Blade 16 x 19 98 vs Pure Aero VS

ChanterRacquet

Professional
Blade is softer, less pop, more pocket, more control, slightly heftier to swing.
Pure Aero VS feels like a gray/yellow pure drive. More pop, less pocket, more comfortable on the wrist than standard aero, less comfortable overall than the blade.

Kind of an odd pair to be choosing between considering their differences.
 

pico

Hall of Fame
I understand one is 16 x 19 and the other is 16 x 20. I actually like both string patterns with a slight preference for 16 x 20. Both have almost similar stiffness and both are 98 sq inches. Hence, why I was asking for a comparison.
 

ChanterRacquet

Professional
Blade vs Pure Strike would make more sense?

Maybe PStrike versus Pure Aero VS.

People have different priorities, just seemed the first two postulated are different on so many aspects I couldn’t be certain of the OP’s starting point.

It’s not RA. Might be string pattern. Not swingweight, probably. ???
 

JoaoN

Semi-Pro
I understand one is 16 x 19 and the other is 16 x 20. I actually like both string patterns with a slight preference for 16 x 20. Both have almost similar stiffness and both are 98 sq inches. Hence, why I was asking for a comparison.

Vs is much faster to swing, since it is more HL. So i found it better on serves and at net. Like said above, Blade is more stable, has more control and a better feel. VS ir more powerfull and higher launch angle
 

Wolfessis

Rookie
Vs is much faster to swing, since it is more HL. So i found it better on serves and at net. Like said above, Blade is more stable, has more control and a better feel. VS ir more powerfull and higher launch angle

VS has higher launch angle? Wow it must be a super open string pattern, I would've expected the other way without seeing the bed. Likely be more space between strings on the 16x20 aero VS than the 16x19 on the blade?

Or a possible alternative is the significant headlight balance makes shots naturally loopier causing higher launch angle?
 

Ryebread

Hall of Fame
VS has higher launch angle? Wow it must be a super open string pattern, I would've expected the other way without seeing the bed. Likely be more space between strings on the 16x20 aero VS than the 16x19 on the blade?

Or a possible alternative is the significant headlight balance makes shots naturally loopier causing higher launch angle?

blade string bed is super tight in the middle.
very low LA
 
my 2 cent is if you want spin and a more manueverable raquet, like a more control oriented pure aero choose the pure aero vs.
if u want more control and stability, less spin, choose blade 98.
to me im a baseliner thats aggresive, i find the pavs to be a better choice. depends on your taste, both are good raquets that atp players use. just demo them both a couple of time each if u want to be dure if u want control or spin. guess thats where youre coming from, control or spin. demo! good luck!
 

Leen

Rookie
I just came from the blade to the pure aero vs. Anyone else have issues adjusting to babolat grips? I noticed if I'm not careful my grip slants more eastern with the babolat. I'm normally semi western.
 

Ryebread

Hall of Fame
I just came from the blade to the pure aero vs. Anyone else have issues adjusting to babolat grips? I noticed if I'm not careful my grip slants more eastern with the babolat. I'm normally semi western.

how do you compare them?
 

Leen

Rookie
how do you compare them?
So my switch from the blade was a desire for more spin primarily. And I think I'm at an awkward transition phase from the switch.

The blade is very stable and the control is the best I've had for a modern racket. Those two things in my opinion gave me confidence to take full cuts generating good amounts of natural spin and power. The feel was really good at the net also. But as a topspin based playstyle I always wondered if I needed a racket to compliment that more. Always felt my shots could do more damage from the baseline.

Switching to the pure aero VS there has been some growing pains but I think that is kind of expected with such a transition between opposite frames. For one as I mentioned the grip feels large and has been throwing me off a little on how I hold my grip naturally. It is a stiffer frame and coming from the buttery blade my elbow has noticed the difference. I used 55lbs tourbite 17 gage in my blade very little issue with the elbow. In the VS Currently 50lbs with rpm blast 16 gage my arm is tender and in the long run this will be an issue. Looking into other strings (grapple snake) to hopefully remedy this else might have to sell the aero vs.
One of my friends said my shots were more penetrating with the VS but this was early and during the honeymoon phase. If I have to be honest with myself. I feel like I have to be more tentative with my shots to keep from sailing or really loop my balls with spin to stay in. I have to be more conscious of aiming for larger targets and my volleys have not been the same. But my volleys were always trash.

May sound very negative so far for the VS but here is what I'm thinking for the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully keeps my Alcaraz dream alive.

1) RPM is a crap string. Stiff on the arm and after a few hours tension is lost and so is control/ confidence. I really hope the right string fixes this.
2) once I found my out my grip was skewed and adjusted more towards the western side shots felt much cleaner again. This also may have attributed to my elbow pain.

The power and spin is there. But you lose a little bit of that pin point control and feel. Compared to the blade.

The extreme tour which was the racket I tried for a couple months before the VS might be a good middle ground.
 

JEDI MASTER

Professional
/\ /\ /\ agreed.. RPM sux for me aswell.. but love my VS with Solinco Confidential 16L at #48..
I also have my Blade 98 16x19 V8 with the same string setup..
both play equally well...
 

pico

Hall of Fame
So my switch from the blade was a desire for more spin primarily. And I think I'm at an awkward transition phase from the switch.

