Head Updates Key Gravity And Radical Rackets, Shoes In Early 2023

Head continues to fully embrace the brand’s Auxetic construction technology in tennis rackets, updating both the Radical and Gravity lines in 2023 with the approach.

One of the leading technologies for Head racket lines, Auxetic construction has started to enter a variety of the brand’s key frames. The 2023 updates to both the Radical, a versatility minded design, and Gravity, a racket created with a large sweet spot, highlight the growth of the construction.

“Auxetic constructions show a unique deformation compared to non-Auxetic constructions,” Allison Barnett, Head North America brand manager, tells me, “so they widen when a pull force is applied and contract when squeezed.”

Placed in the yoke of the racket, the construction is designed to respond in real-time to offer a “super-accurate feedback regardless of the impact location on the string bed.”

The location of the technology on the frame is designed to let the carbon fiber-engineered yoke piece to widen when a pull force is applied and contract when squeezed. The bigger the applied force, the greater the reaction of the technology. The idea is that on ball impact, a big force is applied to the yoke, caused by the strings pulling it toward the center of the racket. Depending on where the ball hits the string bed, the force of the impact will be applied at different locations in the yoke, allowing the technology to react and even out the feel of the ball against the strings.

Barnett says the technology is designed to enhance impact feel with a “crisp and smooth response when you hit your shots.”

The new Radical, endorsed by American Taylor Fritz, is classified as a versatile frame with a beam designed for a balance of power, control and spin. The dense control string pattern of 16×19 pairs with grommets meant to enhance power. The 2023 versions include the Pro, a 98-square-inch head size weighing 315 grams, the MP with a 98-square-inch head size and weighing 300 grams and the Team, a 102-square-inch head weighing 280 grams.

The Gravity, endorsed by Alexander Zverev, also adds the Auxetic technology. Designed with a larger sweet spot meant to help keep the ball in play and feel solid, even on off-center hits, Head says the racket is for the aggressive player. Using an elliptical beam for feel and a rounded head shape to build up the sweet spot, the racket also features a wider string bed.

The Gravity Pro 2023 is a 100-square-inch head size with an 18×20 string pattern to highlight control, while weighing in at 315 grams. The MP version also has a 100-square-inch head, but features a 16×20 string pattern for more power. It weights 298 grams. The Team version weighs 285 grams with a 16×20 pattern and a 104-square-inch head.

Both rackets feature updated aesthetics. Barnett calls the new Radical’s design “eye-catching” on the court. The Gravity was updated with an iridescent paint that catches light and changes color.

New Revolt Pro 4.0 Shoes

Along with Head’s updates to rackets comes the release of the new Revolt Pro 4.0 tennis shoes. Barnett says the brand has a technology, T-Kore, designed to offer additional stability, abrasion resistance and torsional support.

Designed for the aggressive baseliner, durability remains a key component of the design. The outsole features durability zones for hardcourt users and an open tread pattern for grip. The triple-density midsole comes with a higher heel for additional dampening and a 3D anti-torsion shank. The upper features a mesh with PU-molded durability elements, an internal heel counter, and additional medial protection.