Bab. Pure Strike Project kills your arm. . . eventually?
- Thread starter max
- Start date
I also have rotator cuff problems. The current Babolat Pure Strike 18X20 didn't work for my shoulder. I was only able to serve one game with it before my shoulder started hurting. My demo was strung with Babolat Addiction 16.
The old version of the Babolat Pure Strike 18 x 20 (the gray and pink one) was fine for me. No shoulder problems at all.
How long did you demo the Pure Strike. Perhaps more demo time will help you make a decision.
The old version of the Babolat Pure Strike 18 x 20 (the gray and pink one) was fine for me. No shoulder problems at all.
How long did you demo the Pure Strike. Perhaps more demo time will help you make a decision.
styksnstryngs
Professional
Shoulder injuries are usually due to weight rather than stiffness.
Crocodile
Legend
Yes, I've received the same feedback from players who use this racquet. Lot of players are complaining of elbow, wrist and shoulder problems with it.
I'm not really keen on racquet weighting methods designed to encourage spin production. It's much better if they focus on string patterns instead. Also a lot if guys/girls who are using this racquet are using dead and harsh full bead of poly strings sndvit just makes things worse.
Of late many tournament players are coming back to gut/poly hybrid string setups for this reason as they are prepared to sacrifice frequent strung breakage for arm safety.
I'm not really keen on racquet weighting methods designed to encourage spin production. It's much better if they focus on string patterns instead. Also a lot if guys/girls who are using this racquet are using dead and harsh full bead of poly strings sndvit just makes things worse.
Of late many tournament players are coming back to gut/poly hybrid string setups for this reason as they are prepared to sacrifice frequent strung breakage for arm safety.
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
Honestly, I think many people must see the Babolat logo and start getting placebo arm pain. The Project One Seven hits like a soft pillow compared to a Pure Aero, Pure Drive, Wilson Burn, RF97, or the stiff T-flights. I suppose if you are coming from an old school prince or head with an RA in the 50s it might feel stiff, but it’s no different than a Wilson Blade or ProStaff.
graycrait
Hall of Fame
I hit with one that my tennis buddy demoed alongside the Yonex Ezone 100 and RF 97. I really really liked that Yonex. The Pure Strike reminded me of all the other "cliche" rackets currently hyped on the market. Heck, you can play decent tennis with anything if you have a decent game. I'll never hit with the Pure Strike again.
kailash
Professional
I demoed the current white Pure Strike, in both 16x19 and 18x20 patterns; did not feel any arm discomfort. 12 and 14 year boys also tried those with me; both of them felt some form of discomfort with those. They also demoed the previous gen Pure Strike, red and black version and liked it much; now playing with those. BTW, Thiem plays a customized 18x20 red and black version, in white PJ.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
See the post above. He is using a customized version of the previous generation Pure Strike that is painted to look like the current one.
I've hit with both patterns before and while I didn't feel any discomfort during play my elbow felt tight and a tad tender after 1 demo session when I went for lunch after. Very odd as they felt quite comfy during play. They had poly i think but in low tension. Power was easy to come by but nah. I am not a chronic arm pain sufferer either.
jmacdaununder2
Hall of Fame
In certain circles that I frequent it's known as the sunburn racquet...
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
If you think Dominic Thiem (or any top pro) is using an off the shelf retail racquet, I've got some swamp land to sell you.
Never ever judge the quality of a retail racquet by what a pro endorses. They are playing a different game than you with entirely different racquet specs.
I found the new Pure Strike line to be a bit harsher than I expected. Not as bad as a Pure Drive but definitely a notch below the Wilson Blade and Yonex DR lineup. And well below the Prince Textreme Tours and Phantoms and Prokennex Q+ tours.
Personally I thought the VS tour Pure Strike was the only one that was decently comfortable.
TennisHound
Legend
Hmmm, sounds like my relationship with the Speed MP 360.
Traffic
Hall of Fame
I hit with my son's Pure Strike 98 strung with 18g HyperG @ 49#. I have sensitive elbows. So about 30min is about all I can hit with it. I'd be curious at trying it out with my Gut/Multi hybrid.
Are folks playing with poly strings and then continuing to play with dead strings? That's where my first case of GE/TE flared up. Pure Drive strung with Pro Hurricane. No issues the first month. Then took some time off. Then played again like 9months later and arm started hurting. Dead poly. But damage was done.
