HEAD Penn Official

Status
Not open for further replies.
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
Hello All!

My name is Andy and I work for HEAD Penn Racquet Sports. I will be posting here as HeadPennOfficial for all your Head Penn product questions and needs. I will be active on this page and hope to answer all questions as quickly as I can. I do have a vast knowledge of tennis however if there is something I don’t know, I have a great team who I work with that will help me out.

There are a lot of people that play with HEAD and also a lot that don’t but we can all agree that tennis is an awesome sport! I am here to be your guide to everything HEAD and Penn related such as racquets, strings, accessories, footwear and tennis balls. I have used HEAD frames for most of my life and play tested all of the current in line frames so I have a good feel for how everything plays. If it helps I play a counter-punch baseliner style of tennis.

A little about myself and tennis background:

Playing Experience
College: 2 years at Glendale Community College (Phoenix) no.3 singles, no.2 doubles.
1 year at University of Northern Colorado (Division 1 BigSky Conf) no.4 singles, no.2 doubles.

Coaching Experience:
Tennis Counselor at New England Tennis Camp for 3 summers.
Assistant Men’s & Women’s Coach at Glendale Community 1 year. (Men finished 5th in the nation!)
I have taught various clinic and private lessons across the Phoenix area for different clubs.

Current Racquet:
Graphene Prestige Rev Pro grip 3 with Gravity hybrid string at 55lbs.
 
Last edited:
A_Instead

A_Instead

Legend
Welcome.. Your experience and reference will be well appreciated..
Good to see an official presence here like the two striped brand.
You will enjoy this and will learn while improving the Brand.
 
Last edited:
S

smirker

Hall of Fame
Good to have you on board. If you are as helpful and informative as Daniel from Babolat is then you will be a true asset to the board. I'll get the elephant in the room out of the way first. When is a new Prestige coming out, will there be a mid and when are you ditching Graphene as it is killing your loyal fan base? I only play old Head frames, the modern ones are too stiff and lack feel.
 
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
smirker said:
Good to have you on board. If you are as helpful and informative as Daniel from Babolat is then you will be a true asset to the board. I'll get the elephant in the room out of the way first. When is a new Prestige coming out, will there be a mid and when are you ditching Graphene as it is killing your loyal fan base? I only play old Head frames, the modern ones are too stiff and lack feel.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I know Daniel from Babolat has a popular thread and I have followed it closely and hope to be just as helpful. Now right now I do not have any information on any new release dates for the Prestige frames. However, any release dates that come to my attention I will let all you know as I will be very active on this thread.
 
RalphJ

RalphJ

Banned
Any hope for no Graphene with at least one of the racquet lines like the Prestiges? (Long time Prestige user before Graphene. Tried the Graphene Prestige- Horrible). Will there be any changes to the specs of the XT Prestige Pro and MP?

I like Penn tennis balls though, lol
 
Last edited:
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
RalphJ said:
Any hope for no Graphene with at least one of the racquet lines like the Prestiges? (Long time Prestige user before Graphene. Tried the Graphene Prestige- Horrible). Will there be any changes to the specs of the XT Prestige Pro and MP?

I like Penn tennis balls though, lol
Click to expand...

Haven't seen anything on any new frames as of yet. Any information becomes available I will be sure to post on it!
 
n8dawg6

n8dawg6

Legend
hey man. I had my graphene prestige rev pro strung with Gravity too, but at 50 lbs. worked great until the mains notched into the crosses. trying it with the new Velocity multi now for the sake of my arm. love that little frame, I'm just not particularly competitive with it.
 
Sander001

Sander001

Hall of Fame
HEAD Penn Official said:
Hello All!

My name is Andy and I work for HEAD Penn Racquet Sports. I will be posting here as HeadPennOfficial for all your Head Penn product questions and needs. I will be active on this page and hope to answer all questions as quickly as I can. I do have a vast knowledge of tennis however if there is something I don’t know, I have a great team who I work with that will help me out.

There are a lot of people that play with HEAD and also a lot that don’t but we can all agree that tennis is an awesome sport! I am here to be your guide to everything HEAD and Penn related such as racquets, strings, accessories, footwear and tennis balls. I have used HEAD frames for most of my life and play tested all of the current in line frames so I have a good feel for how everything plays. If it helps I play a counter-punch baseliner style of tennis.

