My Review on HEAD new tennis shoes!

votin123 · Mar 11, 2009

Ok so I bought them on Sunday of this week. I bought Radical Pro. It actually isn't that bad.
It has great support and ventilation is actually better than the previous prestige. The Durability, from what i see if you play tennis like almost 4 out of 7 days of the week, you might worn them within 4 months or so. It fit right out the box, comfortable , you could just jump up and down with out feeling the vibration from your feet. It has the Flex Zone that give you no break-in require on the top of the shoe. So far the only thing i dislike about the shoe is the lace, it was too short to hold on to your feet. I actually do recommend these shoe to everyone.

jelichek · Mar 12, 2009

Yeah. A good shoe with great cushioning. Super comfy on a hard court. That stuff that Head put in heel really works. Not too sure what this guy means about the laces. They lace up good and tight for me.

votin123 · Mar 12, 2009

jelichek said:
They lace up good and tight for me.

The lace was too short to tie.

marosmith · Mar 14, 2009

From my experience with Prince shoes being demolished in 6 months, I question the durability of racket companies making shoes now, for better or worse.

fabulousfab · Mar 15, 2009

Comfy OK. But they don't last long: i bought mine 3 weeks ago, played 10 to 11 hours and there are already 2 holes! one on the medial side of the upper and one through the outsole (under the forefoot).
I will definitely not rebuy these shoes!

scraps234 · Mar 15, 2009

so will any pros endorse??

TomballJV · May 16, 2010

fabulousfab said:
Comfy OK. But they don't last long: i bought mine 3 weeks ago, played 10 to 11 hours and there are already 2 holes! one on the medial side of the upper and one through the outsole (under the forefoot).
I will definitely not rebuy these shoes!

doesn't the shoe come with a durability warrranty? just get new ones

athiker · May 16, 2010

How would you describe the toe box room and general width?

zapvor · May 17, 2010

i am tempted to try these or the fila alfas....

hcb0804 · May 17, 2010

zapvor said:
i am tempted to try these or the fila alfas....

I have worn both the Head Radical Pro and the Fila Alfa...........forget about the Fila's-they have no support or stability and made my knees hurt while I was playing in them. Never had that happen before.:shock:

zapvor · May 17, 2010

oh really. i heard good things from people who tried them.

hcb0804 · May 17, 2010

zapvor said:
oh really. i heard good things from people who tried them.

Trust me go for the Head shoes. The Alfa's feel soft and confortable, but are too soft, upper and midsole, hence the no stability or support.

zapvor · May 17, 2010

i will have to try them out and see. thanks

Bad Dog · May 17, 2010

hcb0804 said:
The Alfa's feel soft and confortable, but are too soft, upper and midsole, hence the no stability or support.

It is extremely important to recognize that great soft cushioning – in the heel, and especially the forefoot – is completely different from a not-great lack of lateral support/structure. So from your brief description, it sounds like if Fila had surrounded its soft, well cushioned midsole with better lateral support/structure, it could have been an ideal combination.

Bad Dog · May 17, 2010

zapvor said:
i will have to try them out and see. thanks

Zapvor – If you think they deserve a test drive, then I might have to try them out as well. I trust your judgment.

Bad Dog · May 17, 2010

hcb0804 said:
Trust me go for the Head shoes.

I have also heard great things about both the great soft cushioning and the lateral support of Head tennis shoes (especially Speed Pro). So I'm considering them as replacements for my worn out pairs of Barricade V.

hcb0804 · May 17, 2010

Bad Dog said:
It is extremely important to recognize that great soft cushioning – in the heel, and especially the forefoot – is completely different from a not-great lack of lateral support/structure. So from your brief description, it sounds like if Fila had surrounded its soft, well cushioned midsole with better lateral support/structure, it could have been an ideal combination.

Precisely what I am praising the Head Radical Pros for: They have the soft well cushioned midsole in combination with an upper with lateral support and stability.

*Val* · May 17, 2010

What's the difference between soft cushioning and firmer cushioning? I mean the Barricades have firm cushioning, but doesn't this make it more resilient, and more supportive, and just because the substance is firm, that doesn't mean it doesn't absorb the 'shock' - barricades have massive heels.