For my son's PS98, he re-strings every 12hrs. We find the strings to go dead by that time or the stringbed gets locked. YMMV
Are folks playing with poly strings and then continuing to play with dead strings? That's where my first case of GE/TE flared up. Pure Drive strung with Pro Hurricane. No issues the first month. Then took some time off. Then played again like 9months later and arm started hurting. Dead poly. But damage was done.
For my son's PS98, he re-strings every 12hrs. We find the strings to go dead by that time or the stringbed gets locked. YMMV
antonmartin
New User
I hit pure strike for 5 months and am now out of commission with tennis elbow. In retrospect, I could tell that it was harder on my arm than my old prince from the start. But I also had more range in my game with it, and was really learning to play better with it (serves and volleys had so much more control and power, above all--groundstrokes are still harder for me for some reason--framesize?) ... that I did not want to change. Had it strung with 54lbs of Babolat SprialTek, a synthgut (I think).
Anyway, I now have the impression that scrawny people with no arm strength should not be using rackets of this size and stiffness, so I think I'm going to be picking up a Prince Phantom 100 once I'm in good enough shape to play again :/
Anyway, I now have the impression that scrawny people with no arm strength should not be using rackets of this size and stiffness, so I think I'm going to be picking up a Prince Phantom 100 once I'm in good enough shape to play again :/
CosmosMpower
Hall of Fame
Babolat advertising their racquet being easy on the arm is like Mcdonalds advertising their food doesn't make you fat.
I use the same arm friendly string setup on all my racquets, Ashaway Mongut ZX mains and Gamma TNT2 crosses 54/50. On my Prince Beast 98 O3 (RA 69) and Pro Kennex Ki 5 320 (RA 67), I get no arm pain no matter how long I play. On my Pure Strike 98 16x19 (RA 67), my elbow gets sore after about 30 minutes of hitting. You can't always go by RA stiffness.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
then how does Dominick hit the ball so hard with no arm issues ?
antonmartin
New User
Not yet, I've been kind of scared into changing rackets altogether. But I think I'll make adjustments to this stick so i can play with it occasionally once I'm back on the court.
antonmartin
New User
He's a professional athlete lol.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
antonmartin
New User
I don’t know... I had no idea that was a thing until I came here. And there are testimonials about it, particularly this pure strike, galore
oldcity
Rookie
maybe not. I'll be giving it a demo, along with the 18x20 version. I'm kind of hoping for Pure Storm Tour, if I add a little weight.
Just a tip. This racquet feels awesome when you demo it. That's why I bought it. If it's possible, make sure you get a chance to play a competitive 3 sets with it. My elbow pain didn't kick in until after the first set. If your arm can take it, you'll probably love it. I hated putting it down, but I didn't have much of a choice.
sredna42
Hall of Fame
netlets
Semi-Pro
I would think if you play with a Pure Drive which is RA 72 or a bit lower for the newer version, then the Pure Strike shouldn't bother you, since it is RA 67 - considerably less stiff. I just wonder how many people that have these arm issues have been using stiff Babolat racquets all along, or have they been using other racquet brands that play very differently.
I played with AeroPro Drive in the past, which is probably on the same level as the Pure Drive. I'll say the Pure Strike is more arm friendly than the APD, but that's not saying much because the APD and PD probably get more complaints about TE than any other racquet. The APD was the reason I started searching for arm-friendly racquets. I've mostly been using frames from Pro Kennex and Prince, which are generally much easier on the arm than Babolat frames.
10sGearHead
New User
I played with it for months with a hybrid setup and eventually developed tennis elbow, which I've never had. Switched racquets and it went away eventually. The reports are real.
antonmartin
New User
So crazy--has Babolat ever addressed this? This is most definitely a thing...
ej28405
New User
I used the Pure Strike 18x20 for a couple weeks and liked it quite a bit, I played really well with it...but something about it just irritated my shoulder. I admittedly have RC issues already but took the risk with this frame hoping it wouldn't make things worse. I noticed it more that evening and especially the next couple days after hitting with it. I was even using 17g X1 at mid-tension. No issues since switching back to the 93p which is heavier and has a higher SW I think. Assuming it is attributed to the stiffness. Now I'm looking to sell it 
10sGearHead
New User
I noticed that when I hit the sweet spot it was fine, but if I hit even a tad outside of it toward the tip, I got a big shock to my elbow. Babolat went wrong when they introduced GT (graphite tungsten). Before then, I could play with all of their racquets without pain and many of them were even pretty plush.
antonmartin
New User
Yes...precisely this. It punishes you more for bad contact.