A little about myself and tennis background:

Playing Experience
College: 2 years at Glendale Community College (Phoenix) no.3 singles, no.2 doubles.
1 year at University of Northern Colorado (Division 1 BigSky Conf) no.4 singles, no.2 doubles.

Coaching Experience:
Tennis Counselor at New England Tennis Camp for 3 summers.
Assistant Men’s & Women’s Coach at Glendale Community 1 year. (Men finished 5th in the nation!)
I have taught various clinic and private lessons across the Phoenix area for different clubs.

Current Racquet:
Graphene Prestige Rev Pro grip 3 with Gravity hybrid string at 55lbs.
Click to expand...
Welcome, nice to have you here!

For some years, there has been a growing trend of players stringing looser and finding great results however recommended tensions on HEAD and other manufacturers are still in the high 40lbs+ to high 50's range. Why is that and once HEAD recognizes the validity of lower tensions, how will that influence racquet design and string design?
 
S

smirker

Hall of Fame
Its great that we now have a platform to feed back, a positive step for any manufacturer. Let's keep things positive, but there is nothing wrong with some constructive criticism! From my point of view the Prestige line is what it says it is, the best frame available from Head. To Tha end it should be a premium product with a classic feel and specs. Mid/mp/pro is all that is needed. No gimmicks, whistles or bells. Speed line has always confused me, how does it differ from Radical? Lacks identity Imo. Radical speaks for itself, but why stiffen it up. I still have an old LM Radical and it's a joy to play with. The Graphene Radical is not! Extreme/Instinct lines have their place but should be merged into one range to fit players who don't fall into the Prestige or Radical categories. Nothing wrong with a range of stiffer, lighter rackets for those that like them. At the moment I truly think Head is losing it's way a little which is a shame as it has such great history in tennis and has made a lot of the best frames ever. Bring back the PC600 and Pro Tour 630 and they would sell like hot cakes, even for a premium price. Just my opinion but Head has nothing that interests me right now which is a shame.
 
Cullin Kin

Cullin Kin

Rookie
Hi Andy!

Glad to have you on the forum. Up until about two months ago, my preferred stick was the Head Prestige Flexpoint Mid (old, I know, but when you find that frame...). I felt it was time to make a change, so I tested the new Prestige Graphene and Youtek. They just didn't feel the same so I had to go to a new brand. It was a sad time because I have always played with Head.

However, Head Rip Control is still my favorite cross string along with natural gut mains in my hybrids so at least some Head products remain.

The local pro shop out here thinks that you have discontinued making Rip Control, yet it is still readily available online... Is this true that you have stopped production?

Lastly, cool to see someone else who has played in Colorado! It seriously adds some depth to ones game. lol

Thanks,
Cullin Kin
 
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
n8dawg6 said:
hey man. I had my graphene prestige rev pro strung with Gravity too, but at 50 lbs. worked great until the mains notched into the crosses. trying it with the new Velocity multi now for the sake of my arm. love that little frame, I'm just not particularly competitive with it.
Click to expand...

I have always liked a tighter strung racquet for control purposes. I actually always went to the top of the recommended ranges when I was in college. Not playing competitively anymore I have backed off some to get extra pop on the ball. The Gravity string I think has a very effective bite on the ball with that hybrid triangular and circular molds. However, it will start to dig into the other string but still a great string! The new Velocity MLT is very soft I hear (as I haven't used that one yet) let us know how that works for you!
 
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
Sander001 said:
Welcome, nice to have you here!

For some years, there has been a growing trend of players stringing looser and finding great results however recommended tensions on HEAD and other manufacturers are still in the high 40lbs+ to high 50's range. Why is that and once HEAD recognizes the validity of lower tensions, how will that influence racquet design and string design?
Click to expand...

Thank you for your question. If you notice the recommended tensions ranges on our frames have gone down when we moved from the YouTek IG frames to the YT Graphene frames. I remember 3-5 years ago most frames went up to 60lbs on the high end. A lot our frames now top out at 57lbs so the trend is definitely moving to lower tensions.
 