Rockitdog · May 17, 2010

I just ordered a pair of the the Radical Pros for $25 with my new Head frame. I've always been an Adidas guy so I'm looking forward to trying these out. I'm not optimistic though, I have wide feet so its hard to find decent shoes the don't hurt or aren't too tight for me.

athiker · May 18, 2010

Width comments anyone?...especially vs. the Barricade V? Thx

zapvor · May 18, 2010

Bad Dog said:
Zapvor – If you think they deserve a test drive, then I might have to try them out as well. I trust your judgment.

heh cool. let me know what you think.

Bad Dog · May 18, 2010

Always consider whether there is enough forefoot cushioning

*Val* said:
What's the difference between soft cushioning and firmer cushioning? I mean the Barricades have firm cushioning, but doesn't this make it more resilient, and more supportive, and just because the substance is firm, that doesn't mean it doesn't absorb the 'shock' - barricades have massive heels.

You raise some interesting issues.

In any shoe, the heels are easy to cushion – as you pointed out, they are relatively large.

So the real test of good cushioning is in the forefoot. In my new pair of Barricade V (less than 20 hours), the forefoot cushioning is significant – and relatively – soft. But by around 40 hours on hard courts, the forefoot cushioning starts to lose its resilience – and begins to feel firm/low to the ground – which is when the hard court pounding shockwaves significantly increase on the joints.

One concept of resilience is a material’s relative ability to repeatedly absorb and dissipate shock, then return to its neutral state. Firmer cushioning is not necessarily better or more resilient. For example, with running shoes it may be easier to talk about how some softer types of cushioning may be significantly more resilient than firmer (and often cheaper) cushioning.

Bad Dog · May 18, 2010

Bad Dog said:
It is extremely important to recognize that great soft cushioning – in the heel, and especially the forefoot – is completely different from a not-great lack of lateral support/structure. So from your brief description, it sounds like if Fila had surrounded its soft, well cushioned midsole with better lateral support/structure, it could have been an ideal combination.

hcb0804 said:
Precisely what I am praising the Head Radical Pros for: They have the soft well cushioned midsole in combination with an upper with lateral support and stability.

This is good to hear. Two questions:

1. Specifically, is the forefoot cushioning (in your Head shoe) great at absorbing shocks from hard courts?

2. Does the forefoot area (in your Head shoe) fit reasonably wide?

Bad Dog · May 18, 2010

Bad Dog said:
Zapvor – If you think they deserve a test drive, then I might have to try them out as well. I trust your judgment.

zapvor said:
heh cool. let me know what you think.

Will do. Let’s try to assume that Sup2Dresq will be as friendly toward Head shoe wearers as he is toward those who wear Nike.

hcb0804 · May 18, 2010

Bad Dog said:
This is good to hear. Two questions:

1. Specifically, is the forefoot cushioning (in your Head shoe) great at absorbing shocks from hard courts?

2. Does the forefoot area (in your Head shoe) fit reasonably wide?

Yes to both questions.

Rockitdog · May 18, 2010

Among the Head shoes that are involved in the $25 promo, does anyone know which would be considered the widest width ones? I have wide feet so most shoes kill me and its extremely hard to find good shoes for me.

*Val* · May 18, 2010

Bad Dog said:
You raise some interesting issues.

In any shoe, the heels are easy to cushion – as you pointed out, they are relatively large. So the real test of good cushioning is in the forefoot. In my new pair of Barricade V (less than 20 hours), the forefoot cushioning is significant – and relatively – soft. But by around 40 hours on hard courts, the forefoot cushioning starts to lose its resilience – and begins to feel firm/low to the ground – which is when the hard court pounding shockwaves significantly increase on the joints.

I understand better now, which is why I see you often emphasise forefoot cushioning in your posts. I take it you're quite partial to the Adiprene+ cushioning then?

The barricades have quite firm cushioning but for me they feel more comfortable on a hard surface than say my running shoes (I have some quite squishy asics runners, spEVA 5.5 midsole), as the footbed feels firm, but when running on hard court, you don't really feel anything else, so it's comfortable. Whereas with something squishier I sometimes feel a little more exposed to the ground.

