Tennisgeek777
New User
Launch angle is relatively similar. Actually the boom pro didn't feel that much different to my radical pro. BP was just easier to swing, had more power, much more forgiving, has a larger sweetspot, more topspin.
HEAD Boom Official Thread
- Thread starter NickJ
- Start date
Return_Ace
Hall of Fame
I got struck by the dreaded "Quality Control" and my Boom came in 325g, but 3pts HL(not from TW, mind).
Thankfully I was going to add a leather grip to it anyways, and maybe some more in the handle which should put it back towards maybe 6-8pts HL that I want.
Got around to putting on a Leather grip and Overgrip, now sitting at 343g and 6pts HL.
So actually roughly where I wanted my end specs to be, but I have no idea what the swingweight is like.
smalahove
Hall of Fame
I had the Iga, thought it was ok but nothing special. The Boom Pro has more pop and a similar feel.
smalahove
Hall of Fame
Thanks for posting the comparison with the Rad Pro. I owned it for a while and liked it, and didn’t have any reason to sell it
And I was considering buying it again to test alongside the Boom Pro, bit based on your review, I’m prob buying another BP bc I do want the extra pop and forgiveness.
smalahove
Hall of Fame
Sorry, but I can’t take that review seriously. There are so many reviews by better players that conclude this is a solid stick, so rating this as unusable for any level?
Even if this came way off spec, I have a hard time believing it would be a bad frame, which is the same rationale as they use to dismiss the frame btw . I mean, I tested the Boom MP proto which was under spec, but it was still clear to me it’s a nice frame.
Classic-TXP-IG MID
Hall of Fame
Fair enough. I just put the review in so that all experiences are expressed. They do have funny assessments (as in, their own way of looking at racquets). For example, the Russian guy seems to have a 100 sq. in. bias and always comments how 98s are small and therefore not as good in some way. I don't share those feelings, in fact most of my racquets are 95-98 sq. in. It's all personal, and therefore should be taken with a grain of salt.
I don't have a foot in either camp. If I'm interested in the racquets I would try them myself and make up my own mind, irrespective of what any review had to say. At the end of the day... that's the only review that really matters.
smalahove
Hall of Fame
I agree. I’ve enjoyed some of their previous reviews. It’s not that they don’t like the racket that bothers me, it’s their hyperbole of how bad they think it is. To put it in TW scoring perspective; it’s ok to give the frame score on the 70s, but below 50?
Crocodile
G.O.A.T.
I haven’t tried the Boom yet but the local tennis shop here has said that it’s been the hottest selling racquet for them right now.
One of my friends bought one and he is very impressed. He thinks it’s one of best frames head has put out in quite a while. The main barrier for many right now is the price. I’n Australia you are looking at $379au and the prestige pro is $399, which is a lot for many.
One of my friends bought one and he is very impressed. He thinks it’s one of best frames head has put out in quite a while. The main barrier for many right now is the price. I’n Australia you are looking at $379au and the prestige pro is $399, which is a lot for many.
Classic-TXP-IG MID
Hall of Fame
I agree. No way am I paying that kind of money. Even if it is superb... I'll wait until it's on sale and heavily discounted... or if someone is selling it for cheaper on the Bay.
The prices are getting ridiculous.
Picked up two today. Stringing Hyper G Soft 1.30 at 52#. Test run Friday morning.
They both clocked in at exactly 11.45 oz (325 grams for all you n00bs) on the scale at the store with all the new tags and crap still hanging on them so I’m assuming with strings and overgrip I’ll clock in at about 330 grams (11.64 oz for all you n00bs). Balance looked about dead on too. Might throw 4 g’s lead in the hoop.
They both clocked in at exactly 11.45 oz (325 grams for all you n00bs) on the scale at the store with all the new tags and crap still hanging on them so I’m assuming with strings and overgrip I’ll clock in at about 330 grams (11.64 oz for all you n00bs). Balance looked about dead on too. Might throw 4 g’s lead in the hoop.
Just picked up a Pro from another TT forumite. Looking forward to testing it against Rad MP and VC95.
What's the consensus on strings & tension that work well in the BP? Does the Coming from Blade V7 18m whose plushness seemed to work well with a crsip string like BHS7T 17 in the mid 40's. I'll probably start there so at least I have some basis for comparison.
