Backhanded Compliment
Legend
havent used either one. Lower launch angle than tc100 though
Tennis Warehouse: Head Graphene 360 Speed (Pro, MP, S) Playtest
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
beltsman
G.O.A.T.
Gotcha, thanks. Should I order one?
Backhanded Compliment
Legend
describe what you are after?
beltsman
G.O.A.T.
A more powerful PCG100
Backhanded Compliment
Legend
it might work... id demo it when available in a few weeks tbh. it shows promise, slight amounts of lead at 12 with much more in the tail made it a sub 12 oz stable spin machine still quite good at flat lazers. Way more free power than tc95 without the swingweight, not as accurate but good there too. Very nice and fun modern stick that even volleys and returns well with comfort.
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tennistomcat
Semi-Pro
I thought the power level, launch angle, and feel on contact reminded me of a lighter, slightly thicker version of the Youtek IG Prestige Pro.
https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/REVIEWS/HYIGPP/HYIGPPReview.html
Crisp on contact with good control. Even though it's a 16X19, it did not hit loopy like a pure drive, aero pro, or pure aero.
I could whip it with spin or flatten out my shots with no problems. Due to its weight, it felt much more maneuverable to me than the Prestige Pro.
The launch angle seemed more loopy than the Pure Strike 17 16X19 but less than the TC95 16X19.
In my playing experience, I felt the launch angle of the PS17 was less than I expected & only a little more than my 18X20 Blade 98.
I've only hit with the TW Playtest version of the PS17 & I thought the Graphene 360 MP had comparable power level or probably slightly more. It felt more solid on contact with less jarring.
It has a stiffer upper hoop and plays more firm than its RA suggests but is still comfortable & feels solid on most shots.
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Murray_fan1
Professional
Racquet Received: Head Speed 360 MP
Tennis Experience/Background: I have been playing tennis for approx. 30 years. Most of those years were played at a competitive level from junior tennis into the adult leagues. If I was to compete in a tournament, I would be comfortable competing at a 4.5-5.0 level. Life of late has been a little prohibitive in letting me compete as much as I would like but I hope to be get back to playing league/tournaments again in the near future.
Describe your playing style (e.g. serve and volley): I would consider myself an aggressive all court player that prefers to dictate points off the forehand and if required finish off at the net. I tend to hit the ball with a little flatter trajectory to help drive through the court. I have with a semi western grip and hit a two handed backhand.
Current Racquet and String: I have been what has seemed like demo hell over the last little while. Although I have a few different racquets I am flirting with, I have yet to commit to anything concrete. Of late, I have been using a customized Wilson Ultra Tour 97 strung with Solinco Tour Bite 18. I find this racquet to offer a good combination of controllable power with a nice plush feel on contact. I tend to gravitate towards more of a traditional player type racquet with thinner beam and a flexible feel on contact. The Wilson Ultra Tour seems to fit the bill for me quite nicely.
I think that is enough about me, let’s get into how the Speed 360 MP worked for my game:
String used during playtest: Although I appreciate that Head has supplied Lynx and Velocity MLT as a potential string to use during the playtest, I thought it would be better to eliminate the variable and play with a string I know. I strung the racquet up with Solinco Tour Bite 18 @ 54lbs on a lock out stringer. I do plan to post a review of Lynx and MLT in the string section after this playtest as I feel that I owe this to Head for supplying us the string.
Hours played with the racquet: I have logged approx. 18 hours with this racquet since receiving it and I feel like I have had enough time in stock form to be able to come up with a few conclusions about the racquet. The Open Level player I hit with, uses the original Graphene Speed MP and I was able to compare this Speed with the older model for those who were interested.
Racquet performance:
Groundstrokes- All of my hitting sessions with the Speed were on a medium fast hard court in fairly humid conditions. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of stability this racquet had, given its low static and swing-weight. There is enough weight in the head to be effective against the majority of players this racquet has been marketed to. Although this is not going to be as rock solid as say a Prestige Pro, I think it offers above average stability for what the specs have indicated. When compared to the old model, I think the slightly thicker (1mm) beam adds some much-needed stability on off center hits and adds a little punch without increasing the overall weight and stiffness of the racquet. As with all Speeds I have demoed over the years, Spin is very easy to produce. The previous generation Speeds seemed to have some of the most open string patterns I have come across in a 16x19 racquet. Although this made for really easy access to spin, I found that it became a little problematic on flatter approach shots when I wanted to drive through the court. Head has appeared to fix this issue in this latest iteration as the mains are tighter together with eight mains in the throat as opposed to 6. This seems to improve my connection to the ball which made me feel much more confident going for my shots. As far as the feel goes, I think it is pretty decent. The flex is uniform albeit a little hollow. I think this could be improved with a little weight added in both the hoop and counter weighted in the handle for those who are longing for a little more solid response. This not a real criticism of the racquet but more of a personal preference.
Serves: I was really happy serving with this racquet. I found I was able to hit my targets with ease and it rewarded both flat and spin deliveries. The weight made it easy to get good racquet head speed which afforded a lot of free points, something my game is set around. If I was going to make the switch to the racquet, I would likely add a little weight to the hoop to give my serves a little more weight. Overall, I served very well with this racquet and found it be one of the better highlights of the play test.
Volleys: Volleying with the Speed 360 was very easy. The 100sq in head was very forgiving and surprisingly stable and was light enough to allow for fast exchanges at the net. I don’t have the softest of hands at net but could see how others would appreciate the great feedback this racquet provides including my playing partner who was a former serve and volley player. He seemed to think the racquet had some decent dwell time which gave him a lot more options to be creative at the net. The racquet has enough stability to direct back and absorb the majority of balls hit his way. As with most things in tennis the ability level dictates the results and there didn’t seem to be many draw backs at net for this player.
Serve Returns: I tend to return to the level of the person I am playing. What I mean by this is that the harder the serve the more I tend to block back returns. This is one area that the lack of weight was really evident. When I had time to set up my return I was rewarded with decent pace and was able to get the ball deep at my opponent’s feet. It was only when I was trying to block back or chip with the racquet did I notice that the racquet would move a bit in my hand and the response was considerably weaker than with my usual racquet. Again, for me this is easily fixable with some added weight.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The Head Speed 360 is yet another good offering in the 300g racquet market. What sets this apart from others in this category is that Head has been able to produce a polyvalent racquet that should really cater to most people. The combination of easy power, spin, predictability, maneuverability, and stability without being too thick, stiff and muted should really be commended. This racquet kind of bridges the gap between a traditional player stick and a tweener. The only thing that really bothered me, was that it did need some weight and did at times feel a little hollow. If I was looking to switch into something a little easier to use than my Ultra Tour or VCore Pro 310, I would definitely look at this racquet.
Comparison with other racquets I have tried in this category: The obvious comparison would be with the previous generation Speed MP. I think Head has taken the feedback and improved this in almost every category. Other racquets that compare to this would be the Pure Drive, Prince Beast 100 and the Textreme 100P.
Tennis Experience/Background: I have been playing tennis for approx. 30 years. Most of those years were played at a competitive level from junior tennis into the adult leagues. If I was to compete in a tournament, I would be comfortable competing at a 4.5-5.0 level. Life of late has been a little prohibitive in letting me compete as much as I would like but I hope to be get back to playing league/tournaments again in the near future.
Describe your playing style (e.g. serve and volley): I would consider myself an aggressive all court player that prefers to dictate points off the forehand and if required finish off at the net. I tend to hit the ball with a little flatter trajectory to help drive through the court. I have with a semi western grip and hit a two handed backhand.
Current Racquet and String: I have been what has seemed like demo hell over the last little while. Although I have a few different racquets I am flirting with, I have yet to commit to anything concrete. Of late, I have been using a customized Wilson Ultra Tour 97 strung with Solinco Tour Bite 18. I find this racquet to offer a good combination of controllable power with a nice plush feel on contact. I tend to gravitate towards more of a traditional player type racquet with thinner beam and a flexible feel on contact. The Wilson Ultra Tour seems to fit the bill for me quite nicely.
I think that is enough about me, let’s get into how the Speed 360 MP worked for my game:
String used during playtest: Although I appreciate that Head has supplied Lynx and Velocity MLT as a potential string to use during the playtest, I thought it would be better to eliminate the variable and play with a string I know. I strung the racquet up with Solinco Tour Bite 18 @ 54lbs on a lock out stringer. I do plan to post a review of Lynx and MLT in the string section after this playtest as I feel that I owe this to Head for supplying us the string.
Hours played with the racquet: I have logged approx. 18 hours with this racquet since receiving it and I feel like I have had enough time in stock form to be able to come up with a few conclusions about the racquet. The Open Level player I hit with, uses the original Graphene Speed MP and I was able to compare this Speed with the older model for those who were interested.
Racquet performance:
Groundstrokes- All of my hitting sessions with the Speed were on a medium fast hard court in fairly humid conditions. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of stability this racquet had, given its low static and swing-weight. There is enough weight in the head to be effective against the majority of players this racquet has been marketed to. Although this is not going to be as rock solid as say a Prestige Pro, I think it offers above average stability for what the specs have indicated. When compared to the old model, I think the slightly thicker (1mm) beam adds some much-needed stability on off center hits and adds a little punch without increasing the overall weight and stiffness of the racquet. As with all Speeds I have demoed over the years, Spin is very easy to produce. The previous generation Speeds seemed to have some of the most open string patterns I have come across in a 16x19 racquet. Although this made for really easy access to spin, I found that it became a little problematic on flatter approach shots when I wanted to drive through the court. Head has appeared to fix this issue in this latest iteration as the mains are tighter together with eight mains in the throat as opposed to 6. This seems to improve my connection to the ball which made me feel much more confident going for my shots. As far as the feel goes, I think it is pretty decent. The flex is uniform albeit a little hollow. I think this could be improved with a little weight added in both the hoop and counter weighted in the handle for those who are longing for a little more solid response. This not a real criticism of the racquet but more of a personal preference.
Serves: I was really happy serving with this racquet. I found I was able to hit my targets with ease and it rewarded both flat and spin deliveries. The weight made it easy to get good racquet head speed which afforded a lot of free points, something my game is set around. If I was going to make the switch to the racquet, I would likely add a little weight to the hoop to give my serves a little more weight. Overall, I served very well with this racquet and found it be one of the better highlights of the play test.
Volleys: Volleying with the Speed 360 was very easy. The 100sq in head was very forgiving and surprisingly stable and was light enough to allow for fast exchanges at the net. I don’t have the softest of hands at net but could see how others would appreciate the great feedback this racquet provides including my playing partner who was a former serve and volley player. He seemed to think the racquet had some decent dwell time which gave him a lot more options to be creative at the net. The racquet has enough stability to direct back and absorb the majority of balls hit his way. As with most things in tennis the ability level dictates the results and there didn’t seem to be many draw backs at net for this player.
Serve Returns: I tend to return to the level of the person I am playing. What I mean by this is that the harder the serve the more I tend to block back returns. This is one area that the lack of weight was really evident. When I had time to set up my return I was rewarded with decent pace and was able to get the ball deep at my opponent’s feet. It was only when I was trying to block back or chip with the racquet did I notice that the racquet would move a bit in my hand and the response was considerably weaker than with my usual racquet. Again, for me this is easily fixable with some added weight.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The Head Speed 360 is yet another good offering in the 300g racquet market. What sets this apart from others in this category is that Head has been able to produce a polyvalent racquet that should really cater to most people. The combination of easy power, spin, predictability, maneuverability, and stability without being too thick, stiff and muted should really be commended. This racquet kind of bridges the gap between a traditional player stick and a tweener. The only thing that really bothered me, was that it did need some weight and did at times feel a little hollow. If I was looking to switch into something a little easier to use than my Ultra Tour or VCore Pro 310, I would definitely look at this racquet.