The blade is very stable and the control is the best I've had for a modern racket. Those two things in my opinion gave me confidence to take full cuts generating good amounts of natural spin and power. The feel was really good at the net also. But as a topspin based playstyle I always wondered if I needed a racket to compliment that more. Always felt my shots could do more damage from the baseline.

Switching to the pure aero VS there has been some growing pains but I think that is kind of expected with such a transition between opposite frames. For one as I mentioned the grip feels large and has been throwing me off a little on how I hold my grip naturally. It is a stiffer frame and coming from the buttery blade my elbow has noticed the difference. I used 55lbs tourbite 17 gage in my blade very little issue with the elbow. In the VS Currently 50lbs with rpm blast 16 gage my arm is tender and in the long run this will be an issue. Looking into other strings (grapple snake) to hopefully remedy this else might have to sell the aero vs.
One of my friends said my shots were more penetrating with the VS but this was early and during the honeymoon phase. If I have to be honest with myself. I feel like I have to be more tentative with my shots to keep from sailing or really loop my balls with spin to stay in. I have to be more conscious of aiming for larger targets and my volleys have not been the same. But my volleys were always trash.

May sound very negative so far for the VS but here is what I'm thinking for the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully keeps my Alcaraz dream alive.

1) RPM is a crap string. Stiff on the arm and after a few hours tension is lost and so is control/ confidence. I really hope the right string fixes this.
2) once I found my out my grip was skewed and adjusted more towards the western side shots felt much cleaner again. This also may have attributed to my elbow pain.

The power and spin is there. But you lose a little bit of that pin point control and feel. Compared to the blade.

The extreme tour which was the racket I tried for a couple months before the VS might be a good middle ground.
I noticed the same with the PAVS grip. I was over hitting a lot cos the grip runs bigger than other brands and the racquet face opened up. Here is what I did - i took out the stock grip and replaced it with Wilson Featherthin. I then wrapped 6g of lead or so at the bottom. I also play with an overgrip. That brought the grip size down a little for me. I also switched from a full bed of 1.25mm Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour to 1.30mm Signum Hextreme on mains and Kirschbaum Max Power 1.25mm on crosses, both at 54lbs. I finally added 1g of lead on 3 and 1g on 9. I really like the feel now and the launch and slice is more lower and predictable.
 

Ryebread

Hall of Fame
@Leen
good summary, thank you!
I had the VS for a month when it came out almost two years ago I guess.
I hated the hollow feel and the way my wrist felt.

I had the V8 for a month when it came out.
it was underpowered for me at the time.
I am back on the V8 juice again now
my buddy who bought it, asked me to string it for him, and I asked if I could take her out on a date, and he said ok.
I've now used it three times (he has others).
I can't believe how much the V8 16m feels like "an extension of my arm". truly the best thing you can say about a racquet.
I don't have to change my approach, mentally or physically.
I can hit flat or with spin. Approach shots. Volleys. Serves. EVERYTHING works without thinking or changing anything.
the V8 16x19 launch angle was truly designed for ME.
Currently it's strung at 52/51. I will try 50/49 next. I think I can afford to get a LITTLE more pop out of it.
The stability, and weight, the feel, the control, and then more control.... I think it's going to be my new love.

Switching to the pure aero VS
It is a stiffer frame and coming from the buttery blade my elbow has noticed the difference.
I used 55lbs tourbite 17 gage in my blade very little issue with the elbow.
In the VS Currently 50lbs with rpm blast 16 gage my arm is tender and in the long run this will be an issue.

why don't you try a soft co poly like ytex protour 17L in the blade, but at 50 lbs
the control is still going to be there, you will just get a little more pop (to do more damage)
and it won't bother your joints.
the 17L will give you a tiny bit more spin, I would think, vs. the 17 you had in there before.
tourbite is crap anyway, when you see how long protours lasts in your racquet, please come back and thank me, it's truly insane.

good luck and please keep us posted.

p.s. the extreme tour, radical mp, and most babolats are buzzy to me. my wrist doesn't like them.
out of all of them, my favs?:
radical mp was amazing for both wings and so stable for the weigh
pure aero gave me an out of body experience before I had to retire it
 

Leen

Rookie
I noticed the same with the PAVS grip. I was over hitting a lot cos the grip runs bigger than other brands and the racquet face opened up.
Yes! This is exactly what I noticed. On slower shots was fine I could close the face with my wrist but when it was a fast shot or when i try to ramp up my swing it would naturally open up because of my grip not going around further.
@Leen
good summary, thank you!
I had the VS for a month when it came out almost two years ago I guess.
I hated the hollow feel and the way my wrist felt.

why don't you try a soft co poly like ytex protour 17L in the blade, but at 50 lbs
the control is still going to be there, you will just get a little more pop (to do more damage)
and it won't bother your joints.
the 17L will give you a tiny bit more spin, I would think, vs. the 17 you had in there before.
tourbite is crap anyway, when you see how long protours lasts in your racquet, please come back and thank me, it's truly insane.

good luck and please keep us posted.
My pleasure. Appreciate the feedback. I'm for now bagging the blade but still on standby if the PAVS ends up being a no go. I still may try that set up though. Like I said don't think RPM is working out and if it's better then tourbite then must be pretty solid. I just put in the Lynx spin2 st 52lbs and going to try a few grapple snake options afterwards first.
 
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