Head Hawk Playtest!

[jman32]

Hawk 1,25 play test

stick: prince Diablo mid, modded with 8 grams of lead at 12'olock. 1HBH (slice and top), semi western FH, 4.0-4.5
regular string yonex tour HS 1.25, 46/44 pound on CP machine

stringing - strung the hawk 17g 48/46 pounds on CP machine, added 3 power pads (small leather squares in the throat added between the string and grommets)- no issues when stringing

Based on a 2 hours of hitting and match play:

Power - this is mid powered for poly. no free power, but enough when struck hard. if you need more, lower the tension. the string felt like it can be played at a lower tension if desired.

Feel - firm and solid, but not stiff. this is the feel i like. not "mushy" at all

Spin - above average for a round poly, which is to say good. ball depth and spin were easy to control. but not overly spinney which might create short balls. spin is there if you want it, but not getting in the way when flatting out. BH slice did not float, knifed in and stayed low. i would want a hair more spin, possibly lower tension would help, but i would not trade control for it.

Comfort -the hawk was solid/firm without being hard on my arm. i like firmer feeling strings, i usually do not have issues with most strings.

Durability - no issues yet, no notching. i have had issues with notching on softer polys such as BHBR

Playability Duration - not much change in the 2 hour play, i will update as i play more.

Control - very good control, ball went exactly where i aimed it. launch was in line with other control/lower powered polys. it was easy to flatten out groundies and servers, control was spot on when struck hard

Compare to the string - hawk is similar to yonex PTP 1.25, Hawk is a good all around performer.

Tension recommendations - i was happy with the 48/46. i would try 46/44 to see if it plays with similar control and a little added spin.

additional thoughts - i really enjoyed playing with this string. it has everything i am looking for in a string. however it is more expensive than other similar options (yonex PTP 1.25). at $15/set if the string lasts longer than other options, the cost will be justified, not sure at this time. i will update this as i play more.

 

[PowerLob]

Tension used for playtest
52 lbs

Regular string set up
Luxilon 4G, 52 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test
Prince TT Scream OS with 2 extra ounces of weight added to the inside of the handle/neck. 4 points HL.

Power of test string
A little bit underpowered for a poly string. But it doesn't have the trampoline effect that poly strings are notorious for. 6/10

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Awesome. It feels crisp but also muted. Good pocketing for when I need to put some finesses on my shots. 8 /10

Spin
Good spin generation, but not as much as the other poly strings that I have tested. Seems like the right amount for my game though. It seems like these strings provide better backspin than topspin because my drop shots are just amazing. 8/10

Comfort
This is the most comfortable poly string that I have ever played with. Very forgiving and soft on my wrist/elbow. No pain after 10 hours and 16 sets. 9/10

Durability
I got 10 hours of hard hitting in and these strings are still in good shape. I got a bit of notching on the mains at around the 6 hour mark but it looks like they are good for a few more hours. These strings are marketed for their snapback to generate spin, but I think that the notching will eventually restrict this functionality. 9/10

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
As with all strings, they take about an hour to get used to. For the next 6-7 hours, they performed as expected, during with time I was able drastically reduce my unforced errors. They became slightly more stiff and gave me a little less spin in hours 9-10. I think that this process will continue until they became unplayable in the next few hours. 7/10

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Excellent control. Once I was able "become one" with the strings, I was able to get pretty much every shot back with the placement that I wanted. Depth and side control were also excellent. Hard ground strokes look like they would go long and then hit the baseline at the last second due to spin generation. But the best thing about this string was the volleys. I was able to place my volleys on a dime with the proper spin. If you are a net player, these strings are for you 10/10

Compare to the string you use most often
I was a long time synthetic gut user. Recently, I switched over to poly. These Head Hawk strings have the best of both worlds. The control of synthetic gut but the spin and durability of poly. I only wish it gave me more power. 9/10

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I strung this string at 52 lbs, which is my normal tension for poly strings, and I think it is just right for me. This is probably higher than for most players. But I am a 4.0-4.5 player with hard spinning groundstrokes and aggressive net play, so I need the extra tension.

List any additional thoughts
This is a very good string. If Head made a 16 gauge version of this string, I would buy it. I also want to experiment how this string will perform as a hybrid with synthetic gut. Maybe Tennis Warehouse can send me another set for review? Ha Ha.

I just ordered a string tension gauge, so I'll be able to better perfect my string setup. Also, my future string reviews will be more quantitative.

Thanks for selecting me for the playtest and I hope to do it again.

 

[jason n]

Tension used for playtest
54lbs

Regular string set up
prince beast xp

Racquet brand and model used for test
Dunlop 4D 300 tour

Power of test string
This string had the perfect amount of power for me. I was able to put good pace on all shots without the ball flying out. Compared to other polys i would give this a 7/10.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Great feel on all shots. Ball pocketing was nice too. I normally play with a dampener and tried with and without and i just got so much feedback on this string without dampener. Did not get any jarring feeling on off center. 9/10

Spin
A very good amount of spin can be generated without a whole lot of effort. I was taking some big swings and the ball always dropped in. My hitting partner also mentioned that i was producing more spin than normal. 8/10

Comfort
This string was very easy on the arm and wrist. While I was stringing my racquet i was kind of worried cause it seemed kind of stiff, i guess cause of the recoil, but when it was time to play it was just pure bliss. 9/10

Durability
Do to only being able to play indoors do to winter i only played 3 hours. There was no sign of fraying and the string did not once moved out of place on me. 9/10

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
I went a week and a half in between my two hitting sessions and did not notice any drop in tension. If felt and played pretty much the same as the first hit. 9/10

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Control was easy to achieve. I could flatten out my shots and place them where i wanted and could also add some spin for some short cross court shots. The ball seemed to come off my racquet better on my backhand than normal and i could place it with more confidence. 9/10

Compare to the string you use most often
This string plays very much like prince beast xp. They are almost equal except that the Hawk string offers greater control and a little better feel.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I got lucky when choosing the tension i strung it at and i would not change that tension.
List any additional thoughts (optional)
Just a well rounded string that is very good in all aspects and never found a down side to this string. I hope they keep the price reasonable. Actually one down side was the recoil when stringing, probably one of the worse recoil that ive dealt with lately.

 

[AC Tennis]

My review

About me: 4.5 all court player. 1hb, doubles and singles.
I got the 17g white string.

Tension used for playtest: 48lbs

Regular string set up: Beast XP 17g 50 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Head IG Radical Pro

Power of test string: Power was average, maybe a little above average. So good power. No complaints.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): This was a bit complicated. On groundstrokes the feel was pretty good. It was crisp, yet gave enough that it was not harsh. Good feedback if you swing through. On the other hand, I found that touch shots were difficult. I think that the ball came of the strings a bit too quickly for me. So anything that needed dwell time, such as drop shots, drop volleys, lob volleys etc, were hard to hit. But if you swing through, the feel was fine.

Spin: Good spin. Above average for a round poly. Good topspin and slice and good slice and kick on serves.

Comfort: Confort was good, especially for a crisp string. Eventhough the feel was crisp and the string was not too powerful, I did not experience any arm pain, even after a long hitting session. As compaired with the 4G rough, which was low powered and felt pretty good, but after a long hitting session, I felt arm pain.

Durability: Great. After about 15hours I didn't notice much change in tension, resiliency, or string movement. Good long lasting string!

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): See above, but not much change over time.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?):
Control was good, especially when swinging fast. I did have a bit more problems when I slowed down my swing. So swing out and you should have not problems.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compaired to Beast XP 17g, the Hawk was crisper and lower powered. It retains its tension better than Beast and gives more control. On the other hand, Beast has a softer feel and gives me better touch. Beast also has more power. Spin is slightly better with Hawk.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would lower the tension to about 45 or 46lbs. Even at 48 the Hawk could have used a bit more power and a lower tension may give it a bit more feel on tough shots. That would be my preference.

List any additional thoughts (optional): Overall a good string that does everything pretty well and maintains its characteristics for a long time. I think I will stick with Beast XP for now as it just feels better to me for my game.

Thanks TW for the chance to playtest!

 

[zapvor]

interesting to see the differnt ppl that got picked

 

[martyr444]

Head Hawk Playtest

Tension used for playtest 55#

Regular string set up Depends on time of the year but currently Volkl Cyclone Tour 16 String Red 55#

Racquet brand and model used for test Head YOUTEK IG Prestige Pro

Power of test string -A little less power than my Volkl Tour but quite a bit more than my Ashway Kevlar. I would place it at a little above average compared to the many polys I have used.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) It's a little stiffer and more crisp than my Volkyl Tour. Not mushy at all.

Spin I got great spin with it, just a little less than my Volkyl Tour.

Comfort Plenty of comfort for me, right up there with my Volky Tour.

Durability Because of our colder than normal weather I haven't been able to play as much so I cannot give an accurate opinion on the durability.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) It played the same during my 6 hours of testing so that's a good sign that it would stay consistent for me until it breaks or I feel the need to change it out.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Very predictable control and the trajectory. I'm more of a power player verses a touch player so most of my swings are at full throttle. When I did approach the net I didn't run into any control issues with volleys. I had very good control when flattening out my shots and it was actually a little better in that department compared to my Volkyl Tour.

Compare to the string you use most often Overall I would say it provided a little less spin but more directional control. Not quite as soft feeling but still good for me in that department. A little less free power but still plenty of power for my game.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I would use it at the same tension as my current string because for me it played close enough to the same that it didn't effect my game in a negative way at all.

List any additional thoughts (optional) It's a good string over all, but in the end if a string plays close to the same as another, it then comes down to pricing. Thanks TW for the play test which is always a blast!

 

[parasailing]

Tension used for playtest 55#

Regular string set up Depends on time of the year but currently Volkl Cyclone Tour 16 String Red 55#

Racquet brand and model used for test Head YOUTEK IG Prestige Pro

Power of test string -A little less power than my Volkl Tour but quite a bit more than my Ashway Kevlar. I would place it at a little above average compared to the many polys I have used.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) It's a little stiffer and more crisp than my Volkyl Tour. Not mushy at all.

Spin I got great spin with it, just a little less than my Volkyl Tour.

Comfort Plenty of comfort for me, right up there with my Volky Tour.

Durability Because of our colder than normal weather I haven't been able to play as much so I cannot give an accurate opinion on the durability.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) It played the same during my 6 hours of testing so that's a good sign that it would stay consistent for me until it breaks or I feel the need to change it out.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Very predictable control and the trajectory. I'm more of a power player verses a touch player so most of my swings are at full throttle. When I did approach the net I didn't run into any control issues with volleys. I had very good control when flattening out my shots and it was actually a little better in that department compared to my Volkyl Tour.

Compare to the string you use most often Overall I would say it provided a little less spin but more directional control. Not quite as soft feeling but still good for me in that department. A little less free power but still plenty of power for my game.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I would use it at the same tension as my current string because for me it played close enough to the same that it didn't effect my game in a negative way at all.

List any additional thoughts (optional) It's a good string over all, but in the end if a string plays close to the same as another, it then comes down to pricing. Thanks TW for the play test which is always a blast!

