Pure Aero Tour vs Ezone DR 98 vs Textreme Tour 100P

kailash

Hall of Fame
Testing some of the latest and greatest! Anyone played with these and can compare (control, power, plow through, comfort)?

I tested Babolat PAT, 100P also PA. Pure Aero & 100P are easy to maneuver. PAT has better plow through and better balance than PA. PA & PAT have tons of power and spin; surprising the opponents sometimes! 100P has excellent feel, control and arm-friendliness; not as much spin/power as PA/PAT.

Not tried the DR 98 yet; how does it compare, especially to Pure Aero Tour?
 

mikeeeee

Professional
In my experience, the prince has a slightly larger sweet spot, slightly more power, and is slightly less stiff than the DR. Both have great control and feel. It's more similar to the Aero than the DR but you can't go wrong with any of these. All great to play with.
 

Surion

Hall of Fame
I've only tested the PAT and the Yonex.
Two totally different racquets.
The PAT has tons of power and spin, way too much for my game, since the frame lacks the control to tame that power somehow.
Still super bad for my arm, although it got better compared to the 2013 AeroPro.
The Yonex has just got a nice blend of everything, suited to a variety of players.
 

pfrischmann

Professional
I think the Yonex compares more closely with the Pure Aero than the tour. Here's why I say that. The Yonex Ai 98 is 11.5 ounces and 324 sw but only 4 points HL. The PA is like 11.3 and about the same SW.
To me the PA feels clunky as it feels almost even balanced, the Yonex feels the same way, possibly more head heavy. I'd prefer 12 ounces and 7 points HL or more, which is what the tour is. The PAT feels a little more HL in its balance as I believe they added most of the weight to the tail.

I would agree with Surion's take on the sticks in general though. the PAT is a bit of an unruly monster for me. If my game was to win off of free points on my serve and unforced errors, the PA is a great stick. Where I get in trouble with it is when I try to go for too small of a target. In my heart, I fancy myself a shot-maker. It's not the smartest game to play but it's who I am. The PA line is not as good at precision as the APD or the Pure Drives.

I have very limited experience with the Yonex, I'm demoing the 98 and 100 right now. I found the 100 a little more whippy as it's lighter. Both have really good touch. It's a very muted feel and a little strange at first. I've never felt a racquet like this and I've demoed a lot. With that said, the touch is simply great. Drop shot volleys were really easy.

I don't really get the new trend in mid weight sticks with high swing weights. The PS97s, the Pure Aero, the Yones AI98/100 and the venerable Blade 98. I guess the blade proves the formula works and for some reason the blade works, maybe because is lighter, like the Ai-100.

None of them make me feel as connected to the ball as the PS-97. At least not yet.
 

kailash

Hall of Fame
I think the Yonex compares more closely with the Pure Aero than the tour. Here's why I say that. The Yonex Ai 98 is 11.5 ounces and 324 sw but only 4 points HL. The PA is like 11.3 and about the same SW.
To me the PA feels clunky as it feels almost even balanced, the Yonex feels the same way, possibly more head heavy. I'd prefer 12 ounces and 7 points HL or more, which is what the tour is. The PAT feels a little more HL in its balance as I believe they added most of the weight to the tail.

...

Agree with that; PA falls more in line for the comparison; I did not include PA in that list because of the balance reason you have mentioned; felt clunky; only 4 pts HL; needs to be tail-weighted.

Balance wise PAT feels better; 6 HL and the same for Yonex DR 98. 100P is 7 HL.
 
I think the Yonex compares more closely with the Pure Aero than the tour. Here's why I say that. The Yonex Ai 98 is 11.5 ounces and 324 sw but only 4 points HL. The PA is like 11.3 and about the same SW.
To me the PA feels clunky as it feels almost even balanced, the Yonex feels the same way, possibly more head heavy. I'd prefer 12 ounces and 7 points HL or more, which is what the tour is. The PAT feels a little more HL in its balance as I believe they added most of the weight to the tail.

I would agree with Surion's take on the sticks in general though. the PAT is a bit of an unruly monster for me. If my game was to win off of free points on my serve and unforced errors, the PA is a great stick. Where I get in trouble with it is when I try to go for too small of a target. In my heart, I fancy myself a shot-maker. It's not the smartest game to play but it's who I am. The PA line is not as good at precision as the APD or the Pure Drives.

I have very limited experience with the Yonex, I'm demoing the 98 and 100 right now. I found the 100 a little more whippy as it's lighter. Both have really good touch. It's a very muted feel and a little strange at first. I've never felt a racquet like this and I've demoed a lot. With that said, the touch is simply great. Drop shot volleys were really easy.