I

Ihatetennis

Hall of Fame
Can head please bring back more solid classic Frame styles, like heritage radicals and prestiges

I am fond of the iprestige mp but I think it could use some work, maybe a less dense pattern but still the quality and feel of it
 
RalphJ

RalphJ

Banned
Yeah, that was pretty quick too, lol no worries. The positive news is that the XT Prestige looks like a different beam shape, kind of like the XT Speed (unless I looked at the pics wrong). IMO that could be a positive thing (how much more could Head mess up the Prestiges).
 
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
Cullin Kin said:
Hi Andy!

Glad to have you on the forum. Up until about two months ago, my preferred stick was the Head Prestige Flexpoint Mid (old, I know, but when you find that frame...). I felt it was time to make a change, so I tested the new Prestige Graphene and Youtek. They just didn't feel the same so I had to go to a new brand. It was a sad time because I have always played with Head.

However, Head Rip Control is still my favorite cross string along with natural gut mains in my hybrids so at least some Head products remain.

The local pro shop out here thinks that you have discontinued making Rip Control, yet it is still readily available online... Is this true that you have stopped production?

Lastly, cool to see someone else who has played in Colorado! It seriously adds some depth to ones game. lol

Thanks,
Cullin Kin
Click to expand...

Cullin, the RIP control will still be going forward so no need to worry your favorite cross string will be available! We also have introduced 2 new multifilament strings this past May that you may enjoy. The Velocity and Reflex. It maybe worth a demo!

Also, it took me a few months to get used to the altitude and thin air in Colorado, after that playing at sea level was a breeze :)
 
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
RalphJ said:
Will the Prestiges have the same beam shape, or will it be more like the XT Speed shape?
Click to expand...

I personally haven't seen the any new frames. As a Prestige user I am always excited to see what direction is taken. I know a lot of people aren't a fan of the Graphene Prestige line but I think it is a nice frame, for me it's easier on my arm than the Wilson KBlade Tour I was using before but you do have to be able to move your feet (which I don't do as well as I used to) and hit that tiny sweet spot.
 
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
Ihatetennis said:
Can head please bring back more solid classic Frame styles, like heritage radicals and prestiges

I am fond of the iprestige mp but I think it could use some work, maybe a less dense pattern but still the quality and feel of it
Click to expand...

HEAD does carry a HEAD Classic line of frames which is the MG Radical MP/OS at the moment.
 
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
anubis said:
Would love to be able to purchase PT57 frames! And, I wish Head would re-release the LM Radical MP line, fantastic frames!
Click to expand...
I believe the HEAD Classic line was the LM Radical MP/OS for quite some time in the mid-late 2000s. Currently we have the MG Radical MP/OS as the HEAD Classic line.
 
HEAD Penn Official

HEAD Penn Official

Rookie
A_Instead said:
Welcome.. Your experience and reference will be well appreciated..
Good to see an official presence here like the two striped brand.
You will enjoy this and will learn while improving the Brand.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I know this is going to be a learning experience but I hope I can offer all my knowledge to you all as well.
 
prestigeww

prestigeww

Rookie
smirker said:
Its great that we now have a platform to feed back, a positive step for any manufacturer. Let's keep things positive, but there is nothing wrong with some constructive criticism! From my point of view the Prestige line is what it says it is, the best frame available from Head. To Tha end it should be a premium product with a classic feel and specs. Mid/mp/pro is all that is needed. No gimmicks, whistles or bells. Speed line has always confused me, how does it differ from Radical? Lacks identity Imo. Radical speaks for itself, but why stiffen it up. I still have an old LM Radical and it's a joy to play with. The Graphene Radical is not! Extreme/Instinct lines have their place but should be merged into one range to fit players who don't fall into the Prestige or Radical categories. Nothing wrong with a range of stiffer, lighter rackets for those that like them. At the moment I truly think Head is losing it's way a little which is a shame as it has such great history in tennis and has made a lot of the best frames ever. Bring back the PC600 and Pro Tour 630 and they would sell like hot cakes, even for a premium price. Just my opinion but Head has nothing that interests me right now which is a shame.
Click to expand...

this
 
anhuynh16

anhuynh16

Hall of Fame
Welcome Andy. One of my prestige pros cracked at the throat the other day. Who should I contact regarding warranty or etc. I got these direct from y'all from a package. Thanks!
 
movdqa

movdqa

Talk Tennis Guru
Head user for about the last four or five years (YT Prestige MP to IG Prestige MP). I feel that the IG Prestige is a very fine frame. Somewhat stiff as in not a noodle but well below mid-stiff. I could see myself playing with these for a long time given the reviews that I've seen of the Graphene.

