Fake or Authentic? APD 2013

Racquet

  • Fake

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • Real

    Votes: 11 91.7%

  • Total voters
    12

Double Faults

New User
I have recently just bought a 2013 Babolat aeropro drive from fleabay and I was wandering if it's real or fake. Everything about it seems authentic but I couldn't find the "graphite and tungsten" label underneath the GT TECHNOLOGY that was written on the side. Should it be that way?
 
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Here is an image of it
 
Need to see more photos to be sure. Some of the fakes are pretty good.

Are the racquet specs what you expect? What is the unstrung static weight and Balance of the stock racquet?

Genuine ones usually have a Serial Number printed on the handle under the grip that matches the number on the inside of the throat.
 
I have recently just bought a 2013 Babolat aeropro drive from fleabay and I was wandering if it's real or fake. Everything about it seems authentic but I couldn't find the "graphite and tungsten" label underneath the GT TECHNOLOGY that was written on the side. Should it be that way?
Question is how does it play.

:D
 
I haven't strung it it yet since I will return it if it is fake

Weight: 300 g/10.6 oz
Head size: 645cm squared/100 sq. inches
Stiffness: 72 RA
Section: 23-26-22 mm
Balance: 320 mm/7pts HL
Swing: 293 kg* cm squared
Length: 685 mm/27 in.
Str Pattern: 16x19
Composition: Graphite
Grip: Syntec Pro
Recommended String: Xcel/RPM Blast

izvur5.jpg
 
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Can you weigh it using some kitchen scales pref in grams?

Real 2013 APDs PJ are what I would call mid gloss. Fakes have much more of a matte finish - especially the white color and the red and silver highlights.

Also from memory the GT on the hoop is actually a label not painted on. Maybe Babolat did a print run of labels without the extra words. In that case you might have a collector's item.
 
If you have configured the scales correctly (ie zero-ed them out properly) and are weighing the racquet WITH THE CARD attached then 325g isn't out of the ordinary. It would be good if you could weigh the racquet without the card attached to the hoop but I understand that might not be possible. (I weighed a similar card and it was in the order of 20 grams, so if you allow 20gs then it brings your racquet into spec. The plastic wrap over the grip adds a little weight as does the plastic that holds the card to the hoop.)

I have several 2013 APDs bought over the past three years. All of mine have Serial Codes starting with KH. If you look at the GT Stickers on mine, while they all have the "Graphite" and "Tungsten" words on the labels, the stickers are in slightly different positions depending on the grip size. I have APDs in different grip sizes. However, all the sticker on racquets of the same grip size match perfectly. I do not have any 4 1/8 grip size racquets though, so it is possible the labels on those dropped the words "Graphite" and "Tungsten". On all of my racquets the "Made In China" logo is printed on a 45 degree angle rather than at right angles to the the throat.

It would also be nice to know what the Balance is. How does it swing with the card attached? It should feel a little Head Heavy if you swing it slowly. Don't swing it fast with the card attached because the wind resistance will give you a false perception. If you swing it slowly and it feels very very head heavy then you may have a fake.

Looking at all of your photos and allowing for the slight color variation my initial guess is that your racquet is genuine. But it is hard to say without actually looking at it in the flesh.

Ideally, see if you can get your hands on another 4 1/8 size racquet at an Authorised Babolat Retailer and do a direct comparison.
 
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If you have configured the scales correctly (ie zero-ed them out properly) and are weighing the racquet WITH THE CARD attached then 325g isn't out of the ordinary. It would be good if you could weigh the racquet without the card attached to the hoop but I understand that might not be possible. (I weighed a similar card and it was in the order of 20 grams, so if you allow 20gs then it brings your racquet into spec. The plastic wrap over the grip adds a little weight as does the plastic that holds the card to the hoop.)

I have several 2013 APDs bought over the past three years. All of mine have Serial Codes starting with KH. If you look at the GT Stickers on mine, while they all have the "Graphite" and "Tungsten" words on the labels, the stickers are in slightly different positions depending on the grip size. I have APDs in different grip sizes. However, all the sticker on racquets of the same grip size match perfectly. I do not have any 4 1/8 grip size racquets though, so it is possible the labels on those dropped the words "Graphite" and "Tungsten". On all of my racquets the "Made In China" logo is printed on a 45 degree angle rather than at right angles to the the throat.

It would also be nice to know what the Balance is. How does it swing with the card attached? It should feel a little Head Heavy if you swing it slowly. Don't swing it fast with the card attached because the wind resistance will give you a false perception. If you swing it slowly and it feels very very head heavy then you may have a fake.

Looking at all of your photos and allowing for the slight color variation my initial guess is that your racquet is genuine. But it is hard to say without actually looking at it in the flesh.

Ideally, see if you can get your hands on another 4 1/8 size racquet at an Authorised Babolat Retailer and do a direct comparison.

Thank you. So I'm guessing it is real, although it is a bit heavy but it could just be me.
 
It's real.

Yes. It seems more likely than not.

Interesting that there is no mention of "Tungsten" on the hoop like on the earlier production runs.

I wonder if that has something to do with some suggesting there was no actual tungsten embedded into the frame of the 2013 APD? Perhaps Babolat changed the stickers on the later production runs to eliminate any confusion.
 
I don't know, the PS just feels stiffer somehow.

Hopefully, it is real... It would be one of the best counterfeit I've seen if it isn't. I'll be contacting babolat tomorrow so I guess I'll find out soon. Fingers crossed :confused:
 
Someone voted "Fake" in the Poll at the start of the thread.

Tell us why you think it's fake otherwise I would just ignore that vote.
 
I don't know, the PS just feels stiffer somehow.

Hopefully, it is real... It would be one of the best counterfeit I've seen if it isn't. I'll be contacting babolat tomorrow so I guess I'll find out soon. Fingers crossed :confused:

Def real, inside the handle is exactly like mine was. Popping the buttcap and looking inside is usually the giveaway. If you shine a little torch up inside the handle you should see a plastic strut piece up where the cortex is. I think that is the actual "active cortex".
 
Babolat said that some models does not have it and most has the label. It has a 50/50 percent that it is real or fake.:confused:

I wouldn't be too concerned.

Babolat representatives are likely to say that about all racquets that weren't purchased through an Authorised Babolat Dealer.
 
Hey can I ask for opinion if my apd 2013 is fake or not

Handle without fhe cap looks like thread starters but here is the picture of GT part
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I played today and it didnt feel ok

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Tapatalk
 
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