Babolat Pure Strike v3 16x19: Arm Pain. Will Tour Version be Softer?

[TurkeySandwichOnRye]

I tried out the Babolat Pure Strike v3 16x19 and played the best tennis of my life… for about 1.5 hours. Then, my elbow and shoulder lit up with pain.

I had the frame strung fresh with Solinco Confidential 17g at 49lb.

I tried adding lead on hoop and on grip and this did not help.

Would the v3 Tour version of this frame be easier on my arm, strung with natural gut mains and poly crosses? Or, should I just swear off this frame altogether and forget it ever came into my life?

 

[GAS]

Will Babolat be softer? No.

 

[Rosstour]

Strings way too high IMO

 

[gino]

I tried out the Babolat Pure Strike v3 16x19 and played the best tennis of my life… for about 1.5 hours. Then, my elbow and shoulder lit up with pain.

I had the frame strung fresh with Solinco Confidential 17g at 49lb.

I tried adding lead on hoop and on grip and this did not help.

Would the v3 Tour version of this frame be easier on my arm, strung with natural gut mains and poly crosses? Or, should I just swear off this frame altogether and forget it ever came into my life?

I would say go down in tension and use a softer poly at an even thinner guage. 18-19 guage polys are still very controlled strings

I have a bunch of gen 3 pure strikes. I find it to be the most comfy of the pure strikes and I’ve played them all. The new one is pretty much the same to me just lower published RA, to each their own. Gen 3 is so cheap right now might as well grab one

Strings way too high IMO

Exactly, confidential 16 is in the tw string database at 223 stiffness, that’s stuffer than pro hurricane or rpm. At 49 pounds, would be unbearable for me

 

[TurkeySandwichOnRye]

I would say go down in tension and use a softer poly at an even thinner guage. 18-19 guage polys are still very controlled strings

I have a bunch of gen 3 pure strikes. I find it to be the most comfy of the pure strikes and I’ve played them all. The new one is pretty much the same to me just lower published RA, to each their own. Gen 3 is so cheap right now might as well grab one



Exactly, confidential 16 is in the tw string database at 223 stiffness, that’s stuffer than pro hurricane or rpm. At 49 pounds, would be unbearable for me

Okay I’ll try another string before dumping it. I bought one blind because they are so discounted. Just felt that immediate arm pain that I was afraid would shut my tennis down for months if I continued to hit.

What is a good poly for me to try in 18g that’s easier on my arm? RPM Team? I’ll try a lower tension like 46lb. I’m afraid of the combination of soft poly and thin gauge will make the string unplayable for more than two hours and become a rocket launcher

I may go gut/poly just to try the maximum comfort to isolate if it’s frame or string…

(I’ve used Confidential 17 at 49lb on blade and blade pro, as well as 4G & tour bite without any slightest of pain issues, so it makes me think it’s the Babolat frame here…)

 

[Tranqville]

Pure Strike Tour 3G has better arm safety, because of lower vibration frequency and higher mass that dampens the vibration. It's not a Prestige Pro in term of arm comfort by any means. PST works best when you string it with natural gut/poly hybrid or soft co-poly like Hyper-G Soft at low tension (importantly), and never let the string go old, beyong 10-15 hours. All the credit is due to @socallefty for discovering this recipe for success.

Beyond arm safetey, PST is a better racquet than the regular Pure Strike, with excellent plough and precision, and biggest power in control-power racquet category.

Also, please do consider the new Pure Strike 16x19 Gen. 4, which has improved arm comfort and reduced stiffness. Gets good reviews.

 

[TurkeySandwichOnRye]

Ok I’m ordering the pure strike tour and will string with the Babolat black VS/RPM hybrid at like 52/48?

 

[jdx2112]

Okay I’ll try another string before dumping it. I bought one blind because they are so discounted. Just felt that immediate arm pain that I was afraid would shut my tennis down for months if I continued to hit.

What is a good poly for me to try in 18g that’s easier on my arm? RPM Team? I’ll try a lower tension like 46lb. I’m afraid of the combination of soft poly and thin gauge will make the string unplayable for more than two hours and become a rocket launcher

I may go gut/poly just to try the maximum comfort to isolate if it’s frame or string…

(I’ve used Confidential 17 at 49lb on blade and blade pro, as well as 4G & tour bite without any slightest of pain issues, so it makes me think it’s the Babolat frame here…)

Volkl cyclone tour 18 gauge is as safe a poly as you can try.

 

[Tranqville]

Ok I’m ordering the pure strike tour and will string with the Babolat black VS/RPM hybrid at like 52/48?

That would be a great string setup!
I use 47/44, but 52/48 will work just fine. Most people do not know you can string natural gut as low as 47.

 

[TurkeySandwichOnRye]

Volkl cyclone tour 18 gauge is as safe a poly as you can try.

I tried that string in 17g once in a 6.1 95 and I felt like it died in 2 hours. Super powerful but comfortable yes!

 

[socallefty]

Pure Strike Tour 3G has better arm safety, because of lower vibration frequency and higher mass that dampens the vibration. It's not a Prestige Pro in term of arm comfort by any means. PST works best when you string it with natural gut/poly hybrid or soft co-poly like Hyper-G Soft at low tension (importantly), and never let the string go old, beyong 10-15 hours. All the credit is due to @socallefty for discovering this recipe for success.

Beyond arm safetey, PST is a better racquet than the regular Pure Strike, with excellent plough and precision, and biggest power in control-power racquet category.

Also, please do consider the new Pure Strike 16x19 Gen. 4, which has improved arm comfort and reduced stiffness. Gets good reviews.

I echo everything said here. The G3 PST has a VF that is 7 or 8 Hz less than the PS and is more comfortable. While having similar swingweight but higher weight, it is equally maneuverable due to being more headlight while having more stability, comfort and power due to the higher mass. I string it with gut/poly at 47/44.

 

[TurkeySandwichOnRye]

Ok I’ll try the Tour and string VS/RPM 50/47.

Just still a little on the fence with the weight but I’ll reserve judgements until I hit it

 

[Tranqville]

until I hit it

It will be interesting to hear your thoughts after the hit!

 

[rlau]

Okay I’ll try another string before dumping it. I bought one blind because they are so discounted. Just felt that immediate arm pain that I was afraid would shut my tennis down for months if I continued to hit.

What is a good poly for me to try in 18g that’s easier on my arm? RPM Team? I’ll try a lower tension like 46lb. I’m afraid of the combination of soft poly and thin gauge will make the string unplayable for more than two hours and become a rocket launcher

I may go gut/poly just to try the maximum comfort to isolate if it’s frame or string…

(I’ve used Confidential 17 at 49lb on blade and blade pro, as well as 4G & tour bite without any slightest of pain issues, so it makes me think it’s the Babolat frame here…)

A gut/poly hybrid should be great, but if you're looking for a full-poly string bed, Solinco Tour Bite 19 and Tour Bite Soft 18 reportedly have a 171 and 172 stiffness, according to the TW String Stiffness Tool (https://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/stringstiffnesstool.php). Weiss Cannon Silverstring 17 has a 167 stiffness rating and would also be a nice round poly cross for gut mains.

I hope this helps.