Is this a fake APDC?

Haztrick

New User
Hey guys,

This is my first post on these forums. My names Matt and I play tennis every couple of days and have gotten serious the past 6 months. I decided it was time to get a decent racquet and after using a demo from the local pro shop I decided to look on **** and find a good deal on the Babolat Aeropro Drive Cortex.

This is the racquet and I will have pictures to follow:
http://cgi.*********.au/ws/****ISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220391110237

The seller does not sell other racquets and lives locally in Australia. He was very friendly, very helpful and seems very genuine. I ended up paying $212AUD for it which I thought was a good deal as bidding started at 99c and the local pro shop sell them for $345AUD.

Anyway, after waiting 3 days for it, it arrived and I was shocked to find it had a tag attached to it with all Chinese writing on it. So I went online and looked for guides etc to see if it was fake. I took it to the pro shop to get it strung (as it came unstrung) and he didn't mention anything about it possibly being a counterfeit racquet.

I compared the grommet sizes as per a guide I found on **** and it seems genuine. I haven't checked inside the grip as of yet but everything else seems genuine. It doesn't have a holographic sticker on it which I read most fakes do but the tag with Chinese writing on it is really a worry for me. There is also a one letter typo on the cardboard that came over the face of the racquet where an F is in place of what is suppose to be a T.

These are the photos:
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/8950/bpmofwcgkkgrhgookimejllo.jpg
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/926/a9571.jpg
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/8776/ab181.jpg

Many thanks to anyone who can help :)
 

Haztrick

New User
Sorry, I've just realised this forums blocks out the bay word, lol

Here is the link to the item, just remove the bold '*'

http://cgi.e*bay.com.au/ws/e*BayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220391110237
 

gymrat76

Banned
Hi,

Whether the seller was friendly, he has good record (as i see at the page you linked) etc. does NOT mean anything! I have my own long stories but let's cut to the chase...

Look for this. On the buttcap (or at the butt cap area), look for a three letter code! It may kinda hard to see, but if you look carefully, you will see it..if it is real.

Do you see a three letter code? (e.g: AXT)

As far as I know, this 3 letter code points out to which factory of Babolat (in China) that the racquet originated from. (When I say "factory in china", these are babolat's own factories)

If you dare to look under replacement grip, there should be a barcode exactly the same as the one (with same code no) as the one inside the throat.

And if there was an all in chinese tag attached to the frame and with a typo :)...you know what that is....get your money back IMMEDIATELY.
 

NotAtTheNet

Semi-Pro
Hey guys,
There is also a one letter typo on the cardboard that came over the face of the racquet where an F is in place of what is suppose to be a T.

This is a huge clue... Babolat hires hundreds of copy editors to make sure there's no Typos on any of their materials... My biggest indicator is if its too good to be true, probably is.
 

lpicken

Rookie
Does the little black thingy that holds on the overgrip have raised babolat letters? if not then it is a fake. Most fakes come with strings.
 

Haztrick

New User
Thanks for the help so far. I'll check the buttcap ASAP.

Rubberducckies, I have nothing against Chinese people. I just read a guide that said Babolat racquets don't come with tags on them. Is that true? I have been told by a few people this is real, a couple of others have said it's definitely fake.

Anyone else have any idea if it's fake just from the information and pictures? I'm out at the moment so won't be able to check the racquet until late this afternoon (Australian time of course).
 

Rexzinho

New User
Have you played with them is the same feeling and way with the one that you demo? If yes I think you don't need to be afraid otherwise I bought 2 on bay too and first view very nice after 2 string it the problems arrive it did not stay the same way than original, the grip is in a material worst than original APDC and finally when I wen to the court it almost killed my arm after two hits because two much vibration like a aluminium racket. I sent back to the vendour both and no money back until the moment almost one week after I post back the rackets no money back and I stayed with my original AG300 :)
My advise test the racket if it's ok stay with it otherwise return it.
 

Haztrick

New User
I had a hit with it today. It felt good. It was just restrung and the tennis pro said it seems genuine. However, I did see today that it has a sticker on it that says "Genuine Babolat product - Pro Legacy". I asked the pro about it, he said that as we are in Australia that's why it may have the sticker on it even though it doesn't in America.

Here are some more photos. I haven't removed the butt cap yet to check but I'll do so when I can.

babolat1.jpg

babolat2.jpg

babolat3.jpg


Thanks everyone for your help so far :)
 

Haztrick

New User
I've just tried to remove the butt cap and it feels like I'm going to destroy the racquet, lol.