Now I don't have to try this string since I also use the Volkl Cyclone Tour.

 

[EastAngels2014]

Tension used for playtest: 52lbs
Regular string set up: Kirshbaum pro line X 52lbs (thinking of dropping it in to the mid 40's
Racquet brand and model used for test: Head Prestige IG MP
Power of test string: A tad less power than pro line X but still a good amount for a full bed of poly.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Compared to Pro Line X it felt about the same, pretty firm and crisp which is what i like out of a poly.
Spin: It had a little less spin than pro line X but it was still a good amount of it there to work with.
Comfort: I am 17 and don't have any arm problems so a full be of poly in an 18x 20 does not bother me, so i felt that it was pretty comfortable.
Durability: It has been cold in Denver so i havent been able to play as much as i would like so dont have a comment of durability.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): I have hit with it for about 6 hours and i haven't noticed much of a difference since the first time that I hit with it. More to come here once i play with it some more.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Being a poly full bed it had plenty of control, no shots really got away from me. I could place it where i wanted, with depth and spin. Almost every time i made good clean contact i knew where the ball was going to go. Flattening out shots was very easy and i could rip a forehand up the line if it was needed. The control was probably my favorite part of this string because i can create the power on my own.
Compare to the string you use most often: Since i also use a round full bed of poly it didn't feel that different from my normal set up, except for a little less spin and power.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) Because of the cold weather i would probably drop it a few pounds like i said before I am thinking of dropping my normal set up in to the mid 40's so I i would probably do the same with this string.
List any additional thoughts (optional): I am very happy to have been able to try this string. Thank you TW. I love trying out new strings to try and find the perfect set up for my game and my racquet. It was very comfortable for a poly and had plenty of control. These where my two favorite things about this string. Thanks again TW.

 

[seekay]

Tension used for playtest: 48lb

Regular string set up: Pacific Prime Gut @ 48lb/Genesis Black Magic @ 45lb

Racquet brand and model used for test: Wilson BLX2 Six.One 95 16x18

Power of test string: Relatively low, which is right where this string should be.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Impressive feel for a poly. Both in stringing and playing, it was softer than I'd expected.

Spin: Excellent. Not quite on the level of shaped strings like Big Hitter Black or Tour Bite, but the smooth slippery outer coating creates a lot of action and some impressive spin.

Comfort: Better than average for a poly. I didn't find myself thinking about how impacts felt, which is a good sign.

Durability: Standard for a poly: it'll lose playability well before I would break it.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Playability held up nicely. I'm sure the tension dropped a fair bit during the duration of my playtest, but it didn't seem to hinder performance. I'm starting to see some of the shine leaving the strings in the sweet spot, so I expect it to drop off as friction increases.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): No problems. The string did what I asked it to and very rarely surprised me.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to gut/poly, a full poly stringjob is going to be stiffer and less comfortable. But Head Hawk surprised me; it's not nearly as far off in comfort as I'd expect from a poly.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): 48lb felt right for me. I wouldn't be tempted to change it.

List any additional thoughts (optional): I found a lot in common between Head Hawk and Wilson Ripspin. Hawk might have a slight edge in comfort, but for me the strings play similarly enough that I'm not sure I'd pay more for Hawk.

Thanks to TW and Head for the opportunity to try out a nice new string.

 

[West Coast Ace]

2 more hours of groundstrokes (8 total): still no signs of wear. String still arm friendly even though the starting temp here in So Cal was 43 this morning. Tension did drop from 44 to 42 (according to RacquetTune app) since last reading after previous hit.

At this point I will probably make the permanent switch from PPS to Hawk; getting the same playability and significantly more longevity.

 

[Nuke]

Tension used for playtest
55 pounds mains & crosses

Regular string set up
Topspin Cyber Flash 17 or Tourna Big Hitter Silver 17 mains and Gosen OGSM 16 crosses, all at 55 pounds

Racquet brand and model used for test
Prince Warrior OS

Power of test string
About average for a smooth poly. This means it’s lower powered than other types of string (syngut, multi, nat gut) but that’s a plus for players with a fast swing – you can swing out with this string and get some good bite and spin on the ball without hitting it too long.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Crisp, and that’s how I like it. Probably not the string you want if you hit a lot of soft touch shots, but for full, fast swings from the baseline, it’s great. That’s not to say you can’t hit a drop shot with this string, but it’s not going to be a soft dropper where you pocket the ball on the stings, but a chopper where you slice through the ball with a lot of backspin. Works for me, but your mileage may vary, depending on your stokes.

Spin
Very good. Not the sort of grabby spin you get from some of the newer springy, twisted, textured poly strings, but the more predictable snap-back like I get from my regular polys (Cyber Flash and Big Hitter Silver). This is a string after my own heart, and not some new innovation. While some of the newer strings give some really crazy spins, these don’t always hold up over the life of the string, while the more predictable spin from a round string like this seems to hold up better over the life of the string. I’m good with this.

Comfort
About what I expect for a modern round poly. It felt pretty wiry in the hand while stringing, so I was tempted to drop the tension a few pounds, but I kept to my normal 55 pounds for a fair comparison. I wouldn’t call this a “comfort” string, but it felt about right for a poly, so no complaints here.

Durability
Ack. Bad weather here (Charlotte NC area) the past couple of weekends, so I was only able to get about six hours on the string, with the deadline for review coming up this week. The string is holding up fine so far, but I typically cut out poly strings around 15 hours, so I don’t know for sure if this one is going to last that far yet. I don’t see any major notching yet, and the string has settled in a bit for a nicer feel, so it’s probably at least as good as average, if not better for durability. I’ll update my review if it drops off a cliff next weekend (I know, that’s after the deadline – sorry, but that’s winter weather for you).

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
It did soften up a bit after an hour or two, so it’s less crisp but more comfortable at this point. Seems to be holding like this for awhile and I’m OK with this feel. Probably will go a few more hours like this, but I’m not likely to play again until next weekend, and that’s after the deadline for reviews. Again, I’ll come back and update my review if it drops off a cliff next weekend (but that’s after the review deadline).

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Really good here. At least as good, if not better than Cyber Flash and Big Hitter. Maybe just a tad less control than Lux 4G, but Head Hawk isn’t nearly as stiff as the Lux and gives better spin, so you gain the better depth control that the spin gives you. This was a bit of a surprise to me, as I thought control and spin were trade-offs. This one had both good spin and control, so this was a winner for me.

Compare to the string you use most often
Compared to Cyber Flash, the Head Hawk has slightly better control. Similar spin potential and comfort for both strings. Hard to tell about durability, as recent weather has limited my play in the past few weeks, but HH seems at least as good as Cyber Flash at this point. If price were not an issue, I could probably use HH and CF interchangeably, but I have to point out that HH shows up on Tennis Warehouse at about double the price of CF. I like HH, but I’m not sure I’d switch to it at twice the price of CF.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
55 pounds seems OK for me, but I like a firm, crisp feel. Lots of folks on Talk Tennis seem to be going much lower for poly strings these days, so maybe I’m in the minority here. If you hit a lot of soft touch shots, maybe a lower tension would be better, but my “soft” shots are just heavier spin, so I probably need higher tension than most folks for a poly.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
As some others noted, this string really wants to get away from you when you uncoil it. Strings up OK, though, and didn’t feel nearly as bad as I thought it was going to. I like this string as a happy medium between my usual Cyber Flash (good all-around) and Lux 4G (less spin but absolute control). <sigh> If only it were priced closer to CF than Lux.

As always, thanks to Tennis Warehouse and Head for providing the opportunity to try out this new string.

 

[mattavery24]

Head Hawk Playtest

Tension used for playtest
Regular string set up – Tour Bite 16l at 55 pounds

Racquet brand and model used for test
AeroPro Drive 2013 customized to 12.6 ounces with a flared butt cap.

Power of test string
Average power for a poly, but very low powered compared to any synthetic, multi, or nat gut. Reminded me a lot of Yonex Poly Tour Pro.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
I felt this string had a nice muted feel, it allowed for me to have a lot of control and feel confident swinging out on all shots. It has better feel than tour bite because it is not as stiff.

Spin
7/10 I would say this has great spin for a smooth poly, but does not offer as much spin as tour bite, black widow, or 4g rough. For a smooth poly it has more spin than yonex poly tour pro. I was able to swing out and fast, so I was able to generate a good amount of spin with this string. Definitely a great spin string if you are not using a textured poly.

Comfort
10/10 for me this poly played much softer than tour bite but still allowed me to have good control. I think this is in the mid range for stiffness, but I do not have a sensitive arm to stiff strings. I had zero issues with comfort with this string.

Durability
7/10 above average for a poly, it broke right around the 10 hour mark which is more than I would typically get for a 17g poly. I found that it was a little hard to control at the end, but it still was plenty playable until breakage.

Playability Duration
This string played great for the first 6 hours, then turned a little softer and it started to be a little harder to control. This is pretty normal for a poly and is expected, so once I adjusted to the extra power, it was fine.

Control
9/10 The control was great on this string, I really loved this string from the baseline, I felt that I was able to dictate rallies and control the depth on my shots. I was hitting in the back third of the court and causing a lot of off balance shots for my opponents. I found this string to perform best with a fast, full swing from the baseline.

Compare to the string you use most often
It is a different string because Solinco Tour Bite is not a smooth poly like Head Hawk. I was able to generate similar results because of the control of the hawk string. I think that it does not offer as much spin, but does have a nice muted control oriented feel.

Tension recommendations
55 I would keep it the same, I play with all of my full poly set ups at this tension and until the string lost some tension it played great. If you are not a typical poly user I would string a little lower, maybe 50 as a starting point.

List any additional thoughts
Thank you very much Tennis Warehouse for this opportunity to playtest a new string. Happy Holidays everyone.

 

[Brocolt]

Tension used for playtest 48lbs full bed on a lockout

Regular string set up 48/46 Solinco tour bite soft

Racquet brand and model used for test Prince exo3 tour 18/20

Power of test string medium for a poly or slightly lower.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) Crisp for the first 4 hrs then started to feel a little muted as it lost some tension but nothing like the softer polys I have played

Spin Average for a poly say 6-10 this is getting pretty picky because it had more than enough spin needed as I find with just about any poly

Comfort average again 6-10 a little softer than the average run of the mill polys but I tend to only hit with the softest polys like black widow, TBsoft yppt etc and I would not put this with those string.

Durability Predictable, fine nothing to remark on the strings played great until I cut them out as with all polys I got a good 10 hrs out of the strings with the typical tension lost

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) Like I said this string was very predictable and played similar to most top tier polys. Felt crisp and fresh first few hours then they settled in nicely for their main portion of like then slowly went into retirement before I had to lay them off and hire a younger work force.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) Control was above average compare to the polys I will typically play. The lack of power let me swing away with confidence knowing the ball would always hit the mark. Groundstrokes 10/10 Volleys 7/10 Serve 9/10

Compare to the string you use most oftenMore control with maybe slightly more spin ( result of being able to swing harder) however, I would not be able to play strings long term due to being slightly stiffer and I fear my arm would suffer

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would continue to string lower until I felt loss of control I think this poly would play great at the 46lb mark

List any additional thoughts (option I felt this is a great all around poly that will suit many players needs. good in all areas not super great or terrible in any one category.