Comparison with other racquets I have tried in this category: The obvious comparison would be with the previous generation Speed MP. I think Head has taken the feedback and improved this in almost every category. Other racquets that compare to this would be the Pure Drive, Prince Beast 100 and the Textreme 100P.
Backhanded Compliment
Legend
My buddy who helped with the play test and whom I gave the racket to has now strung it up with Babolat hurricane Pro Tour 17 string, which was an old go to string for him when he was in high school. He likes it a lot because the crispness and he benefits from shaped strings. I think tourbite or cyclone would work great in the new speed MP too.
He also just got engaged so its an auspicious present.
Notirouswithag
Professional
Curious to see if anyone can compare the 360 closest to the WIlson blade 98L.
Reading up on this is making me curious about switching back to Head
Reading up on this is making me curious about switching back to Head
beltsman
G.O.A.T.
You are 100% right on with your review. You should review professionally. You really nailed it with this racquet.
Faris
Professional
Played with 360 Pro again yesterday. As a 4.0 hack myself, I think so far the best review has been by @tennisgurl. Its very detailed and doesn't miss anything. For someone in 3.5 to 4.0 rating, the review is gold....
haqq777
Legend
Very nice. I just can't seem to get past the Spiderman PJ on the Radicals, lol.
djNEiGht
Legend
I hear you on that...but it's not a deal breaker for me (so I say now)
Djokovicfan
Professional
Im looking forward to trying a 360 mp but i dont think its going to outdo the previous model (graphene touch speed mp). Adding power to racquets will only improve your game if your strokes are feeble.
Backhanded Compliment
Legend
thanks, i do write professionally... just not about tennis (I am mostly being lazy here in these boards as i warm up) but I am available! I tried to innovate the form a little bit in the review and do something that I haven't seen done in a tennis racket review, incorporate the myth making that goes into picking a particular stick. We all play to have these myth making experiences on court, hence the reason we always use professional players as talking points even though are games may or may not have all that much relationship to the elite athletes we reference. The trick is to find a stick that helps deliver reality into the results while holding forth the promise of the mythical aspects we aspire to. Hope that makes sense? there's such a thing as technical writing but there's also more poetic stuff and tennis is a sport of emotional truths.
I really like that Head is getting back to their roots with the new speeds... for whatever reason my strokes are not as satisfying if I'm using an over 65 ra frame and this new speed MP was a lot of fun to hit with I really was very satisfying if I were just coming back to the sport right now, or a new highschool player I might choose this frame.
Another fact, my first professional writing gig was winning a kswiss essay contest when I was in high school... I won a year supply of shoes, which was really great because I was playing five times a week for 2 to 3 hours each day.
I like this forum because tennis geeks are so passionate yet have some empirical concerns that cannot be ignored. The empirical effects the emotional in unpredictable ways and i find the subjectivity very interesting.
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haqq777
Legend
You should definitely demo if you can. I know of at least two people who have now switched from Touch version Speed MP to the new 360 citing better feel/feedback.
Djokovicfan
Professional
Not to be that guy, but i would be surprised if you werent on the tw/head payroll.
You need to just compare it to heads best racquets like the pro stocks and the pt 630.
Even better, you could compare it to the previous generation graphene touch speed mp, although telling everyone the 360 had less control, less spin generation, and was less consistency boosting than the older model- wouldnt mesh too well with your “the head 360 mp is the greatest racquet ever” review.
Although you do a good job of hiding your intentions in a well thought out manner.
beltsman
G.O.A.T.
I totally understand regarding the myths. Tennis is a romance. We play to input ourselves into the myths. We relive shots over and over in our hrads. So it's fun to play with a racquet that intersects with our (distorted) view of our own tennis game.
1990's Graphite
Hall of Fame
No, you are wrong. He is just a good writer and was on the review. He advocates for angell more than anything else, not because of their payroll, but because he likes their frames as many do here. Do your research first new user.
haqq777
Legend
Absolutely, nothing but good things to say for @Backhanded Compliment
Djokovicfan
Professional
I see that hes a great writer but it was kind of a subtle graphene 360 siren song to me. Like he didnt blurt out “buy this racquet, its the best!” But he did essentially say that in a velvet hammer kind of way. Bottom line is that the added power makes the 360 speed racquets less of a players racquet than the touch speed racquets of 2016/2017. I would wager the 2017 graphene touch speed mp had alot in common with the pro tour 630. The main characteristic of the g touch speed mp that made it have such high control was its low power and polarized balance. When they reach a zenith like they did with the pt 630 and (imo) the gt speed mp, head should stop and admit they made the perfect players racquet. And change from perfection is a detractor. The gts mp was perfect. Read the reviews. Head wants to pretend they improve their racquets with every iteration, but they are mainly just hurling gimmicks to get consumers to buy the “new and improved” racquet.
Djokovicfan
Professional
If head wanted to silence people like me they should put djokovics exact spec pro stock racquet up for sale to the public. From what ive read the model he uses is a magical racquet, and there are tons of strong tennis players who might play better with his racquet. Wilson deserves props for putting an almost equivalent fed racquet up for sale to the public
OjoLOCO
New User
I give Graphene Touch Speed Midplus an 8/10. Two points deducted for low power and twisting. Both can be fixed by modification. It seems these two issues were addressed adequately by the new version.
Djokovicfan
Professional
But low power and polarized weight are what you want in a players racquet. If this forum was about catering to old people with 1 foot groundstrokes then im sure nobody would be here.
To me the most exciting thing about racquets is trying to figure out which racquets each manufacturer made in the past that were at the pinnacle of pro level capability. Im in the camp that thinks racket manufacturers should release all their secret pro stocks to the public. Nobody here will argue that the pt 630 isnt better than 90 percent of the gimmick garbage that comes out every year.
Backhanded Compliment
Legend
lol... you are the only person to write the 360 mp is "the greatest racket ever"... I simply found it a fun, potent and comfortable stick. I suspected my friend might find its properties a good fit. He did find it to have what he was looking for and it is now his main stick. Thanks TW and Head.
Seriously, dont be so cynical... lots of writers love tennis and i am one. Not paid by any tennis related company, and often question why i spend time here unpaid. Now I wouldnt be against a tennis writing gig though and i justify my time here by telling myself its a warmup for my true work. This is me just horsing off in a sloppy way and trying to be helpful.
Sometimes a cigar is a cigar and TW knew exactly who i am when they selected me for the playest. In fact, I applied so i could give my friend a repacement for a Head stick for the one that was stolen from him at work before he could even use it. That sucked and I was happy to correct the issue. thanks tw.
Funny thing i have known my friend for 10 years now and his new fiancee said it was like an anniversary present. lol
Nobody could make this stuff up.
I am going to file this under "big compliment"
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Agree with the 8/10. When I tried the gt Speed mp extensively it played well , and I liked it very much. It’s feel was nothing like as painful as it’s elbow wounding predecessor graphene xt MPA that I had, but it felt light , so I added weight. But even after adding weight , it felt hollow and lacked oomph to me. I ended up with a Yonex Dual g 100 which played more or less as well, was much more solid even without adding weight and feels more ‘connected ‘. The 360 sounds an improvement .... may need to try ... Arghh! too many temptations!![emoji51]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
beltsman
G.O.A.T.
Clown post. Do you play with a wooden racquet? Otherwise you are some old person with 1 foot groundstrokes. Or wait, maybe racquet reviews are subjective and what is good to you is low powered for someone else? And what is low powered to you is high for someone else?
But no, clearly Backhanded Compliment must be a secret shill because he likes a racquet that you don't.
Come to think of it, you sound like a Wilson shill. How much are they paying you?
topspn
G.O.A.T.
Yes, BHC has been trolling these forums spreading clever innuendo and silky spin for TW and racquet companies. It is all a trap that you masterfully figured out. The Djoker is in the house
Backhanded Compliment
Legend
lol what i take from this is:
would Head and TW pay me to write about Angell? Would Angell pay me to write about Head? Clearly im not getting paid enough (in fact zilch) Robin Soderling owes me lunch for really amping up RSLyon (i could write your biography RS, seriously, i do bios). Kswiss and addidas also are gear i use.
but yeah, im legit. i write about things i like and actually have used. Ive relied on others imput on gear on this forum. It is a great resource and i figure i should help others as they have helped me. Ive never received a dime for tennis writing anywhere and have spent good money to use Head gear for decades. Once my ytpmp cracked under warranty and they sent me a new IGPMP. Good company, they stand by their products. Ive owned perhaps 10 Head sticks over the years and still have 2.
Djokovicfan
Professional
Why are you getting all hot and bothered?
Djokovicfan
Professional
It was just a thought. It just seemed like you were saying every change was an improvement, even when the changes were taking the 360 away from players racquet territory.
beltsman
G.O.A.T.
Because you were calling a respected poster a marketing shill, and also acting as if your subjective opinion is the be-all-end-all of racquet reviews.
TennisHound
Legend
I know I’m not on the playtest, but I hit for about 45 mins with the 360 Speed MP and it was a solid improvement over the Touch Speed MP. I have to echo the sentiments that it is much more stable than previous iterations, and it doesn’t feel bulky or sluggish.
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Djokovicfan
Professional
Every player review ive seen of the gtspeed mp has been between positive and amazing. Its not subjective either. I have already run into people on this forum who say the same thing about the racquets consistency. My angle is that i want more people to try the 2017 graphene touch speed mp because i think its one of the best racquets head has ever made. I have demo’d tons of racquets over the years but none of them came close to blowing my socks off like the gts mp did. And i understand some players migbt like the added power of the new 360 speed. But i simply dont find power (non players) racquets to be the least bit interesting. Pro tennis is about high power swings and low power racquets. I apologize for finding professional tennis racquet dynamics more interesting than the retiree leasure pwr racquet that doesnt guide you to become a better tennis player. Im sure alot of skilled members here are sick of hearing about this and that racquets power level etc...
Backhanded Compliment
Legend
i havent played the previous mp though ive hit with the first mp. to my mind the Speed line is a new kind of stick... not purely a low powered "players" control stick and not a tweener either. People bring such expectations to sticks but i found it to be an exciting experience... built for stinging mostly baseline tennis, but not defensive oriented or patient tennis. It encourages riskier initiative taking tennis.
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beltsman
G.O.A.T.
But you are playing with a high power racquet. Your racquet would have been considered a granny racquet in the 90s.
It's funny how you equate the new Speed MP, which is only slightly more powerful, with some 110 sq in racquet. Completely bogus.
Djokovicfan
Professional
Im mainly saying the new 360 line is going in the wrong direction. As was said, the graphene touch line wasnt as low power as it gets. So i wouldve been thrilled if the new graphene 360 line had gone in the direction of less power. That might have made the racquet have even more control than the graphene touch line. Head went the other direction tho, which means they must have not considered the graphene touch line a players racquet line. I think head should have considered it a players racquet, and gone in the less power/more control direction with the new graphene 360 line.
Maybe they will come up with a new line in 2020 that continues the graphene touch line and takes it even further into low power/players racquet specs.
beltsman
G.O.A.T.
