Babolat Pure Aero Review and Playtest

Babolat Pure Aero is one of the best tennis rackets to date. It is a racket that focuses on generating power and spin; hence, it is popular with all players: beginner, intermediate, or advanced. Rafael Nadal is the one who popularized this racket, making it a fan favorite amongst many.

And indeed, the Babolat Pure Aero line has provided us with some of the most technologically advanced rackets, so I have been thrilled to put this racket to the test. I can confidently say that the racket lived up to its good reputation, and I was impressed with how well it performed.

However, different people have different preferences, and the same racket may prove better for some than others. Therefore, I have reviewed the Babolat Pure Aero in-depth, focusing on different areas, and rated how satisfactory it was for our readers to glimpse this racket in its glory before deciding whether it is the one for them. Read this Babolat Pure Aero review for its specs and scores!

Babolat Pure Aero Specifications 

The Babolat Pure Aero 2019 has a head size of 100 sq. in, making it a mid-plus racket. Mid-plus rackets fall in the middle of the three categories, and they are known to offer both power and control — which perfectly describes our Babolat Aero. It has a standard 27-inch length, which works well with most players.

Its string pattern is a 16×19 one, which will be familiar to most. It is a relatively open pattern, so it aids in generating spin. The Babolat Pure Aero weight is 11.3 oz strung, which is reasonable for most players as the racket is neither lightweight nor heavy.

The swing weight of 324 plays an important role in maintaining the racket’s stability, but it does not fall behind on maneuverability either.

The stiffness is 67, which means the racket is a powerful one. However, this suggests that it is not a comfortable type for all, and people that have sustained arm or wrist injuries in the past may find the racket somewhat difficult to handle.

After going through the Babolat Pure Aero’s specifications, let us dive deeper into its performance. Below you will find the scores and the details I have given to this racket in the respective areas.

Babolat Pure Aero Specs:

• Head size: 100 sq. in (645.16 sq. cm)
• Length: 27 in (68.58 cm)
• Weight: 10.6 oz unstrung OR 11.3 oz strung
• Swingweight: 324
• Stiffness: 67
• String pattern: 16 mains / 19 crosses

Groundstrokes – Score: 8.9

Out of all the areas reviewed, groundstrokes are what the Babolat Pure Aero excelled at. This line of rackets is known for its power and spin generation, two characteristics present in our racket. Hence, aggressive baseliners will be pleased to know that the Babolat Pure Aero will offer you exactly what you need to push your opponent back.

This tennis racket has a pretty large sweet spot, and I found it more forgiving than its predecessor. Another area where it differs from its predecessor is stiffness. This racket is less stiff than its 2016 version, so if you were not a fan of how the stiffness made its previous version feel, you might want to give the 2019 version a try due to its increased comfort.

I tried hitting both backhands and forehands, and I loved the feeling of the racket and how powerful each strike was. Additionally, I generated a generous amount of spin for groundstrokes. Frankly, it was much easier to generate spin with the Babolat Pure Aero than I was used to with other rackets. 

Aside from the spin, power was relatively easily-generated, but not to the point where it becomes overpowering, which I appreciated.

I would argue that this racket is best suited for players that use the western or semi-western forehand grip as it will provide you with the right amount of spin and power to fit your play style. 

Whereas eastern forehands grip users may find it somewhat difficult to manage the spin and power generated; thus, you will not be able to have enough control over your shots.

Volleys – Score: 8.6

Despite being efficient with volleys, I believe this to be the area where Babolat Pure Aero falls off slightly compared to the rest. For the most part, I found the racket to deliver great shots at the net; it was easily maneuverable, but most importantly, it felt stable enough for me to use volleys.

The stability comes from the new vibration absorption technology incorporated in the racket. 

Although I felt comfortable using volleys close to the net, I must warn you: if you are not gentle and careful when you go for a strike with the Babolat Pure Aero, you might fail at volleying the ball away.

What I struggled with in the beginning were the volleys from the back of the court. The racket’s weight aided in generating enough power to send the ball flying to my opponent; however, the stability felt lacking. I believe some extra weight on the upper part of the racket’s hoop would fix this issue.

Although I mentioned that the racket’s weakest area is volleys, as you can see, it does not necessarily perform badly in this area; on the contrary, it is perfectly decent.

Serve – Score: 8.9

The running contestant for Babolat Aero’s best area of performance is serving. When serving, you are looking for a balanced, stable, and powerful tennis racket that will help you deliver a powerful shot to your opponent. Additionally, its spin-friendly technology made it easy for me to incorporate some spin in my serves whenever I needed to.

It was exceptional in flat serves, which are fast and powerful. The power generated by the racket helped me nail these serves, and I could easily catch my opponents off-guard.

The Babolat Pure Aero helped me deliver powerful slices, the type of serve that also shines a light on its spin potential. Usually, I cannot generate too much spin with most rackets when I go for a slice. 