 

[bigserving]

TENSION USED FOR PLAYEST - 50 Lbs. on a freshly calibrated lockout machine.

REGULAR STRING SETU - Normally a full set Dunlop Black Widow 17 gauge, 50 lbs x 50 lbs strung on a lockout machine.

RACQUET BRAND AND MODEL USED - Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Tour.

POWER OF STRING TESTED - Low overall as expected, but on the higher side of average for a polyester. The thin 17 gauge probably added some welcome pop.

FEEL - A nice crisp feel without feeling overly stiff or boardy. Very nice for a polyester. One of better characteristics of this string.

SPIN - As expected for a poly great spin. I think that I got slightly more than an average amount of polyester spin from this string.

COMFORT - It is polyester so it feels quite stiff as expected. However, they felt on the more comfortable side for a poly. No discomfort nor pain, or muscle fatigue was experienced.

DURABILITY - The test period was six sets of singles over a five day period. The strings did not break during the test and showed no premature wear or excessive notching during the test.

PLAYABILITY DURATION- Very durable in that regard. The playability held very nicely with only a slight, noticeable, drop in playability during the test. At this rate, I would not feel the need to re-string at this point.

CONTROL - Fantastic. This is why the pros use polyester strings.

CONTROL ON DIFFERENT STROKES AND DIFFERENT SWING SPEEDS - This string felt the best on groundstrokes off of both sides. I was able to comfortably hit through the ball while maintaining pinpoint control (for me) without much threat of balls sailing beyond the baseline. Volleys were still crisp and had very decent feel. My kick serve suffered a bit loss in bite compared to my normal setup due to reduced spin creation.

COMPARE TO 17 G DUNLOP BLACK WIDOW - Black Widow has the edge in spin creation, feel, and comfort. Hawk has the edge in playability duration. Both are very good strings and had comparable power.

TENSION RECOMMENDATION - The test tension was right in the ballpark for me. There seems to be room to either increase or decrease tension to an individual player's taste. An increase in tension for players with more powerful frames, and decrease tension for players that like to generate their own power. In either case, it seems that the strings would maintain good playability. 45 to 52 pounds would be a good range suggestion.

FINAL THOUGHTS - A very good quality string. Definitely among the higher reviewed and comparable to the most popular polys on the market. Very good balance and blend between comfort, power, feel, and durability. I think that this would be a good string for any player to, at least, try. Because of the great balance in play characteristics, this could be a good transition-to-poly string for current multi and gut users. A 16 gauge or a thicker version may even provide more shock absorption for additional comfort and make this string attractive to an even larger group of players. I wouldn't be surprised if current poly users change to this string.

 

[NCAA2015]

Tension used for playtest[/B][/B]: 55 lbs

Regular string set up: Luxilon Alu Power 125 & Solinco Tourbite 16 @ 55 lbs

Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Drive Team Plus

Power of test string: This string can be considered medium powered. Comparing to some most popular poly strings used by junior and college players, it is not as powerful as Luxilon Alu Power or Solinco Tourbite, but is still way more powerful than Babolat RPM Blast or Yonex Poly Tour Pro. When I hit my normal ground strokes in the first 2 hours, I don’t notice any difference in or lack of power and can hit as hard as I can with the ball landed just inside the baseline. Things will change after about 2 hours… I will typically become a little tired and slow down my swing speed, when my hitting partner is still hitting as heavy as at the beginning, then my shots will sometimes land short and become sitters. Only at this time I kind of miss the power of Alu Power or Tourbite, that can help me counterpunch aggressively even with slow swing speed.

Feel: It is the most crisp feeling poly that I have ever played with. The feel is very unique. 55 lbs is by no means high tension for most polys, but I don’t feel the string bed pocketing the ball at all. The string bed feels like a ping pong peddle, which seems to hit the ball out a split second faster than other polys. Again the crisp feel is good and makes you think you hit the ball faster.

Spin: This string generates the normal amount of spin like most 17G polys. As pointed out in the last paragraph, the dwell time of the ball on the string bed seems to be a hair shorter, so it might fit flat hitters a little bit more. Of course individual playing styles decide how much top spin or under spin a player puts on the ball - to brush more or drive more.

Comfort: This is a very comfortable poly to play with. No harsh vibration is felt in wrist, elbow or shoulder through out the hitting sessions. Another characteristic worth mentioning – I didn’t weigh the string or the racquet, but this string seems to be on the lighter side which makes you feel like swinging a lighter racquet than my normal setup.

Durability: Similar to most top rated 17G co-polys.

Playability Duration: Excellent tension maintenance and liveliness after 8 to 10 hours of play.

Control: It has excellent control for a poly string. I kind of relate this string to most Head flagship racquets (Prestige & Radical) – control is emphasized well over power. I feel like I can hit the line with this string whenever I want to with improved predictability of directional and depth changes. However this level of control is achieved by playing almost perfect strokes and fast swing speed. Club players below 4.0 rating might not notice any difference using this string.
Compare to the string you use most often: Alu Power and Tourbite are still the big 2 go-to strings for most of today’s junior and college players, simply because their high power level absolutely fits today’s baseline bashing game. There are even less users of RPM due to its low power level, despite the continued endorsement of Nadal. Players are simply afraid of being over-powered by opponents due to the third set fatigue. Head Hawk might find some fans in Head’s endorsed pros and juniors first, because of its excellent control and predictable power.

Tension recommendations: 55 lbs for 100s; 53 lbs for 98s; 50 lbs for 95s.

 

[duffman]

Tension used for playtest: Strung at 46 lbs constant pull on a Stringway ML 100

Regular string set up: Have been using Yonex Pro Poly Tour 17g for the past few months

Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Storm Tour

Power of test string: Power of this string was fairly low, especially for the first hour of hitting. After the initial hour it loosened up and provided a little more pop but it was still a low powered string.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Initially it felt crisp which I really liked. However, after about 4 hours of hitting this crispness turned into a dull, mushy feeling.

Spin: Spin was about average for a full poly string setup. This is not a string that is going to give you any crazy action but does provide a nice, consistent spin that you can depend on.

Comfort: For how low powered this string was I was surprised by how comfortable it remained throughout the test. As the string aged it became more comfortable although the feel declined.

Durability: Durability was excellent. It took some a couple hours for any notching to develop. I would cut this string out before it ever broke.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): This string had a interesting life cycle. At first it felt nice and crisp but really low powered. After about the first hour, it really came into its own and was downright awesome. Perfect blend of control, feel, and spin. After about 3 hours of hitting this feeling started to gradually degrade into a mushy and somewhat unpredictable stringbed.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Control was excellent, one of the strongest attributes of this string especially for the first 3-4 hours. I could absolutely lay into balls on both sides with great confidence that the ball would go predictably where I wanted. Depth was also very consistent as the launch angle of this string was lower than many other polys that I've hit with.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to Yonex Pro Poly Tour, I would say that this string had more control initially and a little less power. However, it didn't maintain its playability as long as YPPT. It would be interesting to see if stringing it at a higher initial tension would help with the falloff in performance.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): If I were to use this string again I would increase the tension to around 50 lbs. From the initial tension that read at 46 lbs on racquettune, the string dropped into the mid 30's after about a week of play. After 8-10 hours the magic of the first couple hours was long gone and if it wasn't a playtest string I would have cut it out. I continued to play with it for another hour or so and it continued to get mushier. Hopefully increasing the initial tension would result in a longer period of acceptable performance.

 

[R-Fed]

Tension used for playtest
52 pounds on the mains and 54 pounds on the crosses

Regular string set up
Wilson Enduro Tour 18 gauge

Racquet brand and model used for test
Wilson nCode Six-One 95 16 x18

Power of test string
This string is not very powerful. I was able to take a full cut on the ball and not worry about the ball going long.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
The string had a nice feel on hard power volleys and had a soft feel with excellent control on half-volleys, short angle volleys, and drop volleys. It was easier to keep volleys and slices low while penetrating through the court.

Spin
I felt the string was able to generate more spin than the Wilson Enduro Tour or the Babolat Pro Hurricane polyester strings especially on the kick serve. The increased spin production allowed me to open the court with sharper angles than I am normally able to do with my current string.

Comfort
This string is very comfortable to play with after the initial tension loss.

Durability
I have been able to play with the string for about 30 hours and am still playing with it.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
The racquet played a little stiff initially after stringing, but then softened up over time and is very comfortable to play with.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
The first thing I noticed on court was I could aggressively put away a short ball deep in the court knowing it would stay in. It was a great feeling to see my opponent prepared for the honor of calling the ball out, only to see it nosedive a foot inside the court. Moreover, the ball seemed to explode off the court pushing them deeper behind the baseline.

It also seemed easier for me to redirect hard flat incoming shots deep into the court allowing me to transition from defense to offense. In addition, I could easily control the height of the ball bounce better with this string, allowing me to raise it above my opponents’ strike zone or to dip passing shots quicker on them.

Compare to the string you use most often
This string definitely has more spin than the Wilson Enduro Tour strings. In addition, it is more difficult to hit a deep drive groundstroke from deep behind the baseline without adding significant height to the stroke, thus making it more difficult to get the tennis ball past a poaching net player in doubles. This is not as much of an issue in singles.

The string felt softer during groundstroke rallies than I am accustomed to feeling with other polyester strings. While I did not initially like that feeling, it grew on me the longer I played with the string, perhaps making it an ideal string for a person with shoulder or arm problems.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I would not recommend a different tension than what I used on with my setup.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
I enjoyed stringing this racquet because it is one of the easiest polyester strings I have strung a racquet with because it did not have any major coil memory that is common with most polyester strings. The crosses easily slid into place, similar to a synthetic gut string. It was strung with 52 pounds on the mains and 54 pounds on the crosses with a 20% prestretch on an electronic constant pull machine.

Overall, I thought this was a very good string to play with and would not mind eventually switching to this string.



Thank Tennis-Warehouse and Head for the playtest opportunity!

 

[ejdtennis]

Tension used for playtest: 53 lbs.

Regular string set up: Kirschbaum Pro Line II 17 at 53 lbs.

Racquet brand and model used for test: Vantage Bastcore BC-30

Power of test string: 7/10 - Not bad for a poly, particularly after it loosened up a bit.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): 8/10 Soft. Excellent feel for a poly string. I even had decent feel at net and on touch shots.

Spin: 9/10 - One notch below the shaped/slick polys like RPM Blast, but still excellent.

Comfort: 7.5/10 - very nice for a poly (10 would be VS Touch or Wilson Natural Gut)

Durability: 8/10 I did no break the string in the 10 hours I played with it though it has started to notch. In my younger (harder hitting) days, I could give a better assessment here.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Tension maintenance was about the same as my Pro Line 2 - middle of the pack for a poly string. As the string loosened up, control decreased slightly, but I enjoyed the extra power. Spin remained accessible .

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Trajectory was very predictable for me.

