SinneGOAT
Legend
You already got yours?
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Babolat Pure Drive 2021
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
topspn
G.O.A.T.
I’d buy a few of rerelease 2013 APDI thought this was the playtest for the rerelease 2013 AeroPro Drive.Going to wait for the future APD playtest and hope some of you regulars like @haqq777, @mad dog1 and @Babolat Official might send me a PM when that playtest pops out.
Have fun with your PureDrive 2021 folks
pyrokid
Hall of Fame
Same
joah310
Professional
Which apd? Apd wise I've only tried the gt + but it felt as solid as a rock.
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
2013. Yes GT had like a 330sw I think. Apd was 316.
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joah310
Professional
Ic. Needs lead then.
haqq777
Legend
My main racquet is the APD 2013. It needs a few grams at 12 for that swingweight bump but I have zero issue dealing with heavy balls and it is my favorite iteration of APD and I find it pretty damn solid. I play with Division II college kids that can absolutely murder the ball.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah getting pushed around when using an apd sounds like user error to me.
sanister
Professional
TW has 2013 APD at 316 but I think that is off by a few points. I have 3 of the 2013 APD & on my RDC two are 319 & one is 318 stock. The 2015 PD I have swings lighter at 317 & my APD stock play with more authority compared to it. I've never had trouble with 2013 APD playing against heavy hitters too. Just a couple grams of lead tape at 12 & it brings swingweight to my liking on the frame.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
How much does it effect the balance? Im thinking 3-4 grams at 12 if you use an overgrip shouldn't shift it by too much, but I may be wrong.
sanister
Professional
No you are actually right. Wilson Pro overgrip counterbalances 3-4 grams & doesn't mess with balance. I know from personal experience.
jangotango
Semi-Pro
Unfortunately I think I'll have to pass on this playtest because I just wrapped up with the Tecnifibre playtest, but I'll love to see if there can be a comparison between the PD and RS!
Sent from my LM-V450 using Tapatalk
Sent from my LM-V450 using Tapatalk
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
Lol. I used it for years. Tried weight at 12 but caused it to lose the racquet head speed that made it great. Wound up just using weight in the handle.
What pros stick to a 315ish swing weight? Basically none. Why? They deal with too much pace. Most pros have swingweights up at like 350.
Do you use an apd? If not, why
sanister
Professional
So @Power Player is right then, it is user error not just because you are unable to produce requisite racquet head speed but also because you should know that using weight just in the handle alone would make it too head light without affecting swingweight for a racquet that doesnt have a high swingweight to begin with making the racquet feel super weird. I have never had any issues with racquet head speed with APD with a few grams at 12 & an overgrip & I am not a spring chicken either. I have seen college kids use it a lot & it was by far the most popular version of APD on college circuit when it was being produced. Same for a bunch of other people here on forum as well who play at high levels & have had no complaints about its stability. Andy, the TW playtester who plays at a high level loved its super solid feel he mentioned in his feedback & he was a Blade lover. In fact not one reviewer mentioned it was being pushed around or felt unstable etc.
Pro & rec players do not really have that much in common so comparing what a pro uses with yourself or an avg rec player is absolutely useless. Most Pros do a lot of customizations & have access to pro stock versions of racquets with varying layups etc. Pros will also have lead under the bumper that you can't see too. Adding a few grams to hoop increases swingweight brings it closer to 325-330 range & this APD clobbers the ball at those swing weight numbers.
P.S: all that said, Verdasco uses a PT1131b (basically an old Head Ti Radical MP with TwinTube construction) which was last noted here at 315 strung & Nishioka is at 313 or so strung using his SV98. Holger Rune, an up & coming player is at 314. Fritz is at 295 unstrung (thats 325 strung), & Rublev is in same range as Fritz. The trend for pros swingweights is downward direction from last few years. A lower swingweight simply means you have to compensate with racquet head speed. It doesnt mean it is more or less suitable at pro level like you are suggesting. Everyone swings differently.
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sanister
Professional
I've been following up on that Tecnifibre thread & also curious how new RS design compares to new PD. Great review on 295 there btw
topspn
G.O.A.T.
There is 5g difference in static weight with the 295 and the PD having a bit larger more rounded head. I think precision will be higher with the RS
n8dawg6
Legend
same mold but without the bumps in the throat. SW feels very similar but it isnt as muted as the smurf
joah310
Professional
same drill pattern?
n8dawg6
Legend
well, shoot, i already sent my demo back. i am reasonably sure it is the same
joah310
Professional
so they increased the feel and slapped a new cosmetic for the new one?
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
n8dawg6
Legend
that was my impression, in a nutshell
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
Yes, I matched them up and they are the same. I dont agree about the 2018 being more muted though. 2021 seems noticeably more muted to me, likely due to the new SWX Pure Feel technology in the handle. 2018 has more power and a higher launch angle, but 2021 is more controlled and comfortable, and has more feel like @n8dawg6 said.
