Posted by Is this finally the Radical we all have been waiting for? Find out!
Today I was lucky to get my hands on the new Head Radical MP 2021 and to review it and share my opinions with you guys. Like all racquets in Head’s line-up they are updated with Graphene 360+ technology (Graphene 360 before) which is best described as better energy transfer and better feel (softer and cleaner). The spiralfibers (G360+) are placed in the shoulder areas of the frame.
Things changed from the previous version is the material update but also the increase of weight. Both the MP and the Pro versions have increased with 5 grams each bringing them to 300 grams and 315 grams unstrung. Smart I think, it’s easier now to compare different racquets when they got the same weight, the 295 grams was pretty odd.
Racquet specs
- Head size: 98 in² or 632 cm²
- Length: 27 inches or 68.5 cm
- Weight unstrung: 300 g or 10.6 oz
- Weight strung: 318 g or 11.2 oz
- Balance: 320 mm/7 pts HL
- Swingweight (strung): 324
- String Pattern: 16/19
- Beam Width: 20/23/21 mm
- Stiffness: Not listed but feels like around 66 RA (+-2)
- Power level: Low-Medium (CPI 400)
This paintjob is just a prototype, it won’t look like this when realeased in January. It will be silver at the throat and the rest will be the same orange shown on the frame but on the entire hoop of the racquet instead. I only got to test the MP and not the Pro, the Pro has got some slight changes in weight and beam width (new mold). When I was holding the previous version next to this one I noticed the frames didn’t have the same shape. This new one was more rounder at the top and the older one was more “stretched” upwards creating a more oval shape, it didn’t look like this made any diffrences but it was worth a mention.
Head states that the Radical line is made for the all-court player which I can agree on, it performs well on all areas of the court. Best suited for a modern game, someone who enjoys defending but also comes forward to attack at the net. It didn’t handle flatter shots as good as the previous version for me which is a downside, it’s probably mostly because of the softer and more powerful feeling.
For it’s weight this racquet was really stable, the weight was noticeable on off-center hits and my timing was off. I added some lead to bump up the weight slightly and my timing issue was gone. I played well with this frame, I did actually use the G360 when it was released in 2019 and played with it for a while. Then I switched because my shoulder was starting to hurt hence to the stiff feeling of the racquet. This has changed. This is for sure a true Radical.
So, if you see yourself as an all-court player, a player who enjoys serve and volley, defending, attacking, slicing and just being a bit sneaky on court. This will offer everything you’ll need, good access to power, spin, control, precision and stability. For me the Radical line is a great mix of everything, no quality overpower each other, they work together.
Thanks for reading this review, don’t forget to watch the video review and to check out my Instagram and YouTube channel! Have a great day, bye!
Tennisrally 