Pute Aero (plus) vs Pure Aero VS

[danbrenner]

I have been using the pure aero series both plus version and standard for the past year. As far as the differences between the two, well the plus just feels more headlight and therefore more traditional even though it's a plus length. As of the past few weeks i have yet again gone back to the plus version. There is something so special about this stick. I have had my issues with timing off my backhand wing especially, but that has ironed itself out over the last while. What a stick.
Now I want to put it up against the VS. I think the VS is grossly overlooked. Yes stock form is too light. 11.1 is just not enough for most players. I immediately Ades lead to the butt an throat to bring it to 11.3 before even taking it out on court. But back to the stick. This is a real contender. It's got precision which the PA doesn't have. I will take this next two weeks to out it through the paces and share it with TT. I just honestly think that with some width added to it this can be the perfect stick for many players. Think about it. The main gripe everyone has with the PA is too much power and not enough precision. So hello. Here is your answer. Anyway. Let's see how this playtesr goes. I just think we all need to bring this one up in weight and not make the mistake of overlooking it because of its light stock weight. Feel free to chime in

 

[danbrenner]

And yes I have used the VS tour. But 11.9 oz is too heavy of a stick weight for me. Felt sluggish. This standard version is perfect. Just needs a little weight

 

[Alan_Hill]

I've been using PA plus and the only think I didn't like is lack of control and touch or angled volley.
So I just purchased these 27.5", hope I'll go to the same path as you lol

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[langdon0555]

I've been using PA plus and the only think I didn't like is lack of control and touch or angled volley.
So I just purchased these 27.5", hope I'll go to the same path as you lol

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Did you buy those off of some guy from Mexico? If so he was saying they were pro stocks. It looks like they are just the older pure storm painted like the new model.

 

[jmacdaununder2]

Yeah, but 27.5" is hard to come buy as it was not available retail - would be pretty sweet sticks imo...

 

[SpinToWin]

I've been using PA plus and the only think I didn't like is lack of control and touch or angled volley.
So I just purchased these 27.5", hope I'll go to the same path as you lol

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Nice catch. I presume it was a rather pricey one though haha

 

[danbrenner]

I've been using PA plus and the only think I didn't like is lack of control and touch or angled volley.
So I just purchased these 27.5", hope I'll go to the same path as you lol

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cool. so those are the old Storm's. i can see the cortex at the throat painted over. The new mold is just as awesome. . just needs lead..
as far as the length. well being that its not avail in extended length, i will just concentrate on the standard length frame. This will be a fun playtest for me..
So how do you compare your VS's to the PA's?? how have they impacted your game? I will take my leaded up VS out on court Thursday.. and pit it against my PA..

 

[langdon0555]

Yea I emailed that guy at one point and he was asking quite a bit. I could be wrong but I think he wanted around $350 per racquet. My guess is there is nothing differnt other than they are extended. I asked what was different and make them pro stock. He couldn't tell me...basically ingnored the question.

Hopefully you like them becuase I'm sure you paid A LOT for all of them together. Lol

 

[Alan_Hill]

I got mine for $220 each. Used to belong to an ATP player.
Those are from Chile. It's extended and RA63. He said it's the same racquet as Jack Sock and Volandri. Babolat prostock can have lower stiffness, like Fognini Pure Drive.
I'm waiting them to arrive. Will check if they're real RA63


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[YellowFedBetter]

I've been saying forever that the VS is a great racquet but few people seem to pay attention..

It has the perfect balance of everything. It has control that's almost as good as a true players racquet but yet is not far off in forgiveness from a APD or PD. It isn't super soft stock (though I imagine with weight added it would feel pretty plush) but it's not stiff either (so if you're used to either type of frame it's a good compromise), and the spin is excellent for a tighter string pattern. You can hit with spin AND flatten out easily (unlike a APD or regular PA). I played the best tennis ever when I demoed it, and it had dead poly in it! Only weakness is the serve. It has no power at all stock. But I'm pretty sure weight would solve that too (I'm not a customizer YET).

I think it's easily the best fairly "new" racquet on the market. I hope Babolat doesn't discontinue it again.

 

[datsveryinterestin]

I've been saying forever that the VS is a great racquet but few people seem to pay attention..

It has the perfect balance of everything. It has control that's almost as good as a true players racquet but yet is not far off in forgiveness from a APD or PD. It isn't super soft stock (though I imagine with weight added it would feel pretty plush) but it's not stiff either (so if you're used to either type of frame it's a good compromise), and the spin is excellent for a tighter string pattern. You can hit with spin AND flatten out easily (unlike a APD or regular PA). I played the best tennis ever when I demoed it, and it had dead poly in it! Only weakness is the serve. It has no power at all stock. But I'm pretty sure weight would solve that too (I'm not a customizer YET).