What's the consensus on strings & tension that work well in the BP? Does the Coming from Blade V7 18m whose plushness seemed to work well with a crsip string like BHS7T 17 in the mid 40's. I'll probably start there so at least I have some basis for comparison.
You're going to be a little disappointed because the VC95 with some lead is one of the nicest racquets I've swung.
Basically every time I swing now, I'm going to yell out "Here comes the Boom!" right before contact.
Limited time with the VC95 but so far it's been great....telepathic. Just added leather and will play with some lead to balance it out. Probably going to leather up the BP too
DJTaurus
Hall of Fame
I hit the jackpot. Strung balance 32,5, SW with hyper g 1.25 at 323 and unstrung Weight 308gr. Pretty spot on……
First impressions on the wall hitting. Very solid frame….. no vibrations and no instability. It has a muted feel but in a good way…. It doesn’t flex like Clash…. ball doesn’t stay so much on the stringbed. It’s fast but i would like it to be thinner because you feel the mass of the head. On the other hand very easy to manoeuvre on volleys. Feel is closer to latest yonex VCP97 and doesn’t remind of Clash…. the only common with clash it would be probably that they are both perfect for the arm but they behave differently. We shall see how the playtest will unfold….
First impressions on the wall hitting. Very solid frame….. no vibrations and no instability. It has a muted feel but in a good way…. It doesn’t flex like Clash…. ball doesn’t stay so much on the stringbed. It’s fast but i would like it to be thinner because you feel the mass of the head. On the other hand very easy to manoeuvre on volleys. Feel is closer to latest yonex VCP97 and doesn’t remind of Clash…. the only common with clash it would be probably that they are both perfect for the arm but they behave differently. We shall see how the playtest will unfold….
Return_Ace
Hall of Fame
Pretty much all new Head rackets have come with this for compatibility with the Head Tennis Sensor iirc (so it can be swapped out without significantly changing the specs).
Wheelz
Hall of Fame
I think you can easily just swap a normal end cap that’s about 2g. If that’s what you want. I don’t mind it, easier to match sticks if I need to alter balance or weight.
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
Cause you can’t handle the Boom
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
All head rackets have been coming that way (and TK82S pallets) since the 360+ series. One exception was the PT2.0 release…
That is the first thing I swap on all of them - pallets and buttcap.
DJTaurus
Hall of Fame
My verdict on Boom pro: identity crisis. First of all you can’t call Boom a racquet that doesn’t belong among tweeners. Power wise it stays between Speed Mp and radical pro. I found radical mp to offer more free power and the reason is the way this racquet behaves. Feel is a mix between clash and latest VCP97….. not so plush like clash but closer to the dry/soft feel of VCP97. It’s very very very soft but in a bad muted way without any byte on the ball. Somewhere i read that a user described it like having 10 dampeners on it. He exaggerated but to me not too far away. And my boom pro was strung with Hyper G which offers tons of byte and feel. The shape of the head is very forgiving but the sweet spot felt so small…. out of it there is no free power. I didn’t have any issues with the head shape on my forehand but it was weird on my 1HB with instability at 3/9 area…. the reason is that the mold should be thinner…. I don’t know the specs but it feels like it has the same thick profile all over it. At last my third knock is that it behaves erratic like clash. Without reason some/same shots will go in and others will sail long……
The only thing i enjoyed on this racquet is the PJ. I read that in many regions its already selling like crazy. It’s for sure a top racquet for arm issues but if i had tennis elbow i would choose clash…. which i also don’t like.
The only thing i enjoyed on this racquet is the PJ. I read that in many regions its already selling like crazy. It’s for sure a top racquet for arm issues but if i had tennis elbow i would choose clash…. which i also don’t like.
McEncock
Professional
It's the first time I buy a new racquet in 9 years.
I don't regret a single euro of the 188€
Silicone in the handle, swap trap door, and raised the swingweiht to 351
16g full poly at 50lbs
This stick gives me everything. Touch, spin, power, comfort, angles, volley, drop shots...
It's the best non Autria made racquet I've played so far.