Unfortunately, I think that stiffer is the trend because that's what more people want. The folks like me that want softer frames is probably a small minority.

Which ball could you recommend that's closest to the US Open Extra Duty ball? I've been using these for many years and haven't found anything better.
 
movdqa

movdqa

Talk Tennis Guru
Well, I haven't found a Penn ball yet that beats the US Open Extra Duty. There have been some mentioned but I wasn't able to find them for sale to try out a can.
 
J

jman32

Rookie
HEAD Penn Official said:
HEAD does carry a HEAD Classic line of frames which is the MG Radical MP/OS at the moment.
Click to expand...
Btw, my 16 year daughter plays with mg rad pro. A truly unique frame (from all mfg, not just head) thin beam, firm and good feel, open string pattern. Any idea if this type of frame will be updated?
 
J

jman32

Rookie
movdqa said:
Well, I haven't found a Penn ball yet that beats the US Open Extra Duty. There have been some mentioned but I wasn't able to find them for sale to try out a can.
Click to expand...
Andy, correct me if you think otherwise... I am a big fan of atp ball, it plays very well. Imo, better than us open. The playability falls off after one use. You can't squeeze a second play out of them. The pro Penns don't play as well but will hold their "almost as good play" for longer.
 
JohnBPittsburgh

JohnBPittsburgh

Hall of Fame
Did Head stiffen up the "Classic" Microgel Radical Mp's that are for sale now, or is that a rumor? I have not bought any of the new ones, due to hearing this. I still have my older one, but was thinking of getting a back up, and heard they stiffened up the frame a little.
 
movdqa

movdqa

Talk Tennis Guru
jman32 said:
Btw, my 16 year daughter plays with mg rad pro. A truly unique frame (from all mfg, not just head) thin beam, firm and good feel, open string pattern. Any idea if this type of frame will be updated?
Click to expand...

You could lead up an MG.
 
B

blackpearl2007

Semi-Pro
Andy, welcome! Really enjoying the Extreme Pro right now (IG version but like the XT as well). Question - did Head change the grip shape after the IG version? It doesn't feel as flat to me (the XT grip versus the IG grip on the Extreme Pro). The grip on the XT and Graphene feel different than the IG. Doesn't feel like the prestige grip anymore but it also doesn't feel as square as the Speed series. Just curious....thanks and glad Head is on the forum.
 
zapvor

zapvor

G.O.A.T.
JohnBPittsburgh said:
Did Head stiffen up the "Classic" Microgel Radical Mp's that are for sale now, or is that a rumor? I have not bought any of the new ones, due to hearing this. I still have my older one, but was thinking of getting a back up, and heard they stiffened up the frame a little.
Click to expand...
do not buy the new microgelss
 
C

Carlos Mansur

Rookie
I'm really disappointed to know the pictures were removed! Censure is something we should avoid in any field of knowledge.
Head should stop advertising "player's frames" suffixing stuff with "Pro" and return its focus to providing a higher quality product to end user.
Your Graphene series would be a disaster... but you sponsor Djoko and Murray, #1 and #2... If it was Federer and Nadal... Well...

Please, don't take it personally, many years ago, during Guga era, I used to play with Head i.Prestige, even old PT630... And you were supplying nice frames to general public... Today, what are our options from Head?

You offer a custom frame for ridiculous $400 and I have no idea what quality control we should expect!

Once again, for whom it may concern, with all due respect:
Censure is something we should avoid in any field of knowledge
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
Penn tennis ball quality
Replies
8
Views
1K
Cuzza
C
1
New Pro Penn with Encore
Replies
4
Views
840
Tennis Psycho
Tennis Psycho
PT630Wannabe
Head Walmart Raquets: pallets?
Replies
8
Views
975
beltsman
beltsman
M
How to get used to US Open balls (coming from Penn Championship XD)
Replies
12
Views
592
Slowtwitcher
Slowtwitcher
N
Difference between Penn ATP RD vs XD
Replies
0
Views
919
netguy
N
Top