Compare to the string you use most often: Had a touch more spin than my Pro Line 2 and similar tension loss. I would actually consider switching to this string though wish the price was a bit lower.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would probably keep the tension the same. In warmer weather, I might bump the tension up a couple of pounds to gain control, but not much more.

List any additional thoughts (optional): Really nice string from Head. I would recommend it for those who want a softer alternative to Luxilon strings. I preferred it to Luxilon's "soft" alternative, M2 Pro - for me, that string plays well for a few hours, then I want to cut it out.

 

[racertempo]

I had my dad test this string since I string his frames and he plays 3-4 days a week, so these replies were directly from him, 65 year old 3.5-4.0 who only plays with full beds of poly string.

Tension used for playtest 44#
Regular string set up 42-46# based on the weather and time of year with Wilson Spin Cycle in both frames.
Racquet brand and model used for test Wilson Khamsin Five
Power of test string Had a total lack of power compared to the my normal setup
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) This string was extremely stiff for my liking, as stiff as any I have tried. The stiffness really made me struggle at the net as well, not as much ball pocketing as I like and it felt like hitting volleys with a wood board.
Spin Spin was just not there for me, but I am used to only heavily twisted strings like Gamma Zo Twist, Pro Supex Blue Gear, and Wilson Spin Cycle. With my regular game the balls were not dropping nearly as much as I am used to.
Comfort Comfort was not a major issues, but it did feel extremely stiff compared to the others listed. My frame has the Wilson Triad technology to save my elbow, but even with that I could feel how stiff this stuff was.
Durability Played 4 days and a total of 9-10 hours with this string and just could not get used to it compared to my usual. A few days a played a couple of game with my other frame with Wilson Spin Cycle and it was like I instantly could get spin and bite on the ball again. Then I would switch back and struggle to have that control.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) I personally did not feel the string get any better over time, but the tension was definitely still there. The string movement and tension retention were fantastic. I would have to imagine that it would be great for hard hard hitters that need tension to stay as long as possible.
Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) As mentioned above, I struggled greatly to control depth as everything was flying 1-2 feet long. The trajectory was predictable, but I just could not get the spin I normally do. This goes for my backhand slice as well, just not as much bite to it.
Compare to the string you use most often Much stiffer, lower powered, and not nearly as much string. Those things are not necessarily bad, but so so different from what I play with 3-4 days a week.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would have to go even lower then the 43# used for testing to get the power I am used to....but then I would probably struggle even more to get the ball in play. So in retrospect, maybe higher tension to get that control and gradually turn up the power in my swing.
List any additional thoughts (optional) Just not for me, if I did increase tension to gain control then I just would not have any power at all, especially on serve. At 43# I had no power on my serve, and struggled to get the slice on my serve that I am used to.....I am back to my Wilson Spin Cycle and much much happier.

 

[texastornado]

Head Hawk 17

Tension used for playtest
52/50 lbs

Regular string set up
Volkl Cyclone 18 (Pink) 52/50 or Pro's Pro Hexaspin Twist 17 (Red) 52/50

Racquet brand and model used for test
ProKennex Redondo Type C Mid

Power of test string
A little above average for a poly. Definitely was not hard to generate power with this string. Ball felt springy coming off the strings.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
Feel was Firm/crisp without being stiff. Was not "plasticky" Overall feel was very good.

Spin
Spin was average for a poly. This wasn't a shaped or spin poly, more of an all around poly. For the power level and launch angle it had, I felt that on some shots I had to consciously change my swing path to generate enough spin to have the ball land in.

Comfort
Comfort was very good. The string did not feel harsh at all.

Durability
Durability seems about average for this type of string. I don't break 17g polys all that fast so for me, it was at least durable enough.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)
Initially the string seemed very good. After the first or second session it noticeably lost tension and I started to hit shots long. This could probably be solved by stringing 2-3lbs higher initially.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)
Control was about average for a poly. Depth control was easy and everything was fairly predictable.

Compare to the string you use most often
Compared to Cyclone I didn't feel that I got as much spin. Feel and comfort were better though. Compared to the Pro's Pro string I'm trying, Power, feel and comfort are better (it's softer) but spin and control are not quite as good.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)
I personally would have upped the tension to 54/52. This is the upper tension I use for softer polys and typically after the initial tension loss I'm able to dial in my strokes. At the tension I strung this string, it seemed that I hit some of my flatter shots long.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
This string was pretty good. This string was good all around with the notable characteristics being feel and comfort, possibly a little above average power. Spin potential didn't really excite me though. Random sidenote: this string had crazy coil memory.


Thanks TW and Head for the opportunity to playtest.

 

[sp1derman]

Head Hawk Playtest
Tension Used for playtest
52 lbs
Regular String Set up
Hybrid of MSV co focus soft 17/ Gosen OG 17 (crosses)
Racquet brand and model used for test
Wilson P.S. BLX 6.1.95
Power of Test String 6/10
with a 5 being average power for a poly I scored this a 6 because I noticed a little more pop than average. because of the added pop I was able to land most groundstrokes beyond the service line. Sometimes with a textured/shaped poly there is so much spin and so little power groundies land too short for my liking.
Spin 8/10
Right out of the baggie this string feels slick or slippery. I like that because that tells me it will have great spring back leading to good spin generation. This string played true to how it felt. It slid against itself back into place quite well even when it started to become coated in Har tru clay.
Comfort 9/10
I scored this string very high on comfort because it feels like it will be a harsh string when you manipulate it in your hands. However, I was pleasantly surprised when after playing I had no immediate or delayed soreness.
Playability Duration 8/10
Most of the 8 hours I have on this string were played on har tru. All polys tend to play excellent for the first hour. Then they settle into their homeostatic zone characteristics. I thought the hawk string played average for the first hour. The quality of the string that impressed me was the the dip into the strings homeostatic zone was not as far a dip as most polys.
Feel 5/10
Nothing special about the feel of this string. It had average feel at the net and on slices and drop shots. I bet in a hybrid it would be a conducize main for a great feeling stringbed.
Durability 6/10
I usually don't break polys before I break a cross or cut it out because it's dead and gives me shoulder/elbow pain. This string is still in the racquet but after my next two hour session it will be cut out. The har tru dust is sticking to the strings giving them a rougher texture.
Control 8/10
I was able to control the depth and spin of this string well. There were no, "what the heck happened there" moments. I would characterize my swing as full/medium and fast. Short angles were easy to generate but not quite as easy compared to a textured string. The reason I scored it an 8 is because the depth was easy to manipulate based on the circumstances. That is huge for me because I like to follow in a deep shot to the backhand side to finish points.
Compared to the string I use most often
I can't really say what string I use most often because I feel like I try a new poly every time I order new strings. I can tell you I'm excited to try this string as a hybrid depending on what the price is. Compared to MSV focus hex soft it is easier to get a good depth but harder to generate spin.
Tension recommendations
I liked it at 52 lbs in a 95 square inch head. I thought this tension brough out the best in this string. I certainly would not try any higher but would consider experimenting with 48/50.

Additional thoughts
As some other playtesters have noted, this string had more coil memory than most. I am still skeptical about paying extra for a "high-end" poly when so many of the cheaper polys have equal playing characteristics. Although, the comfort and consistency of this string did impress me.

Thanks TW!

 

[hitthefence38]

Tension used for playtest - I strung the racket at 52lbs.

Regular string set up - I regularly use the Prince Beast at 54lbs.

Racquet brand and model used for test - I currently use the Babolat Pure Control Team.

Power of test string - I would say the string's power level is between Luxilon Adrenaline. (Low) and Prince Beast (Medium) I do like to play with powerful strings as opposed to control strings.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) The feeling was in between crisp and stiff but more so crispy.

Spin - The spin was minimal. It did not jump out to me as I am more of a flat hitter. However, I did notice that I hit angle shots a bit better with these strings.

Comfort - I did not experience any pain hitting with these strings. It is slightly stiff, so I can imagine it causing pain for those with arm issues.

Durability
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - The string took about a hour to break in. I started to feel better hitting with the ball and the pace and depth of the balls that I hit became better. The string started to feel like the MSV Co Focus after five hours of play. I am not a big string breaker, so after 20 hours of play my string remain intact.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - My control was slightly better with these strings. I did not feel like I could not control my shots. I mentioned before that I feel that I could hit angled shots better with strings.

Compare to the string you use most often - I would say these strings is like the MSV Co-Focus in terms of control and Luxilon Adrenaline in terms of the power level.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would definitely try string this racket below 50.

Thanks TW for the string and the opportunity!

 

[aced_Tezuka]

Stringing experience: Like others have previously mentioned the string does explode (gets tangled) if you cut the tie without holding it together. Wish I saw the post before I started stringing... After spending quite a while untangling it was easy to string. It was very smooth and as McLovin said it slid easily due to being a smooth poly.

Groundstrokes: Really loved how my groundstrokes were with this string. I was able to hit strong balls with decent spin and a with plenty of pace. The control and crispness this string was very good and the string gave me a little bit more power than I normally would have. I don't really slice or hit dropshots but slices had a decent amount of back spin and side spin. Dropshots never really got in close to the net or dropped in but kinda just fell. When I did shots like this with this string I felt disconnected with the ball as it just slides off the string compared to textured string.
Serves: My serves were alright with this string. Decent pace but I felt the balls sort of slide off during slice serves. Hard to explain. Didn't really like how it was with my slices but liked it with topspin strokes.
Volleys: Able to control the direction of my volleys pretty well with the string. But hitting downward slice volleys were pretty difficult for me.

Tension used for playtest: Strung it at 55. I would normally string in the 60's but I read articles that said poly's should be strung low.

Regular string set up: Volkl Cylone at 62

Racquet brand and model used for test: Gamma Rzr 98 with a couple grams of tape in the throat.

Power of test string: Head Hawk had a low amount of power. More than I'm used to but most likely due to stringing it less tightly than I would with other poly's. I would prefer less power but it was still manageable.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): The string did very well in this category. It was very crisp and controlled, which I prefer in all my strings. I was able to take big cuts at the ball knowing the ball wasn't going to be out. I felt in touch with the ball with the string.

Spin: Pretty good spin for being a smooth poly and not being a textured poly. It was pretty decent as it still provided some spin on my shots.

Comfort This string didn't hurt my arm at all so I would rate the comfort as pretty good! But I'm still pretty young so I'm not sure for older folk.

Durability The string is quite durable. I've been playing this string on average for at least an hour 5 times a week for two weeks.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): The string is nearing its death. After about 11 hours the string is at the point where it has lost the qualities of what I loved about it. I am predicting breaking the string on a framed shot or a kill shot.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): The control was also great for this. Low powered with a crisp feeling allowed me to swing faster and more controlled. I was able to predict whether a shot was going to be out or not due to being more "in touch with the ball".

Compare to the string you use most often: Volkl Cyclone is also a low powered string but this string had more power, but this is most likely due to stringing 5 pounds less. Head Hawk also had less spin because it was a smooth poly with Cyclone being textured it had a more considerable amount of spin. All in all still pretty good though.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would string it tighter to compensate for later tension loss and the initial drop in power.

List any additional thoughts (optional): I wish I had the racquettune app like some of you do to track tension loss, but my itunes account won't let me since I forgot the answers to my security questions, but this is pretty odd because I already purchased apps on my apple device...