However, this racket made the difference, and the amount of spin I could use with my slices was enough to throw my opponent off track.

I also enjoyed practicing kick serves with the Babolat Aero. I could send the ball high above the net, and the spin generated from the racket often helped push the opposing player to the back or side.

All in all, I could hit perfect serves with the Pure Aero; however, be wary of missing the racket’s sweet spot during flat serves, as it will strain your arm.

Returns – Score: 8.6

Returns may not be Babolat Pure Aero’s strongest area, but it sure does well in this regard. It was not surprising that all its characteristics during groundstrokes were also passed on to returns. 

This racket offered power, spin, decent maneuverability, and stability during returns.

It held its own against any serves, be it a slice, kick, flat, or underhand serve. It did not matter if it was big or slow; I could always manage to take the serve head-on. I felt confident in returning the ball to my opponent’s side. 

The stability of the racket and its maneuverability made it easy to respond quickly and efficiently right when I needed to. Additionally, the margin of error in this racket made it easy for me to return without missing the sweet spot, so my shots’ accuracy also increased.

You should note that sometimes the Babolat Pure Aero may not be as stable during bigger swings, which I noticed during my games. I believe that adding a slight amount of weight to the frame will be worthwhile if you find big swings too much of an issue.

Despite the slight lack of stability, I think this racket performs incredibly well during returns.

Overall – Score: 8.73

Overall, this new Babolat Pure Aero performed wonderfully on the court. The power and spin I could generate from this tennis racket were perfect. I feel like the Babolat Aero made the most out of the new technologies incorporated and brought out the maximum potential I had in most of the areas reviewed, if not all.

It differs from its predecessor as the stiffness rating is lower, which I found surprising, considering most of the rackets in this line are known for their higher stiffness score. However, I can say that it played in the racket’s favor, as it felt more comfortable and easier to maneuver.

The lower stiffness gave leeway for additional control missing in Babolat Aero’s previous versions. The tradeoff for this, however, was less stability. It was not a big issue, but there were moments (such as returns against big serves) where I would have preferred my racket to be more stable instead of getting pushed around.

Of course, in the end, my experience with the Babolat Pure Aero 2019 is different than what yours might be if you decide to give it a try in the future. However, the racket was flawless for baseline players, and it barely fell behind in any areas.

Different Models

If you think that rackets from the Babolat Pure Aero line would suit your play style, but the 2019 version was not exactly what you were looking for, you should consider the other rackets that fall under this category. 

Although these rackets have similarities since they are of the same family, each has differing qualities that could make a difference in your decision. Below you will find some key characteristics to take away from each of them before deciding:

Babolat Pure Aero Lite

Babolat Pure Aero Lite might be your solution if you think a lighter racket will do the job. It is a particularly lightweight racket for our readers who may prefer having more control over their racket. It also maintains its spin potential, though power is the tradeoff in this case. 

Additionally, this racket’s stiffness is higher than in Pure Aero 2019, so you might find the racket somewhat uncomfortable if you are not used to it. However, if you are a person that appreciates spin and maneuverability and you can easily generate power, this racket is perfect for you.

Babolat Pure Aero Team

The Babolat Pure Team tennis racket weighs less than the Pure Aero, and it is one of their more lightweight options. This racket’s stability falls somewhat short due to its weight (though this is not to say that it is necessarily bad!). However, what it lacks in stability, it makes up for it in control, speed, and spin.

If you are someone who wants a healthy balance between stability and control, this is the racket for you. You can maneuver quickly and efficiently with it, and its spin capability is sure to take your opponent aback.

Babolat Pure Aero VS

You might want to check out Babolat Pure Aero VS for a smaller racket in size. Its head size is 98 square inches instead of the usual 100 square inches in most Pure Aeros. The head size and the more closed string pattern (16×20) will offer you plenty of control for confident cuts at the ball.

Additionally, it does not lack in spin despite its 16×20 string pattern, as it is still under the open pattern category. With this racket, you will be able to spring around the court and maneuver without straining yourself. It is a good option for those who prefer smaller frames and additional control.

Conclusion

To conclude, the Babolat Pure Aero was an amazing tennis racket. I found it enjoyable to use, and it was quite versatile despite its weight. It performed well in all areas, though it shined the most during groundstrokes and serves. The racket offered plenty of control which surprised me, considering its weight and stiffness. 

I could generate as much power and spin as I needed to while using it, and quite easily. The only slight improvement would be if it offered some more stability as it felt lacking in certain moments. 

Additionally, as mentioned above, eastern forehand grip players may find the racket difficult to control. However, I would encourage everyone interested in this Pure Aero version to try it and then decide if it works for them.

All in all, I was overly satisfied with my experience with the Babolat Pure Aero 2019, and I am looking forward to what this line has in store in the future.

FAQs

To cover any topics that need further clarification, this section of review offers answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Babolat Pure Aero.