About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the racquet, which I purchased with my own money in July of 2022.

My take

The Head Boom MP is a great weapon for intermediate players, high level juniors, and advanced players looking for a lighter weight maneuverable racquet. It offers really nice power while maintaining feel and an easy on the arm flex when compared to other power racquets.

About the gear

• Model: Head Auxetic Boom MP
• Grip Size: 4 ⅜ / EU 3
• String and Tension: Head Lynx Tour 16g Mains/Head Velocity MLT 16g Cross 55 lbs
• Head size: 100 sq. in.
• Racquet Length: 27”
• Any Customizations: Gamma Overgrip

About me

• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 185 lbs
• Previous Racquet Played With: Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP
• Experience: 28 years of tennis
• NTRP/UTA Rating: 5.0

Test conditions

• When I tested these: July 2022
• Days tested: 5 days
• Court Surfaces: Hard
• Match Play/Practice Session/Both: Both
• Where I’ve used it: Public hardcourts around Kingsford, Michigan

How it performs

What I was looking for

I’ve been playing with a Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP racquet for just over a year now. Since I made the switch to the Gravity MP, Head has updated a couple models that I had tested and also released the Boom MP as a new model. I wanted to see if any of the upgraded or new models would help my game in any way.

Why I chose this gear

I compared several new Head racquets and revisited a Yonex VCore 98 that I had previously tested to see if any of these options suited my game better than the Gravity MP. During the week I also tested the Head Speed MP 2022 and the Yonex VCore 98. In the end, I ended up sticking with the Gravity MP.

What I love about it

• Feel: Auxetic is the newest technology that Head has added to their racquets for 2022. Head claims that it offers a uniquely flexible construction in the yoke of the racquet to help ball feedback to impact force. As with the Head Auxetic Speed MP 2022 I tested alongside the Boom MP, the combination of comfort and feel from this technology is a welcome addition. There was a time a couple generations ago where Head racquets were both stiff and overly dampened, which made it hard to feel what the ball was doing on the racquet, especially with stiff polyester strings. This new Auxetic technology seems to have corrected this issue by adding flexibility to the frame for comfort while getting a crisp response on contact.
• Power: The Boom series is designed to be the most powerful racquet silo in the Head lineup and the MP does not disappoint. There is easy power to be had all over the court from serves, to groundstrokes, and even on put away volleys.
• Maneuverability: The low 318 RDC swingweight of the Boom MP makes for a very maneuverable racquet when moving to the net and on the run at the baseline. It was easy to generate racquet head speed while out of position to help turn defense into offense.
• Ground Strokes: The head of the Boom MP is wider in the upper hoop like my current Gravity MP. This allows for a larger sweetspot and a higher trajectory off the strings for more topspin. I really noticed a difference in this when moving from the Speed MP 2022 which has a more classic Head oblong head shape. With the large sweetspot, easy power, and enhanced spin, hitting with the Boom MP from the baseline was a very enjoyable experience. With more inherent power than my Gravity MP I did struggle with control at times, but the overall groundstroke experience was great.
• Serves: Serving with the Boom MP was incredible. The lower swingweight really helped to generate extra racquet head speed which when combined with the power of the frame led to a boost of power on first serves and great kick on second serves.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Control: The Boom MP is the most powerful racquet I’ve tested in a while. It doesn’t have the mass based plow through power of one of the Pro models from Head, but the frame design gives it a lot of inherent power which translated to some control issues on my end. Balls were sailing a bit long or wide of the target and it took some adjusting to really find the range.
• Stability: Both the Gravity MP I currently use and this Boom MP are only 295 grams unstrung and as a result can get pushed around by heavy balls at the baseline, big serves, and on reaction volleys. This could easily be remedied by adding a couple grams of lead to the frame to boost the stability.
• Volleys: As I mentioned above, the Boom MP can struggle at times at the net on reaction volleys. When given ample time and proper technique the Boom is a weapon due to the putaway power, but the lack of stability against hard hit balls can cause a loss of control or weak returns.

Favorite moment with this gear

The Head Boom MP is a dream to serve with. The easy power and low swingweight let me produce big first and second serves seemingly at will.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Head Boom MP is priced very well, coming in $10-20 less than similar racquets, such as the Wilson Clash 100, Yonex Ezone 100, and Volkl V-Cell V1 Pro.

Final verdict

The Head Boom MP fills an important need in the Head lineup. It offers a modern, power racquet in an easy to use package that is a good fit for players of all abilities. Its lighter weight makes it a great choice for advanced juniors or rising intermediates who want the power and spin of the modern game. While it could be more stable, the frame leaves room for customization to get the best fit for any player.