Thank you to Tennis Warehouse and Head for this testing opportunity!!

 

[SoCalJay]

Stringing: Easy to string, nice and slippery (yay, no twist or gear shape!), minimal issues with coil memory.

Tension used for playtest: 48# mains and crosses, two piece string job on a lockout machine.

Regular string set up: Tourna Big Hitter Blue Rough @ 48#, same setup as used for this playtest.

Racquet brand and model used for test: Dunlop Bio 200 Lite (95 sq in., 16x19)

About me: I'm a mid 30's 4.0 singles/doubles player with a windshield wiper FH and a 2HBH. I played the string for about 10 hours of hitting on the ball machine, playing doubles and singles, and hitting serves out of the hopper.

Power of test string: 3.5/5. The power level seemed about average. The strings didn't feel particularly powerful or dead and that's how I like it - middle of the road.

Feel: 4/5 I like the soft, crisp feel of this string and it doesn't trampoline at all @ 48# so that's a good thing.

Spin: 3/5. This is where I was disappointed. I'm used to playing with strings like Big Hitter Blue Rough, Tour Bite, BHB7, and Cyclone Tour... Head Hawk wasn't anywhere near those guys in terms of topspin production. I had to flatten my strokes out a bit to keep them from going long.

Comfort: 4.5/5. Extremely comfortable. I had zero pain or string-related fatigue as a result of playing with this string even after doing 2 solid hours on the ball machine -> 15 minute break -> 1 hour serving out of the hopper.

Durability: 3.5/5. Average. I broke them after about 6 hours of match play (mostly doubles), 2 hours on the ball machine, and 2 hours of serving out of the hopper.

Playability Duration: 4/5. Aside from the obligatory awkward first 10 minutes of hitting, these strings provided me with a very consistent response throughout the life of the string.

Control: 4/5. These actually felt far better control-wise than the BHBR 17 I usually use. I was able to place my serve a little more accurately but with less spin and I was hitting lines quite a bit on both wings with the groundies. However, the control came at a cost of hitting a lighter ball and my friends told me that my shots were easier to deal with than usual. This wasn't really a problem playing doubles but it hurt me a little in singles.

Compare to the string you use most often: I like this string for doubles but not for pounding groundies. Volleys felt nice and I was able to punch them around with great accuracy. Serves also felt very accurate but lacked spin and that's pretty much the overarching story for me. These strings simply don't produce enough spin for me to feel like my groundstrokes are a weapon and that doesn't inspire confidence. The strings I normally play with may not volley or serve *quite* as well but the gap in those categories isn't anywhere near as dramatic as it is in the spin department.

Tension recommendations: I always play poly between 45 and 50# and these strings seemed to work well at 48#. I can't imagine gaining anything for my playstyle by changing the tension.

Final thoughts: It seems like a great string for people who hit a little flatter but still want some decent topspin and a nice, crisp response. This string doesn't suit me but I think Head did a good job if their target market is the flatter hitting poly user. Thanks again for the opportunity, TW!

 

[ishiun]

Tension used for playtest
56 Lb Two piece stringing
Regular string set up – AG International 56 LB

Racquet brand and model used for test
Wilson Juice Pro

Power of test string
nothing special. about the same as a poly which is very underpowered. A lot less than my setup.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?)
A tab better than the usual poly but not by too much. you can definately execute the shots you want though. Its somewhat muted and stiff. this contributes to its underpowerd nature i guess. This does place control very high though

Spin
Spin was pretty good. My usual setup is synthetic so this is definately a plus on spin. Compared to poly i feel this had more spin then the usual poly. Shaped strings like BHB7 has an advantage though

Comfort
THis string played stiff but did not hurt my arm in any way. I never had any arm problems and this did not aggravate any.

Durability
Durabillity was good. Lasted about 7 hours. This is definately longer than my usual setup (of course) and lasts longer then most poly set ups ive used.

Playability Duration
There was an initial drop in tension thats usual but after that it flatlines until about the 5 hour mark and then it gets a little unstable. You have to adjust your strokes a bit since i was hiting more balls long

Control
Control was good. It was underpowered which allowed me to swing without fear of hitting long. You can get a predictable trajectory most of the time.

Compare to the string you use most often
This is much different than my usual synthetic set up. Theyre pretty much opposites. hawk is good with spin durability and control while synthetic is higher powered less spin durability and control. I prefer my usual set up mainly because of how long ive played with it but this isdefinately worth looking into for people using poly/

Tension recommendations
I would keep it the same tension. THe blend of power and control was very nice for people who is looking for control.

 

[Davidwoo92]

Tension used for playtest: I used a 50 lb full bed

Regular string set up: 50lb Big Banger Rough 16G

Racquet brand and model used for test: Head YouTek Mid

Power of test string: Power was average, actually a little lower than my regular set up.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): Feels good so far. On my 3rd day of hitting. I do feel a slight looseness of the string on my kick serves. Overall, crisp feel from the baseline, maybe a little too much bounce on my soft volleys?

Spin: Lots of spin generated. Almost as much as my big bangers.

Comfort: Comfort is about what I expected from any full bed of poly. I felt this would be a good soft yet crisp and solid string for anyone who likes poly.

Durability: Durability seems to be doing well. Have played 3 times and my spin has been pretty consistent. No dead feel yet.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): I haven't noticed any changes in the playability, but there is a normal loosening of tension.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): Control was pretty good. I liked the amount of spin I was getting. The ball was dropping on the lines. Impressed, to say the least.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to the BB Rough, not much difference, maybe a bit softer and more feel.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I always do about 50 lbs on my poly and that seems to fit me.

Additional Notes:
I do like these strings. I may try them a bit lower on the tension for next time to see how it handles that. I did hear a small complaint from the person who strung my racquet about the way it twists? But the job was well done and the strings are good enough to recommend.

 

[Errol]

Tension used for playtest: 57/55

Regular string set up
Topspin Cyberflash 17/Sweet 16 at 60/58. I used to use full CF, but these days I am playing more doubles or net rushing in singles, and I do not typically like the dead feel of full poly at net.

Racquet brand and model
Dunlop Aerogel 4D 300 Customized to 12.4oz.

Power
Felt lower then my setup. Probably close to a little below average for a full poly stringbed, which I liked off the groundstrokes. I was able to swing away really well and keep the ball in play.

Feel
Firm, but not harsh. It felt a little more firm than I remember full CF, but not too hard. The net feel was better than CF, but I feel like crossing it with a softer cross would ratchet up the feel.

Spin
Great. On groundstrokes I was able to take big rips and watch the ball "fall off the table" and drop in. It definitely had much more than my current hybrid, at the cost of feel. It seemed about on par with my full Cyberflash setup, perhaps slightly less.

Comfort
I had no comfort issues with this one at all. I have had occasional shoulder issues with harsh polys, but this one felt fine.

Durability
After about 4-5 hours on the court in this playtest, the string bed does not show much wear yet, and string still snap back into place, so it is looking good so far.

Playability Duration
It feels like the tension is settling a little bit over the course of the test, but that seems about par for the course for most polys. It is still very playable currently.

Control
Great. I felt dialed in in both depth and directional control when hitting heavy topspin. When flattening out, I felt a little trouble with depth consistency, but I imagine that is not why one would use a poly. I might just need more time with the string. First serves velocity and placement felt decent and good spin on kickers, though nothing spectacular.

Compare to the string you use most often
Compared to my current setup, I would say spin increased and confidence to "swing out" on groundies went up a lot. It had that feel where if I took a big topspin rip at the ball, it wouldn't need to measure my shot--it would drop in. It is very subjective as to what feel is, but I think feel was reduced on touch shots. Not bad feel for a full poly job though--much better than I got from some of the other more firm polys.

Tension recommendations
I think I would string it a little lower, maybe hit around 52/50 to see if I get a little more ball pocket and feel and not sacrifice too much spin or control.

Additional thoughts
I liked this string. If I were in the market for a new polyester string this one would definitely be in my testing list comparing to other polys in the $14-16 range.

I would also like to say thanks to Tennis Warehouse and Head for the opportunity to play test this string.

 

[Micalzon]

Head Hawk Playtest Results

Tension used for playtest - 48/50 lbs. strung on an Alpha Axis Pro L/O machine.

Regular string set up - Tier One Firewire 17 with MSV Co Focus 17 at 46/49 lbs.

Racquet - Babolat Pure Storm Team with 1 gram added to racquet head

Power of test string - 8/10
Low powered but worked well for my long strokes. Played very similar to my current poly set up.

Feel - 9/10
Felt very crisp and firm during the first week of the playtest. Has softened up quite a bit (but only recently) as I've used it fairly consistantly for the past 3 weeks, but this is to be expected.

Spin - 7.5/10
Spin production wasn't as awesome as I had hoped (I have very high expectations from all polys) but wasn't surprised. With my tight string pattern it's tough to get a lot of heavy spin if you're not using a textured string. Though it did seem like my BH drop shots seemed to have a little more bite. The smooth coating I'm sure helped out a lot. Nice feature.

Comfort - 9/10 (Relative to other poly's)
I was surprised by how comfortable the string was. I usually don't have high expectations for comfort with poly, but this was not bad at all.

Durability - 8.5/10
I play 3-4 times per week and used this racquet with this set up for about 6 hours a week for the last 3 weeks and it has maintained its construction well. There is a little notching, though (weirdly) only on the outer portion of the stringbed. The sweetspot still snaps back nice and quick.

Playability Duration - 8.5/10
I think I would give this a higher rating if I was able to play with the string, give it a break for a week or two, and then play with it again; however, I played with it fairly frequently and it handled well during the playtest. This string gave me a good 12 hours of solid, consistent play.

Control - 9/10
I really liked the amount of control I had with this string. My heavy topspin shots landed everywhere I expected them to, which was nice, but I was very happy with the control I had with my flat BH and defensive groundstrokes. Usually these shots tend to just fly all over the place, but that was not the case with this string.

Compare to the string you use most often
I actually really liked this string, though because it's not a textured poly (which I really like) I may not use it as a main, but could consider it as a replacement as the cross in my hybrid set up. It seems to hold up better than the Co Focus (except it's not blue...)

Tension recommendations
For how I play and the racquet I use, I would keep the tension where I had it. If using a more open stringbed, I would raise the tension 3-4 lbs. Though I am a little curious about playing it a little lower. I might have to pick up another set and try it out.

Thanks for the playtest TW! I look forward to future playtest opportunities.

 

[BlueStreak81]

Head Hawk Play Test

I am reviewing Head Hawk 17 gauge white "Pro Player String"

Initial thoughts: I frequently have used Head Sonic Pro, primarily in combination with Gamma Professional as my go to hybrid combo. So, I go right to comparing Hawk to Sonic Pro. Hawk is a little brighter white and seems a bit softer to bend, but quite similar at first glance.

Stringing: I am stringing the Hawk in my Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 16x18. My typical tension for non-poly is 57# (recommended range for frame is 50-60#). I typically string poly at 10% less, so I am stringing the Hawk at 51#.

