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Head Graphene XT Radical Pro Review

Head’s new version of the already successful Graphene Radical Pro, the Graphene XT Radical Pro, expands on the popular model line with a vast number of improvements.

Head has said they have used the latest Graphene XT technology to make its racquet stronger, lighter and even more effective than any prior versions. This increase in quality is an exciting prospect in theory, but we need to see how the racquet measures up in practice. Theoretically, the improvements should provide a racquet with much better playability and versatility.

Design

Head advertise the Graphene XT Radical Pro as a racquet with a ‘reactive feel, high range of maneuverability and strong hitting force’.

The sweet spot is designed for central shots mainly which, combined with the easy-to-access power and excellent playability, creates a rounded product. However, the increased potential of the racquet’s power comes at the cost of comfort.

Head

The 98-square-inch head gives players a lot of shot potential; the sweet spot is wide-reaching and compensates for slightly off swings accidentally made by the player.

The quality of the head is superb; you can, quite literally, feel the sturdiness when you touch the outlines of the Radical Pro racquet. The opposing motion between the head and the handle make the racquet feel different to its peers, in a good way.

Grip

The excellent build quality extends to the rest of racquet, including the handle. The improvement in materials betters the grip, and the textured handle allows players to lock their hands in firmly, providing better control.

The steadiness of the entire frame is refreshing to see, as many market racquets buckle under fire, whereas the Radical Pro stays steady and robust. However, there can be some issues with moving the racquet precisely due to the nature of its design.

Weight/Balance

The Radical XT Pro continues to use the superb weight distribution system of past iterations to significant effect, which makes the racquet a compact yet effective tool.

The 326-gram total weight is minor compared to a lot of the other racquets on the market, especially ones with the same level of power. The power output of the racquet’s hit isn’t sacrificed in the process, so it’s a great result overall.

Strings

The XT Radical Pro is ideal for both beginners and experienced players. With its use of a dynamic 16×19 string pattern, the racquet excels in rebounding against hits in the middle of the sweet spot.

This adaptive string pattern comes in handy when changing head speeds and trying bold shots – few racquets support quick, momentary plays, but the XT Radical Pro is one.

Head Graphene Touch Speed Pro Review

It is well known amongst tennis loves that head is one of the best brands of tennis racquet. They have come out with another iteration of the best-selling Head Graphene Touch Speed Pro model and the latest version has been eagerly anticipated by players and tennis fanatics alike as it features feedback from tennis star Novak Djokovic, whose ideas have been implemented to deliver the best experience for players.

The trend of companies taking stars’ input and applying it to their products is still going strong; racquets promoted by athletes will always boost the hype.

Design

Head wants to deliver an excellent, rounded product and one that mimics Novak Djokovic’s mixed play style.

There is no one point of emphasis, all the racquet’s characteristics intend to enhance play, which is a wise decision on Head’s part as there have been many times where one area is excellent and the rest mediocre, resulting in an imbalanced product.

This racquet has something for everyone and will suit players at all stages of their career.

Head

The top of head’s racquet spans 100-square-inches, giving plenty of hit room for incoming balls and a considerable amount of smack force to battle against them.

In our test, off-centre hits reacted as good as middle ones, which sends applause in Graphene’s direction as many racquets fail to respond to side impacts adequately thus resulting in foul balls, disrupted momentum and match loss.

Grip

The Head’s grip is almost perfect. The beam has enough firmness for the player lock their hands into and keep in control for many games. The standard length contributes significantly to the grip factor, this way there’s no risk of clogging the racquet against the terrain in a groundstroke or underhand swing.

With the Head Graphene Touch Speed Pro, you’ll be able to control your moves to the smallest detail.

Weight/Balance

The Head Graphene has a special weight system which uses light-mass materials, which makes the product thirty-percent stronger and doesn’t come at the cost of a lightweight racquet.

The Head light balance is a competent blend of customizable options and the physical stature of the racquet’s components, and it makes everything steadier in the heat of the game.

The weight distribution is a smart way to use stronger materials, essentially building a better racquet in the process. Head’s sophisticated methods should be saluted, studied and hopefully copied for future creations.

Strings

The tense 18×20 pattern allows players (heavy hitters more so) to control their shots fully. The fabric is robust, sturdy and undoubtedly durable, enabling many years of play without a rip or a feel of looseness in the string group. Topspin players will also greatly benefit from the dense string pattern and quality fabric used in the making of the Head Graphene Touch Speed Pro.

Power

The Power of the RF97 isn’t as reliable as its other aspects, the weight proves to be a double-edged sword, and while it means a lighter, agile racquet, the power output is compromised due to the lower mass. However, playing the aggressive baseline role which is a power-centric role works well with the Touch Speed Pro, simply because of its versatility.

Control

In a 360 turnaround, this racquet offers complete control. Prior versions of this racquet have had a good sense of control, but the latest iteration endorsed by Djokovic leaves its predecessors in the dark.

Numerous experts have stated the Touch Speed Pro is one of the best controlling racquets on the market, and we agree – the physical improvements have benefitted the areas of control and grip, it’s a winner in the handling department.

