Intro
HEAD has been an established brand in the world of tennis for many decades, often present throughout the most important moments in tennis history. Originally founded in the United States in 1950, the brand has grown to be globally recognised.
They manufacture a wide range of tennis rackets for beginners, intermediate and performance tennis players. However, in this post we'll be reviewing the 5 HEAD tennis rackets in the performance range; the Boom, the Gravity, the Speed, the Prestige and the Radical.
The Testing
First up, Jordan first tried the HEAD Boom Pro. Designed for explosive power, the racket weighs in at 310g. Featuring a wide string pattern and a power oriented frame, the racket does produce quite a lot of spin. Overall, the Boom felt pretty good to practice with, and could be a fun option for players looking for a little more power in their game.
Next up is the HEAD Gravity MP, weighing in at 300g. HEAD designed the Gravity to help players control the ball, and has a similar level of control as the Speed. It also feels manoeuvrable and head-light, and was great for volleys and serving. However it doesn't produce effortless power - you have to really swing hard to get the power. A reason for this could be the dense string pattern (16x20) which makes you work hard for speed and spin from the back of the court, but will control the ball very effectively.
The HEAD Speed Pro was tested next. Featuring an 18x20 string pattern, this racket weighs 310g. The Speed has been designed for players who can already generate lots of spin and have explosive racket head speed, and therefore are looking for a controlling option. Jordan found the racket feels great around the net, but from the back of the court it does not suit his playstyle. On serve, it lacks a little pop considering it's weight, but this wasn't a huge complaint.
HEAD Prestige Tour 315g was Jordan's favourite cosmetic design of the range. The frame is designed for precision and control, but can still produce great spin and pace through the court. Due to the weight of the racket, juniors and intermediate level players are likely to struggle to swing effectively. Therefore, Jordan recommends that the Prestige Tour 315g is aimed towards higher performance players.
Finally, the last racket of the testing session was the HEAD Radical MP, released earlier this year. A great stable racket designed to help all court players play their best tennis. The 16x19 string pattern creates accessible power, while the feel has been improved with the new Auxetic technology.
Jordan's Personal Ranking of the Range
Ranking the rackets was always going to be hard but Jordan did find he had some clear favourites personally. However, we did find that all of these rackets felt very stable through contact.
In fifth was the Speed. During the playtest, it was a struggle to generate pace and to hit with consistent shape. Jordan found he missed a lot of balls in the net and attributed this to the 18x20 dense string pattern, which didn't suit his game.
In fourth was the Gravity. Jordan felt that the racket just felt uncomfortable to him, noting that the rounded head shape was slightly off-putting to him personally. Nonetheless, the shots produced were still powerful and carrying well through the court.
In third was the Boom. In addition to the nice frame and paintwork, the Boom creates explosive and fun power - especially on the serve. For players who need some extra help generating power, the Boom will be a great pick.
In a very close second, Jordan picked the Prestige. It was hard to pick out any flaws with the Prestige - it feels great on court, looks great and produces great control on your shots. Unfortunately the weight (315g) could be an issue for some players - especially if you aren't used to heavier rackets.
Jordan's favourite racket of the range was the new HEAD Radical! With a great new cosmetic update, a reshaped frame and lovely feel on every shot, there was lots to admire about this update!
** There is a sixth racket in HEAD's performance rackets range! However, we were unable to play test it on our day of filming, and therefore we didn't rank it. Jordan rates the Extreme highly, and would place it in third overall. Check out our 2 minute review of the HEAD Extreme here:
2 Minute Review - HEAD Extreme Tour – stringsports.co.uk
Final Ranking List
1. HEAD Radical MP - Head Radical MP Performance Tennis Racket – stringsports.co.uk
2. HEAD Prestige Tour - Head Prestige Tour Performance Tennis Racket 2021 – stringsports.co.uk
3. HEAD Boom Pro - Head Boom Pro 2022 Performance Tennis Racket (UNSTRUNG) – stringsports.co.uk
4. HEAD Gravity MP - HEAD Gravity MP Tennis Racket – stringsports.co.uk
5. HEAD Speed Pro - Head Speed Pro 2022 Performance Tennis Racket (Unstrung) – stringsports.co.uk
Check out the full video below!
And also check out our full range of HEAD tennis rackets below:
Buy HEAD Tennis Rackets - String Sports – stringsports.co.uk