I don't really get the new trend in mid weight sticks with high swing weights. The PS97s, the Pure Aero, the Yones AI98/100 and the venerable Blade 98. I guess the blade proves the formula works and for some reason the blade works, maybe because is lighter, like the Ai-100.

None of them make me feel as connected to the ball as the PS-97. At least not yet.

I didn't like the PS 97 nor the PS 97S. To me, the sweet spot is much smaller than the Blade 98 18x20 assuming all of them are 12oz which is what I demoed them at. The Blade has a more dampen feel and produces a heavier ball. The PS 97/PS 97S does produce a faster ball but with a lower ball trajectory.
 

avocadoz

Professional
Power: PAT > DR 98 > 100P
Spin: PAT > DR 98 > 100P
Control: 100P > DR 98 > PAT
Touch/feel: 100P > DR 98 > PAT
Comfort: DR 98 > 100P > PAT

It depends on what you're looking for. If you need power and spin but don't mind breaking your arm, go with the PAT. If you're a big hitter and need control, go with the 100P. To me, the DR 98 is sorta in between where it doesn't exceed in any category but a solid overall racquet that's nothing special. Of the 3, I definitely prefer the 100P. It's got great control with the 18x20 pattern yet doesn't sacrifice on spin. The touch and feel is amazing and the power is there when you need it and you can hit all out without being afraid of it going out unlike the PAT or the DR 98.
 

kailash

Hall of Fame
Power: PAT > DR 98 > 100P
Spin: PAT > DR 98 > 100P
Control: 100P > DR 98 > PAT
Touch/feel: 100P > DR 98 > PAT
Comfort: DR 98 > 100P > PAT

It depends on what you're looking for. If you need power and spin but don't mind breaking your arm, go with the PAT. If you're a big hitter and need control, go with the 100P. To me, the DR 98 is sorta in between where it doesn't exceed in any category but a solid overall racquet that's nothing special. Of the 3, I definitely prefer the 100P. It's got great control with the 18x20 pattern yet doesn't sacrifice on spin. The touch and feel is amazing and the power is there when you need it and you can hit all out without being afraid of it going out unlike the PAT or the DR 98.

Thanks for the all the replies. Agree with avocadoz's assessments above.

Some feedback based on my play tests. Still waiting for the DR 98 demo racquet; currently testing 100P & PAT, with few others. Other top ones that stood out from my tests so far are Babolat Pure Control Tour & Volkl Super G 10 325.

Played few more sessions with 100P and PAT. Both are very stable, with 100P bit more maneuverable because of the lower swing weight. 100P has good control and touch/feel. PAT has more plow through. For my game style, I am just playing more consistent with PAT regardless of the opponent type, be it hard hitters, dinkers or retrievers. Following review is spot on: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/reviews/BPATR/BPATRreview.html.

Though the power and spin are addictive, PAT definitely lacks in drop and slice shots; still getting used to. The main issue I have with it is the stiffness and comfort level; felt some minor pain in the elbow and wrist after the hitting sessions. Overall I am just winning more points with PAT!

Few more play tests to be done...
 

kailash

Hall of Fame
Power: PAT > DR 98 > 100P
Spin: PAT > DR 98 > 100P
Control: 100P > DR 98 > PAT
Touch/feel: 100P > DR 98 > PAT
Comfort: DR 98 > 100P > PAT

It depends on what you're looking for. If you need power and spin but don't mind breaking your arm, go with the PAT. If you're a big hitter and need control, go with the 100P. To me, the DR 98 is sorta in between where it doesn't exceed in any category but a solid overall racquet that's nothing special. Of the 3, I definitely prefer the 100P. It's got great control with the 18x20 pattern yet doesn't sacrifice on spin. The touch and feel is amazing and the power is there when you need it and you can hit all out without being afraid of it going out unlike the PAT or the DR 98.

Got a DR 98 demo and testing it now. Avocadoz's assessment above is spot on! All the three are great racquets; of the 3, I prefer the DR 98; it is very good in all the departments. Initially I thought that it was overrated and overhyped when reading reviews/forum posts, but after testing, I agree with the TW review that it is one of the best racquets!

PAT is the most winningest for me, but less arm friendly; if not for the stiffness, PAT would be my number 1; still I may get one as a backup. 100P has a unique feel and good fit for big hitters with full swings. Tested DR 100 also; bit more pop and spin, firm compared to DR 98; it is also a good racquet in that weight range.
 

