Best Babolat Tennis Rackets for all Experience Levels

Selecting a tennis racket is no easy task.

You pick the wrong one and you’ll know it. You’ll feel it within the first few swings, as the weight feels off, the grip is too small or the strings are too tight.

And the frustrating thing is, it’s not a cheap task either. Many rackets come with hefty price tags that make you draw breath at the mere sight of them and have put many people off trying to get into tennis at all.

So yes, tennis rackets have the potential to either make or break your relationship with the sport.  We here at Mind the Racket have seen our fair share of distressed and frustrated players bemoaning their rackets and we’ve had enough.

We want to make absolutely SURE that that doesn’t happen to you.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of some of the very best rackets from one of the very best companies for you to have a read through in order to prepare yourself for a purchase.

Take off your sneakers and put down your old cracked wooden racket.

Take a seat and have a read as we try to find the very best Babolat Tennis racket on the market today!

Babolat Tennis Racket Reviews

Babolat Pure Aero

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Whenever we start compiling these lists, we always like to jump right in the deep end with one of the biggest rackets used by one of the biggest players. Having won 20 grand slam titles, it’s fair to say Rafael Nadal knows a thing or two about rackets.

This Pure Aero has a distinctly unique yellow and black color scheme that has grown to be a bit of an iconic pattern for Babolat. It looks undeniably looks both flashy and fantastic and is absolutely recognisable when out on the court.

Eye-catching colors to the side, this racket has a number of features that make it a must-get. We’ll start with the beam shape, which has that curved aerodynamic shape to it that helps to cut through each individual swing.

Having built a brand around producing rackets for intense players, Babolat have focused on providing comfort to go with the energy this time around. They’ve partnered with an aerospace company that specialise in shock vibration management to help place rubber bands around the beam of the racket to nullify the instant impact when striking the ball

Made out of carbon fibre and weighing in at 310 grams, this is a relatively heavy racket that will prove easily manoeuvrable and stable when volleying away winners up at the net.

This is a head light racket and has a typical 100 square inch frame, both of which should prove useful when stretching out to retrieve balls in lengthier baseline rallies. You’re in full control when playing with this.

This is easily the best Babolat tennis racket for players looking to be a bit more aggressive from defensive positions, the Pure Aero will appeal broadly to those with a bit of competitive experience already under their belt. If that sounds like you, this is a fantastic option.

Babolat Pure Drive

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Ooooo, now this color scheme, we LIKE! The blue and black looks both serious and professional and should hopefully intimidate your opponent into instant fear when you take it out of your racket bag on the court.

A ten racket range to date, the Pure Drive line has a longevity about it that makes it well worth your while to have a look into. You’re going to see them around your local courts anyway so why not know more about them before you do.

Having been critiqued for the stiffness of the frame on previous models, Babolat have taken the time to include a material that they’re calling SWX Pure Feel to offset some of the vibrations that have typically characterised the Drive range. This is particularly noticeable on the return of serve and in heavy baseline power rallies.

With a 16/19 string pattern and a 4 point head light frame, this racket has been put together with the intention of being able to provide bigger levels of controllable topspin in lengthier exchanges on the court.

Made from graphite and weighing a beefy 318 grams, this has intermediate to advanced players written all over it. The Pure Drive awards quick attacking play on the court and is seamlessly able to provide quality control when up at the net. This is up there as one of the very best Babolat rackets for club level play.

Beginners will struggle with all that is offered here but if you’re someone who need that bit of extra help to strengthen your baseline ball-striking, this could be just what you’ve been waiting for.

Babolat Pure Strike

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The red and white color scheme on the Pure Strike has that same instantly recognisable quality as the Aero and Drive variations. It looks clean and modern and will have you feeling confident and ready as you enter the courts for a must win match.

Aggressive baseline play will feel comfortable with this, as Babolat has taken steps to help ease the shot vibrations felt in previous models of the Strike. Incorporating what they are calling Pure Feel tech, the designers have ensured that your arms will remain free of any aches and pains in extended play by using rubber to offset that intense feeling on impact.

The square beam frame is also rather unique here. This shape was specifically chosen to help provide an amount of stability and control not often seen with more typical racket frames. By combining this shaping with more regular racket features, Babolat has aimed to help you control your baseline shots with far more consistency.

A 98 square inch head size here will help you place your shots more accurately around the court and the 323 gram weight will give you that stability necessary when returning serve and quick volleys when up at the net. A racket with specs like these needs to be head light and this one is so you’ll have a lot of that manoeuvrability in the palm of your hands.

The 16/18 string patterns has that topspin friendly feel that will have you tearing into your forehands and backhands for that extra height over the net in lengthier rallies.

The Pure Strike provides the… erm… pure ball-striking feeling that aggressive baseline players will want from their rackets. This is a brilliant choice for intermediate to advanced players looking to for something that will help them move their opponents around with power hitting.

