BabPlayer-JohnnyG
Rookie
Hey T-Dub Community,
I've been playing off and on with the new Pure Strike 16x19 over the last few months (pending the shutdown/quarantine). Anyways, I decided to write up a review of my experience with the frame, and with different string-setups. So, full disclosure, I am a Babolat ambassador. So, you might think I'm biased, and you'd be right. I really believe Babolat is the best brand out there. I love their equipment and products. That said, I do try to use as much objectivity as possible when writing my reviews. Feel free to critique! I know they're long, probably too long, and very detailed, probably too detailed, but I love this stuff. If you're brave enough to read until the end, I hope you enjoy. Thanks!
-Johnny
July 20, 2020
Review of Third Generation (2020) Pure Strike, 16x19:
My set-up: I strung the 3rd generation Pure Strike with RPM Power 16g at 54 pounds (2-piece). The racquet is a 4 ¼ (#2) grip size. Since I prefer the new Syntec Team replacement grips that come with the third generation Pure Strikes, I left it and then wrapped a VS Original over grip. Lastly, I didn’t use any lead or tungsten tape. I just went bone stock, with the over grip and a Babolat custom damp (without the bead insert).
Ground Strokes: I’m coming from the new Pure Aero VS (2020) strung with RPM Blast at 52 lb., which is 11.3oz. strung, with a lower swing weight and more head light balance, to now the new Pure Strike, which is 11.4oz. strung, with a higher swing weight and more weight towards the head. The new Strike definitely swings with more mass in the head compared to the new Pure Aero VS since the Pure Strike is approximately 4 pts head light and the Aero VS is 6 pts head light. This is typically why the swing weight is higher on the Pure Strike (16x19) at approximately 328. Though slightly less maneuverable than my normal set-up, I really enjoyed the new Strike. The added swing weight added more plow through to my shots. I felt like I could hit a bigger ball. Adding to the fact that I was using Babolat’s brand new polyester, RPM Power, that was just released last fall, I was hitting some bigger balls than normal. That said, it took me a little time to tone down some of the pop from the racquet/string set-up and get more dialed in. Not to go off on too big of a tangent, I just want to mention that I found RPM Power to be a fantastic string. It is a round, coated/texturized polyester in a brass color that definitely adds more pop to my shots than my typical RPM Blast set-up. That said, I wasn’t necessarily able to hit as much spin as my normal set-up with RPM Blast, but it wasn’t that much less. This is probably why it took me a little more time to find the control I have in my normal set-up. In fact, once I got used to it, I found the tradeoff pretty well worth it. In my opinion, the combo of RPM Power in the new Pure Strike is a great match. Personally, I think that’s why Dominic Thiem is using RPM Power in his hybrid set-up with the Strike 18x20. The string pairs well with this frame. I also want to add that I found RPM Power to hold tension very well. This new polyester has a crisp feel and a really cool crisp sound that’s different than most other polyesters. Anyway, getting back to my groundstroke results with the Strike, I use a semi-western grip on my forehand and have a whippier stroke, especially compared to my two-handed backhand, which is much more of a linear shot. Further, I really enjoyed hitting through the ball with this racquet. I definitely hit more penetrating shots due to the less head light balance. That said, since I’m used to a slightly lighter swing weight and more head light balance, I felt that I wasn’t able to whip through the ball as quickly. To solve this problem a little bit, I tried something a little different. I took off my typical VS Original over grip and just played with the replacement grip. To be honest, this really helped me to get a better handle of the frame and use more wrist to get the racquet through the strike zone. That said, with my normal over grip on, I just felt that I was not able to put as much heavy spin on the ball with my whippy forehand. My over grip just made the frame feel a tad clunky. However, as crazy as it might sound, removing the over grip really helped me to have a better handle of the frame, as well as improving my overall experience with the racquet. With the removal of the over grip and more extended time with the frame, I was able to hit bigger, more penetrating shots through the court, and with good spin as well. The new Pure Strike definitely added depth to my forehand. One last thing I noticed when holding the racquet in the throat area with my left hand before taking the racquet back with my right hand on my forehand is that the throat of the frame is wider than my Pure Aero VS. It just felt a little bulkier. However, after swinging the stick for a while, it wasn’t something that bothered me at all.