I think it's easily the best fairly "new" racquet on the market. I hope Babolat doesn't discontinue it again.

I just tried out an old Aero Storm cortex which seems very close in spec to VS. I usually use Pure Aero Plus and have played great tennis with it but for some reason have got the itch to try other sticks again. (Came from the dr98 and sometimes miss hitting with it or similar style racquet) well the Aero Storm cortex felt Amazing on groundstrokes and volleys. Had spin, power, with additional pinpoint control! I could easily crush returns down the line for winners. I was pretty intrigued until I tried out 4 2nd serve attempts. My 85mph spinny 2nd serve turned into a 45mph meatball serve. Maybe I would be able to adjust my technique.. but it was a huge difference. I'm giving the Aero plus a chance to erase any questions in a tournament this weekend. If I struggle, it's demo time with VS and DR98 again!!!
I guess one of my reasons for doubting the Pure Aero Plus is that I'm stringing with RPM Blast 15l at 57lbs which gave me everything (power/spin/control) Indoors...but outdoors in the wind i am slightly struggling for power. Trying one at 57 and one at 55 this weekend though.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

I just tried out an old Aero Storm cortex which seems very close in spec to VS. I usually use Pure Aero Plus and have played great tennis with it but for some reason have got the itch to try other sticks again. (Came from the dr98 and sometimes miss hitting with it or similar style racquet) well the Aero Storm cortex felt Amazing on groundstrokes and volleys. Had spin, power, with additional pinpoint control! I could easily crush returns down the line for winners. I was pretty intrigued until I tried out 4 2nd serve attempts. My 85mph spinny 2nd serve turned into a 45mph meatball serve. Maybe I would be able to adjust my technique.. but it was a huge difference. I'm giving the Aero plus a chance to erase any questions in a tournament this weekend. If I struggle, it's demo time with VS and DR98 again!!!
I guess one of my reasons for doubting the Pure Aero Plus is that I'm stringing with RPM Blast 15l at 57lbs which gave me everything (power/spin/control) Indoors...but outdoors in the wind i am slightly struggling for power. Trying one at 57 and one at 55 this weekend though.

Yeah the serve is what keeps it from virtual perfection. Probably have to add weight for that. But yeah I know with it I was able to be more aggressive and rip the ball unlike with anything else and it helped my bad accidental side spin FH (I try to hit with proper topspin but cut at it instead, a glitch I've never worked out) immensely and made my 2HBH (my strength) a genuine weapon. Feedback is great too. It's ridiculous people aren't paying attention to it. Not to mention it's the frame that finally won the Davis Cup for Argentina!

 

[danbrenner]

Yeah the serve is what keeps it from virtual perfection. Probably have to add weight for that. But yeah I know with it I was able to be more aggressive and rip the ball unlike with anything else and it helped my bad accidental side spin FH (I try to hit with proper topspin but cut at it instead, a glitch I've never worked out) immensely and made my 2HBH (my strength) a genuine weapon. Feedback is great too. It's ridiculous people aren't paying attention to it. Not to mention it's the frame that finally won the Davis Cup for Argentina!

I will be playing tonight with my demo. i brought it up to about 11.4 oz.. but will add accordingly. There are two ways to add power.. 1. add some lead.. especially in the hoop area.. 2. maybe throw gut mains in.. 3. opt for the heavier tour .. but that would be last. there is that knife through butter head speed that you get with these frames that you dont get with the PA's.. there is that precision on ground strokes that you dont get with the PA. power on serve will be this sticks test. lets see how i feel after todays playtest.

 

[danbrenner]

I just tried out an old Aero Storm cortex which seems very close in spec to VS. I usually use Pure Aero Plus and have played great tennis with it but for some reason have got the itch to try other sticks again. (Came from the dr98 and sometimes miss hitting with it or similar style racquet) well the Aero Storm cortex felt Amazing on groundstrokes and volleys. Had spin, power, with additional pinpoint control! I could easily crush returns down the line for winners. I was pretty intrigued until I tried out 4 2nd serve attempts. My 85mph spinny 2nd serve turned into a 45mph meatball serve. Maybe I would be able to adjust my technique.. but it was a huge difference. I'm giving the Aero plus a chance to erase any questions in a tournament this weekend. If I struggle, it's demo time with VS and DR98 again!!!
I guess one of my reasons for doubting the Pure Aero Plus is that I'm stringing with RPM Blast 15l at 57lbs which gave me everything (power/spin/control) Indoors...but outdoors in the wind i am slightly struggling for power. Trying one at 57 and one at 55 this weekend though.