That's fair enough and valid.
I prefer the 360, but we're different players so we have different opinions.
Since I won't be able to get any more time in with this racket before the review deadline, I'm going to post my review now:
Racket Model Received:
Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro
String and tension used for test:
I played with 3 different strings, all strung at 54lbs on a lock out. Tourna BHB7 17g, Head Velocity MLT 17g, Solinco TB 19g. This racket plays well with both multi and poly, but it really shines with the poly. The first 2 hours with the multi were fantastic, but once the outer coating wore off, the response really dropped. Of the 3 setups, I preferred the TB, as it gave me more access to free spin and power on my serve without sacrificing control in other areas of the court.
Tennis experience/background:
Played junior tennis in SoCal, 4 years of HS, 4 years D1 tennis. Currently play a limited amount of usta and have a 5.0 rating.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
I play aggressively and try to finish points at the net…my serve affords me a lot of free points and I will mix in s&v.
Current racket/string setups:
Babolat Pure Control Tour has been my goto stick since I got back into tennis 5yrs ago. I’m actively looking for a new stick and have played mostly with the Head Graphene XT Prestige Pro as well as some time with the Wilson Ultra Tour. I have some arm issues, so I try to find rackets with a low RA and a high SW. The Prestige lacks a little stability and plow, and the Ultra lacks in the spin department. I prefer the feel, control and spin of poly, but it has to be on the soft side as I've had some elbow/shoulder problems with stiff poly seeming to be the culprit. I’ve tried quite a few poly set ups and have found that the thinner gauge Solinco strings have a softer feel without a huge loss in tension like most soft polys.
How many hours did you play with the racket?
I played with this racket for just over 25 hours. (6 sets of singles, 8 sets of doubles, the rest hitting/drilling sessions)
Comments on racquet performance:
-Groundstrokes:
This racket can hold its own with pace. I never felt pushed around even when trading shots with the big hitters at my club. As the name Speed indicates, you will get solid speed through the hitting zone. The 18/20 pattern spacing is just about perfect…it gives great control but also allows for spin. I was pushed out wide several times on the forehand side and was able to use only my wrist to send a shot flying down the line. The static and swing weight are spot on. At times I thought a little more plow would help, and I added a few grams of lead at the top, but it took away from the speed I was getting through the hitting zone. I could drive the ball with my backhand and loop my forehand. Slice is not my strength, but this racket is well suited to all baseline strokes.
-Serves:
This was where I struggled. I was not able to get good pace or spin. Again I added some weight in the hoop and it didn’t help at all, in fact, made it worse. The only change that turned things around was when I went to the 19g Tour Bite. Once I put that in, my experience serving took a turn in the right direction. I was able to get greater power with my flat T serves as well as great spin slicing out wide on the deuce…and I really loved my slider up the T on the ad side. I had several aces with that serve and even some 2nd serve aces in that spot. I still didn’t like the action I was getting on my kick serve. Usually I can kick them into the court divider nets, but I was only getting a little jump. However, if I was to switch to this racket, I’m sure I could work through it. It isn't a poor serving racket, I just couldn't get the pace and spin I do with my current rackets. It would be tough to switch to a racket that doesn't promote my biggest strength.
-Volleys:
This racket makes volleying so easy. It is super solid and stable. I really enjoyed coming to net. Touch shots were a little iffy and when I had to really reach for a ball, the stability was lost a bit, but those are very minor knocks…this racket performed so well for me at net, I would just make it simple and say 10 out of 10 in this category.
-Serve returns:
Again, the stability and speed of this racket made for a solid foundation to return serves. When I did miss, it tended to be in the net, which is not where I would prefer so I kept adjusting my trajectory to find the right zone for a solid deep return. I think because I tend to play with a higher SW racket setup, I was just struggling to adjust to the lower SW of the Speed Pro. Because of the nature of the return, and the level of serves I was facing, I just didn’t have the time needed to really dial in and adjust. But I feel with some more time, I would have no issues with returns with this racket.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
On the whole, this is a very solid racket. It does everything quite well. Even the paint job is very nice. It isn’t until you see it up close, that you notice some of the details in the black paint that make it more than just a black and white paint job. I came into this play test hoping that this racket would be a combination of the positive aspects of my 2 current frames the Babolot Pure Control Tour and Head Graphene XT Prestige Pro and it delivered. It had a crisper response and provided better feedback than my PCT, although spin levels were similar. But it was much more solid from all areas of the court compared to my Prestige Pro. When it comes to the grip, it was not the typical oval Head that is on my Prestige. I actually build up the sides of my prestige to get a more Wilson/Babolat grip feel. This may not sit well with those who actually prefer that classic Head profile. I typically like a smaller head size, but this racket gave me all the feedback I needed and never felt sluggish or tired. For me, I think that this racket needs a slight uptick in swing weight. And towards the end of the play test, I spent one session tinkering with some lead tape. I couldn’t get it dialed in the way I wanted. I think that the balance and static weight of the racket are spot on and it would take some strategic planning to get the SW up without messing with the stock specs. My last observation is the most troublesome for me. This racket plays much stiffer than the RA indicates. My elbow and shoulder starting feeling some twinges of pain throughout this play test. Even with the softer multi in the racket, I still felt discomfort. It could be the placement of the graphene or it could be that the static weight is too low for me, but since I don’t want to head back down the road where I had to take several months off to recoup my arm, there is no way that I could switch to this racket. It is a bummer too, because I really took a liking to this racket!!
Racket Model Received:
Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro
String and tension used for test:
I played with 3 different strings, all strung at 54lbs on a lock out. Tourna BHB7 17g, Head Velocity MLT 17g, Solinco TB 19g. This racket plays well with both multi and poly, but it really shines with the poly. The first 2 hours with the multi were fantastic, but once the outer coating wore off, the response really dropped. Of the 3 setups, I preferred the TB, as it gave me more access to free spin and power on my serve without sacrificing control in other areas of the court.
Tennis experience/background:
Played junior tennis in SoCal, 4 years of HS, 4 years D1 tennis. Currently play a limited amount of usta and have a 5.0 rating.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
I play aggressively and try to finish points at the net…my serve affords me a lot of free points and I will mix in s&v.
Current racket/string setups:
Babolat Pure Control Tour has been my goto stick since I got back into tennis 5yrs ago. I’m actively looking for a new stick and have played mostly with the Head Graphene XT Prestige Pro as well as some time with the Wilson Ultra Tour. I have some arm issues, so I try to find rackets with a low RA and a high SW. The Prestige lacks a little stability and plow, and the Ultra lacks in the spin department. I prefer the feel, control and spin of poly, but it has to be on the soft side as I've had some elbow/shoulder problems with stiff poly seeming to be the culprit. I’ve tried quite a few poly set ups and have found that the thinner gauge Solinco strings have a softer feel without a huge loss in tension like most soft polys.
How many hours did you play with the racket?
I played with this racket for just over 25 hours. (6 sets of singles, 8 sets of doubles, the rest hitting/drilling sessions)
Comments on racquet performance:
-Groundstrokes:
This racket can hold its own with pace. I never felt pushed around even when trading shots with the big hitters at my club. As the name Speed indicates, you will get solid speed through the hitting zone. The 18/20 pattern spacing is just about perfect…it gives great control but also allows for spin. I was pushed out wide several times on the forehand side and was able to use only my wrist to send a shot flying down the line. The static and swing weight are spot on. At times I thought a little more plow would help, and I added a few grams of lead at the top, but it took away from the speed I was getting through the hitting zone. I could drive the ball with my backhand and loop my forehand. Slice is not my strength, but this racket is well suited to all baseline strokes.
-Serves:
This was where I struggled. I was not able to get good pace or spin. Again I added some weight in the hoop and it didn’t help at all, in fact, made it worse. The only change that turned things around was when I went to the 19g Tour Bite. Once I put that in, my experience serving took a turn in the right direction. I was able to get greater power with my flat T serves as well as great spin slicing out wide on the deuce…and I really loved my slider up the T on the ad side. I had several aces with that serve and even some 2nd serve aces in that spot. I still didn’t like the action I was getting on my kick serve. Usually I can kick them into the court divider nets, but I was only getting a little jump. However, if I was to switch to this racket, I’m sure I could work through it. It isn't a poor serving racket, I just couldn't get the pace and spin I do with my current rackets. It would be tough to switch to a racket that doesn't promote my biggest strength.
-Volleys:
This racket makes volleying so easy. It is super solid and stable. I really enjoyed coming to net. Touch shots were a little iffy and when I had to really reach for a ball, the stability was lost a bit, but those are very minor knocks…this racket performed so well for me at net, I would just make it simple and say 10 out of 10 in this category.
-Serve returns:
Again, the stability and speed of this racket made for a solid foundation to return serves. When I did miss, it tended to be in the net, which is not where I would prefer so I kept adjusting my trajectory to find the right zone for a solid deep return. I think because I tend to play with a higher SW racket setup, I was just struggling to adjust to the lower SW of the Speed Pro. Because of the nature of the return, and the level of serves I was facing, I just didn’t have the time needed to really dial in and adjust. But I feel with some more time, I would have no issues with returns with this racket.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
On the whole, this is a very solid racket. It does everything quite well. Even the paint job is very nice. It isn’t until you see it up close, that you notice some of the details in the black paint that make it more than just a black and white paint job. I came into this play test hoping that this racket would be a combination of the positive aspects of my 2 current frames the Babolot Pure Control Tour and Head Graphene XT Prestige Pro and it delivered. It had a crisper response and provided better feedback than my PCT, although spin levels were similar. But it was much more solid from all areas of the court compared to my Prestige Pro. When it comes to the grip, it was not the typical oval Head that is on my Prestige. I actually build up the sides of my prestige to get a more Wilson/Babolat grip feel. This may not sit well with those who actually prefer that classic Head profile. I typically like a smaller head size, but this racket gave me all the feedback I needed and never felt sluggish or tired. For me, I think that this racket needs a slight uptick in swing weight. And towards the end of the play test, I spent one session tinkering with some lead tape. I couldn’t get it dialed in the way I wanted. I think that the balance and static weight of the racket are spot on and it would take some strategic planning to get the SW up without messing with the stock specs. My last observation is the most troublesome for me. This racket plays much stiffer than the RA indicates. My elbow and shoulder starting feeling some twinges of pain throughout this play test. Even with the softer multi in the racket, I still felt discomfort. It could be the placement of the graphene or it could be that the static weight is too low for me, but since I don’t want to head back down the road where I had to take several months off to recoup my arm, there is no way that I could switch to this racket. It is a bummer too, because I really took a liking to this racket!!
I wanted to try out the Speed S and this is my take on it
Racquet Received: Head Graphene 360 S
Tennis experience/background:
30 yrs of tennis. Haven’t played a tournament in years. My wife played in college and the hassles and logistics of “competitive tennis ” never really interested me. I hit 3-4 times a week on a regular basis with a group of people.
Describe your playing style (e.g., serve & volley):
Mostly doubles so definitely take control of net, strong serve to set up weak returns. I do love a blasted forehand when the opportunity presents itself. I think I swing with enthusiasm others might say wildly but they just don’t understand.