How can I easily remove the cap to check?
 

Haztrick

New User
Sorry, can't edit my posts yet so I have to triple post.

I just went to remove the butt cap.. I can't seem to do it. It just peels back the logo on the bottom and then it's just plain plastic that I can't get off as it all seems joined as one.
 

cork_screw

Hall of Fame
Asian versions are not fake, but they are considered grey market items. Just because you're not native to that country to where they are manufactured doesn't make them inferior. There are foreign versions of racquets, some of the specs might be different. It's NOT the same as say being a $20 Rolex watch in Manhattan, yes that would be fake. But this is simply a grey market item. I'm not sure about the quality but I'm assuming it plays the same.
 

Haztrick

New User
There is that sticker, yeah. But I have seen genuine racquets that have the holographic sticker on there. The grommets are the same, the little black band at the top of the grip has the words babolat and they are raised and the tennis pro thinks it's genuine, so those are positive.

But on the other hand, it came with the tag and holographic sticker. That's why I'm so confused as to whether it's real or not.

Thanks for your help so far, much appreciated :)
 

Haztrick

New User
hahaha thanks for the offer, I'll pass :p

I've opened a PayPal claim and hopefully should get my money back that way.

Can anyone tell me why exactly the pro legacy APDC are so bad and so cheap? Is it just the way they are constructed? Or is it the materials they use or what? It feels so real and hits quite well.
 

gymrat76

Banned
^^ http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/227227048/tennis_racquet_accept_paypal.html

You tried so hard to believe that your racquet is not fake.

It is cheaper of course, you can't expect something's fake to be more expensive than the original. And can't expect it to be of quality if it is manufactured by a factory whose main intention is to stiff people by copying the original.

Both the fake and original racquets are made in china (bab wilson head etc) But difference is, the company, say Babolat, have its products manufactured to its own strict quality control management. Wherein the fake company will copy as much it can, in order to get the money out of your pocket!

If you think it plays so well, by all means keep it!
There are electronic factories in China. Sunny (copying Sony), Kamosonic (for Panasonic) There are shoe factories. Niki (for Nike)

Difference is, you can still watch your fav tv station on a Sunny. Or still can wear a Niki. But 6 months down the road, fake tv's buttons will start breaking. Or your Niki will start getting Australian sand into inside :)
 
yeah i bought a pure drive and it was fake.i could only tell on the slightest things.the stats were litterally on the head.the cortext system had been printed on.and the pure drive logo had been altered
try looking for things like that
 

USAF - 1

New User
There are multiple posts on fake APDCs in this forum. If you cannot remove the center part of the butt cap relatively easily, it is probably fake. I have never seen a pro legacy sticker on any legit APDC and I have seen quite a lot of fake APDCs and I have two genuine ones. If the butt cap is nailed on vs. stapled on, it is fake. If there is no factory code on the butt cap, it is fake.

If you just peel back the grip 1/4 of the way, there should be a matching babolate serial number sticker which matches the one in the throat. IF it is fake it wont be there, and you will notice that there wont be any foam underneath the grip, its just straight graphite. Also, use your knee as a fulcrum and pull the two ends of the racqet towards you. If it bends a LOT it is fake. The fakes I have seen are extremely flexible. The APDC is a rather stiff racquet. Generally, you arent going to be able to tell be the paint job. The fake paint jobs are pretty indistinguishable now from the real thing.
 

gymrat76

Banned
^^ Those info are right on the money.
In addition, the grommets on the fake ones appear to be not perfectly fitting. They kinda look like a crooked fit.
One other very easy observation is, just take a look at the Nadal pic at the cardboard. Fakes will look like a total copy.

And, real Babs do not come with a tag attached to it. So does Louis Vuitton bags :)
 

Haztrick

New User
Thanks to all for the info. It seems to me I've picked up quite a good fake.

It came with a tag and the PL sticker, however the grommet is fine, the paint job is flawless, there is a 3 letter code on the butt and it plays quite well so far.

Fingers crossed that I get my money back throuh PayPal.
 

furyoku_tennis

Hall of Fame
keep pressing until you get your money back. sometimes, they'll try and string you along until its too late to use paypal's claim.
 

Mick

Legend
lesson learned is: it's better to pay more at a reputable place than to buy it at a bargain price and then have to worry about if it's fake or not.
 

Haztrick

New User
Lesson well an truly learned :)

Although I must say, for a fake racquet it performs exceptionally well. Feels just like the one I demoed a few weeks ago. I won my match today playing with it, 6-2 6-4
 
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