I love the PA plus.. and standard. but sometimes i itch for that effortless head speed precision through the contact zone in which the PA does not have. with the PA its more of a muscle it through the contact zone.. on forehands i mean. with the vs its more like a players frame in which the head through contact zone has its own inertia and whips through more effortlessly. Again, i will playtest tonight and get a better idea of this VS's potential.

 

[danbrenner]

Ok. So I had a chance to really hit with it tonight

 

[n8dawg6]

aaaaand?

 

[danbrenner]

im glad you asked.. jsut wanted to make sure yall were paying attention. lol..
so the VS is a no go for me. mainly because i am so hooked on the open PA pattern, and the vs is somewhat closed.. even though its a 16x20 it feels closed.
if it were a bit more open and i could get more bite out of it it could have been a serious contender.
even the RFA has an open pattern.. (somewhat)
so this was the real deal breaker for me. but for anyone reading this thread that likes closed patterns. please try this stick. its a scalpel for precision. .and you still get the Babolat feel..
you just need to add a little weight.. bring it up to 11.4 or so and Bob's your uncle.

i will be sticking to my Pure Aero's.. The bite and power is unmatched. on serve you can literally whip bananas in at will .. there is nothing like the PA.

 

[flipflap]

Hi,

I own a Pure Aero Tour and recently bought a Pure Aero VS. When I got back to tennis (say 8 years ago) I started with a Pure Storm team (which i think is now comparable with the Pure Strike VS) and since I moved to different versions of the APD/PA I always missed the feel of this Storm...

Since I was used to playing with heavier sticks now, I added lead to the hoop of the VS: 2 gram on 3 & 9, 2 gram on 12, total 6 gram. And 5 gram blutack in the backdoor. So still around 10 gram less than my PAT but more polarized which i tend to like (before my current PAT I played with an APD with a lot of lead on 3 and 9 and I also liked that more than my HL PAT), also the reason to not buy the Tour version (in fact I think I will never buy a tour version again as customizing is so easy and better for polarization)

My observations of the Pure Aero VS (+10gram) vs the Pure Aero Tour (stock):

Feel: the VS is much better. If I give both racquets for a short time to someone who doesn't care too much about racquets, they all indicate that they prefer the VS more.

Groundstrokes/Swings: With the VS I feel more comfortable to hit hard (swing freely). I'm not sure if I miss the extra power of the PAT because with the VS I just swing better so that also generates more power. Still need to play a tough match with the VS to see if the PAT gives me more leverage but at this point I tend to say that the VS is better for my strokes. With the PAT/APDs I also feel like I have to spin a lot to keep it in control, while with the VS I don't need this overspinning (but it is possible to use it that way).

My strokes are much less loopy with the VS compared to the PAT which might result in more winnners as the loopy spin balls with the PAT on some surfaces here in Europe (fake gravel, some sort of carpet, less bounce) results in perfect training shots for opponents.

I don't have any issues with a small sweetspot or something like that with my VS. So do not agree with some of the critics in the TW Review.

What I also find important in a racquet is twistweight. I really hate it when I'm in defense, can only just reach a ball and my rackets twists in my hand or doesn't have enough mass to be stable. Obviously with the PAT this is no problem, but with my VS (with 6 gram in the hoop) this also give me the desired stability.

Serves: VS feels good, nothing wrong with it. PAT can destroy opponents but hurts my shoulder and gets tiring after a busy tournament week/match.

So in general I will stick to the VS for now and will try it out the coming months to check if this is not just the honeymoon period. But at this moment the stick feels perfect for me and gives me more confidence than the PAT. It's not that the PAT lacks too much control (although too little spin often results in backfenches) but the lesser degree of power and the less open pattern of the VS just lets me play better tennis.

 

[flipflap]

Oh I also played a bit less than a year with a Pro Staff 97 315 and the DR98. Liked the Pro Staff but i thiink the sweetspot of Babolats suit me better. The DR98 was a bit of a disappointment after a couple of months.. couldn't get used to the funnny flex in the throat and went back to an old APD.

 

[danbrenner]

Its mainly the serve of the PA series that is too difficult to get away from. The pa has that banana angle perfect d in serves. I can power in even a second serve. That is the big diff. I get free points on serve with the pa. I can't do that with others.