Current racket/string:
Latest is Prince Textreme Tour 100L, with 24 in of tape from 6 to 12 cross strings and 16 in. across the bottom of the bridge Bluetac under the butt Weighing in at 11.25 6 pts HL. Babolat SG 17 at 55/53. Before that was a APDGT that I really liked except for 330+ swingweight, to much work to get the best out of it. I’m not very susceptible to elbow problems.
String set-up in test racket:
I tried it with Prince XR17 53/51.Lynx 17 at 52/50 and Velocity MLT 17 at 52/50. I like the racket better with softer strings. I don’t know if it’s because of the 69 stiffness or the low swingweight but the S was more comfortable and I got more action from the stringbed with softer strings. I’ll go softer on the next restring
How many hours did you play with the racket?
About 30 hrs. I also switched with a couple hitting partners. One hits with a Babolat PD Team the other with a Yonex xi 100. Both liked the racket and we felt the rackets were for a similar market. The Team had more pace and spin, higher launch angle. The XI larger sweet spot, softer feel. Really very similar.
Comments on racket performance
-groundstrokes: The light weight challenged my timing a bit and I had to shorten my stroke and prepare a little later. This is the effect I’ve been trying for with lighter rackets to see if I am getting to old for heavy players frames. This is a polarized racket and it responds best to a “lag and snap” stroke. More whip less club. I could slap the ball quickly through the court but I couldn’t generate the same weight of shot. The kind where your opponent hits the ball and their racket wobbles.
-serves:
Light weight made it very quick with a relaxed swing. I could generate good kick on serves and enough pace on body serves to force “just get it back returns” Easy pickings for the net guy. More difficult to blast the ball by just on pace. Not a racket for overpowering the opponent.
-volleys:
Excellent on volleys. Super quick to the ball, firm head helps accurate placement and depth. Doesn’t pop up floaters like some of the lighter racquet’s do.
-serve returns:
Quick through the ball, easy clean contact. I had more of a problems being early than late. Certainly stable enough for reasonable serves. I can’t speak to facing 120 mph serves, I didn’t have the opportunity. Very good for handling 4.0 serves.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is a Graphene racket and depending on your sensitivity it plays Rigid or Firm or Crisp. I thought of it as Firm. It is defiantly not mushy or soft or cushy. I think it plays a little firmer than my APD. That said I haven’t had any problem with vibrations or elbow but it does play firm. I am not sensitive to elbow problems so that's just me. I do think it plays better with softer strings and I’ll probably go to Syn Gut or multi 48 next.
The launch angle is much lower than I expected and is very comfortable hitting a flat ball. It will also hit spin well so it’s a matter of your stroke what result you’ll have.
I kept it stock for the first 20 hrs, but I had to mess with it a bit. Right now I’m playing it at 11.1 oz. 5 pts HL total of 6 gm. lead at 16 in with overgrip and damper. The mid weighting seems to make it less polarized which I prefer. The swingweight should be about 310 but the firmness of the frame helps keep it from being pushed around to much.
This is not a “grannystick” you can’t just stick the racquet out and have the ball bounce off deep to the other side. You have to make full strokes to get good results. This racquet makes those full strokes easier, less physically demanding.
A very nice racket geared toward people of slighter build or have played more seasons. If you are a fit athlete in your 20’s the Pro or MP would be a better fit for you. If the upside of your game is not as high it might help you reach your personal best.
Thanks to TW and Head for the opportunity to test the Speed S
Racquet Received: Head Graphene 360 S
Tennis experience/background:
30 yrs of tennis. Haven’t played a tournament in years. My wife played in college and the hassles and logistics of “competitive tennis ” never really interested me. I hit 3-4 times a week on a regular basis with a group of people.
Describe your playing style (e.g., serve & volley):
Mostly doubles so definitely take control of net, strong serve to set up weak returns. I do love a blasted forehand when the opportunity presents itself. I think I swing with enthusiasm others might say wildly but they just don’t understand.
Current racket/string:
Latest is Prince Textreme Tour 100L, with 24 in of tape from 6 to 12 cross strings and 16 in. across the bottom of the bridge Bluetac under the butt Weighing in at 11.25 6 pts HL. Babolat SG 17 at 55/53. Before that was a APDGT that I really liked except for 330+ swingweight, to much work to get the best out of it. I’m not very susceptible to elbow problems.
String set-up in test racket:
I tried it with Prince XR17 53/51.Lynx 17 at 52/50 and Velocity MLT 17 at 52/50. I like the racket better with softer strings. I don’t know if it’s because of the 69 stiffness or the low swingweight but the S was more comfortable and I got more action from the stringbed with softer strings. I’ll go softer on the next restring
How many hours did you play with the racket?
About 30 hrs. I also switched with a couple hitting partners. One hits with a Babolat PD Team the other with a Yonex xi 100. Both liked the racket and we felt the rackets were for a similar market. The Team had more pace and spin, higher launch angle. The XI larger sweet spot, softer feel. Really very similar.
Comments on racket performance
-groundstrokes: The light weight challenged my timing a bit and I had to shorten my stroke and prepare a little later. This is the effect I’ve been trying for with lighter rackets to see if I am getting to old for heavy players frames. This is a polarized racket and it responds best to a “lag and snap” stroke. More whip less club. I could slap the ball quickly through the court but I couldn’t generate the same weight of shot. The kind where your opponent hits the ball and their racket wobbles.
-serves:
Light weight made it very quick with a relaxed swing. I could generate good kick on serves and enough pace on body serves to force “just get it back returns” Easy pickings for the net guy. More difficult to blast the ball by just on pace. Not a racket for overpowering the opponent.
-volleys:
Excellent on volleys. Super quick to the ball, firm head helps accurate placement and depth. Doesn’t pop up floaters like some of the lighter racquet’s do.
-serve returns:
Quick through the ball, easy clean contact. I had more of a problems being early than late. Certainly stable enough for reasonable serves. I can’t speak to facing 120 mph serves, I didn’t have the opportunity. Very good for handling 4.0 serves.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is a Graphene racket and depending on your sensitivity it plays Rigid or Firm or Crisp. I thought of it as Firm. It is defiantly not mushy or soft or cushy. I think it plays a little firmer than my APD. That said I haven’t had any problem with vibrations or elbow but it does play firm. I am not sensitive to elbow problems so that's just me. I do think it plays better with softer strings and I’ll probably go to Syn Gut or multi 48 next.
The launch angle is much lower than I expected and is very comfortable hitting a flat ball. It will also hit spin well so it’s a matter of your stroke what result you’ll have.
I kept it stock for the first 20 hrs, but I had to mess with it a bit. Right now I’m playing it at 11.1 oz. 5 pts HL total of 6 gm. lead at 16 in with overgrip and damper. The mid weighting seems to make it less polarized which I prefer. The swingweight should be about 310 but the firmness of the frame helps keep it from being pushed around to much.
This is not a “grannystick” you can’t just stick the racquet out and have the ball bounce off deep to the other side. You have to make full strokes to get good results. This racquet makes those full strokes easier, less physically demanding.
A very nice racket geared toward people of slighter build or have played more seasons. If you are a fit athlete in your 20’s the Pro or MP would be a better fit for you. If the upside of your game is not as high it might help you reach your personal best.
Thanks to TW and Head for the opportunity to test the Speed S
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
Racquet Received: Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro-DEAD ON SPEC as listed by TW
Tennis experience/background:
First picked up a racquet in high school gym class 23 years ago, played sporadically up until 2-3 years ago when I became pretty much obsessed. Probably somewhere between 4-4.5.
Describe your playing style (e.g., serve & volley):
Lately I have been playing a lot of doubles but I prefer singles and am a counter punching baseline player. SW forehand and OHBH. Serve may be my best weapon.
Current racket/string:
I currently use the Pro Staff 97 CV with a TW leather grip, built up butt cap, and 8g in the buttcap. Static weight is 12.63oz and 12pts HL. It is currently strung with Prince Warrior response at 46lbs.
String set-up in test racket:
I strung the Speed Pro up with the provided Lynx string at 46lbs. I really like the color and ease of stringing the Lynx.
How many hours did you play with the racket?
About 20 hrs. Mostly doubles play, but I also got in some singles matches and hit with the ball machine a few times as well.
Comments on racket performance
-Groundstrokes: Groundies were great with this racquet on the forehand side, the string pattern is damn near perfect in my opinion. I found plenty of power, more so than my Pro Staff for sure and more control as well. The backhand side however was not great unfortunately. I hit a OHBH and prefer a smaller head/thinner beam/more HL balance so this stick felt a bit big/clunky for me on the backhand. The backhand slice though was a bright spot but I don't hit slice very much.
-Serves:
Serving with the Speed Pro was pretty much similar to my Pro Staff. The flat 1st serve was very easy to execute and had plenty of pop. Slice and Kickers were also a breeze, I didn't notice the 100 in head size as much as I thought I would on serve compared to the backhand.
-Volleys:
Volleys were great with the Speed Pro, this is where I appreciated the extra real estate. The somewhat tight string pattern also helped control volleys well. It was very maneuverable as well which surprised me with the head size and thicker beam, although my current racquet is considerably heavier.
-Serve returns:
My favorite shot with this frame-caveat-forehand. Return of serve(forehand) was simply punishing with this stick. I return serves with a shorter back swing than my normal forehand and the power that this frame was getting was awesome. Loved the ROS!
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
The 360 Speed Pro has a metallic-y feel to it which takes some getting used to. Also as some others have mentioned it feels much stiffer than it's RA suggests, while I didn't get any pain I could still notice it wasn't as plush as the RA would lead you to believe, the metallic feeling may have something to do with that. This was not a negative for me though, I actually liked the stiffer feel because it lead to more power in my opinion. This is truly a unique frame with not many like it-thicker beam with 18x20 pattern(only the prince TXT 100p comes to mind). I also modded the frame with the exact setup as my Pro Staff-TW leather, built up butt etc, but I didn't like the way it played at all. The way Head designed this frame played perfectly to me in stock form. If I had not dropped so much $$$ on custom Pro Staffs I would probably switch to this racquet. This is why I wish Wilson would release an 18x20 Pro Staff!!! Great job HEAD.
Thanks to TW and Head for the opportunity to test the 360 Speed Pro!!!
Tennis experience/background:
First picked up a racquet in high school gym class 23 years ago, played sporadically up until 2-3 years ago when I became pretty much obsessed. Probably somewhere between 4-4.5.
Describe your playing style (e.g., serve & volley):
Lately I have been playing a lot of doubles but I prefer singles and am a counter punching baseline player. SW forehand and OHBH. Serve may be my best weapon.
Current racket/string:
I currently use the Pro Staff 97 CV with a TW leather grip, built up butt cap, and 8g in the buttcap. Static weight is 12.63oz and 12pts HL. It is currently strung with Prince Warrior response at 46lbs.
String set-up in test racket:
I strung the Speed Pro up with the provided Lynx string at 46lbs. I really like the color and ease of stringing the Lynx.
How many hours did you play with the racket?
About 20 hrs. Mostly doubles play, but I also got in some singles matches and hit with the ball machine a few times as well.
Comments on racket performance
-Groundstrokes: Groundies were great with this racquet on the forehand side, the string pattern is damn near perfect in my opinion. I found plenty of power, more so than my Pro Staff for sure and more control as well. The backhand side however was not great unfortunately. I hit a OHBH and prefer a smaller head/thinner beam/more HL balance so this stick felt a bit big/clunky for me on the backhand. The backhand slice though was a bright spot but I don't hit slice very much.