In fact, this could very well be the best Babolat racket for power currently in production…

Babolat Pure Aero VS Tennis Racquet

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Another of the Pure Aero line here and more of the same yellow and black, although there’s definitely a clear glossy finish on the paint to give it that smooth reflective glare in warm summer playing conditions.

This is actually a whole 10 grams heavier than the regular Aero Pro we’ve reviewed up the page and this extra bit of weight brings with it a further level of controlled power in baseline exchanges. It will also prove immensely beneficial when you transition up to the net to securely finish off points.

As well as having more beef overall, the VS also boasts an impressive 6 points head light rating, meaning that a huge amount of the weight is stationed in the handle. This allows you to manoeuvre the heavier frame with easier consistency.

That classic aerodynamic frame shape makes a return here to provide easy and consistent swingability… That’s definitely a word, we promise… Anyway, this racket retains that frame design to allow it to continually move seamlessly though the air when swinging big for power placement.

And of course, the 16/18 string pattern is here as well, allowing for that topspin heavy style that the Babolat brand has built itself on. Couple this with a 98 square inch head size and you’ve got a racket that can be used to play a precision placement game.

Intermediate to advanced players who have already been using an Aero model before should have no trouble levelling up to this but beginners should probably start somewhere slightly lighter and more forgiving. Having said that, this is another excellent offering from Babolat.

For those looking for it, this is probably the best Babolat racket for spin currently on the market!

Babolat Aero G

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Now this is a nice idea!

For so long, the Aero line has seemed somewhat in-accessible for more recreational players due to the overall weighty all-power game that it suits best. With THIS version, Babolat aims to offer a more versatile and comfortable version of the Aero.

The best thing about this is that it has a lot of the typical recognisable Aero styling that will appeal to beginners looking to emulate Rafael Nadal on the court but also has a less extreme learning curve alongside it.

An example of this comes with the lightweight element of this frame, with the Aero G coming in 286 grams when strung and ready for play. That is a good 20 grams lighter than the original Aero and 30 grams lighter than the one we just reviewed up above. This allows players to swing harder through the ball without being anchored by a heavy swingweight.

The Aero G also incorporated woofer technology, something seen in many of Babolat’s popular frame designs. This basically helps to absorb more of the shock vibrations through the strings, before propelling it back against the ball. Counterpunching and defensive play will be easily achievable for beginner and recreational players using this.

Coupling the lighter swingweight and the aerodynamic frame together creates a racket that is far easier to experiment with on the court than other models in the Aero line. Finding a technique that works best you is massively key in your early enjoyment of tennis as a player and Babolat have a design here that will allow you to do just that.

Also, it’s far cheaper than other models of the Aero and is easily one of the best budget tennis rackets out there.

And we all love not spending as much money!

Babolat 2021 Boost Drive

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I think we can all agree that this right here is one of the coolest looking rackets around! The green, white and blue comes together to create a design that combines the best of the Babolat looks together. Truly a fun and glossy overall appearance!

We’ve covered a lot of Babolat’s adult rackets, made for the more serious tournament ready people but now it’s time to relax a bit with something that will hopefully be useful for the next generation of Babolat players.

The Boost Drive comes with a slightly larger than average head size, measuring in at 105 square inches. This allows for a larger sweet spot that you’ll be able to swing freely with without concern of amateur unforced errors.

Similar to the Aero G, the Boost Drive also has that shock absorbing woofer technology to allow for dampening shock vibration feel. This is handy, especially in the early stages of player development when your arms and joints won’t yet be ready for that consistent hitting feel.

A simple graphite frame brings it all together in a design that looks and feels great for beginners and club league level players. The Boost Drive is a great starting point for anyone searching for a racket to help ease them into regular play. If that sounds at all like you, you should at least be considering this as a possibility as it is up there as the very best Babolat racket for beginners.

In terms of price, this is easily one of the best tennis rackets under $100 and offers incredible value for money.

How to Choose a the Best Babolat Tennis Racket

Weight

We’ve went through a good few racket here today and one of the only similarities between them is how un-similar they all are! This is especially true when it comes to weight.

Ideally, when searching for a racket, you’ll be able to give any that you’re considering a few practice swings to find out what works best for you.

Try to keep in mind that heavier rackets normally provide that bit more stability on your shots but might fatigue you slightly as you play for longer

Lighter rackets are easier to manoeuvre around on the court but don’t come with that set stable power on the return of serve or up at the net on volleys.

Find out what works best for you and what will benefit your game the most in the long run!

Balance

Rackets regularly come in one of two sizes.

Head light rackets have most of the weight stationed in the handle, which allows you to have easier control of the entire frame. This is most clearly noticeable in quick-fire returns of serve and when flicking away volleys up at the net.

Head heavy rackets have most of the weight in the… wait for it… head of the racket! Who could have guessed that? These rackets regularly allow for that bit more momentum when powering through your shots.