Faris
Professional
Spot on, good feedback. Just came back after a hit with it, a guy in our team is demoing it.. The 2018 is more muted without a doubt than this 2021. This one has better feel, all the same other attributes of the 2018 except for maybe less muted than 2018. Swings the same too..
Faris
Professional
1. If its the same drill pattern the launch angle will remain the same. I didn't notice any change in launch angle personally..
2. More muted means more dampened feedback and less feel.. you can not suggest it is more muted and also has more feel.. n8dawg actually said what I experienced, that 2021 is less muted (hence better feel from stringbed) compared to 2018 version..
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
Statement 1 is only true if frame stiffness and weight distribution are the same. Which from your the feedback and others that seems to be the case.
sanister
Professional
Not being able to produce required racquet head speed for a racquet that isn't even 330 swingweight (after adding lead to 12) isn't racquets fault either. That constitutes as user error
Faris
Professional
Well if you check specs for both they have exactly same stiffness and weight distribution..
sanister
Professional
Frame stiffness & weight distribution is same for 2018 & 2021 versions.
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
1. Could be the strings the demo came with. I just restrung from the 16 gauge multi to my normal 17 gauge poly and am hitting tonight, so we will see. I definitely was previously not getting the same lift or depth, but I didn't love the 2018 because it was too much, so I am happy with the 2021 so far.
2. When the ball contacts the racquet, it definitely sounds and feels more dead. Not in a bad way. Just audibly and also less jarring. I would call that muted, but that's me. Also because it seems to have a little less power than the 2018 to me so far, I can hit a more controlled ball, and I have better touch with my volleys and drop shots. Maybe I am confusing touch and feel?
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gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
FWIW - TWU is listing 15.6 twistweight for the 2021 vs 14.3 for the 2018. That delta seems pretty significant and not simply due to manufacturing variance (assuming the TW # came from a sample and not just one frame). So assuming weight, balance, and swingweight are otherwise unchanged (at least not in a significant way) it is likely the 2021 has a little more mass in the hoop which is slightly less close to the tip. Will be interesting to see if users perceive increased stability/“sluggishness” compared to the 2018.
joah310
Professional
higher twistweight can lower launch angle right?
Faris
Professional
But I don't see how that will have an affect on launch angle? Higher twistweight increases torsional stability but at the expense of maneuverability.. Launch angle factors are mostly drill pattern, frame inherent rigidity and of course strings. And by weight distribution I meant balance of the racquet as well as swingweight which are same as previous version..
Faris
Professional
Definitely try stringing with your usual strings and give it a shot again. I liked the 2021 personally and I would get it for the PJ alone, looked damn sexy. I agree with you that it is feels easy on the arm but I think it manages to do that without dampening the ball too much which is a plus in my book..
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
I see where you are coming from but two frames with the same SW and balance can still have different weight distributions. So in this scenario where the 2018 and 2021 are presumably the same in every respect except TW, that suggests the 2021 has relatively more mass in the head and likely less in the handle/throat. I agree with the launch angle factors you listed but I think you also have to consider weight distribution when considering the impact dynamics that factor into launch angle.
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
The higher twistweight is likely due to this:
"Updated with Babolat's new HTR System, the Pure Drive's graphite layup has been reengineered for higher torsional rigidity, resulting in more efficient energy transfer to the ball."
Faris
Professional
Not disagreeing with you about weight distribution, you are right. However the biggest factor twistweight has on launch angle is that higher twistweight requires a more linear swing path because it makes you drop racquet on the edge, and the racket continues in that position all the way to the ball contact. However unless you are hitting old school flat shots, modern strokes have a more brushing action on the ball that basically negate TW affecting launch angle, all it does is reduce maneuverability and time to adjust racquet face angle. We had this whole discussion in the racquet thread I remember but yeah, I agree there are many factors that go into launch angles, some playing a bigger role than others do..
gutfeeling
Hall of Fame
I may be a little biased I must confess...I have an aversion to brushing especially on the forehand side because my coach yells at me for brushing too much and not hitting the ball. He’s def old school too
. So for the past year I have been flattening out my forehand which is still too “brushy” for him. Prob TMI but could explain why I subconsciously honed in on this...
joah310
Professional
i hit a flatter stroke, so i dont notice higher launch angles too muchI may be a little biased I must confess...I have an aversion to brushing especially on the forehand side because my coach yells at me for brushing too much and not hitting the ball. He’s def old school too
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Love a muted tweener. Thats what made the yonex vcore xi98 so awesome, imo. Never had any arm pain and the feel was very rewarding when i cracked one.
joah310
Professional
never tried the vcore xi 98, but the exone xi 98 was like that and soft.
TennisHound
Legend
^^^Yep, I was on the 2018 playtest, and I began using it from then on. This one should be just as good.
RafaBabolat
Rookie
Lots of conversation going on but I'm just excited to see reviews! Loveee the new colorway.