-Serves:
Serving with the Speed Pro was pretty much similar to my Pro Staff. The flat 1st serve was very easy to execute and had plenty of pop. Slice and Kickers were also a breeze, I didn't notice the 100 in head size as much as I thought I would on serve compared to the backhand.
-Volleys:
Volleys were great with the Speed Pro, this is where I appreciated the extra real estate. The somewhat tight string pattern also helped control volleys well. It was very maneuverable as well which surprised me with the head size and thicker beam, although my current racquet is considerably heavier.
-Serve returns:
My favorite shot with this frame-caveat-forehand. Return of serve(forehand) was simply punishing with this stick. I return serves with a shorter back swing than my normal forehand and the power that this frame was getting was awesome. Loved the ROS!
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
The 360 Speed Pro has a metallic-y feel to it which takes some getting used to. Also as some others have mentioned it feels much stiffer than it's RA suggests, while I didn't get any pain I could still notice it wasn't as plush as the RA would lead you to believe, the metallic feeling may have something to do with that. This was not a negative for me though, I actually liked the stiffer feel because it lead to more power in my opinion. This is truly a unique frame with not many like it-thicker beam with 18x20 pattern(only the prince TXT 100p comes to mind). I also modded the frame with the exact setup as my Pro Staff-TW leather, built up butt etc, but I didn't like the way it played at all. The way Head designed this frame played perfectly to me in stock form. If I had not dropped so much $$$ on custom Pro Staffs I would probably switch to this racquet. This is why I wish Wilson would release an 18x20 Pro Staff!!! Great job HEAD.
Thanks to TW and Head for the opportunity to test the 360 Speed Pro!!!
A_Instead
Legend
Muchas Gracius to those who took their time to read my review of the Head Speed 360 MP.. I hope I provided useful information that can be used in your purchase decision.
At any time, you can reach out to me for questions, additional feedback, etc.
To get it out of the way and in the open.... “I have a problem, I am a racketholic” and to happily admit I am on the road to recovery thanks to Head…
History: I visit TW every day numerous times and read the boards religiously… seeking insight on things ..seeing what is being said on a particular racket/subject... checking the FS section always.. (weekends suck as no updates)
Regulars on TW know me.. We spread our problems amongst ourselves..buying, trying, selling.. vicious circle.
I tried nearly every racket in the 300g category for many, many years, mostly from every manufacture Buy, try, sell, buy again it keeps going. ( like some of us here, just look at FS post)
Having said that.. I know what I like and I know what I don’t like as I get to try so many.. Compare, contrast, etc.. Some are good, some not so good. Again... “Different strokes for different folks”
And the great thing is.. It’s on my coin, my hobby and most importantly…I ENJOY IT..and I know it hurts my game.. but... it’s my problem.. I own it. I don’t care.. you shouldn’t either..
I have grown to adore some frames.. each manufacture has there “go to” frames for me… I have my preferences.. But I always had a place in my heart for Head.. Look at my profile picture. “The Big Russian”.. It stems from my glory days of high school and university tennis.. when the body and mind could do many things for many hours.. but as we age.. tastes and needs change..
So let’s discuss my level of play now.. I do not play USTA as I spend my spare time managing and playing in Tennis League with 90 plus members ranging from 2.5 to 4.5, both male and female.
I’d say I am a 3.5, Others think 4.0.. as I beat them.
My game is based on my serve. I am 6’3 and use it to my advantage. If my serve is on, I win.
Then my next strength is forehand, big.. and in most matches, people simply try not to hit to my forehand.
Next strength is backhand slice.. I can really work it..low..I almost over use it… game would improve if I would hit more regular one handed backhands.
Volleys and overheads.. need work.
I mix my shots up between loopy balls with a lot of spin to keep people back and then also drive low balls that just about clip the net..
Baseline basher a little, more of an all court player.. but I use whatever style that is most efficient in a match..( I can’t sit just sit back and exchange with some young gun.. I’ll find a way to win)
Having said that, when I look for a racket, I look for a racket that strengthens my strengths.
I prefer a 98/100 inch head, std length, open 16x19, a lively textured poly at 50 lbs 320 swing weight , 5 points HL, 325g static weight fully dressed with overgrip and dampener. Mid 60 flex , stiffer shaft, flexy top half of the hoop. Oval shape head compared to tear drop. A muted response and always use a TW worm dampener.
Currently, I am using the Head Radical Touch MP strung with my go to Pros Pro Strategem 17g at 50lbs ..
Enough of the boring stuff... lets talk Head Speed 360 MP
I shelved my Touch Radical for a few weeks and I took it straight into a match.. no practicing before.. wanted to see what it could and could not do..
“Sink or swim..” It actually makes me concentrate on technique..It was fine after a few games once I understand what it could and could not do..
Looking back I used it for at least 32 hours since we received it… Restrung once.
Many matches, singles, doubles and just practice.
I used my Babolat Pop off and on to see what it was doing for me and my numbers were up compared to my Touch Radical.
Strung mine twice with my preferred Pros Pro Strategem 17g at 50 lbs (constant pull)
Fully dressed with overgrip, collar and dampener is 325 grams.
Tangibles
Looks: Its black and white… nothing crazy that makes one say wow or “what”… but a quality paint finish .. simple… (IMO..more flash could influence sales as other MFGs really catch one’s eyes, both on the court and in the store/club etc)
Craftsmanship/fit and finish: Fine..No short cuts or cheap materials.. other manufactures should take note..
Playability: Very NICE.. Pleasant actually.. GOOD JOB on this one Head..simple to use and does all very well. Swings easy, very maneuverable. Not a cannon or a lively unpredictable beast..(like some in this category ) Yet has more than enough power with swings to keep the ball within the lines with good confidence...Control is fine, better than expected with it very open string pattern.
It is not a fat thick beam racket like some.. It doesn’t get it is own way like some do. One can take full swings if they choose and it also can support shorter chops and bunts when called upon.
I had no problem with depth or pace.. Spin was great as with any Speed MP.. (Most 2 stripes brand PA users should try a Speed.. they would like it.. some may not admit.. but spin is on par if not exceeds it)
I didn’t see any stability issues, but I am playing with any 5.0 players and beyond..
Sweet spot was sweet. Felt mostly big and useful.. not to big were one losses feel and confidence. I knew when I hit it and it felt good.. I wasn’t scared when I missed it.. No crazy unexplained fliers.
Serves: Took a few days to get my serve dialed in.. I had to get use to the feel and flex points to understand what is needed to get the serve consistent and where it needs to be for my game. I was able to get more kick and jump with Speed 360 MP compared to my Touch Radical.
2nd serves were most definitely more effective.
Serve returns: Wasn’t bad. One can take a healthy swing when applicable, and it proved very worthy with chips and blocks and kept the ball deep enough to get yourself back in position..
Forehands: I had to change my grip and technique a little to address the more open string pattern.. no issues placing the ball where I intended them to go.. I could hit a more loopy ball with more ease compared to my Touch Radical. I had to watch as my ball would sit up a little more if I didn’t keep it deep which allowed more time for my opponents. I see that with more open spinny type rackets. My forehand was not disappointed with the Speed 360 MP.. No drop in performance.
Backhands: I hit better backhands and slices with my Radical, but backhands were suffice, they had more spin, but didn’t seem to move through the court as well.
Volleys: Not an area or skill that I can say I am good at to make a good comparison or comment.. it was ok.. volleys had bite, it didn’t fold or twist in my hand like some do..
Overheads: I didn’t hit many as the opportunity didn’t present itself much.. but the three I had I smashed for winners. 1 went over the back fence.
Touch/Feel: It had feedback, unlike some it this segment. I knew if I hit a clean shot. I was able to use drop shots effectively and was able to speed up and slow down my swings to get a good feel of the ball to change up the tempo when needed. Did not feel stiff or jarring to me..
Not so Good things: Not a bad thing, but with any overly open string patterns, tension seems to drop faster than normal.. but just have to work with your strings, tensions, stringing frequency.
What makes me excited: I loved that Head is starting to make rackets worthy of carrying the Head name again.. what I mean is.. before the brand with 2 stripes and others . Head was the staple on Tour and playgrounds along with “W”. Head has lost some sparkle since then IMO , lost market share, disappointed a few, etc.. BUT those who have used Head in the past and would like to comeback.. The new Speed 360 MP is worthy of that invitation. Sure there a great rackets out there by other MFGs..by all means the Speed 360 MP is not the cure all/ fix all but it can compete with the best of them.. Go try one and see for yourself..
What I Loved: I loved how I could swing the Speed 360 MP fast, swing it slow and control my tempo at different spots on the court. The Speed 360 allowed me play tennis with less stress. It gave me a greater confidence in all areas.
I haven’t spent enough time with it to say “ it’s the one”... but I will continue to use it as it has kept my attention longer than most just like the Touch Radical did. That tells me a lot as I enjoy the hunt…but maybe the hunt is nearing an end ???..my wallet will be happy.. I love that.
Who will like this racket: Anyone who prefers a racket in the 300G category. This category is extremely competitive. Unit sales of several manufactures combined I am sure do not add up to the unit sales of segment leaders.. I am willing to say if someone would give the Speed 360 MP a real look.. They would be happy if they did.. I have and will continue to recommend it to anyone.. and guess what they say.. “I like it, it has so much more control and spin then my “X”
They agree with my suggestion on the Speed 360 MP.
Overall comments/rating: GREAT JOB Head, I am grateful, honored and proud to be a part of this Speed 360 MP playtest… being a long time Head user from “back in the day” it makes me feel very good that I now have two Head rackets that I can choose from and move forward with.
Sincerely Yours...
A
At any time, you can reach out to me for questions, additional feedback, etc.
To get it out of the way and in the open.... “I have a problem, I am a racketholic” and to happily admit I am on the road to recovery thanks to Head…
History: I visit TW every day numerous times and read the boards religiously… seeking insight on things ..seeing what is being said on a particular racket/subject... checking the FS section always.. (weekends suck as no updates)
Regulars on TW know me.. We spread our problems amongst ourselves..buying, trying, selling.. vicious circle.
I tried nearly every racket in the 300g category for many, many years, mostly from every manufacture Buy, try, sell, buy again it keeps going. ( like some of us here, just look at FS post)
Having said that.. I know what I like and I know what I don’t like as I get to try so many.. Compare, contrast, etc.. Some are good, some not so good. Again... “Different strokes for different folks”
And the great thing is.. It’s on my coin, my hobby and most importantly…I ENJOY IT..and I know it hurts my game.. but... it’s my problem.. I own it. I don’t care.. you shouldn’t either..
I have grown to adore some frames.. each manufacture has there “go to” frames for me… I have my preferences.. But I always had a place in my heart for Head.. Look at my profile picture. “The Big Russian”.. It stems from my glory days of high school and university tennis.. when the body and mind could do many things for many hours.. but as we age.. tastes and needs change..
So let’s discuss my level of play now.. I do not play USTA as I spend my spare time managing and playing in Tennis League with 90 plus members ranging from 2.5 to 4.5, both male and female.
I’d say I am a 3.5, Others think 4.0.. as I beat them.
My game is based on my serve. I am 6’3 and use it to my advantage. If my serve is on, I win.
Then my next strength is forehand, big.. and in most matches, people simply try not to hit to my forehand.
Next strength is backhand slice.. I can really work it..low..I almost over use it… game would improve if I would hit more regular one handed backhands.
Volleys and overheads.. need work.