In the stringer, this was a typical poly, stiff and springy. It did string very much like Sonic Pro.

Playtest:

Background, I am currently rated 4.0, but bounce between 4.0 & 4.5. Have a solid all around game, but mostly play league doubles these days against local club pros and D3 college players. Since it is currently about 5 degrees out right now, all tennis in Minnesota is on indoor hard courts. Racket is Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 16x18 strung at 51 lbs with Head Hawk 17 gauge white.

Power: Slightly Above Average as strung. Might get more power strung a little looser.
Feel: Below average. I got very little feedback from this string.
Spin: Slightly above average. Good spin. Might get better spin if strung looser.
Comfort: Average. No problems at all here. I expected it to be more harsh, but was very comfortable for a poly. The downside was very little feedback.
Durability: Average. Used several times with very little string movement and no signs of wear.
Playability Duration: String tension appeared to be very consistent. Used several times over a three week period and tension was very consistent, very little tension loss.
Compare to Regular Strings Used: My typical setup is a hybrid of Poly in the mains (sonic pro) and multi-filament in the cross (Gamma Professional). I sometimes use a straight set of Gamma Professional. I was very interested in finding an arm friendly and playable set of Poly. It is clear that this is not what I was looking for. There was nothing bad about it, but there was so little "feedback" that it was difficult to successfully execute touch.
Tension recommendations: I reduced tension by 10% from what I typically string a multi-filament and this was not enough. String felt too tight. I would reduce by more than 10%. My typical tension is 57-58 lbs. I strung this at 51 lbs. If I had to do it again, I would go to 48-49 lbs.

Additional thoughts/ Overall Impression:
Full set is not a good fit for me. Think it would be a good pairing partner in a hybrid setup. String was solid, with good control, and average power, but very little feedback. Off center hits were a bit dead. Struck in the sweet spot, shots felt very good.
Serve - good
Ground strokes - good
Volley - fair to poor
touch - poor

Thank you TW for the opportunity to try this string and share my experience.

 

[Laney Tennis]

Tension used for playtest - 55lbs
Regular string set up - Volkl Cyclone 17g 55lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test - Wilson Pro Staff Tour 95

Power of test string - Head Hawk feels medium to low powered, leaning more toward the low end. When hit with a full stroke, power is more than adequate but its more of a controlled power and not for wild baseline bashing. The muted and dampened feel may be a contributing factor in giving the string a low powered feel.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?) - As mentioned before, the string has a dampened, muted feel to it and it plays quite firm. Wish I could have strung this 3 to 5lbs lower to get a better feel. First thing that came to mind was this had similar characteristics as Luxilon Alu power but with out the crisp feel. The Hawk is by no means mushy. If tension is lowered, feel will be much better.

Spin - The spin potential is there, its enough to control your shots with but nothing phenomenal such as Tour Bite, BHB 7 or Cyclone. I had no problems hitting a penetrating shot from the baseline and having it land deep into the court. I did have some difficulties practicing spin shots that clear the net by 6 to 10 ft, I felt the string didn't have enough bite for those particular shots. To be fair, the Hawk excelled in shots that required precision and penetration.

Comfort - I was not impressed by the comfort level off the bat. When taking it out of the package and stringing it up, it felt quite stiff and didn't have much give to it. I should've taken that as a sign to lower tension a few lbs. First session with it confirms my suspicions, at 55lbs the Hawk played stiff. The muted feel may hide the stiffness a bit but I can tell my arm was taking a beating. At the point of impact, the string bed holds its ground and does not give in much.

Durability - Looks pretty good so far, notching was minimal but part of it is that I am not willing to go all out with this string due to its stiffness. Overall I'd say the durability is above average and on par with some of the more durable strings on the market. I'd give it an A in this category.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - I thought the playability duration was quite impressive. The string played very consistent throughout the playtest. In my 3rd session, I felt a slight drop in tension but it was barely noticeable. Since then, it played really consistent until the later stages of the playtest

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - First thing that came to mind was "control freak!" It seems the Hawk is a string that is made for high level players that like to hit their spots instead of hitting to a general direction. The low penetrating trajectory is consistent in producing a ball that is deep to keep their opponents off balance.

Compare to the string you use most often - Compared to my regular setup Cyclone 17g, the Hawk hits a more penetrating shot with a lower trajectory. Precision and control goes to Hawk, power and spin goes to Cyclone, tension maintenance goes to Hawk as I kept waiting for it to lose tension so it'll play softer but that did not happen.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - For the average player, I would recommend dropping 3 to 5lbs to soften up the string bed a bit and increase playability. Tension for this string is really a hit or miss. Once dialed in, the playability potential is only limited by one's skill and playing ability.

List any additional thoughts (optional) - Head Hawk is a really well made string and has good all around playability. It gave me the impression it is designed to compete among the elite in the market. If you have the skill set to hit spots and keep your opponent on their back foot, you definitely have to give this a try. I'd say it plays similarly to a muted, dampened version of Alu power.

 

[LanEvo]

Sorry for the late review, the holidays and everything has gotten to be a bit hectic with so much family coming in and out.

Tension used for playtest: 52 mains - 54 crosses

Regular string set up: Volkl V-Torque 50-52 on the mains - 52-54 on the crosses

Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Storm Ltd. GT

Power of test string: I found this string to be quite low in power, not as low powered as the V-Torque I normally use, but around that power level depending on the tension you use. You really need to swing up on the ball to get the spin and power that you want.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): This string is definitely on the crisp and stiff side of poly strings, I really enjoyed the crispness of the strings, reminded me of Kirschbaum Super Smash in terms of cripsness. I did not really enjoy the stiffness, especially on off-center/sweetspot shots, stiffness, I felt it is along the lines of some of the known Luxilons, maybe a little softer.

Spin: I found string potential to be pretty good for a round poly, given the stiffness and crispness of the string, it really allowed you to swing up and into the ball to really get the pocketing feel and launch that ball out with a lot of spin. When I am hitting my second serves (topspin), it really added that extra jump in there at moments when I could get it spot-on.

Comfort: I noticed no discomfort or anything playing, but for players who are looking for a softer more cushioned poly, but all of it depends on tension and what you are looking for. Having used Super Smash in the past, these two are similar in terms of comfort I would say albeit this string is stiffer.

Durability: Putting in a good 8 hours or so on these, before school for the quarter ended and we started holiday break. During that time, I noticed not much significant change in durability or tension loss. I played a couple matches and did just a few hours hitting session. So I would say this is a pretty durable string given the time I used it.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): When I first put this string in, it felt much more stiff and definitely need a break-in period for the tension to drop and string to settle. That only took me one hitting session, so that was nice. After the break-in the strings really shine, you feel that nice crispness and the stiffness softens as you hit more with it. Continuing to hit, you do notice that tension starts to drop some, but not too much that would affect game play.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): I found control to be what I wanted, it went where I wanted, and got spin where I needed. I am very used to low-powered strings, I prefer them as well. So I found it pretty easy for me to get accustomed to these, I swung my normal regular swings and it went where I needed it to.

Compare to the string you use most often: Compared to Super Smash, they hit very similar to me, aside from this test string being a bit more stiff, everything else is similar. It has a similar crisp feeling with around the same amount of power. If I was to compare it to my normal V-Torque, these would be definitely more different as it is a shaped vs a regular round poly. But in terms of power, the V-Torque is definitely much lower with much lower spin potential, and not as soft. It does trump my V-Torque in crispness though if I were to give it this compliment, the V-Torque has more of a mushy feel than this which offers a nice pop off the string bed given the crisp feel of the string.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): I would definitely stay within the low 50s, if not even into the 40s, to get the power that you need. This is a low powered string.

List any additional thoughts (optional): I probably would try this out in a hybrid with a higher end syn. gut or softer multifilament, but given that this string felt a bit stiffer to me for a full-bed I prefer the Super Smash that I normally use for a round poly.

As always thank you TW, for letting me playtest and review these strings.

 

[spinovic]

HEAD Hawk 17G (1.25 mm) White String

Tension used for playtest: 50 lb

Regular string setup: Natural Gut @ 55 lbs

Racquet brand and model: Tecnifibre TFight 315 Ltd 16 Main

Power of test string: Low compared to my normal setup, but I would say it is probably a little above average versus other polys I've used.

Feel: Crisp. And again, it is stiff compared to my normal string setup, but I didn't find it to feel as stiff as some other polys I've used.

Spin: About average for polyester strings in my experience. Not quite as spinny as some of the shaped strings I've used, but plenty enough spin to suit me. Good bite whether you're looking for topspin or slice I thought. But, to me, all polys offer that, some more than others, so again, I'd say Hawk was about average, which isn't a bad thing to me.

Comfort: Obviously, comfort-wise any poly is a notch below natural gut, but I would say this is one area where this string excelled. This was the most comfortable polyester string I've used. Loved the feel. The racquet doesn't hurt as the 315 is the most comfortable frame I've used and seems to feel good no matter what string and tension is used. I've never had any issues with poly strings or racquet stiffness, but again, this one felt really good to me as polys go.

Durability: I don't break strings, so take my opinion on this with a grain of salt, but my guess is that it would be about average for a poly.

Playability Duration: Good. I managed around 8-10 hours of good, solid hitting and it still feels and plays pretty good. I strung it up the day before I hit with it, so I didn't notice any drastic change in how the string performed. There is an adjustment period with any new setup, but I didn't find the adjustment required by Hawk to be as much as most other polys I've used to be honest. It has been pretty comfortable and consistent throughout.

Control: This, along with comfort, was the other area that impressed me most with this string. I thought the trajectory was consistent and predictable and did not require as big of an adjustment from me as some polys do. I was impressed with both the depth control and the directional control from this string. And, I found it performed/responded well to what I was trying to do. It has access to spin, but I could also flatten out my shots with no problems. Not getting enough depth can be an issue for me with some polys I've used from either the low power of the string or hitting too spinny and leaving it short, but it wasn't really a problem with Hawk. I felt like I was much more consistent with my depth of shot whether I was hitting flat or trying to hit with some spin.

Comparisons: First, to what I use most often (natural gut or a multifilament), it is quite different as most of you well know. Not as comfortable, lower powered and more spin. Compared to other polys, I found it to be more comfortable, slightly more powerful, about average on spin, above average for control and tension maintenance. I happened to like Sonic Pro better than most people do apparently, but I found Hawk to definitely be a better string, IMO.

I currently have one of my 315s strung with MSV Focus Hex 1.18 mm (Red String) at the same 50 lb tension, so I tried to do a direct comparison, FWIW. I liked Hawk better. It was more comfortable. Focus Hex gets more bite and spin, but that is often to my detriment as it results in short balls just as much as it results in a great shot for me. I also had a much bigger adjustment with the Focus Hex with regards to the trajectory. It was harder for me to flatten shots out with the Focus-Hex. The Hawk was much more consistent and reliable and I played better with it.

Tension recommendations: I had no issues with the tension I chose as it worked well. If I had more sets of Hawk to play around with, I think I would up the tension to see how high I could go and still play well with it. I used Sonic Pro at 60 lbs in the Extreme Pro 2.0 and didn't have any issues with it feeling uncomfortable. Since Hawk feels better and the 315 is a more comfortable frame, I'd be curious to see how it would play up in the mid 50's to 60 lbs tension.

