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Maybe those who like traditional-feeling racquets don’t associate Babolat with that type of racquet because of the popularity of the stiff Aero and Pure Drive models and seem to gravitate to offerings from Head and Wilson instead at least in the US. It is a 12-ounce, 335 SW, thin-beam (21mm), mid-sixties flex players racquet. If you are an advanced player that likes to focus on clean ball striking and let the racket do the work, you can now access the familiar easy power with additional control and spin potential.I’m always surprised that there are so few threads about the Pure Strike Tour also. This wasn’t the easiest racket to pin down in terms of its out and out strengths and weaknesses, as it is such a great all rounder. I did find myself comparing the racket to some of its more well defined brothers at times, however the Pure Drive VS offers the unique plow through and punch with a touch of additional precision. It is a solid all rounder that combines aspects of the Pure Control and Pure Strike ranges, with that familiar power friendly Pure Drive setup. It is certainly a racket that is worth play testing if you are unsure which racket to go for. It doesn’t set the world alight as it sits in a middle ground in the wider Babolat range. It is relatively similar to the standard Pure Drive but feels a little more control focussed and precise.
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Overall, the Babolat Pure Drive VS was a nice racket to hit with. We take all of the hard work out of picking your next racket.
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If you are having trouble deciding which racket to go for, you may want to check out our custom fitting service. However, if you are considering this racket at all, you may want to demo a few other options in the Babolat roster.
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If you are loyal to the Pure Drive range and love the unique feel they offer, but are looking to control your natural, raw power, then this is a great choice for you. It was particularly adept when I was brushing up the back of the ball and approaching the net, where I needed fast racket head speed to get the ball up and down quickly. However, I couldn’t help thinking throughout this playtest that I may be better off with either a more definite control or power focussed racket. There’s nothing wrong with the racket in its own right, in fact I did really enjoy the easy to swing nature of it. Part of me thinks that if you are after a more control oriented racket as an intermediate to advanced level player, you may be better opting for the tour version of the Pure Drive, or at least trying out the Pure Strike VS or Pure Control range.
NEW BABOLAT PURE STRIKE 2019 FREE
Whilst this may sound a bit counter intuitive, I would have liked a bit more free power from this racket. However, compared to the standard Pure Drive you do lose some of that easy access to power in favour of more control and spin. It sits in the Pure Drive family, so should offer easy access to power and depth (which it does compared to other VS model rackets). However, the racket did seem to have a bit of a confused personality to me at times. The Pure Drive VS however is a bit more power focussed than the Pure Aero, staying true to its roots. It felt a bit more plush and comfortable to hit with than the Pure Aero VS, which is a great racket if you are looking for more spin and control. If you have long, flowing swings but want to benefit from the effortless power the Pure Drive offers, this is the racket to go for.Īs a more control focussed player myself, I really enjoyed the crisp and responsive nature of the Pure Drive VS. I found it more comfortable to point and shoot with this racket than other versions of the new Pure Drive, since the slightly smaller head size and thinner beam meant I felt more in touch with what was going on on the string bed. It is a great blend of power, control and spin that is perfect for a player that loves the unmistakable easy power you get from the Pure Drive, but wants to dial in their game and focus on precise shot making. Some power focussed rackets have a tendency to lack feel and control when you are really ramping up your game, but this was not the case with the Pure Drive VS. This is a racket I could trust to give me a consistent feel as the ball would not fly on me. It, of course, does not forget its roots, as it still offers as much power as you could want from an intermediate level racket, along with a good amount of spin from the open string pattern. It is specifically designed to produce a crisp feel, that can help you place the ball with precision. If you are a pure ball striker that likes the feel of a more flexible racket, you will love the Pure Drive VS. This stick felt noticeably more plush than the original, which is exaggerated by its classic Cortex Pure Feel technology.
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