Yesterday HEAD revealed their new racquet line BOOM on their Instagram account. More details about the different Boom racquets to come.
The new HEAD Boom line is, as the name suggests, focused on delivering effortless power to the player. Still, the feel when I tried the new HEAD Boom prototype and was surprised by the plush feel. It’s not a “noodle” like the Wilson Clash, but definitely has a softer feel than most so-called power racquets. Does it come from the new Auxetic tech that is included in the new Prestige racquets or does the new Boom MP generally have a softer layup than other “tweeners”. Since I don’t have the finished specs, I can’t say for sure yet.
The HEAD Boom prototype I tried was the MP, but I also got to test the Boom Pro in Stuttgart while shooting the Adidas Barricade super-review.
Design
The Boom racquets offer a fresh look. Like several recent HEAD releases, it’s colorful, but not overly crazy. The idea is definitely to make the racquet stand out on the court and on screens. What do you think of the colorway?
I am not sure how many racquets will be included in the line, but I assume besides the MP and the Pro, there will be a MP L and perhaps a Tour. Not sure how the specs will differ though. The Pro I tried look like 98 sq inches and felt like a mid 60 stiffness strung.
Alongside the new Boom racquets, there will be a string release, similar to what other brands do coupled with their racquet launches. The string that pairs with Boom racquets is the new HEAD Lynx Touch. A softer poly string that combines features of a multifilament and a polyester. It’s not a bad string for players looking for more comfort from their polys, but paired with a powerful racquet like the Boom MP, I felt it was a bit too lively. I’d rather put it in the Boom Pro or something more controlled like a Prestige MP.
Musetti testing the Boom Pro
Lorenzo Musetti has decided to test the Boom Pro (customized to his specs) during the ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan. He is usually playing with the Extreme Tour but felt like the extra power from the Boom would be an interesting experiment. The Next Gen Finals has been seen as a testing ground for gear before. Andrey Rublev tested three different racquets in one match in 2018.
I talk about this and more in my Boom video.
What do you think of the new racquet line from HEAD?
It will be released in January. Make sure to check back with my affiliates Tennis Warehouse Europe, Tennis Warehouse and Tennis Only then.
3 comments
Prestige, Gravity, Radical, Speed, Extreme, Instict and now Boom! Head have got a lot of product lines, which I can somewhat understand as there are real differences in the Pro/Tour models, but the tweener models in each range are now becoming all a bit similar and confusing aren’t they? Or is Head going to use the Boom to merge the Instinct and Speed together and simplify things? I have to say I find it a terrible name and the design is pretty horrific like the current Radical, Extreme and Instict too. But it’s not designed for a dinosaur like me, it’s for under 25s mainly.
I’m sure Diadem was thrilled with the color-scheme choice…
It’s a terrible name and ugly racquet. For me anyway. I refer muted designs-Head youtek Prestige’s were beautiful things.
Why can’t manufacturers focus on 3 lines or less? Why have 7 with numerous variations of each line? It’s just confusing. At least with Babolat there’s Pure Strike, Aero, Drive. It’s simple and makes sense.