History - Babolat Pure Drive

[tandayu]

I see the latest Tennis magazine with Babolat ad all over the place.

The original PD was released in 1994. Was this original version sold in USA?

How many variations , cosmetics, spec, etc. up to date? woofer, cortex, etc.?

Appreciate all the Babolat gurus on this PD history infos.

 

[sureshs]

The article said the original Babolat invented the tennis string in the late 19th century. What does that mean? Synthetic string? What was used before that?

 

[SFrazeur]

Go to http://www.babolat.com/ look for "Babolat legend" link.

 

[Davai]

I know of three variations of the PD. The first had the paintjob that resembles the new one - I think it didn't have the woofer tech. The second generation was the woofer system. And the third is the Cortex. Cortex are wood cells transporting food(I think). So in essence they are coping PK Core in a way.

 

[ace of spades]

Cortex are wood cells transporting food(I think). So in essence they are coping PK Core in a way.

No, thats called phloem.
And how is it copying the pk core if there is no wood in the pd?-the cortex is a little vibe stopper at the throat.
pd with wood?
Man you're all over the place.

Unless you were trying to make a joke.

 

[Davai]

No, thats called phloem.
And how is it copying the pk core if there is no wood in the pd?-the cortex is a little vibe stopper at the throat.
pd with wood?
Man you're all over the place.

Unless you were trying to make a joke.

Yeah you are right it's pholem. I told you I wasn't sure. Yet Cortex reminds me of something associated with wood. I'm too lazy right now to research it, I'll do it in an hour or two if I remember. Anyhow who is to say that the PD doesn't contain wood of some sort - I don't know how Bab. cortex system works and what premises.

 

[mowcopian]

omg. as if the pure drive was released in 1994, i thought that it was only rleased a couple of years ago.

 

[Lakoste]

omg. as if the pure drive was released in 1994, i thought that it was only rleased a couple of years ago.

You thought wrong

 

[mowcopian]

You thought wrong

i know thanks for the hitory on the babolat pure drive.

 

[Marat Safinator]

You thought wrong

great post. I thought it was released about 97' and i thought wrong too.

 

[Lakoste]

great post. I thought it was released about 97' and i thought wrong too.

You might be right on that though, I was just saying that mowcopian was wrong on thinking that the PD was released only a few years ago, I rememebr seeing them in the 90s

 

[thomas martinez]

Ah, but the history of the Pure Drive goes back further. It is loosely based on the old Kennex Destiny line of frames. The old joke used to be it was Babolat's Pure Destiny! Kennex even reportedly helped Babolat engineer the Pure Drive. You had about two versions of the original non-Woofer Pure Drive. The earlier ones have smaller white lines on the throat area then the later. We've had two Woofer models, along with the new Cortex and Andy Roddick sig models. When the Pure Drive was without Woofer, they had a model called the Soft Drive which is what Moya started out with. It was more or less the same frame with a slightly different cosmetic, lighter weight and had an extra rubber piece in the throat grommet. When they came out with the Woofer frames, Moya moved to the Pure Drive sans-Woofer with a Woofer cosmetic. You've also got the offshoots in the Pure Drive Zylon and Drive Z series MP frames. Which are offshoots of the Pure Drive. THe modern Soft Drive has been NOTHING like the original one.

 

[Gundam]

Why doesn't Babolat produce flexible heavier racquets? I know the PD line has been very successful but...

 

[tandayu]

Ah, but the history of the Pure Drive .......and Drive Z series MP frames. Which are offshoots of the Pure Drive. THe modern Soft Drive has been NOTHING like the original one.

THANK YOU Tom Martinez, ....exactly the infos I want to know

More infos will not hurt either......

 

[Cruzer]

I bought my first Pure Drives in 1999 at about the time the Woofer system was being introduced. At that time Babolat racquets were essentially unavailable in the U.S. If you were to look back at the old TW boards there were a lot of posts concerning the unavailabilty of Babolat frames in the U.S. and the fact that Volkl frames were not allowed to be sold online. I ordered my Babolats from a shop in the UK and since the exchange rate was relatively favorable the price was pretty good even including shipping costs. I had a choice of getting either Woofer or non-Woofer racquets and opted for the Woofer model.