Now, my backhand was one of the sweetest feeling aspects of my time with this stick. With the slightly higher swing weight, though still maneuverable (just takes a little getting used to from my typical frame), I hit some beautiful backhands. To be fair, my backhand is probably one of the better parts of my game. I’m actually the type of player that enjoys occasionally running around my forehand to hit backhands, haha. Gosh, I miss “The Magician,” Fabrice Santoro. Anyways, I could really thump some balls with my two-handed backhand. I just felt like the ball bounced through the court very quickly. One other important thing to mention is that the launch angle on the 16x19 was pretty similar to my Pure Aero VS. I’d say the launch angle was just below that of the Pure Aero VS (has a pretty open 16x20 pattern that feels more like a 16x19 pattern). In addition, I wanted to mention that I found the 16x19 Pure Strike string pattern to be pretty interesting, in a good way. The mains on the 16x19 are pretty tight for a 16x19. I feel that the mains in the 16x19 and 18x20 Pure Strikes are very similar in string density/separation. The tightness of the 16x19 mains added much control. In comparison to the mains, the crosses are much more open. Basically, the cross spacing was expanded coming from the first Pure Strike edition to the Project One 7 version. And now the string pattern density has stayed the same from the Project One 7 to the now third generation Pure Strike 16x19. In all honesty, it has been a great improvement from the first generation Pure Strike 16x19 in my opinion. Anyways, it’s an interesting dynamic to have pretty tight mains with slightly more open crosses than would typically be expected from a racquet with tighter mains. All that said, the combination and overall string spacing created great performance from the racquet. I mean, when I miss a shot, I can’t blame the racquet. As much as I don’t want to admit it, haha, it’s all on me! By increasing the string spacing of the crosses, called FSI Technology, Babolat was trying to expand the sweet spot of the string bed higher into the upper hoop area of the racquet. In my opinion, I felt the Strike 16x19 had a very considerate sweet spot and contact slightly higher in the hoop was rewarded with less vibration and typically more control. Anyways, the resulting launch angle on my groundstrokes was very respectable. The third generation 16x19 Strike met my groundstrokes with increased pop, and I would argue it was very controlled as well, especially when strung with RPM Power in the low 50s. Last, but not least, I was pretty quick to adapt to the 16x19 Strike’s slightly higher swing weight compared to my Aero VS, especially after I removed my typical over grip. Anyways, the added mass of the new third generation Pure Strike has actually got me thinking about adding some weight to my Pure Aero VS before playing with it next time.
One extra thing I want to add about the feel of this racquet is that the stiffness is slightly lower from the second version (Project One 7). The third generation RA stiffness rating came out to 66 versus the Project One 7 at 67. This is a pretty slightly difference. However, in my opinion, the third generation does play softer, probably due to the C2 Pure Feel dampening technology that absorbs more of the vibration from the frame. Through my experience, I found that the ball feels like it stays on the strings maybe just a little bit longer, which I like for control. Some playtesters have said that the new dampening technology makes the racquet feel more muted, maybe slightly. However, as far as I’m concerned, I experienced excellent feel with my RPM Power string set-up, which is a crisp (not stiff) feeling string, as well as using my normal Babolat custom dampener without the bead insert. I found the racquet to be very responsive. Overall, RPM Power is really a great fit for this frame.
cont. on next page...
I've been playing off and on with the new Pure Strike 16x19 over the last few months (pending the shutdown/quarantine). Anyways, I decided to write up a review of my experience with the frame, and with different string-setups. So, full disclosure, I am a Babolat ambassador. So, you might think I'm biased, and you'd be right. I really believe Babolat is the best brand out there. I love their equipment and products. That said, I do try to use as much objectivity as possible when writing my reviews. Feel free to critique! I know they're long, probably too long, and very detailed, probably too detailed, but I love this stuff. If you're brave enough to read until the end, I hope you enjoy. Thanks!
-Johnny
July 20, 2020
Review of Third Generation (2020) Pure Strike, 16x19:
My set-up: I strung the 3rd generation Pure Strike with RPM Power 16g at 54 pounds (2-piece). The racquet is a 4 ¼ (#2) grip size. Since I prefer the new Syntec Team replacement grips that come with the third generation Pure Strikes, I left it and then wrapped a VS Original over grip. Lastly, I didn’t use any lead or tungsten tape. I just went bone stock, with the over grip and a Babolat custom damp (without the bead insert).