Spin

The control aided the spin potential and did justice to the racquet’s overall handling, and the topspin has an excellent delivery and offers plenty of option.

Serves

Serving is good with an audible pop for every flat serve – the added spin potential allows for some exciting results. The dense string grouping ups the confidence of players serving within the box; this all goes back to the utterly fantastic control of the racquet.

Control improves all aspects of the Speed Touch Pro systematically.

Groundstrokes

Groundstrokes during the game are more than acceptable, the Pro speeds up but in a contained manner and gives players confidence to hit the ball with as much as force as they want.

The Touch Speed Pro is excellent at blasting low balls with no concern for directional issues – the short beam eliminates common errors like scraped contact. The simplicity suits heavy hitters at a ground level, so they can blowback with a wealth of control and not much consequence.

Overall

The Head Graphene Touch Speed Pro is a great, well-rounded asset to any player’s collection.

The control is the best in its class, and you can’t go wrong with any other aspect – every single area retains a quality rating.

The racquet is best suited to the tactful player and not the heavy-hitter (outside of ground-level plays), so be wary of this before you purchase Head’s racquet and consider your style and role as a player. Although, if you want to change your playing style, Head Graphene Touch Speed Pro is the perfect base to kick off your transition into a smart

Best Tennis Racquet Overgrip

Does this sound familiar? You’re on court playing your first game of the day and serving beautifully. You’ve won the first couple of games, but now you’ve been playing for a while and you’re all warmed up. Your palms start sweating a little, maybe the racket is a little small in your hand, and the racket begins to slip or rotate a little in your hand. All of a sudden you’re dumping balls into the net. If that’s ever happened to you, you should consider a Tennis Overgrip.

Why You Need a Tennis Overgrip

Any tennis racket that you care to pick up will have a grip of its own to cover the handle, but an overgrip is a piece of specially designed, padded tape that wraps around your standard racket grip to protect it and improve performance. Most overgrips are made from materials that combine the following features:

Absorbency – so that sweat doesn’t make your racket slip
Texturing – so there’s a firmer surface for you to hold
Cushioning – so that the racket is comfortable to hold
Tackiness – so that the racket is super-secure in your hand

All these features improve how solidly the racket sits in the hand, and because a new overgrip comes in at a fraction of the cost needed to replace a racket’s grip entirely, they can be tinkered with and changed regularly. That way your racket looks fresh and can work perfectly for you every single time.

As well as improving the feel of the racket in your hand, an overgrip will also protect the existing grip from damage. If you’re worried that your beloved racket – with its expensive padded grip – is getting a little worn out, then adding an overgrip will help maintain its condition for longer. Additionally, if your racket is a little small for you, an overgrip can pad it out so that it sits better in your palm. This prevents your racket from being able to rotate slightly in your fist, a problem that will hamper your shot accuracy.

Players suffering from elbow conditions, such as tennis elbow, should also try combining an overgrip with a padded racket grip. This both increases the size of the handle, making it easier to hold if you suffer from some form of tendonitis, as well as absorbing some of the forces that would otherwise be transferred straight through the handle into your arm whenever a ball strikes the racket.

Best Tennis Overgrips

A quick search will show you that dozens of brands out there are making dozens of different sorts of overgrip. They all promise exceptional grip performance, but we have some thoughts on which of them will be best for you:

Best All Around Overgrip: Wilson Pro Tennis Racquet Over Grip

Suppose you only play tennis from time to time and just want a simple overgrip that improves your game? Well, no one will argue if you show up on court with a Wilson Pro Tennis Racquet Over Grip. Wilson is a world-known Tennis brand, and these are one of the bestselling grips on the market and for good reason. They’re Roger Federer’s preferred brand too.

Features:

Super-thin polyurethane with a felt surface
Pack of three

Wilson Pro Tennis Racquet Over Grip’s balance absorption, comfort and grip extremely well, and are beloved by pros and amateurs alike. If you’re not quite sure yet what you need then this is a great all-rounder to use as a starting point. However, being partly aimed at the pro market, these are grips that are designed to be changed more regularly and they may not last as long as some others.

Best for Advanced Players: Tourna Tennis Over Grip, XL

Tourna’s Tennis OverGrip is the original overgrip product and is omnipresent in the Tennis world, used by many in the ATP 100. It comes in value-sized packs of ten and is only available in its trademarked shade of light blue. Tourna’s grip is designed to excel in wet conditions, keeping your racket extra dry and super soft. Many professional tennis players consider this the gold standard in racket comfort, and the extra-long tape is great for players who make use of a two-handed backhand.

Features:

Extra-dry grip
Distinctive light blue
Pack of ten

Tourna provides excellent value and is perfect for pros. However, being aimed at the professional market, the design is aimed at maximum comfort and sweat absorbency for those who will be playing a lot. If you need to pad-out an undersized handle, or really need some extra texture on the surface to keep your grip firm, there will be better options.

You also need to buy a lot of them and can expect to change them over frequently as they wear out. If you’re still working out what sort of overgrip you need or want to use, it may be best to play around with some other brands before you buy enough Over Grips from Tourna to see you through to the end of the year. As a smaller disadvantage, most brands of overgrip come in a rainbow of colors to add a bit of personality to your racket, but if you buy Tourna you’re going light blue all the way.