It''s a string eater, but I am switching to it even if I am on a budget =)
I don't regret a single euro of the 188€
Silicone in the handle, swap trap door, and raised the swingweiht to 351
16g full poly at 50lbs
This stick gives me everything. Touch, spin, power, comfort, angles, volley, drop shots...
It's the best non Autria made racquet I've played so far.
It''s a string eater, but I am switching to it even if I am on a budget =)
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God I hope not...
McEncock
Professional
You don't hope what?
I hope it’s not a string eater.
I can confirm the MP is
Well, it's can't be as bad as the Extreme MP was that I'm coming from where I had to restring every three hits.
BallBasher247
Professional
Pwr lvl should be similar to the EZ. # of throat mains makes v little diff in racket pwr lvl; that’s more to do w/ weight & SW, stiffness, beam shape & thickness, headsize, etc in that order. EX: Strikes esp. 16x19 are powerful, more than sth like the Elevate I use or Ultra Pro 16x19 I used to use even tho Strike has 8 mains in the throat & Elevate/UP have 6. Boom might have a slightly higher launch angle bc EZ’s have super long grommets on their middle mains which limits string mvmt, but it shouldn’t be too high since it’s pretty tight. Demo it.
Fluffy_Skye
Semi-Pro
I'm curious about the average SW of boom pro. I see some YouTube reviews reported a SW that merely passes 310 and TW report a 325 SW. Can someone shed some light on this?
dr325i
G.O.A.T.
and he is NOT exaggerating!
tomkowy
Rookie
I agree a lot
I had an opportunity to play around 40 minutes with Boom Pro because stringjob for my Extreme Tour was late. I could compare the two closely. It's really nice to play relaxed rallies: forgiving, a lot of power, easy to play deep. Spin is OK, typical what you'd expect from 98 sq in and 16/19 pattern. It is dampened but I don't mind it. It somehow swings and feels similar to new VCore Pro 97 but I can't precisely tell why.
In match play the "identity crisis" shows up
I don't know if it was strings (no idea about strings or tension on the racquet) or racquet but I also felt that the stringbed response is erratic sometimes when I wanted to hit as hard as I can. Once a while ball flies long and I don't know why. Also the directional control was kind of meh. If they sacrificed so much control why not give even more power and do it a 100 sq in? Head tried to do a strech between VCore Pro 97 and a Pure Strike and in the end I don't think it's going to work for a fit, advanced player. If you like more control, you get a VCore Pro 97 or a Blade or a Gravity. If you like power, you get an Ezone 98 Tour or a Tecnifibre RS or a Pure Strike or a Speed MP, whatever you like. If you like more spin, you get an Extreme Tour or a VCore. It's not a bad racquet but an advanced player will look for a certain racquet, focused on one or two traits. Boom Pro kind of sits in the middle too much.After I switched to Extreme Tour (and mine is a bit heavier and has 5 - 10 points higher SW) I immediately felt similar power but with more control, more consistent response from the stringbed, more spin, it was easier to direct the ball.
I guess one kind of players that would enjoy Boom Pro are 55+ advanced players that played with a 90 - 95 sq in racquets with 340+ swingweight and want to find something easier to play. A lot of them won't admit that they need an easy 100 sq in racuqet ("I won't play with a frying pan!") so a 98 sq in and 330 SW that gives this easy power for mediocre swing speed - Boom Pro looks like a "reasonable" departure. It plays well when you don't want to swing it fast, hit very hard. Looking from the target group perspective Head may find a lot of players like that in US.
At the same time I see why Boom MP might be selling like crazy. If they created an arm-friendly Pure Drive, it's a jackpot for any beginner/ intermediate player. With lead it would be a good, arm-friendly alternative to a Pure Drive for junior players too.
StefanosWillSaveTheWorld
Rookie
I agree a lot
I had an opportunity to play around 40 minutes with Boom Pro because stringjob for my Extreme Tour was late. I could compare the two closely. It's really nice to play relaxed rallies: forgiving, a lot of power, easy to play deep. Spin is OK, typical what you'd expect from 98 sq in and 16/19 pattern. It is dampened but I don't mind it. It somehow swings and feels similar to new VCore Pro 97 but I can't precisely tell why.
In match play the "identity crisis" shows up
After I switched to Extreme Tour (and mine is a bit heavier and has 5 - 10 points higher SW) I immediately felt similar power but with more control, more consistent response from the stringbed, more spin, it was easier to direct the ball.