Ground Strokes: I’m coming from the new Pure Aero VS (2020) strung with RPM Blast at 52 lb., which is 11.3oz. strung, with a lower swing weight and more head light balance, to now the new Pure Strike, which is 11.4oz. strung, with a higher swing weight and more weight towards the head. The new Strike definitely swings with more mass in the head compared to the new Pure Aero VS since the Pure Strike is approximately 4 pts head light and the Aero VS is 6 pts head light. This is typically why the swing weight is higher on the Pure Strike (16x19) at approximately 328. Though slightly less maneuverable than my normal set-up, I really enjoyed the new Strike. The added swing weight added more plow through to my shots. I felt like I could hit a bigger ball. Adding to the fact that I was using Babolat’s brand new polyester, RPM Power, that was just released last fall, I was hitting some bigger balls than normal. That said, it took me a little time to tone down some of the pop from the racquet/string set-up and get more dialed in. Not to go off on too big of a tangent, I just want to mention that I found RPM Power to be a fantastic string. It is a round, coated/texturized polyester in a brass color that definitely adds more pop to my shots than my typical RPM Blast set-up. That said, I wasn’t necessarily able to hit as much spin as my normal set-up with RPM Blast, but it wasn’t that much less. This is probably why it took me a little more time to find the control I have in my normal set-up. In fact, once I got used to it, I found the tradeoff pretty well worth it. In my opinion, the combo of RPM Power in the new Pure Strike is a great match. Personally, I think that’s why Dominic Thiem is using RPM Power in his hybrid set-up with the Strike 18x20. The string pairs well with this frame. I also want to add that I found RPM Power to hold tension very well. This new polyester has a crisp feel and a really cool crisp sound that’s different than most other polyesters. Anyway, getting back to my groundstroke results with the Strike, I use a semi-western grip on my forehand and have a whippier stroke, especially compared to my two-handed backhand, which is much more of a linear shot. Further, I really enjoyed hitting through the ball with this racquet. I definitely hit more penetrating shots due to the less head light balance. That said, since I’m used to a slightly lighter swing weight and more head light balance, I felt that I wasn’t able to whip through the ball as quickly. To solve this problem a little bit, I tried something a little different. I took off my typical VS Original over grip and just played with the replacement grip. To be honest, this really helped me to get a better handle of the frame and use more wrist to get the racquet through the strike zone. That said, with my normal over grip on, I just felt that I was not able to put as much heavy spin on the ball with my whippy forehand. My over grip just made the frame feel a tad clunky. However, as crazy as it might sound, removing the over grip really helped me to have a better handle of the frame, as well as improving my overall experience with the racquet. With the removal of the over grip and more extended time with the frame, I was able to hit bigger, more penetrating shots through the court, and with good spin as well. The new Pure Strike definitely added depth to my forehand. One last thing I noticed when holding the racquet in the throat area with my left hand before taking the racquet back with my right hand on my forehand is that the throat of the frame is wider than my Pure Aero VS. It just felt a little bulkier. However, after swinging the stick for a while, it wasn’t something that bothered me at all.
Now, my backhand was one of the sweetest feeling aspects of my time with this stick. With the slightly higher swing weight, though still maneuverable (just takes a little getting used to from my typical frame), I hit some beautiful backhands. To be fair, my backhand is probably one of the better parts of my game. I’m actually the type of player that enjoys occasionally running around my forehand to hit backhands, haha. Gosh, I miss “The Magician,” Fabrice Santoro. Anyways, I could really thump some balls with my two-handed backhand. I just felt like the ball bounced through the court very quickly. One other important thing to mention is that the launch angle on the 16x19 was pretty similar to my Pure Aero VS. I’d say the launch angle was just below that of the Pure Aero VS (has a pretty open 16x20 pattern that feels more like a 16x19 pattern). In addition, I wanted to mention that I found the 16x19 Pure Strike string pattern to be pretty interesting, in a good way. The mains on the 16x19 are pretty tight for a 16x19. I feel that the mains in the 16x19 and 18x20 Pure Strikes are very similar in string density/separation. The tightness of the 16x19 mains added much control. In comparison to the mains, the crosses are much more open. Basically, the cross spacing was expanded coming from the first Pure Strike edition to the Project One 7 version. And now the string pattern density has stayed the same from the Project One 7 to the now third generation Pure Strike 16x19. In all honesty, it has been a great improvement from the first generation Pure Strike 16x19 in my opinion. Anyways, it’s an interesting dynamic to have pretty tight mains with slightly more open crosses than would typically be expected from a racquet with tighter mains. All that said, the combination and overall string spacing created great performance from the racquet. I mean, when I miss a shot, I can’t blame the racquet. As much as I don’t want to admit it, haha, it’s all on me! By increasing the string spacing of the crosses, called FSI Technology, Babolat was trying to expand the sweet spot of the string bed higher into the upper hoop area of the racquet. In my opinion, I felt the Strike 16x19 had a very considerate sweet spot and contact slightly higher in the hoop was rewarded with less vibration and typically more control. Anyways, the resulting launch angle on my groundstrokes was very respectable. The third generation 16x19 Strike met my groundstrokes with increased pop, and I would argue it was very controlled as well, especially when strung with RPM Power in the low 50s. Last, but not least, I was pretty quick to adapt to the 16x19 Strike’s slightly higher swing weight compared to my Aero VS, especially after I removed my typical over grip. Anyways, the added mass of the new third generation Pure Strike has actually got me thinking about adding some weight to my Pure Aero VS before playing with it next time.
One extra thing I want to add about the feel of this racquet is that the stiffness is slightly lower from the second version (Project One 7). The third generation RA stiffness rating came out to 66 versus the Project One 7 at 67. This is a pretty slightly difference. However, in my opinion, the third generation does play softer, probably due to the C2 Pure Feel dampening technology that absorbs more of the vibration from the frame. Through my experience, I found that the ball feels like it stays on the strings maybe just a little bit longer, which I like for control. Some playtesters have said that the new dampening technology makes the racquet feel more muted, maybe slightly. However, as far as I’m concerned, I experienced excellent feel with my RPM Power string set-up, which is a crisp (not stiff) feeling string, as well as using my normal Babolat custom dampener without the bead insert. I found the racquet to be very responsive. Overall, RPM Power is really a great fit for this frame.
cont. on next page...
