Great info. Many thanks!
Would appreciate some other info:
1. By "consistent sizing", do you mean they are made on the same last?
2. What are the updates for the SFX2 besides the increased ventilation? (There have been reports that the shoe is narrower.)
I've got some updates regarding the SFX2. First, the SFX2 and Propulses have different lasts. The current last for the SFX2 is an updated version of the SFX last. The SFX2 is a bit narrower in the forefoot and heel, though it is still our widest fitting shoe. The new fit is a bit less bulky and gives the shoe a sleeker shape as well. Also, the new insole has been adjusted to fit with this updated last to maintain the comfort the SFX line is known for.
Hey Babolat Official, can you say anything about this years French open gear? I'm specifically interested in the bags. I'm looking for a new one to replace my old French open bag (from a few years back).
I'm also looking at the pure strike bags and my only concern is that the main pocket on the 6 pack is too big if I only carry 2-3 racquets. And the rest of the pockets are therefore not enough for the rest of my gear. I haven't seen one in real life, only online.
Also, will the updates to the pure strike line be significant? I'm playing a couple of ps100 and wonder if I should stock up on the "old" model during 2016 (the price point is in itself almost a reason to go for it)
Yes, we'll have a full range of French Open gear similar to previous years. The Pure Aero range will be receiving the French Open cosmetics, as will the 12 pack and 6 pack racket holders and backpack. The bags are of the same range as the standard Pure Aero bag models.
Regarding the Pure Strike 6 pack, I have the bag in front of me, and you can actually fit rackets in the middle, main pocket. I have put in 4 rackets, with easily room for two more. Though, you could put the other two in the side pockets and fit other gear in your middle pocket, like clothes or shoes.
Finally, with the PS100 and the rest of the Pure Strike line, we've taken the feedback of everyone from our pros to amateur players and used that feedback to help improve the new Pure Strike line. As of now, I haven't played with it yet, and we're working with many folks, including TW, to help playtest the racket and make final tweaks before deciding on the final specs. We're working to see if we can get prototypes in the hands of our consumers, so stay tuned on that front.
That said, a significant change for one person may not be the same to another, namely the most important person in this situation: yourself. Your best bet is obviously to demo, though I know you cannot do that for some time. It's really up to you whether to stock up now or wait and see. I hope that helps
Oh yes... drool... French Open 2016 gear... do tell. which racquets are getting paint jobs this year?
The Pure Aero line will be getting the French Open cosmetics. And I have to say, these are some of the prettiest frames I have seen. I'll share photos when we can
Are there any plans to make Play versions of rackets outside of the Pure Drive and Pure Aero? I would be interested in a Pure Drive Tour Play or a Pure Control Tour Play!
We originally started with Play rackets in the Pure Drive only, then later expanded to the Aero and Pure Drive Lite models. While I do not have details on the future of Play rackets at the moment, we're taking your feedback into consideration and working on solutions. Stay tuned
Hi Babolat Official,
I have some questions regarding Babolat Pop (acquired last December).
My concern is about it's app and firmware roadmap as I don't see any changes/updates since the early January.
I like Babolat Pop a lot as it can provide me precious feedback from my game but it lacks some fundamental features that could put your product a few steps ahead of competition:
- Session comparison (e.g. Am I improving the shots?)
- Web portal access (since the data is already in your servers I think its easy to make something similar for what's already available for Babolat Play)
- Decrease the session upload time (there is a disclaimer in the app for quite some time, but no improvements yet).
- Sharing the session information with others (via excel, pdf, etc).
When possible please follow-up my queries.
Thank you.
BR,
PMA
I appreciate all of this feedback and it's super helpful for us to hear how our products could serve you better, especially the connected ones that we can update over time. I will share this information with the development team, and they will get back to me with their thoughts.
Have a couple Pure Aeros that I bought from my local shop, and the grip sizes/shape feel completely different. Both are marked 3/8, but feel different. What is the manufacturing tolerance on grip size?
Tried to keep the Syntec grip on one, and replaced the other with a Primce resithin, but it stills feel bigger. Any tips Babolat Official?
That is very interesting. I'm sorry to hear that the grip sizes are off. I know in the past that sometimes the difference in grip size is due to the grip being wrapped with more/less overlap. In the Pure Aero Tour playtest, that was the case, and I went ahead and measured the bare handle of the PAT to find it was the size advertised. Though, in your case, you changed the grip and still no change.
I will check with our product team regarding tolerances. In the meantime, you can send the rackets to our warranty department for an evaluation, and they can help you out further.
Their number is 1-877-316-9435 ext 284 if you'd like to give them a call.