The Head Extreme MP and Babolat Pure Aero are two 100in tennis rackets that are popular with intermediate to advanced tennis players.
After completing the below comparison, I was surprised by just how similar the racket specs of the Pure Aero and the Extreme MP were to each other.
Head Extreme MP vs Babolat Pure Aero Comparison
In the comparison below I have used the 2022 version of the Head Extreme MP (or “MP”) and the 2023 version of the Babolat Pure Aero (or “PA”).
Extreme MP vs Pure Aero 2023
| Specs: | MP | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Version: | 2022 | 2023 |
| Design: |  |  |
| Head Size: | 100in | 100in |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 318g (11.22oz) | 318g (11.22oz) |
| Unstrung Weight: | 300g (10.58oz) | 300g (10.58oz) |
| Swing weight: | 322g (11.36oz) | 322g (11.36oz) |
| Balance: | 4pts HL | 4pts HL |
| TW Stiffness Rating: | 66 | 65 |
| Power Level: | Low-Medium | Low-Medium |
| Player Level: | Intermediate – Advanced | Intermediate – Advanced |
| Beam Width: | 23mm, 26mm, 21mm | 23mm, 26mm, 23mm |
| Colors: | Green and Yellow | Black and Yellow |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 |
| Main Skips: | 8T,7H,9H | 8T,8H |
| Grip Type: | Head Hydrosorb Pro | Babolat Syntec Pro |
Head Size and Length
Both rackets have a 100in Mid plus head size and a standard racket length of 27 inches long.
Strung Weight
The strung weight of both tennis rackets is 318 grams or 11.2 ounces, with both the MP and the PA being relatively heavy tennis rackets to play with.
Unstrung Weight
Both tennis rackets have an unstrung weight of 300g.
Swing Weight
Both the MP and PA have a swing weight of 322g.
Stiffness Rating
The MP (66) has a slightly higher stiffness rating when compared with the PA (65).
Although these stiffness ratings would not be considered high, neither racket is considered particularly arm friendly.
Beam Width
The MP (23mm, 26mm, 21mm) has a slightly thinner beam width when compared with the PA (23mm, 26mm, 23mm) but the difference between the two rackets is very small.
Power and Control
The MP and PA are both low to medium powered tennis rackets that offer more control than power.
Player Level
The PA and MP are best suited to intermediate to advanced tennis players as they are both relatively heavy tennis rackets with small sweet spots.
String Pattern
Both tennis rackets have a 16 x 19 string pattern, which will help players add spin to their groundstrokes.
Grip Type
The MP has a Head Hydrosorb Pro grip, while the PA has a Babolat Syntec Pro Grip.
Extreme MP vs Rafa Version
As some of you may be wondering how the MP compares to the Rafa version of the PA, I have included a table comparing the racket specs below.
| Specs: | MP | Rafa |
|---|---|---|
| Version: | 2022 | 2021 |
| Design: | |  |
| Head Size: | 100in | 100in |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 318g (11.22oz) | 318g (11.22oz) |
| Unstrung Weight: | 300g (10.58oz) | 300g (10.58oz) |
| Swing weight: | 322g (11.36oz) | 324g (11.43oz) |
| Balance: | 4pts HL | 4pts HL |
| TW Stiffness Rating: | 66 | 67 |
| Power Level: | Low-Medium | Low-Medium |
| Player Level: | Intermediate – Advanced | Intermediate – Advanced |
| Beam Width: | 23mm, 26mm, 21mm | 23mm, 26mm, 23mm |
| Colors: | Green and Yellow | Yellow, Pink, and Black |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 |
| Main Skips: | 8T,7H,9H | 7T,9T,7H,9H |
| Grip Type: | Head Hydrosorb Pro | Babolat Syntec Pro |
Like the 2023 version of the PA, the Rafa version has very similar specs to the MP with the main differences being the PA Rafa having a heavier swing weight and a higher stiffness rating.