Joey

Rookie
Got a DR 98 demo and testing it now. Avocadoz's assessment above is spot on! All the three are great racquets; of the 3, I prefer the DR 98; it is very good in all the departments. Initially I thought that it was overrated and overhyped when reading reviews/forum posts, but after testing, I agree with the TW review that it is one of the best racquets!

PAT is the most winningest for me, but less arm friendly; if not for the stiffness, PAT would be my number 1; still I may get one as a backup. 100P has a unique feel and good fit for big hitters with full swings. Tested DR 100 also; bit more pop and spin, firm compared to DR 98; it is also a good racquet in that weight range.

Was there a huge difference in power between the 4 racquets?
 

tribesmen

Professional
If you hit in the middle of sweet spot then no, but 100P is very weak when you hitting outside the sweet spot.
 

kailash

Hall of Fame
Was there a huge difference in power between the 4 racquets?

DR 98 - low powered/spin of those 4; though not at the level of Prestige MP type of racquets.
100 P - slightly more power/spin than DR 98.
DR 100 - relatively more than 100 P.
PAT - slightly more than DR 100.

Control goes in the other direction; DR 98 and 100 P are much better! AND strings also play a major role in power.

All the racquets mentioned above are good and you could pick anyone based on game style. For the players who rely on power/spin, PAT/DR 100 would work. 100 P/DR 98 for those who need more feel and control. I recommend that you demo and choose one that suits your game.
 

Ruark

Professional
I'm 67 and have pretty fragile wrists and elbows, and have NO comfort issues whatsoever with my PAT. I hit hard, too, I'm not a slicer/dinker. String tension is 50. I love this racquet: I could play with it for hours.
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
I was amazed of how plush the PAT felt when I had it. Sold it due to the open string pattern, but def one I could see myself buying again.
No arm fatigue, as opposed to the new Pure Strikes and the RF97A.

My racket of choice now is the DR100. I just switched from the DG97 310 and 330 version.
The DR100 is very comfortable with great access to power and spin. I've recently switched to a two handed backhand to protect my arm (TE), and have no issues.

But the flex is def stiffer than f.inst. the DG97. I went back to my 330 g version for a while today, just for comparison's sake, and it felt extremely flexy. I could feel the racket bend upon impact, something I've never experienced/felt before (since I've stuck with the DGs for a while now, and mostly used similar frames when trying diff frames)

Stiffer but not uncomfortable, at all. My DRs have PTP/multi hybrid.

I used to own the 100P also, and it's def one to consider as well. String pattern is tighter, and the launch angle is lower. Normally, you'd find out pretty fast if you like the 100P or the PAT :)
 
Last edited:
I've owned/hit with all three racquets over the past year; posted some of my impressions at the bottom of this post here: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...ro-plus-vs-pure-aero-vs.597505/#post-11539789

DR98: I didn't get along with this stick at all. It could have been string choice at the time, but I couldn't find consistency with nearly any of my shots. OHBH were the only exception, I could rip an awesome OHBH with this frame. Volleys and slices were good too, but my serve was anemic. I ended up moving on with this frame because I took to PAT much better. I don't know, could be this stick is for a player more advanced than myself.

100P: loved this stick when I first got it. Comfortable, well balanced and fun to hit with, but I was less effective against heavier hitters with it. Also, my serve was good, but only when I put 100% power into it, sacrificing not only accuracy, but my arm health at one point. I probably could have easily adapted to this stick in the long run, but PAT is a better fit for me.

PAT: the stick I still have. Love it: my serves are lethal, ground strokes are spinny, and it's actually really comfortable to hit with thanks to the mass. That mass also lends to the ability to hit a defensive shot back with some interest. I've been able to improve my backhand slice over the summer, and it's a great bailout shot for me that can get me out of trouble. Drawback: tendency to sail GS's, so I have to be mindful of that when swinging out hard. It's a work in progress, but when I'm on with this frame, it's fantastic. I go back and forth b/w this and the Pure Aero VS Tour.
 

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
Personal preference but for me it's:
1. Prince Textreme
2. Yonex DR
3. Babolat aero

Reason: feel comfort and head shape of the Prince is my preference over the Yonex. Babolat is too hard for my arm to ever tolerate.
 
Thanks for the all the replies. Agree with avocadoz's assessments above.

Some feedback based on my play tests. Still waiting for the DR 98 demo racquet; currently testing 100P & PAT, with few others. Other top ones that stood out from my tests so far are Babolat Pure Control Tour & Volkl Super G 10 325.