However…

We must say here that head-heavy rackets are known to regularly cause tennis elbow if persistently used incorrectly and long-term. Keep this in mind when considering what sort of balance to go for…

And when in doubt, trust us and go for headlight!

Grip Size

This can be an irritating one as it has the potential to ruin an entire new racket experience if you get it wrong.

But luckily, you have us to save you from those nasty hand blisters or tennis elbow niggles that can come as a result of getting the incorrect grip size for your racket.

We know of two ways to easily measure your grip size. One of these requires you to have access to the racket you’re considering buying and the other does not if you’re planning to buy online!

Racket option: Hold the grip of the racket in your dominant hand in a relaxed Eastern forehand grip. Then take the index finger of your other hand and place it between the ring finger and palm of the hand gripping the racket.

If you can’t because the gap isn’t big enough, the grip is too small and you need to toss the racket in a bin.

If you can but there’s too large of a gap on either side of your finger, that means the grip is too big and you need to throw the racket in the ocean.

If your finger fits nice and snug, you can welcome the racket with open arms into your tennis playing family.

Non-racket option: Take your hand and lay it flat on a table. Grab a ruler or tape measurer and find out the length of the distance between the top of your ring finger and the bottom of your palm.

Take your measurement to the nearest 1/8 of an inch as this is regularly how grip sizes are presented online.

Keep in mind that if you absolutely need to buy a racket that doesn’t fit your grip perfectly, make sure that you go for one that is too small. You can then apply a few overgrips to bring it up to your perfect grip size!

Buying too big is a NO. You hear us? A NO! Do not do it. You’ll regret it, we promise.

Stiffness

The stiffness of a racket frame comes down to entirely how much flexibility it has on impact with the ball.

Most modern designs incorporate some sort of bendiness to help absorb the blow of powerful shots. This also helps players to avoid long term joint ailments, such as tennis elbow. 

Stiffer frames regularly offer a bit more power but are far less forgiving as a result and with regular use, could leave you feeling a bit sore around the arm area.

Head Size

Larger head sizes are generally easier to use for beginners looking to get started at tennis. The bigger sweet spot and face surface area allows for a higher percentage chance of pulling off a crunching forehand winner within your first few hits on the court!

On the other hand, smaller head sizes are better for more experienced players, looking to work on their technical games and shot placement. That’s not to say they can’t use a bigger head size if they want to but the smaller the racket, the more easily they can pull off that perfect forehand drop shot.

Find what works best for you to help progress your abilities as a player.

String Pattern

Rackets tend to come in one of two string patterns.

The 16/19 pattern is slightly looser and as a result, can be used to impart that bit more spin on the ball. Unfortunately, though, this does mean that they will be liable to break a bit more often!

The 18/20 pattern is tighter and can thus rebound back balls with a greater instant pace.

Keep these things in mind. Try and see if you can test out both patterns before deciding which suits your game better.

Who are Babolat?

This French racket brand is older than your dad.

Starting out as the original gut string manufacturer all the way back in 1875, they have gone from strength to strength all the way up until now. They currently have multiple professional players under contract using their equipment and promoting their brand, which is now one of the most recognizable in modern-day tennis!

Which Pro Players Use Babolat Rackets?

Rafael Nadal: We’ve already mentioned him on here so why not dive a bit deeper?

The 13 time French Open winner (yep, you read that right… 13!) has been under contract with Babolat for his entire career and it’s doubtful that he would ever consider a switch now. Nadal is a creature of habit and Babolat is all too happy to continually provide him with only slightly updated rackets every year.

The Spaniard promotes the Aero range of rackets and has had only small tweaks in terms of weight distribution since he first began playing. Babolat push the Aero range as Nadal’s personal rackets and it’s easy to see why what with all the success the King of Clay has had using them.

Garbine Muguruza: And here we have another Spaniard grand slam champion using Babolat rackets!

2 time slam champ and current world number 16 has been under contract with Babolat throughout all the high points of her career so far and so it makes sense that she would be unwilling to change much.

She endorses the Pure Drive line of rackets, although of course her personal rackets differ somewhat from the typical designs that are available to us mere mortals. However, we can still get pretty close and the Pure Drive that we’ve reviewed up the page is a great place to start looking if you want to replicate Maguruza’s power placement gamestyle!

Final Thoughts

And here we stand on the finish line of this journey to find the best Babolat tennis racket!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this weirdly wonderful ride through some of the standout Babolat racket offerings! Keep in mind that this is a company who loves to experiment and change things around and as a result, they should most certainly have a racket design to suit you!

Babolat has been around far longer than you or I have been around and as a result, they have a great reputation for quality products. They can be trusted.

Take your time to decide and then we’ll see you out there on the courts!

Related Reading:

• Best Tennis Racket for Advanced Players
• Best Tennis Racket for Intermediate Players