Additional thoughts/comments:
- Stringing - I used a Gamma X-2 dropweight stringer. Despite the warnings from others, I too was victimized by the tangled mess when I let the string uncoil. Other than that, I had no issues. I didn't find it to be any better or worse to string than most other polys I've strung. Generally speaking, the biggest difference for me is that it is a little tougher for me to tie good knots with poly strings. Hawk was no different in that regard.

- I agree with some other comments about the plasticky feel of the string out of the pack. That's just a general observation.

- Price: Hawk may very well be my personal favorite of the polys I've tried, but at $14.95, I think price becomes a factor in choosing depending on your cash flow at the time. For example, it is roughly twice as much as Cyclone, and while I liked it better than Cyclone, I didn't find it to be twice as good. So, if I was in the market for a poly, would I rather have a set of Hawk or two sets of Cyclone?

Conclusions/final thoughts: I wanted to wait as long as possible to get as much playing time as I could before posting my review, so I waited until the last day, which was good since I actually got some good hitting in last evening for an hour or so. Like much in tennis, there is no universal right or wrong, but rather you have to find what works for you (and even that can change as your game progresses). So, with that said, I'll try to provide a little summary of my thoughts on this string based on this playtest...

To me, compared to other polyester strings, Hawk excelled in the areas of comfort and control and was very average everywhere else. But, being average everywhere worked great for me. It wasn't too spinny or didn't have too much bite, which for me meant that the access to spin was there, but I could also hit flat with greater ease than some other polys (like Focus Hex). The power was probably a little above average based on my experience, but was about right for me. I think the reason Hawk gave me such good control was in large part due to it being about average in the power and spin department. Bottom line, I really liked this string. I haven't played with that many different polyester strings, but Hawk may very well be my favorite. Comfortable and just a solid, all-around string, IMO.

Hawk intrigues me greatly as a possible cross string in a gut/poly hybrid. Smooth, round polys make more sense to me for hybrids and based on how it performed in a full bed and how comfortable it was, I could definitely see this being a very strong hybrid candidate. I hope to try that out at some point in the future. If any of the other testers tries or has tried it out in a hybrid, I'd love to hear some feedback on that.


Anyway, I think that's about all I had to say (hopefully it wasn't too long), but this string is a pretty strong offering from HEAD in the poly department, IMO.

And finally, I would like to thank TW immensely for allowing me to participate in this playtest. I loved the string and the opportunity to get involved in one of the playtests. You guys (and girls) deserve major props for this type of stuff, the way you interact with your customers and allow them to get involved with the product and everything. It's pretty neat. I am curious to see what the TW playtesters think about this string if/when they do their own review. Anyway, thanks again and keep up the great work. It was a real treat for me.

 

[mad dog1]

...I am curious to see what the TW playtesters think about this string if/when they do their own review...

ask and yee shall receive...the TW review is already done!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdAGkBDMf7U

 

[Matchball]

Head Hawk 1.25 (color white)

Tension used for playtest: 58 pounds mains, 55 pounds crosses.

Regular string set up: Solinco Tour Bite 1.25 typically strung @ 59/56 (secondarily, Yonex Poly Tour Spin typically strung @ 56/53).

Racquet brand and model used for test: Yonex Vcore Tour 330

Power of test string: Power was average, definitely not the lowest powered co-poly out there. On the other hand, there's a bunch of polyester strings offering easier pop.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): The feel is pretty unique. Crisp and dampened (not muted) at the same time, similar to a Kirschbaum Pro Line X in regards to taking some vibrations off, but the Pro Line X did feel stiffer to me. No unpleasant, or arm-hurting stiffness noted for the Head Hawk. The sound coming off the string bed was very nice and reminded me of another unique string made by Gamma, namely RzR.

Spin: Nothing extraordinary here, pretty average, but again this is a non textured poly (plus it really made me want to hit flat!). I've hit with round polys that help more with spin and I have to say that given the 17g gauge I expected a bit better. Before the notching became apparent, this string's snapping motion did do a decent job with spin, but of course differences are very subtle and as is often the case with strings some times restricted on a level of mere perception.

Comfort: Despite the relatively high tension, Head Hawk stood out in this regard. Comfort was top tier for the category, although as the string aged, some of the impressive initial comfort disappeared. Without being muted or mushy, the string manages to absorb the impact from the ball in a pretty unique way. I am confident that this attribute exists regardless of the tension chosen (pls. see note above concerning absorption of vibrations if such thing exists for polys).

Durability: When I first hit with Head Hawk I got the impression that durability would be very good, almost exceptional, but after a couple of hours notching and loss of resiliency started becoming slightly noticeable and my optimism/enthusiasm changed. I have to admit that I tinkered a lot, with balls, surfaces, temperatures and even traveled on a plane with this string on one of my frames, but all in all I would rank its durability as above average.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Above all, I have to say that playability was not only good enough for me given the co-poly standards, but the string was also wearing off in a very predictable manner. Hence the very frustrating case of sudden drop-offs in playability does not apply here. The string settled and lost some additional tension becoming more playable after the typical {24hours post stringing + 1st session} period, and then maintained both its tension and playability in the rather predictable manner described. I did not mind the initial high DT, since this was a thinner gauge and I was hitting with a heavy frame (temperature was around 50F+ most of the time).

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): No surprises here either; I 've hit with more confidence-inspiring strings as far as control is concerned. Nonetheless, I am biased in favor of the "dead" feeling strings (textured or not) and I recognize other players might value pocketing and string "springiness" more. Not to say that this string was springy, rather it would simply not make my top choice for control. Easy to get accustomed to with a decent power reserve and really minimal surprises in regards to maintaining depth control. Groundstrokes were solid and I could put some useful speed on the ball when I wanted. Volleys were decent and touch shots average; I would get a fake feeling that the string offered the kind of useful and welcome feedback needed for that kind of shots, which was unfortunately not exactly the case. For some reason I found myself not going for angles as often as I would with other, more confidence inspiring strings. Again, the nice sound was an invitation to just hit hard and I also enjoyed Head Hawk while serving big and flat.

Compare to the string you use most often: Both the Tour Bite and the Yonex Poly Tour Spin have better bite and spin. Durability-wise I think the Head Hawk is more similar to TB. Comfort appears to be better with the Head offering, while power is similar, but just "delivered" differently from the two strings. I am more used to the TB for depth control, but the comparison is a little unfair since it is my reference co-poly. One can very easily get used to the Head Hawk and learn to keep a healthy, deep ball.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): This is very frame and play style dependent. I could easily go down 2 pounds, or up 1 pound in higher temperatures/hotter weather. What is important, I do not find that this is a string that would penalize you for stringing it in the upper 50s, although notching and loss of resiliency might come more easily should one choose that path.

List any additional thoughts (optional): From the minute I started stringing the Head Hawk (and also when I was cutting it) I noticed some sort of similarity with Gamma RzR, but it also might be in my head. In any case, the sound of the string upon impact with the ball provides one more argument in favor of the comparison. This string is pretty unique in being a good quality all-rounder for people who do not want to consider a textured version. I thing it complements nicely the offerings from Head and it's a step up in durability (i.e. retention of playability in this context) and tension maintenance from Sonic Pro. In a theoretical co-poly friendliness chart it would come right after the soft, "easily accessible" polys and it would be preceded by the stiffer and dead, lower powered polys. It was easy to string in case people place value in this and I think it matches nicely the new Graphene frames. I cannot really imagine using a Graphene frame with an overly stiff, or dead feeling string. I am afraid that the relatively high price will make it more popular with Head-loyal consumers. Lastly, I am curious about how it would play in a hybrid and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot less on clay compared to hard courts (and yes, I mean european clay !).

Many thanks to TW for this play test; I hope my review will offer some insights to people who are considering this string.

 

[West Coast Ace]

I finally cut mine out when the RacquetTune app showed they were down to 32 in tension - after 14 hrs of hitting. There were still no signs of wear. Very happy with this string. Great job, Head.

 

[corners]

I finally cut mine out when the RacquetTune app showed they were down to 32 in tension - after 14 hrs of hitting. There were still no signs of wear. Very happy with this string. Great job, Head.

And that was from 43.6 pounds that you recorded after your first hit, correct? And the reference tension was 52? (Thanks for posting your final data, not trying to bust your chops, just trying to put the pieces together.)

 

[corners]

Tension: I strung it at 50lbs using a Wise 2086 constant pull. Initial reading off the machine was 51.1:

As mikeler mentioned, the rat's nest appeared once I cut the tie (I normally deal w/ reels, so I was not ready for the 'spring'). Once untangled, stringing was fairly easy. The crosses slid along the mains nicely (as you would expect w/ a smooth poly). It had a plastic feel, which concerned me at first, but it played well.

Regular setup: Pacific Classic 17g Gut / MSV Co. Focus 1.23 (54/52)

Racquet brand and model: Pacific X Force Pro

Review (part 1): After two singles matches where I played 1 set w my normal setup and one w/ the demo string, I must say that as full polys go, this one is quite comfortable. I have no elbow problems, so my feeling on softness may be skewed, but the was no 'harshness' that I've felt w/ some polys (e.g., Lux). At first my shots landed short, with a few going into the net. But once I gained confidence and swung freely, I was able to generate some decent pace & depth. I can only assume the shortness of my shots was due to the added spin of a full poly setup. Serves popped off nicely, and I was able to generate some good spin & direction. I did not hit many volleys, but will tomorrow during my weekly doubles league and will add to the review after.

Tension after 1st hit was down to 47, and after the 2nd was 46.1. It finished out at 45.2 (can't link a photo as max 4 images per post):

For the TW suggested categories:

Power: Moderate. More than the Lux 4G Rough I demoed, but less than Solinco Tour Bite.
Feel: For a poly, I found it to have excellent feel. Not as stiff as most polys I've used (although I'm not as well versed as some in full-poly setups). Of the suggestions TW offers, I would give it 'muted'. Definitely not stiff, and not nearly as crisp as some polys I've used.
Spin: Like the 'power' category, I found it to have moderate spin for poly. Not excessive, but definitely a decent amount. I toyed w/ a shaped main/smooth cross full-poly setup a few months ago, and would say this was definitely less than that.
Comfort: Again, no elbow problems, but I'm not prone to that. I felt as if I could play a best 2 of 3 with no issues.
Durability: Not really applicable for me as I don't break strings unless on clay in humid conditions.
Playability Duration: TBD.
Control: Once I trusted in it, I found I had very good control, especially on serves & returns.​

Review (part 2): OK, I think they should rename this "Head Jeckyll and Hyde". I would start my match not liking the string at all. Shots were short, lacking power & spin. But because it was a demo, I would force myself to stay with it, and by the 4th or 5th game I'd start swinging harder, and lo & behold, shots started getting more spin & depth. I realize that is a "duh!?!?" statement (swing harder = more depth), but for some strings, when swinging harder, all you get is loss of control (e.g., it flyies on you). I retained, and maybe even gained a little control, by increasing my swing speed. The issue is, with my aging shoulder, by the end of the set it was exhausted from swinging so hard.