10sGearHead
New User
Also, I think this is a good example that stiffness rating isn't the only factor in what makes a racquet arm friendly. I'm demo'ing the Prince Tour 100P and it's rating is very similar, but it certainly feels much more arm friendly. I guess we'll have to see what the feedback is after its been out for a while though. Also, it seems like lot of the game improvement racquets and brands known for comfortable racquets have high stiffness ratings but are engineered to be arm friendly for older players.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
The granny sticks provide comfort by enlarging the sweet spot and then getting used by people not swinging hard.
Engineering has little to do with it. Big oversized frame with short strokes and soft ball impacts.
oldcity
Rookie
I got my first hit with both string patterns last night, along with the prince Tex tour 100 18x20 and Wilson ultra 18x20. The babolats felt like they had some weight in the tip. I'm not used to 4pt head light balance. right away I hit good fh, limited serves but goodl. I did notice that off center hits, closer to the top tended to jack the handle a bit. I'm thinking some additional weight in handle(leather grip) would help this. maybe a touch of lead at 3,9 but I'd focus on the handle. all demos are lighter and shorter than the DR98+ I play with so backhands are a work in progress with all of these. when I get the grip location and pressure right I hit a good solid 2hbh with all of these. just something to get used to. The Pure strikes did not feel stiff or harsh and were pretty well dampened.
luke_1983uk
Semi-Pro
Add me to that list!
I have tried all sorts to get this racket to work, it felt like a dream to play with and i played some of my best tennis to date with this racket, but ive now been sidelined for 3 months with TE!
Ive slowly started to play again and im now at once a week after purchasing a few Yonex DR 98, I cant even begin to tell you guys how relived i am now im back playing, THANKS YONEX!
TE in the pure strike will eventually get you!
I have tried all sorts to get this racket to work, it felt like a dream to play with and i played some of my best tennis to date with this racket, but ive now been sidelined for 3 months with TE!
Ive slowly started to play again and im now at once a week after purchasing a few Yonex DR 98, I cant even begin to tell you guys how relived i am now im back playing, THANKS YONEX!
TE in the pure strike will eventually get you!
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
Been playing 3 times per week with the Pure Strike 98 16x19 Project One 7 for years now (since its release) with no issues. Best racquet I’ve ever used. Heavy ball. Unreal to serve with. Very comfortable compared to the APD. I have never understood what people are talking about with this racquet being uncomfortable. If you have been using a Pure Aero, APD, Pure Drive, Wilson Burn, etc then you will laugh at the reports of this racquet being uncomfortable. Will definitely buy the new version when the update comes out.
paulie-japan
Rookie
Never liked it really..too powerful
frogboy2002
Rookie
I think different people can find different things uncomfortable. What string set up do you use? Have you modded the stick in anyway from stock form?
frogboy2002
Rookie
Can you expand on this? Been having some shoulder problems this week, is it likely too much weight or too little?
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
Too much. If the racquet is too heavy for you, your shoulder will be the first to let you know.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
It's a bit hard to say. There are studies showing that heavier frames can be protective on the shoulder by encouraging more activation of the larger shoulder muscles to move the frame rather than relying too much on the rotator cuff muscles. There probably is a sweet spot where too heavy is hard on the shoulder and too light is also dangerous.
Hitting with PS 18x20. I find those at less than 300gm to play much softer than those at spec of 305gm or higher thanks to bad QC. I have one at 298gm and it feels softer noticeably than my 2nd one at 300gm stock surprisingly. I just add lead to weight them up to my liking.
Very arm/shoulder friendly with gut/poly so far. If I put a stiff poly in the crosses, even at low tension, you definitely feel it as this hoop is rather stiff I think. Likely the reason why its quite stable in twist weight given its low weight.
Very arm/shoulder friendly with gut/poly so far. If I put a stiff poly in the crosses, even at low tension, you definitely feel it as this hoop is rather stiff I think. Likely the reason why its quite stable in twist weight given its low weight.
Believe it or not, there was a poster here whose advice was to always hit the ball in the sweet spot so you'll never get TE. I actually think he was serious about that!
Last edited: