Head Graphene 360+ Radical MP Review
Head has updated the Radical range for 2021 and the MP edition suits a wide variety of game styles, so I thought I’d try it out.
My name’s Aron and I’ve been working as a writer/content creator here at All Things Tennis for about two months now. I’d class myself as an intermediate level tennis player; my tennis abilities definitely do not match my obsession with the sport (am I right or am I right) but I love to play and I’m improving every week. I’m also looking to switch to a new racket, I currently play with the Yonex Vcore Pro 100 but I feel I’m lacking power and spin in my strokes as the Vcore Pro is very much a control oriented racket.
So, I picked up the Head Graphene 360+ Radical MP 2021 from the extensive selection of demo rackets available in-store at All Things Tennis and I played with it for a week. I’d like to report my findings to you, humble blog reader, and I’ll keep things brief. I should mention that the simplified scoring system I’m using is entirely subjective, one man’s 1/10 is another’s dream racket, so bear that in mind as you peruse.
Control – 8.5/10
The Head Radical has always been marketed as the ultimate ‘all court player’ racket and you really do feel that mantra in action when playing with the Radical MP 2021. Once I figured out the racket’s range, I felt like I had great control of the ball and touch shots came naturally. Although the MP is a relatively light 300g frame, it still felt extremely stable. The 98 square inch head size assists in making it easy to control the power you get from the Radical MP.
Power – 8.5/10
The Radical MP really does pack a punch when it comes to easy power, with its relatively light 300g weight combined with the enhanced flex added to the 2021 edition, this racket affords you plenty of power when swinging through the ball. I felt I could really rip through aggressive forehands and it also helped me knife through my backhand slice. My backhand slice felt particularly good with this racket, it turned a fairly passive shot of mine into a bit of a weapon.
Cosmetic – 8/10
Unlike your average racker reviewer, I place a fair bit or importance on the cosmetic of a racket. I know, it has nothing to do with its performance or specs or anything really. But it really does influence which rackets I’m drawn to and how I feel when playing with them. The way your eye catches the frame as you draw the racket back to hit a groundstroke subtly changes the shape of your strokes, at least it does for me anyway. The new Radical MP feels like a fluorescent flame in your hands, making it feel even more ‘whippy’ through the air when swinging. In fact, it’s so bright that it’ll even keep you visible to passing cars when walking home from a late-night tennis session. Mark my words, in a few years’ time lollypop men and women will be stopping traffic by holding up the Head Radical MP.
Overall – 8.3/10
I really enjoyed hitting with this racket, I even played a competitive singles match with it. If that isn’t a vote of confidence, I don’t know what is! It gave my game a much-needed injection of pace whilst still providing me with ample touch and feel. It also drastically improved my serve and backhand slice, making weapons out of relatively weak parts of my game.
If you want to have your own private love affair with the Radical MP, then contact us via orders@allthingstennis.com and we can set you two up for a demo/blind date. I would certainly recommend it; I’m going to continue trying other rackets until I settle on ‘the one’, but who knows, I might just be coming back to the Radical MP when all is said and done.
Written by Aron Dochard 26/05/21