I also have a pair of Salomon runners (I run trails) which has a firmer footbed than my Asics (triple density EVA), and I find them more comfortable. I'm actually light framed 160lb 6', I guess how much cushioning you need and how long it lasts depends on your weight and style of play.

I'm quite interested in shoe cushioning because it's pretty important for my bad back

How does cushioning material hold up over time if not being used frequently?

Bad Dog · May 19, 2010

Bad Dog said:
This is good to hear. Two questions:

1. Specifically, is the forefoot cushioning (in your Head shoe) great at absorbing shocks from hard courts?

2. Does the forefoot area (in your Head shoe) fit reasonably wide?

hcb0804 said:
Yes to both questions.

Thank you; your confirmation helped me decide to buy a pair of the Head Speed Pro –apparently very similar to the shoes you have – according to Tennis magazine.

Rockitdog said:
Among the Head shoes that are involved in the $25 promo, does anyone know which would be considered the widest width ones? I have wide feet so most shoes kill me and its extremely hard to find good shoes for me.

I know what you mean. As indicated above, it appears that the Head shoes are relatively wide in the forefoot. That's one of the reasons I just bought a pair from Tennis Warehouse and waiting for them to arrive.

Bad Dog · May 19, 2010

*Val* said:
I understand better now, which is why I see you often emphasise forefoot cushioning in your posts. I take it you're quite partial to the Adiprene+ cushioning then?

The barricades have quite firm cushioning but for me they feel more comfortable on a hard surface than say my running shoes (I have some quite squishy asics runners, spEVA 5.5 midsole), as the footbed feels firm, but when running on hard court, you don't really feel anything else, so it's comfortable. Whereas with something squishier I sometimes feel a little more exposed to the ground.

I also have a pair of Salomon runners (I run trails) which has a firmer footbed than my Asics (triple density EVA), and I find them more comfortable. I'm actually light framed 160lb 6', I guess how much cushioning you need and how long it lasts depends on your weight and style of play.

I'm quite interested in shoe cushioning because it's pretty important for my bad back

How does cushioning material hold up over time if not being used frequently?

As usual, you raise several considerations worth further contemplation. I'll consult the Oracle at Delphi, and eventually get back to you.

Bad Dog · May 19, 2010

athiker said:
Width comments anyone?...especially vs. the Barricade V? Thx

My Speed Pros should arrive from Tennis Warehouse in a couple of days, and I'll try to compare them to the Barricade V – since I've been reasonably satisfied with several pairs of the latter.

Smurf · May 19, 2010

The Head radical shoe is pretty good the toe drag durability is great, I drag my foot a lot because of lazy footwork unfortunately.
I added Dr. Scholls arch support and damn its like walking on a cloud, very comfy. The shoes have lasted me longer than most people who have these shoes on TT. I have had them about 2 months and I havnt gotten down to the foam yet, but the grip is definitely gone on parts of the outsole. Overall its and affordable shoe that is quality made; thats something that is hard to come by these days.

Rockitdog · May 19, 2010

I tried out my Head Radical Pro shoes last night and was pleased to find that even with my wide feet, they fit great! Loving them. Not a bad pick-up for $25.

TennezSport · May 19, 2010

Fyi.....

The Head Radical Pro was voted second best shoe last year in Tennis Mag, only behind Asics Gel Revolution. The last in the shoe is the same as the Barricades but with much better heel cushioning. Goodyear rubber protects the toe area also.

The Head Speed Pro was voted the best new shoe of 2010 in the March Tennis mag. Both shoes come with a 6mo warranty, so you get one replacement if you wear them out before 6mo. All around great shoes.

Cheers, TennezSport

athiker · Jun 8, 2010

Bad Dog said:
My Speed Pros should arrive from Tennis Warehouse in a couple of days, and I'll try to compare them to the Barricade V – since I've been reasonably satisfied with several pairs of the latter.

