I know that there are a bunch of these threads...so bear with me here
.
I demoed the babolat apdc and the new pdr gt + last week. I would say that I am a 3.5 player, a 4.0 on my better days. I hit my forehand with a lot of topspin and currently use the prince triple threat bandit os with a full bed of alu power (@58 lbs).
Serves:
When it comes down to it...both of these racquets (from the stringbeds alone) had the same amount of pop and power on serves. The fact that the pdrgt is more stiff and extended length gave it an edge for power, and the fact that the apdc is aerodynamically shaped gave it more swing speed and spin. Expectedly i could get more power from the pdrgt and waaayyy more spin from the apdc. I liked the fact that the pdrgt + could get a monster amount of power with enough control to get it in about 85% of the time. I got 6 balls consecutively stuck in the fence behind a friend of mine straight (all aces baby, Yea!). The apdc...lets just say i sent a kicker right into the same friends face (hes about a 3.5). Even though the apdc dispatched a huge amount of spin and a decent amount of power on serves...i will have to give the edge to the pdrgt + due to the impressive amount of controllable power.
WINNER: Pure Drive Roddick GT +
Groundstrokes:
This is where the apdc shined. I felt way more confident at the baseline with the apdc and felt like i could hit as hard as i wanted and the ball would still go it. The spin was enormous! I hit a topspin that landed just past the service box (bout 2 ft or so) and bounced into the fence behind it above my friends head and a drop shot that bounced back over the net before the same friend could hit it. The pdrgt+ was pretty good as well...but just not as well as the apdc here. However whenever i ripped a forehand (and really ripped it) it was ALWAYS a winner. The apdc was most of the time a winner. I felt that i was more confident and consistent with the apdc but could conserve energy with the pdrgt+. I have to give the edge to the apdc because nothing can top consistency and confidence when it comes to groundstrokes.
WINNER: Aero Pro Drive Cortex
Volleys:
I felt that they both performed exceptionally well at volleys. The pdrgt had a little bit more punch due to the extended length but the apdc was waaaayyy more maneuverable. I could get my volleys where i wanted them to go with both of them. Its a tie
TIE
Ease of Use:
The apdc is easier to swing. It feels very light on swings (like a 10 oz racquet!!!) but has the plow through of an 11 oz racquet. The pdrgt+ definitely shined in power and depth. As i mentioned before... energy could be conserved and then that conserved energy could be dispatched to rip a winner, but as time goes on (especially on hot days, i tested them on some of the hottest days in chi town 95 degrees + ,with 80% + humidity!) the racquet becomes extremely heavy and hard to handle, while the apdc did not have this problem.
WINNER: Aero Pro Drive Cortex
Serve Returns:
The apdc was pretty lethal due to the fast swing speed, but i had to really swing on any hard serve. The pdrgt + was easier to use when it came to returning the ball off the string bed. I did not really have to swing on harder serves...it just felt more solid and less prone to twisting when returning a hard serve. Even though I did not have this problem (of twisting) with the apdc, the pdrgt + just felt better on hard serves (my buddy can hit round 75-80 on his really good ones).
WINNER: Just barely the Pure Drive Roddick GT +
Overall:
I just really cannot decide which one i can give the edge to in the end. This also means i do not know which one I should buy. They are both very good racquets but i really don't know which one is better for me. I don't want to make a mistake that i will regret until I get a new one after that...so i would really appreciate your opinions on which one I should get.
As mentioned before i am a 3.5-4.0 serve and volley player who can still play the baseline very well (just switched to serve and volley like 1 1/2 months ago).
(NEW) I tend to control the ball through extreme spin and placement (depth and lateral position). I prefer topspin and slice over flat... but i can get good depth on the ball regardless.
Comments are much appreciated
.I demoed the babolat apdc and the new pdr gt + last week. I would say that I am a 3.5 player, a 4.0 on my better days. I hit my forehand with a lot of topspin and currently use the prince triple threat bandit os with a full bed of alu power (@58 lbs).
Serves:
When it comes down to it...both of these racquets (from the stringbeds alone) had the same amount of pop and power on serves. The fact that the pdrgt is more stiff and extended length gave it an edge for power, and the fact that the apdc is aerodynamically shaped gave it more swing speed and spin. Expectedly i could get more power from the pdrgt and waaayyy more spin from the apdc. I liked the fact that the pdrgt + could get a monster amount of power with enough control to get it in about 85% of the time. I got 6 balls consecutively stuck in the fence behind a friend of mine straight (all aces baby, Yea!). The apdc...lets just say i sent a kicker right into the same friends face
(hes about a 3.5). Even though the apdc dispatched a huge amount of spin and a decent amount of power on serves...i will have to give the edge to the pdrgt + due to the impressive amount of controllable power. WINNER: Pure Drive Roddick GT +
Groundstrokes:
This is where the apdc shined. I felt way more confident at the baseline with the apdc and felt like i could hit as hard as i wanted and the ball would still go it. The spin was enormous! I hit a topspin that landed just past the service box (bout 2 ft or so) and bounced into the fence behind it above my friends head and a drop shot that bounced back over the net before the same friend could hit it. The pdrgt+ was pretty good as well...but just not as well as the apdc here. However whenever i ripped a forehand (and really ripped it) it was ALWAYS a winner. The apdc was most of the time a winner. I felt that i was more confident and consistent with the apdc but could conserve energy with the pdrgt+. I have to give the edge to the apdc because nothing can top consistency and confidence when it comes to groundstrokes.
WINNER: Aero Pro Drive Cortex
Volleys:
I felt that they both performed exceptionally well at volleys. The pdrgt had a little bit more punch due to the extended length but the apdc was waaaayyy more maneuverable. I could get my volleys where i wanted them to go with both of them. Its a tie
TIE
Ease of Use:
The apdc is easier to swing. It feels very light on swings (like a 10 oz racquet!!!) but has the plow through of an 11 oz racquet. The pdrgt+ definitely shined in power and depth. As i mentioned before... energy could be conserved and then that conserved energy could be dispatched to rip a winner, but as time goes on (especially on hot days, i tested them on some of the hottest days in chi town 95 degrees + ,with 80% + humidity!) the racquet becomes extremely heavy and hard to handle, while the apdc did not have this problem.
WINNER: Aero Pro Drive Cortex
Serve Returns:
The apdc was pretty lethal due to the fast swing speed, but i had to really swing on any hard serve. The pdrgt + was easier to use when it came to returning the ball off the string bed. I did not really have to swing on harder serves...it just felt more solid and less prone to twisting when returning a hard serve. Even though I did not have this problem (of twisting) with the apdc, the pdrgt + just felt better on hard serves (my buddy can hit round 75-80 on his really good ones).
WINNER: Just barely the Pure Drive Roddick GT +
Overall:
I just really cannot decide which one i can give the edge to in the end. This also means i do not know which one I should buy. They are both very good racquets but i really don't know which one is better for me. I don't want to make a mistake that i will regret until I get a new one after that...so i would really appreciate your opinions on which one I should get.
As mentioned before i am a 3.5-4.0 serve and volley player who can still play the baseline very well (just switched to serve and volley like 1 1/2 months ago).
(NEW) I tend to control the ball through extreme spin and placement (depth and lateral position). I prefer topspin and slice over flat... but i can get good depth on the ball regardless.
Comments are much appreciated
