stable.

but i also have a problem that not every night i am hitting the same. tonight i
didnt feel 100%
effort, so the 2016 actually felt better and more natural, without need to push myself to extremes.

now, if you are asking me, which would be best for you, then it's impossible to make that determination, because i know nothing about you, playing style, level, man or woman, age,
body proportion, oops! please pardon me, didnt mean to seem to drift into too much of a personal territory. lol but we may need to meet on court in order i make the recommendation by observing all of the above? ....just kidding!

but the best way is to try all three, and let us know your preference.

how did your demo come along, with the PA 2019?

No good, definitely inferior to 2013 aeropro and 2018 pure drive. Spin is good but that is it. Not buying. I demand that Plus version with SW below 330, then I will buy that one based on performance of this one. This will apply to all people and players of size and shape

Rafaboy · Oct 29, 2018

Nostradamus said:
No good, definitely inferior to 2013 aeropro and 2018 pure drive. Spin is good but that is it. Not buying. I demand that Plus version with SW below 330, then I will buy that one based on performance of this one. This will apply to all people and players of size and shape

wait a minute, i dont understand.....

you dont like the overall performance of this one, but u want to buy it in the plus version?

then u say it will be good for all players?

i can truly understand if 2019 is not for you. its not easy to consistantly perform at the higher demand every day.
but you seem to contradict yourself.

are you just seeking a panacea in the plus model? or are you just trying to be contrare on purpose?

or perhaps i just irritate you altogether, for this may i offer my appology.

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