Prince O3 Tour Vs Babolat Pure Drive Standard/Plus

[Alex]

Prince O3 Tour Vs Babolat Pure Drive Standard/Plus

Anyone, please help me compare them...in terms of feel, power, sweetspot and etc.

I'm looking to change racquet ... My current stick is Wilson HPS6.1 95. I'm a 4.0, single backhand, all rounder but recently like playing at the net, mostly flat hitter and occasionlly hit top-spin on my ground stroke.

Thanks.

 

[The_Dark_Knight]

if you're thinking of switching, go with the O3 tour. I switched from a Hps 6.1 too

 

[hummer23]

if you look up some threads on each stick, you can find some good opinions and info about them. As far as a brief synopsis, here goes:

Pure drive is a stiffer midplus frame that can add some pop to your strokes. large sweetspot, but sort of thick beam at the head, so you can shank a bit mroe tha nyou are used to with the 6.1. feel, i really like the feel from this stick, its got good feedback, not too much shock to the arm, although if yo uare sensitive to that kind of thing, and you are prone to tennis elbow, it might be a good idea to stay away from this stick. Marius Hancu can tell you more about that if you'd like. the pure drive plus is a solid groudstroke stick, good pop for both wings, very good for serves, and not too bad for a volley grame, but that isnt its strong suite.

The 03 tour is a very different frame. thin beam at the head and throughout gie a very different feel, adn the o ports really make this a very untraditional frame. good pop also, more than you may expect from a tour type frame. as far as power, its aobut the same as the pure drie, this frame maybe has a little more as slower swing speeds that the pure drive, but that could just be my impression. Its also a good groundstroke stick, but i felt it swung just a touch light, qhich could be thanks to the 0 ports making it more aerodynamic, which they do. its a solid frame all around, but i prefered the stability of the pure drive. a little lead can certainly sure up the 03, but i really didnt have a chance to try that. Thats about all that coems to mind about these frame, let me know if there is something else you want me to express my opinion about with them. By the way, the when i say pure drive, i mean the plus, as ive never really gotten a good chance to hit with the standard.

 

[misterg]

Hummer23, are you sure that the power level of the O3 is near to the PD. Other people on thid board are complaing about the poor power of the O3 and the too much power of the PD ?

 

[Alex]

Hummer23...Thanks alot. The info is really helpful.
When hitting, Which racquets has more of that pocketing feel? plow-through?

 

[Alex]

if you're thinking of switching, go with the O3 tour. I switched from a Hps 6.1 too

Hi The_Dark_Knight ... Thanks for the feedback?
Do you need to make any big adjustment when switching to the O3 Tour?

 

[Pecos]

In this month I've demoed the racquets: O3 Tour, PD standard, Aeropro Drive, n6.1 18x20, Flexpoint Tour. I'm a 3.5-4.0 baseline player, mostly topspin, 2HB, hit hard, surface clay. The previous racquets are all good, at the and I think I'll be with O3 Tour. The O3 isn't a perfect frame but for my play/level is very good, maybe some aspects are negative(IMHO): feel on dropshot, a bit too lightweight, don't generate a proper heavy ball, not the best in solidity from baseline. The other is very very good. I've put out of my choice the n6.1 for the sweetspot 95 size (but imho the best frame for service, exceptional) and the Flexpoint Tour for the maneuverability (this is the best baseline racquet in my opinion, very sad that my problem with this isn't the weight but the swingweight). Finally I've noticed that PD Std and Aeropro are identical I think the same frame, demoed with the same strings
More feel and power with PD/APD, some balls fly away (almost impossible with O3), very stiff, too headheavy for my taste (I can't serve good with this). At the net prefer the O3 for minor power, a little more spin with PD/APD, more control with O3, very good angles with both, better in acceleration for hit harder the O3, for defense both very good.
Only the last suggestion: the babolat should be strung not under 60, this could be a problem for your healt.

 

[hummer23]

Hummer23, are you sure that the power level of the O3 is near to the PD. Other people on thid board are complaing about the poor power of the O3 and the too much power of the PD ?

jus tmy impressions about hte pwoer of the frame,s i thought they were comprable. if i remember correctly, the 03 was strung with pricne syn gut at something like 57, and the pure drive strung with hybrid of poly and syn gut at about 62, so that could have been the differnece. i didnt find the 03 lacking in power though, but string could be the reason for my discrepency with others.

 

[1lsvr1]

I would go with the PD. I currently changed to Pd and it is just awesome. Better serves and volleys. I also like the touch too. I think the O3 has more power. I mean by the tension wise. I barely found touchy feeling at the net. So.. If you prefer touchy than of a straightfoward power, go with the PD. Otherwise, go with the O3 if you prefer power.

 

[kreative]

Power: Pure Drive
Control: O3
Volleys: Pure Drive
Serve: Pure Drive
Comfort: O3
Spin: equal

if you're mostly a flat hitter, i'd go w/ the O3. w/ the Pure Drive, you may be sending alot of balls to the fence. I've found that the PD is better for players that hit with lots of topspin (eg. on tour, Roddick, Moya). O3 is a little too headlight for me on the volleys making it feel unstable, but some lead tape may remedy that.

 

[fishuuuuu]

I'm going to 2nd what kreative said.

The O3 was a great racquet no doubt, but I'd side with the PD+.