 

[WilsnGrpheneStrkeTour]

I own both the PAT and PAVST, have hit with both over the past year and some, bouncing back and forth. I'm in the 3.0 - 3.5 range, not a pro by any means whatsoever, but here are some of my impressions:

1st Serve: same as posters above, the PAT wins by a mile. Just monstrous pace and viciousness on this shot, it's my favorite aspect of this racquet, and it single handily keeps me alive in matches. PAVST is nice once you figure it out, but it takes a lot more work to hit with the same pace power while maintaining control, but it doesn't win me nearly as points as PAT serves.

2nd Serve: PAT. Silly kick serve, same great control/feel as 1st serve. Just more power than PAVST. PAVST is really quite good here though thanks to it's feel.

Groundstrokes: PAVST wins this. Tons of control, a lot better feel of what's going on. The feel/control of this racquet helped me finally "figure out" my OHBH. PAT, on the other hand, takes a quite a bit of focus to ensure you aren't hitting long. When you get a good angle on a forehand though, PAT just crushes it, whereas PAVST beats you with pace and better directional placement. It's weird how PAT is amazing on serves but sorta checks out in the control department on GSs.

Slice/Volley: PAVST is the easy winner here. Much more feel of what's going on with the head of the racquet. Backhand slice is a ton of fun with PAVST.

At net: I love going to net. It's interesting because both of these racquets have their strengths there: PAT is super solid and plush, wins against the ball at contact when dealing with heavy hitters. Simple redirection, point over. PAVST, on the other hand, is the scalpel that can deal with more types of pace better. You just know exactly where the ball is going to go when you volley back, and it's a bit more maneuverable than PAT so I'm able to get better angles on my returns. It's a tossup here, depending on the type of opponent/game I'm playing.

Feel: PAVST wins, no contest. I have no problems knowing what's going on with the head of the racquet. PAT's plush feel at contact is a double-edged sword because it dampens the feel.

Comfort: PAT is super plush, never experienced any pain with it. PAVST, on the other hand, sometimes causes some pain in the elbow for me.

Spin: PAT, by a mile, though I think with the right strings the gap could be closed a little.


So I'm currently sticking with PAT because of the confidence on serve, though I'm still trying to master the GSs to the point where I'm not wondering if I accidentally overhit. It's basically opposite with PAVST, where I have great confidence with GS's but my serves with it are mediocre and questionable. I wish I could combine the dominating serve and plush of PAT, with the control of GSs and volley/slice of PAVST. In the end, I could go with either racquet, but I chose the weaponized serve and somewhat shaken GSs, vs. a "regular" serve and confidence on GSs.

Racquets I've tried in the past:

Wilson Pro Staff: my first stick, so I definitely used it when I was still figuring things out, but I just never got on with this one. Would like to hit with it again to see if my impressions change

Wilson Blade 104 (pre-CV): my wife's racquet, but I actually love this thing. Might start hitting with it more to see where it goes...

Yonex DR98: couldn't click with this thing at all, except for OHBH. Everything else was just off for me.

Babolat Pure Strike (P17): thing was a puzzle, hated it. Nothing clicked for me at all with it.

Babolat Pure Aero: PAT is better.

Prince Tour 100P: I still have this one, and it's great, though it needs a little more power/stability, I get pushed around a little using it vs. bigger hitters.

 

[flipflap]

^^Very similar experiences but for now i prefer the nice flow during ground strokes

 

[WilsnGrpheneStrkeTour]

Went out and hit for a while tonight with the PAVST, it's been a few months since I've used it, and still have the same results:

GS's are awesome, especially the OHBH. Effortless and sublime. Slices are fun too.

but...

Serves are an exercise in futility, I'm befuddled because I just can't figure it out. When I hit one in, it's a scorcher, but otherwise I'm spraying balls all over the other side of the court/fence. I'm noticing that on the ones that hit in, I'm contacting the ball almost directly above my shoulder vs. out in front when hitting with other racquets. And, the sweet spot on serves feels like it's at the tip of the racquet. It just doesn't make sense, and it's annoying because if I can get this serve down I'll have my all-around stick.

 

[danbrenner]

I just tried out an old Aero Storm cortex which seems very close in spec to VS. I usually use Pure Aero Plus and have played great tennis with it but for some reason have got the itch to try other sticks again. (Came from the dr98 and sometimes miss hitting with it or similar style racquet) well the Aero Storm cortex felt Amazing on groundstrokes and volleys. Had spin, power, with additional pinpoint control! I could easily crush returns down the line for winners. I was pretty intrigued until I tried out 4 2nd serve attempts. My 85mph spinny 2nd serve turned into a 45mph meatball serve. Maybe I would be able to adjust my technique.. but it was a huge difference. I'm giving the Aero plus a chance to erase any questions in a tournament this weekend. If I struggle, it's demo time with VS and DR98 again!!!
I guess one of my reasons for doubting the Pure Aero Plus is that I'm stringing with RPM Blast 15l at 57lbs which gave me everything (power/spin/control) Indoors...but outdoors in the wind i am slightly struggling for power. Trying one at 57 and one at 55 this weekend though.

on a different note. i see you use rpm 15 in your sticks. how do you compare that to the 17 or 16 g in rpm. does it help with tens maint?