I mix my shots up between loopy balls with a lot of spin to keep people back and then also drive low balls that just about clip the net..
Baseline basher a little, more of an all court player.. but I use whatever style that is most efficient in a match..( I can’t sit just sit back and exchange with some young gun.. I’ll find a way to win)
Having said that, when I look for a racket, I look for a racket that strengthens my strengths.
I prefer a 98/100 inch head, std length, open 16x19, a lively textured poly at 50 lbs 320 swing weight , 5 points HL, 325g static weight fully dressed with overgrip and dampener. Mid 60 flex , stiffer shaft, flexy top half of the hoop. Oval shape head compared to tear drop. A muted response and always use a TW worm dampener.
Currently, I am using the Head Radical Touch MP strung with my go to Pros Pro Strategem 17g at 50lbs ..
Enough of the boring stuff... lets talk Head Speed 360 MP
I shelved my Touch Radical for a few weeks and I took it straight into a match.. no practicing before.. wanted to see what it could and could not do..
“Sink or swim..” It actually makes me concentrate on technique..It was fine after a few games once I understand what it could and could not do..
Looking back I used it for at least 32 hours since we received it… Restrung once.
Many matches, singles, doubles and just practice.
I used my Babolat Pop off and on to see what it was doing for me and my numbers were up compared to my Touch Radical.
Strung mine twice with my preferred Pros Pro Strategem 17g at 50 lbs (constant pull)
Fully dressed with overgrip, collar and dampener is 325 grams.
Tangibles
Looks: Its black and white… nothing crazy that makes one say wow or “what”… but a quality paint finish .. simple… (IMO..more flash could influence sales as other MFGs really catch one’s eyes, both on the court and in the store/club etc)
Craftsmanship/fit and finish: Fine..No short cuts or cheap materials.. other manufactures should take note..
Playability: Very NICE.. Pleasant actually.. GOOD JOB on this one Head..simple to use and does all very well. Swings easy, very maneuverable. Not a cannon or a lively unpredictable beast..(like some in this category ) Yet has more than enough power with swings to keep the ball within the lines with good confidence...Control is fine, better than expected with it very open string pattern.
It is not a fat thick beam racket like some.. It doesn’t get it is own way like some do. One can take full swings if they choose and it also can support shorter chops and bunts when called upon.
I had no problem with depth or pace.. Spin was great as with any Speed MP.. (Most 2 stripes brand PA users should try a Speed.. they would like it.. some may not admit.. but spin is on par if not exceeds it)
I didn’t see any stability issues, but I am playing with any 5.0 players and beyond..
Sweet spot was sweet. Felt mostly big and useful.. not to big were one losses feel and confidence. I knew when I hit it and it felt good.. I wasn’t scared when I missed it.. No crazy unexplained fliers.
Serves: Took a few days to get my serve dialed in.. I had to get use to the feel and flex points to understand what is needed to get the serve consistent and where it needs to be for my game. I was able to get more kick and jump with Speed 360 MP compared to my Touch Radical.
2nd serves were most definitely more effective.
Serve returns: Wasn’t bad. One can take a healthy swing when applicable, and it proved very worthy with chips and blocks and kept the ball deep enough to get yourself back in position..
Forehands: I had to change my grip and technique a little to address the more open string pattern.. no issues placing the ball where I intended them to go.. I could hit a more loopy ball with more ease compared to my Touch Radical. I had to watch as my ball would sit up a little more if I didn’t keep it deep which allowed more time for my opponents. I see that with more open spinny type rackets. My forehand was not disappointed with the Speed 360 MP.. No drop in performance.
Backhands: I hit better backhands and slices with my Radical, but backhands were suffice, they had more spin, but didn’t seem to move through the court as well.
Volleys: Not an area or skill that I can say I am good at to make a good comparison or comment.. it was ok.. volleys had bite, it didn’t fold or twist in my hand like some do..
Overheads: I didn’t hit many as the opportunity didn’t present itself much.. but the three I had I smashed for winners. 1 went over the back fence.
Touch/Feel: It had feedback, unlike some it this segment. I knew if I hit a clean shot. I was able to use drop shots effectively and was able to speed up and slow down my swings to get a good feel of the ball to change up the tempo when needed. Did not feel stiff or jarring to me..
Not so Good things: Not a bad thing, but with any overly open string patterns, tension seems to drop faster than normal.. but just have to work with your strings, tensions, stringing frequency.
What makes me excited: I loved that Head is starting to make rackets worthy of carrying the Head name again.. what I mean is.. before the brand with 2 stripes and others . Head was the staple on Tour and playgrounds along with “W”. Head has lost some sparkle since then IMO , lost market share, disappointed a few, etc.. BUT those who have used Head in the past and would like to comeback.. The new Speed 360 MP is worthy of that invitation. Sure there a great rackets out there by other MFGs..by all means the Speed 360 MP is not the cure all/ fix all but it can compete with the best of them.. Go try one and see for yourself..
What I Loved: I loved how I could swing the Speed 360 MP fast, swing it slow and control my tempo at different spots on the court. The Speed 360 allowed me play tennis with less stress. It gave me a greater confidence in all areas.
I haven’t spent enough time with it to say “ it’s the one”... but I will continue to use it as it has kept my attention longer than most just like the Touch Radical did. That tells me a lot as I enjoy the hunt…but maybe the hunt is nearing an end ???..my wallet will be happy.. I love that.
Who will like this racket: Anyone who prefers a racket in the 300G category. This category is extremely competitive. Unit sales of several manufactures combined I am sure do not add up to the unit sales of segment leaders.. I am willing to say if someone would give the Speed 360 MP a real look.. They would be happy if they did.. I have and will continue to recommend it to anyone.. and guess what they say.. “I like it, it has so much more control and spin then my “X”
They agree with my suggestion on the Speed 360 MP.
Overall comments/rating: GREAT JOB Head, I am grateful, honored and proud to be a part of this Speed 360 MP playtest… being a long time Head user from “back in the day” it makes me feel very good that I now have two Head rackets that I can choose from and move forward with.
Sincerely Yours...
A
winchestervatennis
Hall of Fame
Racquet Model Received: Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro
String and tension used for test: Babalot RPM Blast 18 at 54 lbs
Tennis experience/background: I'm a 36 year old male. I began playing tennis at 5 and started taking lessons around age 7 or 8. I continued private lessons and clinics as a junior through high school, but never really got into the USTA tournament scene. Played #1 in high school at a rural VA high school; our team won a state championship one year and the same year I was state championship runner up in singles and doubles. I played one year of club level tennis at Virginia Tech, but then studies and social agenda led me to give up tennis. I basically didn't pick up a racquet from 2001 until 2010 at which time I moved to a new city and joined a USTA league as a 4.0 self-rate. I played two years at 4.0 before getting bumped to 4.5 year end 2011. Since then I've been steadily improving and in my estimation I'm approaching the higher level of 4.5. My USTA league experience is in Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina; I've played in districts/states in all three and played USTA Southern 4.5 Sectionals (losing in the final - a match point in a match tie-break from making Nationals). In the spring I play men's 18+ and in the summer I play combo (9.5 last year and 8.5 this year); I haven't played mixed in many years. I have a wife and young son so I generally play once a week or twice if I'm lucky.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I have a semi-western grip forehand and two hand backhand, but I regularly use a one hand backhand slice. In singles I probably drive my 2HBH 70% and use the 1HBH slice the other 30% as a change of pace or because I'm pushed wide on defense. My best shots are backhand, backhand, backhand, backhand, volley, forehand, then serve. First serve I normally slice about 80% and hit hard and flat the other 20%. Second serve is not too far off my first serve but has a little more topspin and a little more toward the middle of the box. My preference is singles, but I regularly play both singles and doubles in both USTA league play and pick up matches. In singles I'd like to say I play an all court game, but the truth is I'm probably a grinder/counterpuncher/or the dreaded PUSHER. I believe in point construction and moving the opponent around to force a short ball before I get aggressive; but most of time opponents will make an error as I'm setting up the point. In doubles my primary goal is to set up my partner. So I may be a little more aggressive on first serves trying to force a weak return for my partner to pick off. Second serve I will serve and volley 75% of the time. Return of serve is my strength. At the 4.5 level I can handle most first serves fairly well and get balls at the S&V server’s feet.
Current racquet/string setups: I switched to the newest (2017/2018?) Babalot Pure Drive around January/February this year and I play a full bed of Babalot RPM Blast 18 strung at 54 lbs. Prior to the Pure Drive I played the Head Youtek IG Prestige MP, Head i.Prestige Mid, Head Graphene Speed Pro, and Head Youtek Prestige MP. All of those racquets I played at least 6 months. I've also demoed the Yonex Ezone DR 98, Babalot Pure Strike Project 17, Babalot Pure Aero, Wilson Blade CV 16x19, Wilson Blade CV 18x20, Wilson Ultra Tour, Babalot Pure Control, Head Graphene Prestige MP, Head Graphene XT MP, and Wilson ProStaff 85. From 2011 to 2018 I mainly played with the YTIG Prestige MP and YT Prestige MP the majority of the time because I absolutely love the control of the racquet. But as I'm getting older (I know 36 isn't old) and I keep playing 20 somethings in singles, I began to get pushed around more and more and hitting balls shorter and shorter in the court. So I joined the dark side and got the Pure Drive and haven't looked back.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I've got 16 hours played on this frame - 7 hours of singles and 9 hours of doubles. All of the singles sessions were with normal playing partners and about 50/50 in dubs was normal playing partner vs. league matches against new/unfamiliar opponents. In singles play, I recorded BETTER results than with my current Pure Drive. In doubles play against familiar opponents, I also recorded BETTER results than with my current Pure Drive
Comments on racquet performance:
-Groundstrokes: The highlight of the Speed Pro for me in groundstrokes was CONTROL. The 18x20 pattern was very predictable and allowed me to really go for my targets and hit them with a very high rate of success. It really didn’t take me too much time (maybe 15 minutes of rally balls) to adjust to this racquet. Initially my rally balls were landing a little shorter in the court than with my normal Pure Drive, but I kind of expected that since the Pure Drive has as much beef as any racquet I’ve ever played with. To compensate I was able to take bigger swings at the ball and keep it in the court. In general I liked taking bigger swings, but the down side was that it took more of a physical toll on me which I felt later in hitting sessions. I do not play the high rev baseline game I see today from a lot of younger players, but I was able to generate plenty of Spin with the Speed Pro. From the baseline this frame out performed my normal frame the most in slice backhands – it was always a consistent launch angle which really allowed me to use the BH slice as a weapon. Rate 9 out of 10.
-Serves: Same as groundstrokes, control was my favorite quality of the Speed Pro in the serve department. I did not get as much pop on my serve as I do with my normal racquet, but the Speed Pro more than made up for the lack of pop by allowing me to place the ball where I wanted on a more consistent basis. Please don’t take this as me comparing my serve to the pros… but you know how you watch Federer and the commentators always say he doesn’t hit as hard as the big servers, but he makes up for it with better placement? Well that’s how I felt serving with the Speed Pro. Additionally, I was able to hit my flat serve at a higher percentage than normal, so I got a few more free points that way. The only down side I saw serving was the 18x20 didn’t seem to get me quite as much spin on the topspin serves which led to me putting more second serves into the returner’s strike zone. Rate 9 out of 10.