Played few more sessions with 100P and PAT. Both are very stable, with 100P bit more maneuverable because of the lower swing weight. 100P has good control and touch/feel. PAT has more plow through. For my game style, I am just playing more consistent with PAT regardless of the opponent type, be it hard hitters, dinkers or retrievers. Following review is spot on: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/reviews/BPATR/BPATRreview.html.

Though the power and spin are addictive, PAT definitely lacks in drop and slice shots; still getting used to. The main issue I have with it is the stiffness and comfort level; felt some minor pain in the elbow and wrist after the hitting sessions. Overall I am just winning more points with PAT!

Few more play tests to be done...
You should try the 100P with a thin 17 or 18 gauge full multi or soft poly. I use 18 gauge x-one Biphase and 17 gauge HDX from Technifibre. I like the x-one for that gut like feeling and HDX when playing with nationally ranked players for control. One of my top players had Luxilon natural gut in his 100P but I still preferred the thin x-one to my amazement. I use to play gut when I was a sectional ranked player(8th singles) and nothing could compare, but the thin x-one today is really superb. The 100P really reacts well to certain strings.
 
Thanks for the all the replies. Agree with avocadoz's assessments above.

Some feedback based on my play tests. Still waiting for the DR 98 demo racquet; currently testing 100P & PAT, with few others. Other top ones that stood out from my tests so far are Babolat Pure Control Tour & Volkl Super G 10 325.

Played few more sessions with 100P and PAT. Both are very stable, with 100P bit more maneuverable because of the lower swing weight. 100P has good control and touch/feel. PAT has more plow through. For my game style, I am just playing more consistent with PAT regardless of the opponent type, be it hard hitters, dinkers or retrievers. Following review is spot on: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/reviews/BPATR/BPATRreview.html.

Though the power and spin are addictive, PAT definitely lacks in drop and slice shots; still getting used to. The main issue I have with it is the stiffness and comfort level; felt some minor pain in the elbow and wrist after the hitting sessions. Overall I am just winning more points with PAT!

Few more play tests to be done...
Even though I play with 100P and feel that it is a fantastic frame in all areas, I have had a hit with the DR98 and the new Pure Stike and find both to be really nice frames.
 

kailash

Hall of Fame
You should try the 100P with a thin 17 or 18 gauge full multi or soft poly. I use 18 gauge x-one Biphase and 17 gauge HDX from Technifibre. I like the x-one for that gut like feeling and HDX when playing with nationally ranked players for control. One of my top players had Luxilon natural gut in his 100P but I still preferred the thin x-one to my amazement. I use to play gut when I was a sectional ranked player(8th singles) and nothing could compare, but the thin x-one today is really superb. The 100P really reacts well to certain strings.

I have a 100P; previously with an 18g poly and now with 16g multi. Good overall, but nowadays I am playing with the Red/black Pure Strike 18x20, strung with 18g poly and it is awesome!
 

Tommy Haas

Hall of Fame
You should try the 100P with a thin 17 or 18 gauge full multi or soft poly. I use 18 gauge x-one Biphase and 17 gauge HDX from Technifibre. I like the x-one for that gut like feeling and HDX when playing with nationally ranked players for control.

Thanks for the post. What setup did you use with the Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 18g? Machine type, one/two piece and tension? I'm looking for help with spin and control with power last. I know you'd suggest HDX instead because I mentioned spin and control, but I also need the comfort of a multi due to TE.
 

Dartagnan64

G.O.A.T.
Performance wise:
PAT > DR 100 > TT

Comfort wise:
TT > DR 100 >>> PAT

Control:
TT > DR 100 > PAT

That's my experience in limited demo time last year.
 

Srik

Rookie
Can TT 100 310 be close to PAT 2019 in terms of free power ?

control is way better with TT, both stable while TT being most comfortable than PAT

with all said above, which will be good for a baseline game ? Only craving for some free power.
 

mikele

Rookie
I haven't tried the PAT, but from between the DR (98) and the TT100p ( first version), I will go with the TT. I never felt good with the Yonex and sold it, to Head heavy for my taste, the Prince felt great 18x20 but with power, good and nice feel. I stopped playing with them because they broke and could not find a replacement.
 

Srik

Rookie
I haven't tried the PAT, but from between the DR (98) and the TT100p ( first version), I will go with the TT. I never felt good with the Yonex and sold it, to Head heavy for my taste, the Prince felt great 18x20 but with power, good and nice feel. I stopped playing with them because they broke and could not find a replacement.

sure, thanks for the feedback !!
 
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