 

[datsveryinterestin]

on a different note. i see you use rpm 15 in your sticks. how do you compare that to the 17 or 16 g in rpm. does it help with tens maint?

Tension maintenance is very good with the 15l blast. I'm pretty picky about that but I can keep this string it in for weeks without worrying. In fact it usually plays better after a week. I mainly use it on the Aero because the string spacing is so wide. It allows me to swing extra hard on groundies to generate extra topspin. Great against hard hitters but I really struggled this past weekend with pushers that gave me zero pace. But that was probably 99% just my lack of focus.

 

[danbrenner]

This is a

I own both the PAT and PAVST, have hit with both over the past year and some, bouncing back and forth. I'm in the 3.0 - 3.5 range, not a pro by any means whatsoever, but here are some of my impressions:

1st Serve: same as posters above, the PAT wins by a mile. Just monstrous pace and viciousness on this shot, it's my favorite aspect of this racquet, and it single handily keeps me alive in matches. PAVST is nice once you figure it out, but it takes a lot more work to hit with the same pace power while maintaining control, but it doesn't win me nearly as points as PAT serves.

2nd Serve: PAT. Silly kick serve, same great control/feel as 1st serve. Just more power than PAVST. PAVST is really quite good here though thanks to it's feel.

Groundstrokes: PAVST wins this. Tons of control, a lot better feel of what's going on. The feel/control of this racquet helped me finally "figure out" my OHBH. PAT, on the other hand, takes a quite a bit of focus to ensure you aren't hitting long. When you get a good angle on a forehand though, PAT just crushes it, whereas PAVST beats you with pace and better directional placement. It's weird how PAT is amazing on serves but sorta checks out in the control department on GSs.

Slice/Volley: PAVST is the easy winner here. Much more feel of what's going on with the head of the racquet. Backhand slice is a ton of fun with PAVST.

At net: I love going to net. It's interesting because both of these racquets have their strengths there: PAT is super solid and plush, wins against the ball at contact when dealing with heavy hitters. Simple redirection, point over. PAVST, on the other hand, is the scalpel that can deal with more types of pace better. You just know exactly where the ball is going to go when you volley back, and it's a bit more maneuverable than PAT so I'm able to get better angles on my returns. It's a tossup here, depending on the type of opponent/game I'm playing.

Feel: PAVST wins, no contest. I have no problems knowing what's going on with the head of the racquet. PAT's plush feel at contact is a double-edged sword because it dampens the feel.

Comfort: PAT is super plush, never experienced any pain with it. PAVST, on the other hand, sometimes causes some pain in the elbow for me.

Spin: PAT, by a mile, though I think with the right strings the gap could be closed a little.


So I'm currently sticking with PAT because of the confidence on serve, though I'm still trying to master the GSs to the point where I'm not wondering if I accidentally overhit. It's basically opposite with PAVST, where I have great confidence with GS's but my serves with it are mediocre and questionable. I wish I could combine the dominating serve and plush of PAT, with the control of GSs and volley/slice of PAVST. In the end, I could go with either racquet, but I chose the weaponized serve and somewhat shaken GSs, vs. a "regular" serve and confidence on GSs.

Racquets I've tried in the past:

Wilson Pro Staff: my first stick, so I definitely used it when I was still figuring things out, but I just never got on with this one. Would like to hit with it again to see if my impressions change

Wilson Blade 104 (pre-CV): my wife's racquet, but I actually love this thing. Might start hitting with it more to see where it goes...

Yonex DR98: couldn't click with this thing at all, except for OHBH. Everything else was just off for me.

Babolat Pure Strike (P17): thing was a puzzle, hated it. Nothing clicked for me at all with it.

Babolat Pure Aero: PAT is better.

Prince Tour 100P: I still have this one, and it's great, though it needs a little more power/stability, I get pushed around a little using it vs. bigger hitters.

great review. So my question to you is. Isn't the Pat the same as a pa but with 10g of lead in the handle ?

 

[tribesmen]

This is a

great review. So my question to you is. Isn't the Pat the same as a pa but with 10g of lead in the handle ?

