For many years, the Speed Pro and Pure Drive have been two of the most popular tennis rackets produced by Head and Babolat.
In this article, I will be looking at the racket specs of the Speed Pro and the Pure Drive to see how these two tennis rackets compare to each another.
Head Speed Pro vs Babolat Pure Drive
In the comparison below I have used the 2022 version of the Head Speed Pro (or “HSP”) and the 2021 version of the Babolat Pure Drive (or “BPD”).
Racket Specs Comparison
| Specs: | HSP | BPD |
|---|---|---|
| Version: | 2022 | 2021 |
| Design: |  |  |
| Head Size: | 100in | 100in |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 326g (11.50oz) | 318g (11.22oz) |
| Unstrung Weight: | 310g (10.93oz) | 300g (10.58oz) |
| Swing weight: | 326g (11.50oz) | 320g (11.29oz) |
| Balance: | 6pts HL | 4pts HL |
| TW Stiffness Rating: | 62 | 71 |
| Power: | Low | Low to Medium |
| Player Level: | Advanced | Intermediate to Advanced |
| Beam Width: | 23mm/23mm/23mm | 23mm/26mm/23mm |
| Colors: | Black and White | Blue and Black |
| String Pattern: | 18 x 20 | 16 x 19 |
| Main Skips: | 8T,10T,8H,10H | 7T,9T,7H,9H |
| Grip Type: | Head Hydrosorb Pro | Babolat Syntec Pro |
Head Size
Both the HSP and BPD rackets have a 100in Midplus head size, which is pretty standard nowadays.
Length
Both the HSP and BPD have a standard length of 27 inches long.
Strung Weight
The strung weight of the HSP (326g/11.50oz) is 8g heavier than the strung weight of the BPD (318g/11.22oz), so the HSP will feel slightly heavier to play with.
However, neither racket would be considered to be light.
Unstrung Weight
The HSP has an unstrung weight of 310g (10.93oz), while the BPD has an unstrung weight of 300g (10.58oz).
Swing Weight
The HSP has a swing weight of 326g (11.50oz), which is 6g heavier than the swing weight of the BPD (320g/11.29oz) so the BPD will be slightly easier to swing.
Balance
The Speed Pro has a 6pts Head Light (HL) balance, while the Pure Drive has a 4pts HL balance, with the more head light balance of the Speed Pro helping it be more maneuverable at the net.
Stiffness Rating
The HSP (62) has a lower stiffness rating when compared with the BPD (71) with the HSP being the more arm friendly of the two rackets.
Power and Control
In terms of power, you get more free power from the BPD when compared with the HSP, but in terms of control, you get more from the HSP.
Recommended Player Level
The BPD is best suited to intermediate to advanced tennis players, while the HSP is best suited to advanced tennis players.
Beam Width
The HSP (23mm/23mm/23mm) has a thinner beam width when compared with the BPD (23mm/26mm/23mm), which means you will get more control from the HSP but more power from the BPD.
String Pattern
The BPD has a 16 x 19 string pattern, while the HSP has an 18 x 20 string pattern with the 18 x 20 string pattern proving more control and the 16 x 19 string pattern providing more spin.
Grip Type
The HSP comes with a Hydrosorb Pro grip, while the BPD comes with a Syntec Pro Grip.