The good thing was, it stayed comfortable throughout. I believe dropping this in the 45-48 range would get me some added power & spin, but still retain the control I have at 50. That, or put it in a more powerful racquet.

Compare to the string you use most often: This is real tough as my normal setup is gut mains, poly crosses, so its like comparing a Mercedes to a Toyota. Obviously, power, playability and feel go to the gut/poly. Spin is about even, with a slight edge to the full poly. Durability would go to the full-poly, but I don't think it would matter as I'd probably cut it out long before it reached its breaking point.

Tension recommendations: Maybe I'd drop it to 48 to get a little more depth/power from my 'normal' swing, but it is also unseasonably cold here in VA right now, so that might be affecting the playability.

McLovin, did this stringbed expire? If so, could you post how many hours of play you put on it and what the final RacquetTune reading was?

 

[West Coast Ace]

And that was from 43.6 pounds that you recorded after your first hit, correct? And the reference tension was 52? (Thanks for posting your final data, not trying to bust your chops, just trying to put the pieces together.)

No problem. I believe I didn't post 1 update after 12 hrs when they'd dropped to 40. But still appears that it went down fast after that.

I'm tempted to try a hybrid test with PPS.

 

[zapvor]

Tension used for playtest: 58 pounds mains, 55 pounds crosses.

Regular string set up: Solinco Tour Bite 1.25 typically strung @ 59/56 (secondarily, Yonex Poly Tour Spin typically strung @ 56/53).

Racquet brand and model used for test: Yonex Vcore Tour 330

Power of test string: Power was average, definitely not the lowest powered co-poly out there. On the other hand, there's a bunch of polyester strings offering easier pop.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?): The feel is pretty unique. Crisp and dampened (not muted) at the same time, similar to a Kirschbaum Pro Line X in regards to taking some vibrations off, but the Pro Line X did feel stiffer to me. No unpleasant, or arm-hurting stiffness noted for the Head Hawk. The sound coming off the string bed was very nice and reminded me of another unique string made by Gamma, namely RzR.

Spin: Nothing extraordinary here, pretty average, but again this is a non textured poly (plus it really made me want to hit flat!). I've hit with round polys that help more with spin and I have to say that given the 17g gauge I expected a bit better. Before the notching became apparent, this string's snapping motion did do a decent job with spin, but of course differences are very subtle and as is often the case with strings some times restricted on a level of mere perception.

Comfort: Despite the relatively high tension, Head Hawk stood out in this regard. Comfort was top tier for the category, although as the string aged, some of the impressive initial comfort disappeared. Without being muted or mushy, the string manages to absorb the impact from the ball in a pretty unique way. I am confident that this attribute exists regardless of the tension chosen (pls. see note above concerning absorption of vibrations if such thing exists for polys).

Durability: When I first hit with Head Hawk I got the impression that durability would be very good, almost exceptional, but after a couple of hours notching and loss of resiliency started becoming slightly noticeable and my optimism/enthusiasm changed. I have to admit that I tinkered a lot, with balls, surfaces, temperatures and even traveled on a plane with this string on one of my frames, but all in all I would rank its durability as above average.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time): Above all, I have to say that playability was not only good enough for me given the co-poly standards, but the string was also wearing off in a very predictable manner. Hence the very frustrating case of sudden drop-offs in playability does not apply here. The string settled and lost some additional tension becoming more playable after the typical {24hours post stringing + 1st session} period, and then maintained both its tension and playability in the rather predictable manner described. I did not mind the initial high DT, since this was a thinner gauge and I was hitting with a heavy frame (temperature was around 50F+ most of the time).

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?): No surprises here either; I 've hit with more confidence-inspiring strings as far as control is concerned. Nonetheless, I am biased in favor of the "dead" feeling strings (textured or not) and I recognize other players might value pocketing and string "springiness" more. Not to say that this string was springy, rather it would simply not make my top choice for control. Easy to get accustomed to with a decent power reserve and really minimal surprises in regards to maintaining depth control. Groundstrokes were solid and I could put some useful speed on the ball when I wanted. Volleys were decent and touch shots average; I would get a fake feeling that the string offered the kind of useful and welcome feedback needed for that kind of shots, which was unfortunately not exactly the case. For some reason I found myself not going for angles as often as I would with other, more confidence inspiring strings. Again, the nice sound was an invitation to just hit hard and I also enjoyed Head Hawk while serving big and flat.

Compare to the string you use most often: Both the Tour Bite and the Yonex Poly Tour Spin have better bite and spin. Durability-wise I think the Head Hawk is more similar to TB. Comfort appears to be better with the Head offering, while power is similar, but just "delivered" differently from the two strings. I am more used to the TB for depth control, but the comparison is a little unfair since it is my reference co-poly. One can very easily get used to the Head Hawk and learn to keep a healthy, deep ball.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?): This is very frame and play style dependent. I could easily go down 2 pounds, or up 1 pound in higher temperatures/hotter weather. What is important, I do not find that this is a string that would penalize you for stringing it in the upper 50s, although notching and loss of resiliency might come more easily should one choose that path.

List any additional thoughts (optional): From the minute I started stringing the Head Hawk (and also when I was cutting it) I noticed some sort of similarity with Gamma RzR, but it also might be in my head. In any case, the sound of the string upon impact with the ball provides one more argument in favor of the comparison. This string is pretty unique in being a good quality all-rounder for people who do not want to consider a textured version. I thing it complements nicely the offerings from Head and it's a step up in durability (i.e. retention of playability in this context) and tension maintenance from Sonic Pro. In a theoretical co-poly friendliness chart it would come right after the soft, "easily accessible" polys and it would be preceded by the stiffer and dead, lower powered polys. It was easy to string in case people place value in this and I think it matches nicely the new Graphene frames. I cannot really imagine using a Graphene frame with an overly stiff, or dead feeling string. I am afraid that the relatively high price will make it more popular with Head-loyal consumers. Lastly, I am curious about how it would play in a hybrid and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot less on clay compared to hard courts (and yes, I mean european clay !).

Many thanks to TW for this play test; I hope my review will offer some insights to people who are considering this string.

hawk is not like rzr.....

 

[Matchball]

The sound coming off the string bed was very nice and reminded me of another unique string made by Gamma, namely RzR

I started stringing the Head Hawk (and also when I was cutting it) I noticed some sort of similarity with Gamma RzR, but it also might be in my head.

hawk is not like rzr.....

No need to quote my entire post - other than the above references from my playtest, I found no other similarities to RZR, which is oval shaped, softer, springy and more comfortable, with less control for big hitters.

To elaborate on my original comments, the sound is more noticeable when first strung and the stringing/cutting comment relates to the soft(er) core this monofilament had.

 

[Torres]

This the first poly that I've played with that actually feels more like a 'string' than a piece of plastic, if you know what I mean.

Really quite a unique feel. Soft yet firm, dampened but not mushy or disconnected. It's almost bendy like a firm synthetic gut. Really quite a unique construction as it doesn't really feel like a poly at all.

 

[McLovin]

McLovin, did this stringbed expire? If so, could you post how many hours of play you put on it and what the final RacquetTune reading was?

Sorry, I must have missed this post.

I played with it for approx 8 hours, at which point I decided it had reached it's limit. Buried in my review is a note that it finished at 45.2 on RacquetTune, but I had reached my limit for images (max 4 per post), so no final RacquetTune snapshot.

Had I not picked up the Kirschbaum Pro Line II 'BOGO' reels, I'd probably have considered this as a cross to my gut. But I'm locked in for a year or so w/ the Kirschbaum.

 

[Matchball]

I will put it on my G Speed Pros, first chance given. I don't know if I should go with 16 or 17 gauge though..

No need for a textured string on these frames, spin potential is very good; I look forward to upgrading the "feel".

Notching comes later with these dense patterns, which is also welcome.

 

[MikeHitsHard93]

Head Hawk 17 White

Tension used for playtest:
50lbs on a drop weight machine.

Regular string set up:
None for this racket; haven't stuck with anything.

Racquet brand and model used for test:
Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GT 2009

Power of test string:Low-Medium (think Black Code power)

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp?):
Excellent feel for a poly. Possibly the best feeling poly I've ever used. I little harsh, but good pocketing and doesn't feel like plastic! Crisp is the best word to describe it.

Spin: 8.5
This string surprised me for a round copoly. Usually round copoly strings have average spin, but this game me above average spin! Impressed!
Comfort: 5
This was the only downside for me, and may have something to do with my racket too. When you hit in the sweetspot, this string feels great. When you don't, you pay for it. Ouch.

Durability:
Can't say, but I'd imagine it is about average for this string type and gauge.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time):
I only played with this string for about 4 hours, but there wasn't a noticeable drop in tension.

Control (predictable trajectory? Easy to control depth? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?):
This string is ideal for the big swinging, topspin player. When going for a flat ball, the ball sometimes launched (user error possibly, but this string did not help.) When hitting back short balls with little pace on them, it was difficult to generate the amount of power and spin necessary to put the ball away. I imagine a more advanced player would do better with this string than I.

Compare to the string you use most often:
I usually use either PSGD16 in stiff frames or Volkl Cyclone 17. Compared to Cyclone, this string has less power, equal spin, and slightly better feel. However cyclone gives me more comfort and a more controllable sweet spot.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?):
If I was forced to play through the pain, I wouldn't change from 50lbs. Any higher and the sweet spot would be too small and jarring. Any lower and the string would be even less controllable.

I basically went into this playtest looking for a good string combo to tame my PDRGT. While I absolutely love hitting spin with this combo, I just could not hit flat out with confidence. This string is perfect for someone looking for a baseline topspin string with good feel. I can imagine that it's similar to Luxilon from what I've heard about those strings. Lots of power, lots of spin, ok control for a poly. You need full strokes for this one!

TW thank you very much for letting me submit my review late, and thanks for choosing me for this review! Always love getting a little package from TW!

 

[Torres]

I'm tempted to buy a reel of this string. I think it plays really well. Smooth, consistent and controlled.

My only real grumbles are price - I can almost get 3 reels of Cyclone for the price of 1 reel of this, and tension maintenance.

After about 7-8 hours, it's becoming more powerful and at about 10 hours, I'm getting too much court length and I don't have the same confidence to go after the ball compared to when it was more freshly strung. Wouldn't be so bad restringing at 8 hours, but it's not exactly an inexpensive string....

 

[zapvor]

The sound coming off the string bed was very nice and reminded me of another unique string made by Gamma, namely RzR

I started stringing the Head Hawk (and also when I was cutting it) I noticed some sort of similarity with Gamma RzR, but it also might be in my head.



No need to quote my entire post - other than the above references from my playtest, I found no other similarities to RZR, which is oval shaped, softer, springy and more comfortable, with less control for big hitters.

To elaborate on my original comments, the sound is more noticeable when first strung and the stringing/cutting comment relates to the soft(er) core this monofilament had.

shrug. i dont know about the sound, but the feel of the strings is not that close....

 

[Matchball]

shrug. i dont know about the sound, but the feel of the strings is not that close....

Not at all close.