 

[akj27]

Power: Pure Drive
Control: O3
Volleys: Pure Drive
Serve: Pure Drive
Comfort: O3
Spin: equal

if you're mostly a flat hitter, i'd go w/ the O3. w/ the Pure Drive, you may be sending alot of balls to the fence. I've found that the PD is better for players that hit with lots of topspin (eg. on tour, Roddick, Moya). O3 is a little too headlight for me on the volleys making it feel unstable, but some lead tape may remedy that.

for me, it goes like this:

Control: O3
Volleys:O3
Serve: PD
Confort:O3:
Spin:O3

 

[nguyenthuc]

Get it straight people!

ATBE (eg, strung with the same string type, gauge, and tension), the PD has way more power than the O3 Tour, period. HOW on GOD's green Earth can a THIN-beam, head-LIGHT, FLEXY frame produce more power than a STIFF, close-to-EVEN balanced, WIDEBODY GARGANTUAN? And no, it's not due to the O-port TECHNO-HOCUS-POCUS! If anything, ABSENCE of graphite due to the LARGE holes would DECREASE the weight and stiffness of a frame, robbing it of power. (Sorry, I normally don't shout, but I just find it shocking how some people can completely defy logic and go with their gut-feeling.)

 

[nViATi]

Volleys: Pure Drive

oh man how can you guys volley without your arm falling off with a PD? i tried my friend's lm radical os and my arm almost fell off.

ok back on topic: what is wrong with your hps 6.1 95? why do you want to switch?

 

[ouchieelbow]

Get it straight people!

ATBE (eg, strung with the same string type, gauge, and tension), the PD has way more power than the O3 Tour, period. HOW on GOD's green Earth can a THIN-beam, head-LIGHT, FLEXY frame produce more power than a STIFF, close-to-EVEN balanced, WIDEBODY GARGANTUAN? And no, it's not due to the O-port TECHNO-HOCUS-POCUS! If anything, ABSENCE of graphite due to the LARGE holes would DECREASE the weight and stiffness of a frame, robbing it of power. (Sorry, I normally don't shout, but I just find it shocking how some people can completely defy logic and go with their gut-feeling.)

nguyenthuc,
You are absolutely correct.. The pd plus is 100 times more powerful than the o3 tour. No comparison. So powerful that I almost had to have surgury on my tendin for the damage it caused. On the other side, the o3 tour is 100 times more comfortable.
Oh, but those serves were sooo good with the pd plus.

 

[rob61]

Went from a PD to an O3... lovin' it

I went from the PD (standard) to the O3... my arm just couldn't take it. The O3 is much more comfortable. I like the O3 on volleys and groundstrokes. OK, it has a little less power, so I strung a couple pounds under. I still have lots more control even strung under.

The only thing I missed was more pop on the serves. Well, a little lead tape at 3 and 9 fixed that. Now I get a great serve with some pop, and like every other aspect of the O3.

Yes, the PD has more power, but the stiffer frame may take it out on your arm. Between the tape and stringing for more power, its a nice feel with enough power.

 

[ouchieelbow]

I went from the PD (standard) to the O3... my arm just couldn't take it. The O3 is much more comfortable. I like the O3 on volleys and groundstrokes. OK, it has a little less power, so I strung a couple pounds under. I still have lots more control even strung under.

The only thing I missed was more pop on the serves. Well, a little lead tape at 3 and 9 fixed that. Now I get a great serve with some pop, and like every other aspect of the O3.

Yes, the PD has more power, but the stiffer frame may take it out on your arm. Between the tape and stringing for more power, its a nice feel with enough power.

rob61,
how much lead did you put at 3 and 9?

 

[rob61]

Lead tape...

I have started by using 2 grams, one at 3 and one at 9 oclock.

 

[chrisphillips]

So everyone talks about the Pure Drive Plus being so powerful. Personally, I don't know because I have yet to hit with it. However, I don't understand why the TW review only gave it 70 power rating whereas the OS3 Tour got a 76 power rating. I guess that this just reinforces my thoughts that the TW reviews are all but meaningless. So what do y'all think? Is the TW power rating of 70 inaccurate?

 

[kreative]

So everyone talks about the Pure Drive Plus being so powerful. Personally, I don't know because I have yet to hit with it. However, I don't understand why the TW review only gave it 70 power rating whereas the OS3 Tour got a 76 power rating. I guess that this just reinforces my thoughts that the TW reviews are all but meaningless. So what do y'all think? Is the TW power rating of 70 inaccurate?

it's not inaccurate, but subjective based on a person's opinion, and their strokes. also, it's easier to compare in a side-by-side playtest comparison. string tension, string type, grip size, etc all play factors.

 

[misterg]

Chrisphillips you are absolutely right! They also rate the Head flex radical 73 for power, and testing it (I play with a PD) I had severe problems putting the ball over the net. In other departments the rewiews are quiet good, but talking about power you couldn't rely on.

 

[RRR]

try the pd at a few pounds lower.

A week ago, after reading an old post on low tensions for the PD, i had my old PD+ frame strung at 50 lbs mains of head ultratour 17 and 45 lbs crosses of head pps 18. This is a must try. after the the first sessions's stiff playing it began to feel rather comfortable but yet controllable. I used to string it at 62 lbs. poly mains and gut crosses. The power, control and comfort now is very good.