I guess one kind of players that would enjoy Boom Pro are 55+ advanced players that played with a 90 - 95 sq in racquets with 340+ swingweight and want to find something easier to play. A lot of them won't admit that they need an easy 100 sq in racuqet ("I won't play with a frying pan!") so a 98 sq in and 330 SW that gives this easy power for mediocre swing speed - Boom Pro looks like a "reasonable" departure. It plays well when you don't want to swing it fast, hit very hard. Looking from the target group perspective Head may find a lot of players like that in US.
At the same time I see why Boom MP might be selling like crazy. If they created an arm-friendly Pure Drive, it's a jackpot for any beginner/ intermediate player. With lead it would be a good, arm-friendly alternative to a Pure Drive for junior players too.
I agree with everything here. The appeal of the boom pro is that it is an easy-to-use , all-around 98 square inch "control" racquet. I think it's direct competitor is the ezone 98. I thought boom pro did everything well but didn't wow me with anything. If the feel was a little less muted then i would give it a little more consideration. I did like it more than the ezone 98 though.
The Boom MP is a great racquet that will sell well because it is appropriate for true beginners. It has easy power, it is moderately flexible, has a big sweetspot, and swings easy. whats not to like if you are a 3.0 to 4.0 player? It just feels too flimsy against pace.
I think phasing out the Instinct and adding the Boom was a wise choice for Head. Instinct was getting a little stale and i think this offering suits a wider variety of players. Head is definitely my favorite brand right now.
BallBasher247
Professional
Head still has the Instinct; just refreshed it for ‘22. Judging from the specs it’s a more controlled, softer tweener w/ a tight-ish 16x19 & ~65RA. Not marketed much but @$149 it’s a steal. All they did w/ the Boom line was make a firmer but equally dampened Clash competitor.
BP has an almost player’s frame spec but its stiffness means it plays bigger than you’d think & can prolly compete w/ EZ’s, Strikes etc in terms of pwr. A lot of ppl love these powerful 98’s so Head’s done well here.
Agreed on the BMP. Looks perfect for developing juniors & intermediate players or as a slightly firmer Clash alternative.
Here's a review of mine comparing the Boom Pro and Pure Aero demo's that I had over the weekend and posted in another thread. The Boom Pro was strung with Lynx Touch 16 at 54 lbs. I've been using a Prestige Graphene Touch MP for a few years but as I'm getting older I am looking for a bit more power and a bigger sweetspot without sacrificing too much on comfort and feel. 4.5 player. The Boom Pro did not disappoint and I strongly recommend that interested players give it a look!:
So I had several good hitting sessions during the past few days with both racquets. I enjoyed both frames as they were certainly different than my trusted (low powered) Prestige sticks.
The Pure Aero, strung with poly at mid-range, was phenomenal from the baseline. Great power, spin, and large sweetspot. I could keep the balls deep with decent but not great accuracy. Serving and returning were also strengths of this racquet for me. I could hit great kick serves and wide slice serves and also had good pop on flat serves. Acccuracy was ok. I could really step in to returns and be aggressive when needed. I struggled with volleys a bit. Relatively comfortable but definitely not the comfort that I am used to. The touch/feel on angles, dropshots, etc. was ok but not a strength.
The Boom Pro (like a few others have stated here) was good at everything. The specs from my Prestige were similar in a couple of areas...flex, balance, and "relatively" close swingweights. The Boom had a wider beam but not drastically. Also, a much bigger sweetspot and more power. Obviously similar grip shapes. I enjoyed this frame very much! Solid on serves and returns but slightly less spin, power, and kick than the PA. My returns were strong as the racquet felt very maneuverable and had good pace and control on returns. For me, this racquet really shined at the net. I play alot of doubles and the Boom was like a knife at net. Maneuverable, nice touch, and strong pop and ability to generate angles or place the ball where I wanted it to go. Much more comfortable for me than the PA. It also felt a bit better on my arm. Even though the swingweight is mid 320's, the racquet was easy to handle and swing.
