Tested racket/specifications:
Brand: Babolat Model: Pure Drive 2021 Head size: 100 sq/inch Weight: 300 grams Balance: 32.0 cm String pattern: 16x19 Length: 27 inches RA: 71 Swingweight: 311 (measured on our 3-in-1 Head SW machine) 320 according to Babolat itself Stringing: Babolat RPM Power Blue 1.25 at 24/23 kg The Babolat Pure Drive 2021 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!Tester:
Name: Mike Playing level: 4/4 Player type: a somewhat more classic player, flat groundstrokes, does not generate that much spin himself. Had shoulder problems in the past. Player racket history: including Head Ti Fire, Babolat Pure Drive, Prince EXO3 Rebel Team, Wilson Steam 100 BLX2, Head Graphene Radical MP, Prince Textreme Warrior 107, Diadem Elevate 98. Other favorite rackets at the moment: Head Graphene 360+ Speed MP and the Babolat Pure Strike 100.
Babolat Pure Drive 2021 test scores:
Power: 9 Control: 7.5 Spin: 8 Comfort: 8 Maneuverability: 7.5 Touch: 7.5
Technology:
With a new version of a successful racket, the question always arises what is new, besides the paint job. With this Pure Drive 2021, there are 2 striking things. What remains are the well-known round housing around the heart. This Elliptic Frame construction provides the stiffness for explosive power. FSI Power technology has also remained and provides a larger sweetspot and more string movement through the open 16x19 string pattern and special 'diamond' grommets. New is the HTR System, where a new material construction provides higher torsional stiffness, especially with high-speed balls. In practice: a more stable playing feel. SWX Pure Feel is also new and provides better vibration damping, more ball feel, and a characteristic sound on ball impact.
Baseline:
What a party! The Babolat Pure Drive 2021 performs exceptionally well from the baseline. Just like its predecessor, the racket continues to deliver a nice dose of free power, only a bit more controlled in my opinion. This update has clearly gained stability, that is noticeable. Especially in my first hours of play with the (new string) RPM Power Blue 1.25, the control was definitely in order. I could swing through fully and the balls often landed just inside the baseline. I can tell you it's a very nice feeling! As the string lost some tension, the control also slightly decreased, but the stability of the racket was very nice and in my opinion is a big plus compared to its predecessor. The spin potential of this new Pure Drive is definitely in order. The rotation comes off nicely, although not as extreme as with the Pure Aero, but the spin is above average.
And then the comfort: Pure Drives are generally not really known as comfort frames. The rackets work with a fairly high RA and are therefore quite stiff. This (high) stiffness also gives the racket the well-known dose of free power. The RA value (stiffness) of this racket is 71, but the Babolat Pure Drive 2021 absolutely does not feel that stiff. I would rather say mid 60. It's amazing how Babolat has been able to make such a stiff frame so comfortable!
Service:
I tested this Pure Drive 2021 partly alongside the new Head Graphene 360+ Extreme Tour. Where this Extreme Tour was a bit low-powered (especially when serving), this new Pure Drive offered me a wonderful bit of free service power. I am not a huge service cannon, but this looked pretty good ;) The racket has a lot of service ease and kick - and slice serves are easy to produce. Very nice tool to serve with.
Net:
At the net, I missed a little bit of feel for subtle volleys. Hard balls, however, are easy to parry: the frame feels rock solid in that regard! Smashes are also easy to handle.
Power/control Babolat Pure Drive 2021:
It is not entirely unexpected that power outweighs control with this update of the Pure Drive. Still, the racket feels more consistent than its predecessor due to the improved stability. Of course, a Pure Drive does not offer the control of, for example, the Pure Strike 100 or Pure Strike 16x19, but the control has clearly improved. And with the improved stability, the less twisting of the racket and thus the comfort has also improved... 
Comfort/arm-friendliness:
I am genuinely pleasantly surprised by the comfort of the new Pure Drive 2021! I tested it with a full bed poly: RPM Power Blue at 24/23 kg. Now I have to say that I find this version/color of the RPM Power (probably due to the coating/paint layer) more comfortable and somewhat smoother than the brown version. But still: it remains a full bed poly (both length - and width strings poly) in a fairly stiff racket. However, I have had no issues with my arm or shoulder. And especially the shoulder does still act up sometimes when I play a lot and/or experiment with my equipment. A very good job by Babolat: the frame has clearly become more comfortable, without losing the characteristic feel and power! 
Bottom line:
With this update of the Pure Drive, Babolat is absolutely heading in a good direction in my opinion! The racket offers practically all the well-known pluses of previous versions (in power, ease of use, and spin) but with clearly improved stability and comfort. This without feeling too muted. Although I always lean more towards control-oriented frames myself, I think this update plays fantastically! The Babolat Pure Drive 2021 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!