Best Tennis Overgrip for Beginners: Senston Anti-Slip Overgrip

Unlike more traditional overgrips, Senston focuses on texture and gentle cushioning. If you’re new to tennis and the handle of your racket is perhaps little small, or just not quite gripping the way you want it, then Senston is a great option. They rely on ultra-textured material, rather than any tackiness, so if you really dislike the feel of a tacky racket then this will be perfect. Their affordable multi-colour packs come with a tonne of personality too.

Features:

Raised bevels
Cushioning
Variety of colours

Being good for cushioning and increasing grip size of course means that anyone searching for an ultra-thin overgrip should look elsewhere. The main disadvantage of Senston is that their focus on textured material and cushioning sacrifices the excellent absorbency of other brands. With slightly poorer absorbency and an absence of tack, anyone who has issues with perspiration may find their racket slipping a little in warm conditions.

Best Tennis Overgrip for Intermediate Players: Head XtremeSoft Overgrip

Head Xtreme soft Overgrips focus on providing excellent gripping performance in as thin a package as possible, whilst also giving solid sweat absorption. Head’s thin elastomer tape is extremely tacky to the touch and has extra-large perforations in the material to make the surface more textured and absorbent. It’s also very durable, so you won’t need to change it constantly.

Features:

Super-tacky material
Microfiber felt
Durable
Variety of colors
Pack of three

The thinness of Head XtremeSoft is really its selling point. If you have a racket and current grip that work brilliantly for you, then XtremeSoft can make your grip even firmer without really changing the underlying feel of the handle in your hand. This, of course, makes it unsuitable for anyone who wants to bulk out an undersized grip or just make their racket more comfortable. Similarly, players who have real problems with perspiration may want to look to a brand like Tourna (see above), which focuses on keeping your grip as dry as possible.

In Summary

Tennis overgrips are an ideal way to improve the grip size of an undersized racket and customize the feel of a racket to your personal playing style. They also look great and let you add a sense of personal style to your equipment, with all kinds of fun designs out there. Plus, they’re affordable enough that you can play around with the benefits of an overgrip, without the sort shelling out for the more significant expense of changing the grip on your racket completely.

You won’t find a professional player on the circuit not using an overgrip, so why not have a go and see what all the fuss is about. Enjoy the feel of playing with a brand new racket, without having to shell out for the privilege.

How to Choose a Tennis Overgrip

Once you have selected a tennis racquet there are five major factors that should impact on your choice of grip:

Absorbency
Texturing
Cushioning
Tackiness
Durability

A lot of what makes an overgrip right for you will come down to how you play and your personal preferences. If your palms get a little sweatier than most, then an extra dry grip will be key to a good brand. If you just hate the feel of a tacky overgrip, then you’ll need a design that uses a lot of texturing instead. If you’re recovering from a condition like tennis elbow and want some cushioning to make the handle of your racket a little larger, a pro-grade ultra-thin overgrip won’t do you much good at all. It’s best to work out want you need from an overgrip before you start wading through all the different brands.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that some of these brands are aimed at amateurs and some at professionals. Pro tennis players can expect ultimate performance but won’t mind having to change their overgrip frequently. If you’re a hobbyist only on the court once or twice a month, changing your overgrip after every couple of matches may be more hassle than you feel its worth.

Given how much personal preference is involved, it will be worth experimenting with a few different types of Tennis Overgrip so that you can narrow the dizzying array of choices down to something manageable.

How to Apply a Tennis Overgrip

Applying your overgrip properly is extremely important because a poorly wrapped handle will be uncomfortable to hold, or begin to unravel during a match. Thankfully, overgrips are affordable pieces of kit, so even if your first attempt goes horribly wrong you can always have another go. After your first couple of times, you will start to get much more comfortable with the process.

First things first, you need to clean the existing grip on your racket before adding anything over the top. Some soap and water are generally all that’s required here, but if you’re replacing an old overgrip, you want to get rid of any old adhesive that may remain.
Wipe the handle down with a damp cloth and then wait for it to dry.
Once that preparation is done, take your overgrip and peel off the long strip down one side that covers the adhesive required to attach it to your racket.
Place the tapered end of the overgrip as close to the bevel at the base your racket handle as you can get and hold it there with your thumb (or get a friend to help).
After that, begin wrapping.

Wrapping the grip around the handle is straightforward once you get the hang of it, but you’ll want to pay attention until you’ve done it a few times. A right-handed player should hold their tennis racket upside down, then rotate the racket clockwise whilst pulling the slack end of the grip to the right, keeping the overgrip under tension as it’s applied (this prevents wrinkles from appearing). If you’re left-handed, hold your racket upside down once again, but rotate your racket anticlockwise, and pull the slack end of the grip towards your left.

Either way, keep wrapping up along the handle, allowing each turn of the overgrip to overlap the previous layer by roughly a quarter of an inch. Once you’ve gone all the way down the handle, secure the overgrip at the top with some tape.