All in all my favorite was the Boom Pro. Not a huge transition from my Prestige MP but with a definite increase in sweetspot, power, spin, and points off serve. Still had a nice comfort and feel with a nice plush feel coming off the racquet. I can see Head selling quite a few of these to "more mature" people like me looking to generate more power and spin than from their current players sticks. Or for juniors or strong intermediates looking for a player's racquet feel without sacrificing power.
Lots of other great recommendations here and I'm going to try a few this week - thanks to everyone that commented so far. That said, the Boom Pro seems like a real keeper for what I'm looking for. I was pleasantly surprised!
So I had several good hitting sessions during the past few days with both racquets. I enjoyed both frames as they were certainly different than my trusted (low powered) Prestige sticks.
The Pure Aero, strung with poly at mid-range, was phenomenal from the baseline. Great power, spin, and large sweetspot. I could keep the balls deep with decent but not great accuracy. Serving and returning were also strengths of this racquet for me. I could hit great kick serves and wide slice serves and also had good pop on flat serves. Acccuracy was ok. I could really step in to returns and be aggressive when needed. I struggled with volleys a bit. Relatively comfortable but definitely not the comfort that I am used to. The touch/feel on angles, dropshots, etc. was ok but not a strength.
The Boom Pro (like a few others have stated here) was good at everything. The specs from my Prestige were similar in a couple of areas...flex, balance, and "relatively" close swingweights. The Boom had a wider beam but not drastically. Also, a much bigger sweetspot and more power. Obviously similar grip shapes. I enjoyed this frame very much! Solid on serves and returns but slightly less spin, power, and kick than the PA. My returns were strong as the racquet felt very maneuverable and had good pace and control on returns. For me, this racquet really shined at the net. I play alot of doubles and the Boom was like a knife at net. Maneuverable, nice touch, and strong pop and ability to generate angles or place the ball where I wanted it to go. Much more comfortable for me than the PA. It also felt a bit better on my arm. Even though the swingweight is mid 320's, the racquet was easy to handle and swing.
All in all my favorite was the Boom Pro. Not a huge transition from my Prestige MP but with a definite increase in sweetspot, power, spin, and points off serve. Still had a nice comfort and feel with a nice plush feel coming off the racquet. I can see Head selling quite a few of these to "more mature" people like me looking to generate more power and spin than from their current players sticks. Or for juniors or strong intermediates looking for a player's racquet feel without sacrificing power.
Lots of other great recommendations here and I'm going to try a few this week - thanks to everyone that commented so far. That said, the Boom Pro seems like a real keeper for what I'm looking for. I was pleasantly surprised!
McEncock
Professional
I measured with my dunlop sw machine that 16g poly added 39sw points to the BP!! It went from 312 to 351!!!! Imagine how much sw a 16g poly in a 18x20 racquet adds....
And then once you hit a winner or ace
"And...boom goes the dynamite"
pfrischmann
Professional
I've had a Boom Pro for a few weeks now. It's a very interesting racquet. I'm switching from the Dunlop CX-200 pro 18X20. I love that racquet but feel it can be too demanding on my 52 year old out of shape butt. I see the Boom Pro as being in between the Pure Aero and the CX-200 Tour. Both Racquets I've used recently. It has more feel and nuance that the Babolat and is more stable on volleys but is very muted compared to the Dunlop and has much of it's weight in the handle and throat, like the Aeros. It makes it whippy but less stable and harder to feel in the air. Serve has been the harderst to adjust to but that's always the last thing to come around for me. It needs more mass in the head. I've added a little lead at 3 and 9. We will see. If you want a kinder gentler pure Aero with a little more feel and stablility and a little easier on the arm. This is worth a shot. I'm not crazy about the paint job....
McEncock
Professional
It's been a one month since I switched to the Boom Pro, and it's a lock 
I love the frame so much that when I brake the strings and have to play with another racquet, it's a torture
(I have only one Boom Pro atm)
Don't listen to the review that says it's an "objective bad racquet". Please try it!
So far, to control its power and to improve durability (yeah, it's a real string eater), I am stringing it exclusively with 16g full poly at 50lbs.
I've tried hybrid poly, shaped poly, full round poly... Everything works for her, as long as it's 16g and poly.
Enjoy!
I love the frame so much that when I brake the strings and have to play with another racquet, it's a torture
(I have only one Boom Pro atm)Don't listen to the review that says it's an "objective bad racquet". Please try it!