-Volleys: Sublime. Everything I want from an 18x20 at net. Pick a target, keep the racquet in front of you, point and shoot, and the ball goes where I want. Also very maneuverable on volleys (more on that below). Rate 10 out of 10.
-Serve returns: Return of serve, especially in doubles, is a strength of my game and the Speed Pro gets high marks from me on returns. It was very easy to shorten my swing, use the server’s pace, and put the return where I wanted it. It was not uncommon for me to send a serve back with interest and either neutralize or even take control of a point. I did find the Speed Pro to have a generous sweet spot, but if I was unable to find it on return I did find some trouble with stability. Rate 9 out of 10.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: My first impression of the racquet was that I didn't hit as big of a ball as I do with my Pure Drive. But as I noted above, I was able to record better scores that normal with my current racquet of choice. My ego may really like the advantage in power and to a lesser degree spin I have with the Pure Drive, but my rational self knows results speak for themselves. The Speed Pro may not be the most powerful racquet, but the trade-off of less power for more control allowed me to play better tennis. Another general comment that really applies to all four areas above is that I really did find the racquet to live up to the “Speed” name. Meaning I could swing and maneuver the racquet VERY easily. To tell you the truth I didn’t notice this right away, but a few days ago I picked up my normal racquet and immediately noticed how much slower and clunkier it felt. So, to close it out I’ll say the Speed Pro is an excellent frame that is really a nice balance between modern power racquets and classic player’s frames. I THOUGHT I was happy with my current racquet, but now I’m seriously considering a change.
A special THANK YOU to Head and especially Tennis Warehouse for including me in this playtest!
String and tension used for test: Babalot RPM Blast 18 at 54 lbs
Tennis experience/background: I'm a 36 year old male. I began playing tennis at 5 and started taking lessons around age 7 or 8. I continued private lessons and clinics as a junior through high school, but never really got into the USTA tournament scene. Played #1 in high school at a rural VA high school; our team won a state championship one year and the same year I was state championship runner up in singles and doubles. I played one year of club level tennis at Virginia Tech, but then studies and social agenda led me to give up tennis. I basically didn't pick up a racquet from 2001 until 2010 at which time I moved to a new city and joined a USTA league as a 4.0 self-rate. I played two years at 4.0 before getting bumped to 4.5 year end 2011. Since then I've been steadily improving and in my estimation I'm approaching the higher level of 4.5. My USTA league experience is in Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina; I've played in districts/states in all three and played USTA Southern 4.5 Sectionals (losing in the final - a match point in a match tie-break from making Nationals). In the spring I play men's 18+ and in the summer I play combo (9.5 last year and 8.5 this year); I haven't played mixed in many years. I have a wife and young son so I generally play once a week or twice if I'm lucky.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I have a semi-western grip forehand and two hand backhand, but I regularly use a one hand backhand slice. In singles I probably drive my 2HBH 70% and use the 1HBH slice the other 30% as a change of pace or because I'm pushed wide on defense. My best shots are backhand, backhand, backhand, backhand, volley, forehand, then serve. First serve I normally slice about 80% and hit hard and flat the other 20%. Second serve is not too far off my first serve but has a little more topspin and a little more toward the middle of the box. My preference is singles, but I regularly play both singles and doubles in both USTA league play and pick up matches. In singles I'd like to say I play an all court game, but the truth is I'm probably a grinder/counterpuncher/or the dreaded PUSHER. I believe in point construction and moving the opponent around to force a short ball before I get aggressive; but most of time opponents will make an error as I'm setting up the point. In doubles my primary goal is to set up my partner. So I may be a little more aggressive on first serves trying to force a weak return for my partner to pick off. Second serve I will serve and volley 75% of the time. Return of serve is my strength. At the 4.5 level I can handle most first serves fairly well and get balls at the S&V server’s feet.
Current racquet/string setups: I switched to the newest (2017/2018?) Babalot Pure Drive around January/February this year and I play a full bed of Babalot RPM Blast 18 strung at 54 lbs. Prior to the Pure Drive I played the Head Youtek IG Prestige MP, Head i.Prestige Mid, Head Graphene Speed Pro, and Head Youtek Prestige MP. All of those racquets I played at least 6 months. I've also demoed the Yonex Ezone DR 98, Babalot Pure Strike Project 17, Babalot Pure Aero, Wilson Blade CV 16x19, Wilson Blade CV 18x20, Wilson Ultra Tour, Babalot Pure Control, Head Graphene Prestige MP, Head Graphene XT MP, and Wilson ProStaff 85. From 2011 to 2018 I mainly played with the YTIG Prestige MP and YT Prestige MP the majority of the time because I absolutely love the control of the racquet. But as I'm getting older (I know 36 isn't old) and I keep playing 20 somethings in singles, I began to get pushed around more and more and hitting balls shorter and shorter in the court. So I joined the dark side and got the Pure Drive and haven't looked back.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I've got 16 hours played on this frame - 7 hours of singles and 9 hours of doubles. All of the singles sessions were with normal playing partners and about 50/50 in dubs was normal playing partner vs. league matches against new/unfamiliar opponents. In singles play, I recorded BETTER results than with my current Pure Drive. In doubles play against familiar opponents, I also recorded BETTER results than with my current Pure Drive
Comments on racquet performance:
-Groundstrokes: The highlight of the Speed Pro for me in groundstrokes was CONTROL. The 18x20 pattern was very predictable and allowed me to really go for my targets and hit them with a very high rate of success. It really didn’t take me too much time (maybe 15 minutes of rally balls) to adjust to this racquet. Initially my rally balls were landing a little shorter in the court than with my normal Pure Drive, but I kind of expected that since the Pure Drive has as much beef as any racquet I’ve ever played with. To compensate I was able to take bigger swings at the ball and keep it in the court. In general I liked taking bigger swings, but the down side was that it took more of a physical toll on me which I felt later in hitting sessions. I do not play the high rev baseline game I see today from a lot of younger players, but I was able to generate plenty of Spin with the Speed Pro. From the baseline this frame out performed my normal frame the most in slice backhands – it was always a consistent launch angle which really allowed me to use the BH slice as a weapon. Rate 9 out of 10.
-Serves: Same as groundstrokes, control was my favorite quality of the Speed Pro in the serve department. I did not get as much pop on my serve as I do with my normal racquet, but the Speed Pro more than made up for the lack of pop by allowing me to place the ball where I wanted on a more consistent basis. Please don’t take this as me comparing my serve to the pros… but you know how you watch Federer and the commentators always say he doesn’t hit as hard as the big servers, but he makes up for it with better placement? Well that’s how I felt serving with the Speed Pro. Additionally, I was able to hit my flat serve at a higher percentage than normal, so I got a few more free points that way. The only down side I saw serving was the 18x20 didn’t seem to get me quite as much spin on the topspin serves which led to me putting more second serves into the returner’s strike zone. Rate 9 out of 10.
-Volleys: Sublime. Everything I want from an 18x20 at net. Pick a target, keep the racquet in front of you, point and shoot, and the ball goes where I want. Also very maneuverable on volleys (more on that below). Rate 10 out of 10.
-Serve returns: Return of serve, especially in doubles, is a strength of my game and the Speed Pro gets high marks from me on returns. It was very easy to shorten my swing, use the server’s pace, and put the return where I wanted it. It was not uncommon for me to send a serve back with interest and either neutralize or even take control of a point. I did find the Speed Pro to have a generous sweet spot, but if I was unable to find it on return I did find some trouble with stability. Rate 9 out of 10.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: My first impression of the racquet was that I didn't hit as big of a ball as I do with my Pure Drive. But as I noted above, I was able to record better scores that normal with my current racquet of choice. My ego may really like the advantage in power and to a lesser degree spin I have with the Pure Drive, but my rational self knows results speak for themselves. The Speed Pro may not be the most powerful racquet, but the trade-off of less power for more control allowed me to play better tennis. Another general comment that really applies to all four areas above is that I really did find the racquet to live up to the “Speed” name. Meaning I could swing and maneuver the racquet VERY easily. To tell you the truth I didn’t notice this right away, but a few days ago I picked up my normal racquet and immediately noticed how much slower and clunkier it felt. So, to close it out I’ll say the Speed Pro is an excellent frame that is really a nice balance between modern power racquets and classic player’s frames. I THOUGHT I was happy with my current racquet, but now I’m seriously considering a change.
A special THANK YOU to Head and especially Tennis Warehouse for including me in this playtest!
blackpearl2007
Semi-Pro
Thank you very much to Tennis Warehouse and Head for the opportunity to play test these racquets. I am very grateful for being chosen and really appreciate the opportunity. I am also posting a video review that I shot as well so will post that shortly. Here is my written review.
Racquet Received: Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro - My racquet specs were the following: Unstrung out of the box weight: 10.9oz (311g) / Weight Strung (no overripe, etc): 11.5oz (327g) / Weight strung (dampener only): 11.6oz (330g) / Weight Strung (dampener + Tourna grip): 11.7oz (332g). The racquet was on spec to Head's published weight (nicely done). The swing weight of mine was 319.
Tennis experience/background: I started playing tennis later in life (after college) at around 24 yrs old. I played soccer and basketball growing up. I have been playing tennis now for about 17 years and play 4.5 USTA and play in the Atlanta, GA area so play a lot of doubles with ALTA (for those that are familiar).
Describe your playing style (e.g., serve & volley): I am an all courter that enjoys playing singles and doubles. For the most part, I stay back in singles but do look for opportunities to come to the net and I like to serve and volley when playing doubles.
Current racquet/string: I am a bit of a racquetholic but am currently playing with the Wilson 98 CV Blade 16x19 customized to 11.9oz, 7pts HL and 326 swing weight. I am stringing with Alu Power in the mains and Wilson NXT in the crosses at 54lbs (mains) and 57lbs (crosses). I have been playing with this racquet now for about 7 months. I am in a constant search for that holy grail racquet.
String set-up in test racquet: I strung the racquet with the supplied Head Lynx and Velocity string that was offered in the play test. I did a hybrid string both times (broke string) where the Lynx was in the mains at 54lbs and Velocity was in the Crosses at 57lbs. I broke the crosses midway through my test so restrung it again the same way. However, I had to use another set of the Lynx string (that I had) as this racquet requires about 22ft of string for the mains so the traditional cut in half string set and save it for the next job does not work with this racquet. A very minor frustration on my part but nothing that would prevent me from purchasing or playing with this racquet long term. I string my own racquets and this racquet was very easy to string overall. I have had other versions of this racquet as well and never really thought the previous versions were difficult to string either and the others (later versions) also required more than 20 ft of string for the mains.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I logged about 24 hours with this frame playing with it over a period of about 5 weeks.
Comments on racquet performance
-groundstrokes: Overall, just a fantastic racquet to play with from the baseline. I found I had great control with the frame and never felt any hesitation to go for my shots and try to hit the lines, etc. What has amazed me about this frame and the previous iterations (the more recent ones where they went to the shared holes) is the spin you get on these frames. For an 18x20 pattern, the spin you get is like a 16x19 frame especially with this frame where they have opened up the string pattern a bit. On my video review, I show the comparison of the patterns as I have a number of the previous versions of this frame. Head has really evolved this racquet over time as if you look back at the first versions, the beam width is fairly thin and over time the beam width has increased to this version where is it about 23mm. Please see video as I show that as well. I think that change has made these racquets a bit more powerful and in my opinion, more spin friendly. So, as mentioned, I found a ton of control with this frame from both sides. My slice backhand stayed low and I found easy maneuverability to swing hard and put a lot of racquet head speed on the ball to create that spin. If I had a criticism of the frame, it is the plow through. The weight is a bit low and depth at times was a struggle and my opponents could easily attack some of those shots due to depth. I think this racquet would benefit from weight and if I were to customize it I would some lead at 3-9 to help with the stability of the frame. In my opinion, the earlier versions of this racquet also had this problem (in stock form) particularly the very first versions (thin beam) of this frame. I had a lot of confidence in the frame and never found control issues. Just a lovely frame from the baseline.