Thanks for the response. I see in another thread that you have been rotating w/ the BVs but seem to give a slight edge to the Heads.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=323337&highlight=head+speed+pro

It sounds like the forefoot/toe box area is at least as wide as the Barricades from what I've read. I think the Speed Pros will be my next shoe. The Barricades have been just okay for me. The are structurally solid but I could use a bit more cushioning for my mostly hard court play and a touch more forefoot width wouldn't hurt either.

I'd like to try some Nike's b/c in the past I've liked their air cushioning in other type shoes, but they seem to be going narrower each year now in tennis shoes. I see the new Nike Court Ballistec 2.2s in wide but they don't seem to come with the 6 month warranty like the 2.3s do even though they both have the XDR outsoles. I guess the extra $35 for the 2.3s is for the warranty! The Head Speed Pro has the warranty too, they are $25 more. Since I had to use it w/ my BVs I think that's a must for me.

737Capt · Jun 8, 2010

votin123 said:
The lace was too short to tie.

The laces on mine are too short also. Have you come up with a replacement?

Bad Dog · Jun 10, 2010

athiker said:
Thanks for the response. I see in another thread that you have been rotating w/ the BVs but seem to give a slight edge to the Heads.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=323337&highlight=head+speed+pro

It sounds like the forefoot/toe box area is at least as wide as the Barricades from what I've read. I think the Speed Pros will be my next shoe. The Barricades have been just okay for me. The are structurally solid but I could use a bit more cushioning for my mostly hard court play and a touch more forefoot width wouldn't hurt either.

I'd like to try some Nike's b/c in the past I've liked their air cushioning in other type shoes, but they seem to be going narrower each year now in tennis shoes. I see the new Nike Court Ballistec 2.2s in wide but they don't seem to come with the 6 month warranty like the 2.3s do even though they both have the XDR outsoles. I guess the extra $35 for the 2.3s is for the warranty! The Head Speed Pro has the warranty too, they are $25 more. Since I had to use it w/ my BVs I think that's a must for me.

Yes, all your observations are correct. The Head Speed Pro seems at least as wide as the Barricade V. So far, with less than 10 hours, the heel and especially forefoot cushioning on the Head Speed Pro would appear to be excellent, and noticeably better than Barricade V. Of course I would prefer to reserve final judgment until I have at least 20 to 50 hours of hard court time.

I like the Barricade V, and have worn several pairs (and I've received Barricade V under the six-month warranty). But now that I own both Barricade V, and Head Speed Pro – both new – I prefer the hours I spent in the Speed Pro – more breathable, more maneuverable, better forefoot cushioning.

With a durability guarantee, so far the Head Speed Pro still seems to be one of the best deals in tennis. We will see how it holds up long-term.

zapvor · Jun 12, 2010

if only the styling was better!!!i am tempted to pick up a pair though....

Bad Dog · Jun 14, 2010

zapvor said:
if only the styling was better!!!i am tempted to pick up a pair though....

I know you're kidding Zapvor – because your original positive comment was the reason I considered them in the first place.

Luckily the Speed Pro may actually be this year’s best looking white tennis shoe (since Nike Breathe Free II and Adidas Barricade 5 may no longer be available). At least the Nike 2.3 Wimbledon is almost as good looking.

By the way – I have a top new multifilament string for you that even Tennis Warehouse has not yet received – please remind me to give it to you the next time we hit. Hopefully soon.

JT_2eighty · Feb 3, 2011

Bump... how goes the Head shoes to those that used/are still using them? (either the Speed, Prestige, and/or Radical)...

Comparisons to Barricades and other more popular contenders?

Thx

My Review on HEAD new tennis shoes!

New User

Semi-Pro

New User

Professional

Rookie

Hall of Fame

Rookie

Hall of Fame

G.O.A.T.

Hall of Fame

G.O.A.T.

Hall of Fame

G.O.A.T.

Semi-Pro

Semi-Pro

Semi-Pro

Hall of Fame

Semi-Pro

Banned

Hall of Fame

G.O.A.T.

Semi-Pro

Semi-Pro

Semi-Pro

Hall of Fame

Banned

Semi-Pro

Semi-Pro

Semi-Pro

Semi-Pro

New User

Banned

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

New User

Semi-Pro

G.O.A.T.

Semi-Pro

Hall of Fame

Similar threads