So far, to control its power and to improve durability (yeah, it's a real string eater), I am stringing it exclusively with 16g full poly at 50lbs.
I've tried hybrid poly, shaped poly, full round poly... Everything works for her, as long as it's 16g and poly.
Enjoy!
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Fluffy_Skye
Semi-Pro
I see a lot of comparisons between BP and Radical Pro. How does it compare to Radical MP? Radical MP is a bit stiff for me and the small sweet spot doesn't give me much confidence. Although as I practice more I can hit the sweet spot much more consistently. Nevertheless, in concept, BP seems like a great racket: a 98 gravity, a forgiving radical. The turnoff for me is the slightly heavier weight and the paint job. If it's 300 or 305 grams with a more aggressive paint job like the radical (maybe reverse the black and blue painting), I would go for it. Some of the reviews pointed out BP can be erratic and lose control at times. How does power and control compares between BP and Radical MP? Also, is it more comfortable despite the high RA rating?
McEncock
Professional
The boom pro shines with 16g poly, and its stringbed is very predictable with that kind of string. The launch angle is perfect.
I think the bald guy with the soft voice on youtube had it strung too loose or with a too powerful string.
Also, the boom pro weights 300g If you remove the buttcap.
It doesnt feel stiff at all, and I come from MIA prestige 600... So I have very high standards regarding comfort =)
I cannot compare it to the radical as I never tested it.
I think the bald guy with the soft voice on youtube had it strung too loose or with a too powerful string.
Also, the boom pro weights 300g If you remove the buttcap.
It doesnt feel stiff at all, and I come from MIA prestige 600... So I have very high standards regarding comfort =)
I cannot compare it to the radical as I never tested it.
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McEncock
Professional
Another lovely hitting session with my freshly strung Boom Pro.
Solinco Outlast 16g is no joke ; tension maintenance and durability are out of this world.
Like all the other 16g poly, it adds 39 swingweight points to the Boom Pro! There must be something special with the teardrop shape. My guess is that the longer crosses toward the bumperguard add that extra swingweight points when strung. To compare, I strung yesterday my two 18x20 360+ prestige MP with Adrenaline 16L, and it added "only" 31 swingweight points...
So, back on the courts, Outlast 16 played GREAT in my Boom Pro at 52. Ofcourse you get less feel and spin, especially with low racquet head speed shots like drop shots. For those, I feel I get more shape on the ball with a softer stringbed. But overall, I understand why mister Brooksby uses this string. It's very predictable and low powered. Backhand was good, few mistakes both slice and topspin. I felt my forehand was working better than every before. It's my best weapon but also the most sensitive one ; I have to hit a lot to really "find" my forehand, and sometimes I just don't find it after 2 hours of hitting...
But since I switched to the Boom Pro, I feel I "find" my forehand quicker, and I get this totaly relaxed/unleashed feeling I look for.
Switching to the right racquet for your game can really upgrade your level.
I still don't regret a single Euro I spent for this racquet
Solinco Outlast 16g is no joke ; tension maintenance and durability are out of this world.
Like all the other 16g poly, it adds 39 swingweight points to the Boom Pro! There must be something special with the teardrop shape. My guess is that the longer crosses toward the bumperguard add that extra swingweight points when strung. To compare, I strung yesterday my two 18x20 360+ prestige MP with Adrenaline 16L, and it added "only" 31 swingweight points...
So, back on the courts, Outlast 16 played GREAT in my Boom Pro at 52. Ofcourse you get less feel and spin, especially with low racquet head speed shots like drop shots. For those, I feel I get more shape on the ball with a softer stringbed. But overall, I understand why mister Brooksby uses this string. It's very predictable and low powered. Backhand was good, few mistakes both slice and topspin. I felt my forehand was working better than every before. It's my best weapon but also the most sensitive one ; I have to hit a lot to really "find" my forehand, and sometimes I just don't find it after 2 hours of hitting...
But since I switched to the Boom Pro, I feel I "find" my forehand quicker, and I get this totaly relaxed/unleashed feeling I look for.
Switching to the right racquet for your game can really upgrade your level.
I still don't regret a single Euro I spent for this racquet
