Stephan has been testing the Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP with great pleasure the past few weeks! This racket offers a relatively high swingweight, a wonderfully full and stable playing feel and a generous sweet spot.
Intro Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP
As a racket tester, I test rackets differently than players who have been playing with the same racket for years. I have a clear picture of what feels good and what doesn't with the first strokes. Years ago I played with the Head Liquid Metal Radical MP and the Microgel version. After that I went on adventures and played almost all racket brands. Now that Head is coming out with the new Gravity series, I am curious whether I can get that good feeling from the past back. The Head Gravity MP is mysterious and cool to see in its demo version.
That being said, I like to take my time with this demo because it's the only way to get to know all the ins and outs. I found this racket very special to play with, even though I didn't know the exact specs at the time. I could only assume it was made of an improved version of Graphene 360.
All I knew was that it was a Head MP (mid-plus) racket in a cool combination of matte and glossy black. The only color on the racket is a text: "MASSIVE SWEETSPOT DOMINATES THE GAME". Head is not kidding with that statement!
I test the racket with the string that came with it. Nothing less than the - HEAD Hawk Touch - as well as the dampener (with SZ by Sascha Zverev) and the overgrip. Even with stringing, the racket is a lot lighter than my current racket, the Yonex EZONE DR 98 310.
The Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP is now available in our webshop , including a free string of your choice.Baseline
One thing I noticed right away was that the Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP has a bit more weight in the top compared to my current racket. I'm not used to such a balance point, but because I wanted to play the racket in its factory form I didn't add any extra weight. The lighter weight makes the Gravity MP very easy to swing and the 16×20 string pattern helps generate spin while still being able to hit the ball flat if you want to. Especially with my backhand I can easily hit through the ball and give it a lot of controlled power. The higher balance point makes even hard incoming balls feel like ping pong balls that I can easily clear.
With my baseline strokes I also feel that the frame is very stable and the sweet spot or rather the sweet area is enormous. I do notice that a vibration damper is not an unnecessary luxury. Furthermore, it is noticeable that the frame does not sound hollow and seems to be filled, so that the racket goes solidly through the ball despite its light weight. That makes this frame unique in terms of feeling. The balance point takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of hitting the ball loosely and quickly, the balls fly off your racket in straight lines. That is also something to watch out for. To get enough length with this lighter frame you have to move up a bit more otherwise the balls fall too short.
Returns
Especially the service returns are a pleasure with this stable and fast swinging blade. The higher balance point allows you to easily parry hard serves and even tackle them vigorously. Where I often resort to a slice return, I now ram my backhand and forehand through the ball. It really is a nice feeling not to have to fear your opponent's serve. To keep sufficient length in your strokes, I think adding some weight in the tip will provide a solution. After this review, I will add a bit of lead tape in the tip and see if I am right. But in its factory form it already plays more than okay! The blade feels less stiff than blades such as a Pure Aero or Pure Drive . But also not as soft as an EZONE DR 98 or the Wilson Clash 100 (which does have similar properties).
Sweet spot Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP
As for the "huge sweet spot" that is absolutely true. The blade is 100 sq/inch but it is the shape of the blade that creates the sweet spot and helps you if you don't always get the balls in the center of the blade (like me). Sometimes when I'm making fast aggressive shots like a smash or a hard volley I misjudge the balls, but the sweet spot of the Head Gravity MP still saves me. That's a huge plus point of this frame! That saves me a lot of points during a competition.
The final color scheme (left) vs the demo color scheme of the Gravity MP
Service
Serving with the Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP is great and super stable. Which surprises me with a light frame. The 16 x 20 string pattern in combination with the somewhat teardrop-shaped blade helps to hit a heavy kick serve. You have to the flat serve, but be careful that the balls do not go too deep.
Volleys
Volleying with the Gravity MP is easy for me. Due to the presumed filling of the frame, volleys can be laid down with a lot of feeling and control. Here too, the large sweet spot and the higher balance point help with pushing away volleys hard. Without using much force, the balls splash off my blade. This means I only have to give direction.
Conclusion
I just realized how much I love playing with a 16 x 20 string pattern. Best of both worlds I would say. The Head Gravity MP is a V8 engine in a nice soft but not too soft jacket with just enough control properties to keep the raw power of the V8 in hand and unleash it at the right moment. The secret of dominance lies in the enormous sweet spot and the 16 x 20 string pattern of the MP for the perfect mix of power and control. And just like the rest of the series, the MP comes with the new distinctive flip design of two different colors, as is now known.
Overall I highly recommend this racket for both beginners and advanced players. Beginners can use the frame as it is, because it is light and easy to swing and it has a large sweet spot to help with the shots. The same goes for advanced players, only my suggestion to them is to string the Head Gravity MP lower and maybe add a little weight to the top. Kudos to Head! I am convinced that with the new Gravity series they have launched a best-seller that brings back the old feeling of the Head frames from the past. That makes me happy. So in my tennis bag for the coming period there will be at least one Head Gravity MP! I am also very curious how the Gravity Pro and Gravity Tour versions play. But the MP is already a newfangled classic in my opinion!
The Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP is now available in our webshop , including a free string of your choice.