I say no, but maybe is just a production tolerance ?? I put lead to my PA, because I want to match my PA which I got as gift and my PAT. Without success, I can't get the same results in no way regarding feeling and manouverability, even though the weight and balance are matched now.

 

[Alan_Hill]

I have play test the prostock Pure Aero Storm plus last few days. It's really 62-63 RA which much more flexible than the retail. It's quick, low powered and very solid feel. Compare to my H22 16x19, it has the plush feel from the head and stiff from the aero throat.
The PA plus is super easy to play. But this one has much more control in every shots.

Yeah, but 27.5" is hard to come buy as it was not available retail - would be pretty sweet sticks imo...

cool. so those are the old Storm's. i can see the cortex at the throat painted over. The new mold is just as awesome. . just needs lead..
as far as the length. well being that its not avail in extended length, i will just concentrate on the standard length frame. This will be a fun playtest for me..
So how do you compare your VS's to the PA's?? how have they impacted your game? I will take my leaded up VS out on court Thursday.. and pit it against my PA..

Yea I emailed that guy at one point and he was asking quite a bit. I could be wrong but I think he wanted around $350 per racquet. My guess is there is nothing differnt other than they are extended. I asked what was different and make them pro stock. He couldn't tell me...basically ingnored the question.

Hopefully you like them becuase I'm sure you paid A LOT for all of them together. Lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danbrenner]

So I took the vs out again today. I added a little more weight to the hoop. But kept plenty of weight in the tail. And kept a 5 point head light balance. I enjoyed this stick more today. On serve I felt more connected. I realized that my demo has rpm and they don't have nearly as much bite as the cyclone 17 in my current pa. So this stick is still in the running. The feel is sublime. Groundies are very dialed in. I'm thinking that with cyclone 17 in this thing I will be able to get a similar bite on serve as my pa. I will playtesr again next week and if I can control the spin on serve then I will add one of these to my lineup. There is something about this stick.

 

[flipflap]

Compare to my H22 16x19 RA58, the Aero Storm prostock is around RA63, same specs but less power, less spin but more solid and control. Need to test more.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just to be sure: the pa vs gives less power and less spin right compared to h22 (just to be sure you didn't mean the other way around)

 

[Alan_Hill]

Sorry a little off topic but I meant the H22 16x19 (which very open) XL has more power and spin than the Cortex Aero Storm XL (Prostock with Cortex), same spec and setup. But the Babolat has more solid feel and stiffer throat.

 

[WilsnGrpheneStrkeTour]

Had 3-4 hours of hitting yesterday, switching off between the PAT and PAVST (both are recently strung w/ Solinco 17ga Tour Bite Pro, both have Wilson leather grips and dampeners, neither have any lead tape). I got some good feedback from my friend that I was hitting with, and it's pretty much in line with my previous review:

Serve: switching between them was immediately evident to my opponent. I was excellent with PAT, it won me a lot of points, so awesome. Whereas PAVST, I couldn't hit with as much ferocity, and I had to flatten out in order to serve with more accuracy on 1st serves. Good pace, but more predictable for opponent to return. Where it fails me is on 2nd serves. Lot of framers and mishits resulting in double faults, and slow meatballs when landing in, opponent just tee'd off.

Groundstrokes/volleys/slices: With PAVST, my non-serve shots were AWESOME. Opponent immediately commented on the much more controlled and precise shots, that they had good pace on them without landing out. With PAT I was still hitting good strokes, but they have that tendency to launch if I wasn't careful. PAVST hits a lower, more laser-like line, while PAT hits a loopier shot that pushes opponents back. Slices are comparable, with PAVST being more maneuverable which allowed me to hit some more challenging angles. Both are similarly good with handling low returns. PAT better handles return of serve, off-center and stretch hits. PAT exemplified the statement: "going from defense to offense".

Weight/handling: after 3 hard hours, PAVST was a little easier to continue hitting with. When you get tired and mishits start going up, PAT was just a bit more challenging to keep in line.

Not sure which frame I'll ultimately go with; I'm under the impression that in the long run I can master and harness PAT's ground strokes easier than I can PAVST's serve. Serve is what builds my confidence. PAVST has addicting feel and precision, I don't want to part ways with it just yet.

This is a

great review. So my question to you is. Isn't the Pat the same as a pa but with 10g of lead in the handle ?

It's been 2 years since I had both on demo at the same time, but there's a notable difference in the feel and balance b/w PA and PAT. Not sure how it's distributed, but the PA is more whippy on strokes, PAT a little slower to swing and more deliberate, and ultimately more comfortable on the arm. Overall, I just jived better with the PAT.

