babolat pure aero 98 new paint job
- Thread starter chipmunk
- Start date
Konik_1982
Rookie
I think they've been lately trying the all black version... 
_FrankTheTank_
Rookie
I do really dislike the current paint job. It has something aggressive, but not in a motiviating way, more in a uncomfortable disturbing way. Hopefully they'll come up with someting more modern.
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heavyD
Professional
The 2026 PA is less than a year away. I hope the paint job is a little better than the new PD which looks okay in your hand but very bland when you see it being used on court. I don't love the new Ezone pj but at least you can tell when someone is using one. The new PD just kind of fades into the background.
codonnell
Semi-Pro
I honesty don’t hate the currently paint job, I like the shade of yellow, but I think it would have benefited with either going all in on the black or gray and not mix them together as much. The gloss finish is one of the best in recent memory. It looks like the next strike paint job may be gloss too, but many brands are going for a matte mix, even with the recent pure drives.
Dae18
Hall of Fame
The Pure Strike metallic grey is just a limited paintjob, not a current product. As for the metallic blue for the PD, that’s the current product. If anything they will probably go with white again for Wimbledon
iceman_dl6
Professional
I would have liked if they kept the 98’s paintjob distinct from the rest of the Aero line like they did with the VS.
Ummm... yuck?
What ever happened to just a tasteful solid base colorway with fun but minimal accenting, like, you know, the way the majority of frames used to be?
Alcawrath
Professional
I actually like the current pj more than any other recent aero. I really dislike mostly yellow racquets, so the black and grey camo look with yellow is nice and the gloss really made it great. I hope they stick with a mostly black or grey scheme instead of returning to yellow
IMO the current paintjob has too much going on. It is both nice and jarring at the same time, and my brain cant handle it. I thought that the 2019 banana aero was super clean. Yes, the yellow was aggressive, but it it was somehow stylish.
The 2021 PD was brilliant. The new one, yuck!
The 2021 PD was brilliant. The new one, yuck!
codonnell
Semi-Pro
I really loved the active cortex era for Babolat paint jobs. The gloss 2012 black and light blue pure drive and black with hint of yellow 2013 apd. They were both sleek black paint jobs with some nice detailing to make it pop and honestly some of my favorite playing racquets too.
Konik_1982
Rookie
What I would do if I were Babolat PR guy, I would create like 3 alternate designs and show them to the general public to hear the customer´s voice. Today it´s so easy to use the existing channels like Instagram, YouTube, also you can use the tennis YouTubers like Jonas, Beckett and others to spread this activity and based on the feedback you can get some information how the consumers would like to have the colourway.
Like myself - I don´t have such imagination to say "I would like the PJ to look like this..." I don´t know really. But when you say AERO, the yellow colour pops up immediately. But in what combination with other colour, gloss or matte...no idea. But if I saw some proposals, that would be so cool and surely I would gravitate to some.
Like myself - I don´t have such imagination to say "I would like the PJ to look like this..." I don´t know really. But when you say AERO, the yellow colour pops up immediately. But in what combination with other colour, gloss or matte...no idea. But if I saw some proposals, that would be so cool and surely I would gravitate to some.
yeah thats called focus testing - every brand does it just not publicly
DariaGT
Professional
This!
even the PD VS and had Babolat Pure Drive Team Wimbledon 2022 had better graphics and finish.
Not only the paint job it was a way better racquet. Feel was amazing whereas the Aero 98 felt mushy.
Having played with both of them, we have to agree to disagree here. For me, the PA98 is a much better racquet than the VS.
heavyD
Professional
The masses never really liked the VS racquets. It's why Babolat went back to the drawing board on them. The PA98 is an immense improvement over the VS. PA98 took the VS from niche frame to one of the top selling tennis racquets in the world. That doesn't happen unless it's a really good frame.
iceman_dl6
Professional
So glad that someone else noticed it too! Personally I tried to like the Aero 98 to replace my VS but that dampening flax (or whatever they call it) just ruined the feel. I much prefer the RF01’s raw feel that almost feels like the old VS.
Thought the same about the PJ too. Had a quick comparo between the PAVS and PA98 I have this week and the PAVS looks more “classy” with the metallic grey.
The PA98 looks just like the PA23, with a smaller head. lol
No it’s more likely because everyone wants to use the racquet that Alcaraz is using. The Aero VS suddenly became extremely sought after and priced accordingly and when the PA98 came out people resorted to buying that instead
heavyD
Professional
Nah. PA98 is a legit really good frame. Probably the best Babolat frame in a long time.
Exactly. There’s a reason why everyone know to be using a PA98 on your is using PA98, not VS. both Alcaraz and Rune switched from the VS to the PA98.
Vicious49
Legend
Has it been confirmed that Alcaraz switched? I haven't been following closely for the past 6-12 months but I know at one point it was rumored he was still using the VS.
The best confirmation we have is that his racquet has PA98 grommets. The current PA98 grommets are different than the PAVS grommets. Companies are not historically known to swap out grommets when doing paint jobs for their pros. With that evidence, Alcaraz SHOULD be using a PA98. Same with Rune.
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Alcawrath
Professional
Second this
iceman_dl6
Professional
I really hope they re-release the APD Original’s paintjob!
There's always a new paintjob when any model is updated.
iceman_dl6
Professional
I think he or she meant, “is the new painjob confirmed?”
As in "Has anyone seen it?" Probably too early for that.
