It has never been more fashionable to be fit, and with Instagram clogging up with photos and videos of people showing off a record-length plank or folding themselves into the Scorpion Broken Tail, it seems the whole world is in competition to be the best. Technology has quickly tried to squeeze itself into every corner of the market to help you record, analyse and share whatever your chosen exercise is, and Babolat have joined the game by creating a range of smart paddles, badminton racquets and tennis rackets.

We got our hands on the Babolat Pure Drive Play tennis racket. It looks like a regular tennis racket, but it is so much more: sensors are integrated into the handle that will record a whole host of information without effecting the racket’s shape. The Pure Drive Play will record power, impact locator number of strokes and even stroke types - whether a stroke is forehand, backhand, serve, overhead smash or slice, for example. It features two buttons on the bottom of the handle to turn it on and activate the Bluetooth, as well as a USB charging port.

The racket is made from graphite available in sizes 1-5. It is heavier than what I am used to playing with, but at 300g it only falls in the medium-heavy category of tennis rackets. The technology doesn’t interfere with the game play at all, and it is interesting to review your game on the free app afterwards, which you can do either on a smart device or PC. I could clearly track when I was more tired and my positioning was off. The app will also give you a breakdown of all your shots, the total number of shots taken, how long you played for, shots per minute, the power of those shots and your best rally, as well as information on your power and spin. The sensors will also be able to detect where the best spot on the racket is for you to hit the ball.

The Pulse feature will fuel the competitor in you, placing you in the Babolat Play community and sending you reminders when you haven’t played recently.

Throughout our tests, the Babolat Pure Drive provided accurate results. It handles just as well as a regular racket and provides an interesting insight into your game play. RRP $249

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4.8 out of 5

Pros

Sensors integrated into the racket

In-depth game analysis

Play app

Six hours of play per charge

Carry case included

Cons

Pricey for information that won’t necessarily improve your game