 

[danbrenner]

It

Had 3-4 hours of hitting yesterday, switching off between the PAT and PAVST (both are recently strung w/ Solinco 17ga Tour Bite Pro, both have Wilson leather grips and dampeners, neither have any lead tape). I got some good feedback from my friend that I was hitting with, and it's pretty much in line with my previous review:

Serve: switching between them was immediately evident to my opponent. I was excellent with PAT, it won me a lot of points, so awesome. Whereas PAVST, I couldn't hit with as much ferocity, and I had to flatten out in order to serve with more accuracy on 1st serves. Good pace, but more predictable for opponent to return. Where it fails me is on 2nd serves. Lot of framers and mishits resulting in double faults, and slow meatballs when landing in, opponent just tee'd off.

Groundstrokes/volleys/slices: With PAVST, my non-serve shots were AWESOME. Opponent immediately commented on the much more controlled and precise shots, that they had good pace on them without landing out. With PAT I was still hitting good strokes, but they have that tendency to launch if I wasn't careful. PAVST hits a lower, more laser-like line, while PAT hits a loopier shot that pushes opponents back. Slices are comparable, with PAVST being more maneuverable which allowed me to hit some more challenging angles. Both are similarly good with handling low returns. PAT better handles return of serve, off-center and stretch hits. PAT exemplified the statement: "going from defense to offense".

Weight/handling: after 3 hard hours, PAVST was a little easier to continue hitting with. When you get tired and mishits start going up, PAT was just a bit more challenging to keep in line.

Not sure which frame I'll ultimately go with; I'm under the impression that in the long run I can master and harness PAT's ground strokes easier than I can PAVST's serve. Serve is what builds my confidence. PAVST has addicting feel and precision, I don't want to part ways with it just yet.



It's been 2 years since I had both on demo at the same time, but there's a notable difference in the feel and balance b/w PA and PAT. Not sure how it's distributed, but the PA is more whippy on strokes, PAT a little slower to swing and more deliberate, and ultimately more comfortable on the arm. Overall, I just jived better with the PAT.

It's funny. Because the one thing I don't love about the Apd pa series is that it's the least aero dynamic racquet of all. That's why they designed the aero shaft. With the hopes of improving the way the racquet cuts through the air. But it really didn't do much. It just doesn't cut through the air at all. It has no whip knife through butter feel. That's why the pavs series is so enticing to us. It has that whip. Because the beam is thinner. And it gives us that players stick feel. Are u with me on this ??

 

[Alan_Hill]

PA plus is super quick and cut through the air bro.

It


It's funny. Because the one thing I don't love about the Apd pa series is that it's the least aero dynamic racquet of all. That's why they designed the aero shaft. With the hopes of improving the way the racquet cuts through the air. But it really didn't do much. It just doesn't cut through the air at all. It has no whip knife through butter feel. That's why the pavs series is so enticing to us. It has that whip. Because the beam is thinner. And it gives us that players stick feel. Are u with me on this ??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danbrenner]

So I tried several times to like the pavs. I added weight a few times to tweak the power. But this stick is just very low powered. The hoop just doesn't have any oomoph. It feels dead and weak. So goodbye pavs. The regular pa series is the GOAT.
thw only other possible contender here is the new Pure Drive.

 

[Power Player]

People who say the PA doesn't have much control - it does, but you have to hit a certain way. If you use a SW grip and like to brush up, you can place the ball into tight spots.

If you prefer to hit flatter and more through the ball than I can see why you would not have as much control.

 

[danbrenner]

People who say the PA doesn't have much control - it does, but you have to hit a certain way. If you use a SW grip and like to brush up, you can place the ball into tight spots.

If you prefer to hit flatter and more through the ball than I can see why you would not have as much control.

Absolutely. Just for the record I rely on heavy spin and power on all of my strokes. The PA series are by far IMO the best sticks ever made. The only possible contender to this beast would be the new pure drive. But honestly I have always been an Apd guy so I wouldn't feel right making that switch.

 

[Power Player]

Dude you made a thread dedicated to the Blade and have bathed in racquets. Try the PD and enjoy it. Who cares?

 

[tribesmen]

PAT > Solinco Tour Bite 1.25 @25kg (55lbs) > whole match w/o dampener and the feel is sublime, no ping sound at all (and no vibration at all w/o any lead) > I put the dampeners in the third drawer now.

