Pure strike tour 16x20?

gatorbait

Rookie
Any idea when babolat will come out with a replacement for the pure strike tour in the 16x20 pattern? What I really want is the replacement for a pure control tour racquet. I know they came out pure strike vs tour in the 2nd gen w/ the 16x20 pattern but when they went to 3rd generation it wasn't a option. Anyone have any idea?
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
The Pure Strike Tour Gen 1 introduced in 2014 was a new racquet with a brand new mold and it did not resemble any previous racquets made by Babolat. The Pure Strike line had more power than the Pure Control, but much more control than the Pure Drive - the Pure Strike Tour was the 12 oz players racquet model of the Pure Strike line. It has been replaced last year by the Gen 3 PST when they also changed the string pattern from 18x20 to 16x19. However, it plays very similar to the Gen 1 but it is more comfortable as there is some dampening material integrated into the frame.

The Pure Control Tour was replaced by the Pure Strike VS Tour a few years ago at the same time they introduced the Gen 2 Pure Strikes. It was basically the same mold as the PCT with a new paint job and name. It was obviously completely different from the other Pure Strikes and it is a mystery why Babolat released it as part of the Pure Strike family branding.

Players who like Babolat’s Pure Storm and Pure Control lines are hoping that they will release a new version in 2021 whether they call it the next gen Pure Strike VS Tour or go back to the Pure Control or Pure Storm branding. Whether it will still be based on the old Pure Control mold or whether it will be a brand new mold remains to be seen.

What I would like to see is a more flexible layup of the Pure Strike Tour with a RA of 62 or 63. I have grown to like the Pure Strike Tour mold more than the old PCT as it is still a thin beam, but with a much bigger sweet spot. It would also be nice if they introduced both an open and dense string pattern.
 
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From memory the PCT was integrated into the Strike family to obfuscate the fact that some of the Babolat sponsored pros were continuing to use the PCT despite it being a slow seller at retail and headed for discontinuation; this move also gave the Strike some apparent tour exposure/publicity.
 

DANMAN

Professional
I just got a new pure strike tour 16x19 and it’s the best frame I’ve hit with since the old babolat pure control tours from the early 2000s. I really miss that frame. Stiff but solid and not harsh. The tour 2020 version is way more comfortable than the project one 7 16x19.
 

RoarTT

Professional
The Pure Strike Tour Gen 1 introduced in 2014 was a new racquet with a brand new mold and it did not resemble any previous racquets made by Babolat. The Pure Strike line had more power than the Pure Control, but much more control than the Pure Drive - the Pure Strike Tour was the 12 oz players racquet model of the Pure Strike line. It has been replaced last year by the Gen 3 PST when they also changed the string pattern from 18x20 to 16x19. However, it plays very similar to the Gen 1 but it is more comfortable as there is some dampening material integrated into the frame.

The Pure Control Tour was replaced by the Pure Strike VS Tour a few years ago at the same time they introduced the Gen 2 Pure Strikes. It was basically the same mold as the PCT with a new paint job and name. It was obviously completely different from the other Pure Strikes and it is a mystery why Babolat released it as part of the Pure Strike family branding.

Players who like Babolat’s Pure Storm and Pure Control lines are hoping that they will release a new version in 2021 whether they call it the next gen Pure Strike VS Tour or go back to the Pure Control or Pure Storm branding. Whether it will still be based on the old Pure Control mold or whether it will be a brand new mold remains to be seen.

What I would like to see is a more flexible layup of the Pure Strike Tour with a RA of 62 or 63. I have grown to like the Pure Strike Tour mold more than the old PCT as it is still a thin beam, but with a much bigger sweet spot. It would also be nice if they introduced both an open and dense string pattern.
Do you know the specs for your PST 3rd gen and the 1st gen when you used that one? I bought a 1st gen PST from TW europe when they were super cheap. I got the racket matching service for the second i bought and this was the result:

Weight Swingweight Balance
1.327.3 283 31.1
2.322.3 284 31.2
3.323.0 282 31.3
4.322.7 285 31.5
5.320.5 279 30.9
6.319.2 282 31.5

Those SWs are pretty consistantly 280-285 unstrung. It almost looks as if Babolat reduced the SW for the last batch of gen 1 PSTs. Mine came in strung 333 grams, 32 cm balance and 319 SW with rpm blast 18 gauge. The balance of plow thru, stability and maneuverability was fantastic. The only reason i stopped using it was because the launch angle was a little erratic at times and that resaulted in a lack of confidence during point play. I have not tried the 3rd gen PST, but with the 16x19 pattern i dont suppose the launch is more consistant. With that being said, i will probably not be able to help myself and get one when the prices goes down;p
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
Do you know the specs for your PST 3rd gen and the 1st gen when you used that one? I
I do not check the specs myself. I just look at what TW publishes before I demo or buy racquets. I usually have 3-4 racquets of the Babolat model that I play with that I take to matches and varying specs has never been an issue for me. If there are minor differences in specs, I probably just adapt to it during the warmup.

I would rather focus on what my opponent is doing than minor differences between the specs of different racquets of the same model that I have. If I can’t adjust to minor differences in racquet specs, how am I going to cope with slightly different string tensions, temperature/wind changes, ball getting old, different ball types, glare/shade issues etc. that affect a match? That’s been my philosophy while I played with the Max200G, Sting, Pure Control, AeroPro Control, AeroStorm Tour GT, PST Gen 1 and Gen 3 over the years.
 
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