-serves: First, my serve is not a weapon. My serve while consistent and I can place it doesn't get me a whole lot free points due to power. Second, related to this frame, I would say my serve was OK. I could easily place the ball where I wanted with good spin but it never gave me 'edge' as maybe the Head Extreme Pro did (when I played with that frame). At times, my serve would set up for my opponent to attack so I had to be really good with my placement. Again, adding weight to the racquet would probably help me with the serve. As it compares to the other versions of this frame, I felt the serve was comparable to the previous versions.
-volleys: Volleys were good. I have always found the Speed Pro to be a great volleying frame. This version of the Pro was no different than the ones before it. I found great control with the volley and could place it where I wanted to. As such, I think that this racquet is a great doubles and singles frame as I find it is a very good racquet for an all courter. Balls that were hit at me with some pace I did find some stability issues with the frame. Shots that were off center the racquet would twist in my hand and particularly balls that were struck hard from my opponent at times I could feel the twisting. Again, I would add some weight to this frame to compensate for that in which I plan to try that but in the spirit of the play test I played this racquet in stock form for all my playing time with it. Touch was excellent with the frame and found I could do a drop volley or hit with some pace when needed. If you are a serve and volleyer or an all courter this would be a great frame to try.
-serve returns: Reference my comments on groundstrokes as well. On the return, I really felt like I could go for it and take big cuts on the second serve. On hard hit first serves, again there was some stability issues, as I would try to block back but the ball would land short so it could be attacked by my opponent (hence the theme, needs more weight). In doubles, I found I could block the ball back and charge into the net to volley. Again, a great doubles racquet in my opinion.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Just a great update by Head. I love that there are no shared holes, I love the spin you get with the closed pattern (at least closed in respect to the other current versions (MP, etc)) and I love the pinpoint control you get with the frame. To me, while I have not mentioned this in my review above, the biggest stand out thing that this racquet offers that the previous versions did not (in my opinion) is the high level of COMFORT. The previous versions (even the ones with the smaller beam) I had comfort issues with and could never gel with the frame as my wrist would always hurt while playing with it (even with the latest version before this one). I am not sure what technically changed as far as the materials are concerned but extremely good comfort from this frame. This is a racquet that I could put in my bag but would like to log more time with it and add weight to the frame. I will also add the integration of the Head sensor was excellent in this frame. I have posted some of the sensor results below just as an FYI. By the way, I love what Head has done with the Head Zepp sensor. I think Head will do well with these frames. I love the simple paint job and found it to be a high quality paint job as it is not showing a lot of wear and tear (at least yet) and I had some aggressive points with it. And again, kudos to Head for the quality control on the published specs and the actual specs. Well done!
Head Sensor data from one of my sessions with the Speed 360 Pro:
Play time (one session): 41 minutes
Forehands: 164 (topspin 91, Drive 72, Slice 1) - not sure the difference in slice and drive as I hit more slices than 1.
Backhands: 53 (topspin 21, Drive 13, Slice 19)
Serves: 22
Volleys: 31
Forehands: 89% sweetspot, avg ball speed 68mph, max ball speed 78mph, avg ball spin 1247 rpm, max ball spin 2347 rpm, avg heaviness 152 / max heaviness 212
Backhands: 72% sweetspot, avg ball speed, 57mph, max ball speed 73mph, avg ball spin 1392 rpm, max ball spin 2144 rpm, avg heaviness 132 / max heaviness 194
I am not sure what heaviness means but I am curious as to what these specs would be with weight.
So, if you are looking for a racquet with very good spin that is an all court playing style racquet I suggest you give this a demo. I was very impressed with the update and am considering making the change. Great update by Head and thanks again to Tennis Warehouse and Head for the opportunity to try this great frame!
Happy Hitting and thanks for reading. Video play test will be posted shortly!!!!
Racquet Received: Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro - My racquet specs were the following: Unstrung out of the box weight: 10.9oz (311g) / Weight Strung (no overripe, etc): 11.5oz (327g) / Weight strung (dampener only): 11.6oz (330g) / Weight Strung (dampener + Tourna grip): 11.7oz (332g). The racquet was on spec to Head's published weight (nicely done). The swing weight of mine was 319.
Tennis experience/background: I started playing tennis later in life (after college) at around 24 yrs old. I played soccer and basketball growing up. I have been playing tennis now for about 17 years and play 4.5 USTA and play in the Atlanta, GA area so play a lot of doubles with ALTA (for those that are familiar).
Describe your playing style (e.g., serve & volley): I am an all courter that enjoys playing singles and doubles. For the most part, I stay back in singles but do look for opportunities to come to the net and I like to serve and volley when playing doubles.
Current racquet/string: I am a bit of a racquetholic but am currently playing with the Wilson 98 CV Blade 16x19 customized to 11.9oz, 7pts HL and 326 swing weight. I am stringing with Alu Power in the mains and Wilson NXT in the crosses at 54lbs (mains) and 57lbs (crosses). I have been playing with this racquet now for about 7 months. I am in a constant search for that holy grail racquet.
String set-up in test racquet: I strung the racquet with the supplied Head Lynx and Velocity string that was offered in the play test. I did a hybrid string both times (broke string) where the Lynx was in the mains at 54lbs and Velocity was in the Crosses at 57lbs. I broke the crosses midway through my test so restrung it again the same way. However, I had to use another set of the Lynx string (that I had) as this racquet requires about 22ft of string for the mains so the traditional cut in half string set and save it for the next job does not work with this racquet. A very minor frustration on my part but nothing that would prevent me from purchasing or playing with this racquet long term. I string my own racquets and this racquet was very easy to string overall. I have had other versions of this racquet as well and never really thought the previous versions were difficult to string either and the others (later versions) also required more than 20 ft of string for the mains.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I logged about 24 hours with this frame playing with it over a period of about 5 weeks.
Comments on racquet performance
-groundstrokes: Overall, just a fantastic racquet to play with from the baseline. I found I had great control with the frame and never felt any hesitation to go for my shots and try to hit the lines, etc. What has amazed me about this frame and the previous iterations (the more recent ones where they went to the shared holes) is the spin you get on these frames. For an 18x20 pattern, the spin you get is like a 16x19 frame especially with this frame where they have opened up the string pattern a bit. On my video review, I show the comparison of the patterns as I have a number of the previous versions of this frame. Head has really evolved this racquet over time as if you look back at the first versions, the beam width is fairly thin and over time the beam width has increased to this version where is it about 23mm. Please see video as I show that as well. I think that change has made these racquets a bit more powerful and in my opinion, more spin friendly. So, as mentioned, I found a ton of control with this frame from both sides. My slice backhand stayed low and I found easy maneuverability to swing hard and put a lot of racquet head speed on the ball to create that spin. If I had a criticism of the frame, it is the plow through. The weight is a bit low and depth at times was a struggle and my opponents could easily attack some of those shots due to depth. I think this racquet would benefit from weight and if I were to customize it I would some lead at 3-9 to help with the stability of the frame. In my opinion, the earlier versions of this racquet also had this problem (in stock form) particularly the very first versions (thin beam) of this frame. I had a lot of confidence in the frame and never found control issues. Just a lovely frame from the baseline.
-serves: First, my serve is not a weapon. My serve while consistent and I can place it doesn't get me a whole lot free points due to power. Second, related to this frame, I would say my serve was OK. I could easily place the ball where I wanted with good spin but it never gave me 'edge' as maybe the Head Extreme Pro did (when I played with that frame). At times, my serve would set up for my opponent to attack so I had to be really good with my placement. Again, adding weight to the racquet would probably help me with the serve. As it compares to the other versions of this frame, I felt the serve was comparable to the previous versions.
-volleys: Volleys were good. I have always found the Speed Pro to be a great volleying frame. This version of the Pro was no different than the ones before it. I found great control with the volley and could place it where I wanted to. As such, I think that this racquet is a great doubles and singles frame as I find it is a very good racquet for an all courter. Balls that were hit at me with some pace I did find some stability issues with the frame. Shots that were off center the racquet would twist in my hand and particularly balls that were struck hard from my opponent at times I could feel the twisting. Again, I would add some weight to this frame to compensate for that in which I plan to try that but in the spirit of the play test I played this racquet in stock form for all my playing time with it. Touch was excellent with the frame and found I could do a drop volley or hit with some pace when needed. If you are a serve and volleyer or an all courter this would be a great frame to try.
-serve returns: Reference my comments on groundstrokes as well. On the return, I really felt like I could go for it and take big cuts on the second serve. On hard hit first serves, again there was some stability issues, as I would try to block back but the ball would land short so it could be attacked by my opponent (hence the theme, needs more weight). In doubles, I found I could block the ball back and charge into the net to volley. Again, a great doubles racquet in my opinion.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Just a great update by Head. I love that there are no shared holes, I love the spin you get with the closed pattern (at least closed in respect to the other current versions (MP, etc)) and I love the pinpoint control you get with the frame. To me, while I have not mentioned this in my review above, the biggest stand out thing that this racquet offers that the previous versions did not (in my opinion) is the high level of COMFORT. The previous versions (even the ones with the smaller beam) I had comfort issues with and could never gel with the frame as my wrist would always hurt while playing with it (even with the latest version before this one). I am not sure what technically changed as far as the materials are concerned but extremely good comfort from this frame. This is a racquet that I could put in my bag but would like to log more time with it and add weight to the frame. I will also add the integration of the Head sensor was excellent in this frame. I have posted some of the sensor results below just as an FYI. By the way, I love what Head has done with the Head Zepp sensor. I think Head will do well with these frames. I love the simple paint job and found it to be a high quality paint job as it is not showing a lot of wear and tear (at least yet) and I had some aggressive points with it. And again, kudos to Head for the quality control on the published specs and the actual specs. Well done!
Head Sensor data from one of my sessions with the Speed 360 Pro:
Play time (one session): 41 minutes
Forehands: 164 (topspin 91, Drive 72, Slice 1) - not sure the difference in slice and drive as I hit more slices than 1.
Backhands: 53 (topspin 21, Drive 13, Slice 19)
Serves: 22
Volleys: 31
Forehands: 89% sweetspot, avg ball speed 68mph, max ball speed 78mph, avg ball spin 1247 rpm, max ball spin 2347 rpm, avg heaviness 152 / max heaviness 212
Backhands: 72% sweetspot, avg ball speed, 57mph, max ball speed 73mph, avg ball spin 1392 rpm, max ball spin 2144 rpm, avg heaviness 132 / max heaviness 194
I am not sure what heaviness means but I am curious as to what these specs would be with weight.
So, if you are looking for a racquet with very good spin that is an all court playing style racquet I suggest you give this a demo. I was very impressed with the update and am considering making the change. Great update by Head and thanks again to Tennis Warehouse and Head for the opportunity to try this great frame!
Happy Hitting and thanks for reading. Video play test will be posted shortly!!!!