 

[danbrenner]

Dude you made a thread dedicated to the Blade and have bathed in racquets. Try the PD and enjoy it. Who cares?

go sign up for the pure drive play test pronto

 

[WilsnGrpheneStrkeTour]

A small update to my experiences pertaining to these two racquets. Due to work and travel, I took almost the month of September off from playing tennis of any sort, to include not reading about and over-analyzing the gear. Basically, a cold stop to anything tennis. I've found that in most things, taking that sort of long break and not obsessing over minutia lets you come at something with a fresh, clear perspective.

This past Thursday I joined my usual hitting group, and I decided to play with the PAVST first. Near the midway point of the night, I switched to the PAT so that I could compare...

In a complete reversal of my last postings here, I've decided that PAVST is my stick going forward. With barely any warmup or adjustment I was sticking my groundies exactly where I wanted them, and I wasn't pulling punches like I sort of have to do with the PAT because I'm afraid of over hitting. My OHBH, which is (like most people) my more shaky shot, felt confidant, strong and more assured... I was more eager to hit that shot because it just was going where I wanted it to. The feel you get from PAVST vs. PAT is very evident, and it makes quite a major difference in feel and control.

When I switched to PAT, I felt that the adjustments I needed to make in order to confidently keep my shots controlled was creeping into my game just enough that it was causing me to hold back and pull up on the pedal. With PAVST, I definitely was hitting through the ball better and landing shots that with PAT would have hit the back fence.

Serves: PAVST has it... I was bombing serves in all night, winning some easy points at times. PAT is still better, but PAVST can work too, I just need to get more nuanced with it going forward.

CONCLUSION: PAVST give me loads of confidence on my strokes... add that to a slightly less powerful but still effective service game, and I think PAVST is the stick to grow with.

 

[flipflap]

Told you so

Playing competition last weeks, swithching between PAT en PA VS (with lead). And I have exactly the same observations as you. Feel so confident that I can up my game with the VS. Played today in the Netherlands against a 5+ guy from Texas (he's an expat) and played my best tennis since years due to the control, low power and thus cofidence i get with the vs.

So I hope honeymoon period is over and this still will be my racquet the coming years...

 

[flipflap]

So what strings are you using in the PAVS?

Currently have yonex poly tour spin in, originally at 25kg. Feels quite good, low powered but difficult to say because it's my first string job in this racquet . Next is tourbite 1.25, think i will go for 24 kg.

 

[WilsnGrpheneStrkeTour]

I'm using Solinco Tour Bite 17g, at 53lbs, which is just about where I want it. Might try 51 next, just to see though. Using the same string in the PAT as well.

 

[flipflap]

Yes that's 1.25 @ 24 kg brother from another mother

 

[Gato]

What’s the difference between PAT and PATVS? And if you could compare these to 2013 APD? Thanks

 

[flipflap]

What's your question? What the VS version of the Pure Aero is? Because the differences are indicated in the above posts. PAT en PAVST are quite different in feel, power, launch angle etc.

PA(T) is comparable with the APD although even bigger string spacing, more power and spin but I think less control. I like the feel of my old APD better than my PAT.

 

[datsveryinterestin]

I'm playing great tennis with my PA+ but I just ordered 2 PAvs! Craving the precise feel on groundstrokes and solid feeling on volleys!
During my demo time, I never found a decent amount of power so I hope I can find a string and lead solution so I don't lose all my Aces and forehand winners if I switch!
Definitely going to string LOW to maximize spin! Hope I figure it out! At least I can always go back to PA+ if I can't... Same color so most people won't even know!!!
I wonder if Rafa stays up at night wishing he played with more of a players racquet??!!!! Lol

 

[Gato]

What's your question? What the VS version of the Pure Aero is? Because the differences are indicated in the above posts. PAT en PAVST are quite different in feel, power, launch angle etc.

PA(T) is comparable with the APD although even bigger string spacing, more power and spin but I think less control. I like the feel of my old APD better than my PAT.

I mean if there is noticable difference between construction, weight

 

[danbrenner]

I'm playing great tennis with my PA+ but I just ordered 2 PAvs! Craving the precise feel on groundstrokes and solid feeling on volleys!
During my demo time, I never found a decent amount of power so I hope I can find a string and lead solution so I don't lose all my Aces and forehand winners if I switch!
Definitely going to string LOW to maximize spin! Hope I figure it out! At least I can always go back to PA+ if I can't... Same color so most people won't even know!!!
I wonder if Rafa stays up at night wishing he played with more of a players racquet??!!!! Lol

Keep us uodated. Interesting transition. Or playtesr. Lead up the head. And see whire it goes.
Rafa lol. Doesn’t wish for anything. He needs that extra power