Head Boom MP tested

Even before the official release, Mike has the Head Boom MP tested ! This brand new model offers a lot of playability, a good piece of free power, combined with speed and comfort.

Tested racket/specifications:

Brand: Head
Model: Boom MP
Blade size: 100 sq/inch
Weight: 295 gr
Balance: 31.5 cm
Stringing pattern: 16×19
Length: 27 inches
RA: 64
Beam: 24 mm
Head CPI (Control Power Index): 600
Swingweight: 318
Stringing: Diadem Pro X 16L at 23/22 kg

The Head Boom MP 2022 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice.

Tester:

Name: Mike
Playing strength: 4/4
Player type: somewhat classic player, flat groundstrokes, doesn’t generate much spin himself. Had shoulder problems in the past.
Player's racket history: Head Ti Fire, Babolat Pure Drive, Prince EXO3 Rebel Team, Wilson Steam 100 BLX2, Head Graphene Radical MP, among others Prince Textreme Warrior 107 , Diadem Elevate 98 . Other favorite rackets: Head Graphene 360+ Speed MP and the Babolat Pure Strike 100 .

Head Boom MP Test Scores:

Power: 9
Control: 7.5
Spin: 7.5
Comfort: 8
Agility/Speed: 9
Touch: 7.5

Technology:

The Boom series from Head will be released from January 2022 with the first 2 models: this Boom MP and the Boom Pro. A Boom Team and Boom Team L will follow from March/April. The Boom series is the first racket line (after the new Prestige series) to use the new Head Auxetic technology. Auxetic is in the yoke (racket bridge in the heart of the racket) made of carbon. It is a bit difficult to explain, but it has a way of bending (flex) that no other material offers. The Auxetic construction widens with tensile force and contracts when compressed/squeezing. This provides fine feedback and a solid feel at ball impact. In addition to Auxetic, Head's well-known Graphene is in the shaft, at 3 and 9 o'clock in the blade and in the racket head. Graphene provides improved stability and optimal energy transfer into the ball. Head has been using this Graphene technology in its top rackets for a number of years now. New to the Boom series is the Auxetic technology that works well with Graphene.

Baseline Head Boom MP:

From the baseline, the Boom MP plays super fast and easy. In the beginning, I was even a few times too fast with my racket to the ball. As I got my timing better under control with this new racket, these issues were over. The racket is therefore very manoeuvrable. Furthermore, the free power immediately stood out: the racket has a lot of playing ease and clearly adds 'easy power' for players who can use some extra power themselves. In that respect, this racket reminds me somewhat of the liveliness of the Babolat Pure Drive 2021 . For my slice backhands I missed some plough-through, but the Boom MP is also lighter than the rackets I usually use myself. The Boom MP is a very interesting racket from the baseline; this is where this racket really excels! The sweet spot of the racket is quite generous. The head shape seems to be a cross between that of the Head Gravity rackets and Yonex EZONE's. Especially higher up in the head, the racket is forgiving and the sweet spot feels generous.

Service:

For the service I found that the racket for me personally did not have too little mass behind the ball. My serves came through well, but did not immediately push the opponent into defense. Kick and slices are easy to produce.

Just:

Fast! The Head Boom MP is lightning fast to set up at the net. I did miss a bit of mass for hard incoming balls. Stop volleys can be played with a good touch. But above all, lightning fast tool at the net!

Power/control Head Boom MP:

That's not difficult with the Boom MP: it's clearly power over control! Easy power and ease of play are the starting point for this racket line. The Boom series should also succeed the Instinct line, although Head will still offer a few specials of the Instinct for 2022. But just like with the Instinct series: easy power! However, the racket also feels very solid and that is quite surprising for a racket in this segment and at this weight of just under 300 grams. I found the Boom MP more stable than expected, which provided a nice bit of direct steering and control over the ball. More stable than most Instincts were too.

Comfort/arm friendliness :

The comfort of this Boom MP is more than fine. For this test we used the Diadem Pro X 16L as a string: a fairly direct and explosive co-poly. With a good multifilament string or hybrid setup, for example, the already fine comfort of this racket will come into its own even better. The comfort is simply neatly taken care of.

Head Boom MP bottom line:

The new racket family from Head offers a lot of playing ease and a solid dose of free power. Other strong points are the speed/maneuverability and the comfort. The Boom MP is just a super user-friendly racket all in all. I would have liked a bit more mass, because I am simply used to that. In that respect, there is still an interesting test coming up in January with the Boom Pro of 310 grams with a 98 sq/inch head. However, this MP version is pleasant to play for a very wide audience, and the comfort is also more than fine!