Category Archives: Inspiration
Head Boom Team L 2022
Like the Head Boom Team 2022, the Head Team L 2022 has been much anticipated!
Finally, a 107 square inch head without the ridiculous thick beam and ultra-lightweight, a legitimate “tweener”!
The Boom Team L has the highest power level assigned to recent Head racquets coming in at “900”, compared to the Boom Team at 800 and the Boom Pro at 400. If a power racquet is what you are looking for, this may be a good choice!
The Boom Team L is a slightly longer racquet at 27.35 inches. This increase in length increases the swing weight without adding weight. You can think of swing weight as “leverage.”
The Boom Team L incorporates all the newest materials and design chops of the viral Boom Pro and Boom MP.
The specifications will give you a better idea of where this racquet may fit your game.
| Manufacturer | Head |
|---|---|
| Racquet Model | Head Boom Team L 2022 |
| Reference Tension | 56 lbs - 25.4 kg |
| String | Head Reflex MLT 17 |
| Machine Used | True Tension Professional |
| ASPS, RDC | 45.0 |
| ASPS, FlexFour | 55.0 |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 63 - After stringing |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 46.0 |
| Racquet - In Plane Stiffness | 339.8 lbs/Inch |
| Weight, Grams | 290 |
| Weight, Ounces | 10.23 |
| Balance, mm | 353 |
| Balance, Inch | 13.90 |
| Length, Cm | 69.5 |
| Length, Inch | 27.362 |
| Head Width | 10.15 |
| Head Length | 13.25 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 679.5 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 105.6 |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 19 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .643 |
| Main String Grid | 7.90 |
| Cross String Grid | 10.56 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | .792 |
| Average Cross String Space | .556 |
| Average Main String Space | .494 |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT | 31 |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 173.39 |
| First Moment, Nm | .805 |
| Polar Moment | 331 |
| Torsional Stability | 18 |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 313 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 11.04 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 361.4 |
| Power, RDC | 53 |
| Control, RDC | 48 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 78 |
| Power, Calculated | 2139.2 |
| Head Points | -1.73 |
| Head Weight, % | 50.8% |
| Center of Percussion | 20.7 |
| Dwell Time, ms | 9.48 |
| Efective Stiffness - lbs | 26.3 |
| K, Lb/In | 144.23 |
| Recoil Weight | 129.71 |
| Twist Weight | 221.11 |
| End Weight | 97.7 |
| Tip Weight | 192.3 |
| 9 O'Clock | 93.0 |
| 3 O'Clock | 92.8 |
| Butt Cap | 103.8 |
Goodbye, Russell
Our Friend Russell Williams succumbed to his three (3) year battle with ALS on the 29th of March.
I include an obituary for Russell because it includes a link to support the University of Florida ALS research program.
Russell was an avid tennis player, as he was by all accounts quite good. We have forty (40) of his sixty (60) or so Babolat Pure Control racquets that he loved so much. Russell kept the racquets in top shape, so he would never consider switching!
Sophie, Russells’ daughter, is quite an accomplished tennis player and will be going to UF, where she has signed to play tennis!
Goodbye, our friend!
Barbara planted a Reed Begonia for Russell. If you are near The Leu Botanical Garden in Orlando you can find Russell’s begonia in the White Garden.
“I planted a white reed begonia in the White Garden. We will watch it grow and flower and think of all of you.”
SBS…what is it and why should we care?
We have made several posts regarding SBS, which is “String Bed Stiffness” and this is another one!
If you read this post we really need your comment(s), really!
String bed stiffness is the “feeling” when the ball hits the string on a tennis racquet. Due to the various string materials there will be “soft” and “hard” feelings. But wait, there’s more!
The string bed is made up of several strings, some longer called the Main string (M)and some shorter called the Cross string(X). Using “reference” tension each of the sets of string will be pulled at the same machine setting! It the machine is set at 50 pounds the tension head will stop pulling when it feels 50 pounds of resistance, regardless of what he tension inside the racquet head may be.
Let’s say you come into the world headquarters and we ask you what SBS you would like to have? Would you know? Probably not and not many would! We have grown up using the term “reference tension”, not SBS.
Reference tension is “number” you would ask your racquet technician to set the stringing machine tension system on. That number will probably be between 30 and 60 pounds (≈13 to 26 Kilo).
So, depending on many other variables, such as string material, string pattern, stringing machine, stringer technique, etc., you can end up with may different versions of the same “reference tension”.
A better way, and one we have been using for over thirty (30) years, is SBS but not everyone has bought into the concept, even though a qualified racquet technician will have a way to measure SBS! Maybe because it is too much trouble to figure out what your desired SBS from machine X would be from machine A! It is not!
There have been several really good SBS data collection devices but they have been difficult to use, and pricy! Not to mention gigantic!
Would you purchase a SBS data collection device?
How much would you pay for such a device?
Would you prefer a mechanical device or an electronic device?
The device must be portable, that is easily carried in a racquet bag or backpack
Yes or It doesn’t matter
It must be easy to use.
If you use an SBS device would you use a racquet technician that did not know what SBS is or how to measure it?
Thank you for adding your comments to this discussion! It is important stuff!
Tecnifibre TF40 305/16M
Tecnifibre has introduced the new TF40 series in a very much appreciated 16 x 19 string pattern! The 18 x 20 pattern is a good one but we think it may intimidate some potential buyers.
This initial review is for the 305 series, with 305 being the gram weight of the unstrung racquet, in case you didn’t know!
As with all the Tecnifibre racquets we have been in contact with this new one looks to be very well done with some subtle details that are interesting.
One is the textured decal on the “Tecnifibre” side of the shaft. It is obvious to the touch and we think it adds to the overall aesthetic of the racquet. Another one is the slightly asymmetrical terminus of the shaft at the grip top. It is barely noticeable but I like it!
One of the additions to the series is the “Foam Inside” component. Some players really like the “feel” of foam-filled racquets and this one is filled to the brim! Since it is filled with foam Tecnifibre does not see the need for a “trap door” on the butt cap, so if any work needs to be done back there the butt cap needs to come off. I don’t think there will be much needed so the solid butt cap eliminates the potential for “buzzing” which has plagued some racquet models.
The TF40 305 is a thin beam, 22mm all the way from the grip top to the very tip of the racquet. with a box shaft and an elliptical head cross-section.
Tecnifibre TF40 305 16×19
Foam Inside
Tecnifibre TF40 305
| Manufacturer | Tecnifibre |
|---|---|
| Racquet Model | Tecnifibre TF40 305/16M |
| Reference Tension | 55 lbs - 24.9 kg |
| String | Ashaway MonoGut ZX Pro |
| Machine Used | True Tension Professional |
| ASPS, RDC | 55.0 |
| ASPS, FlexFour | 65.0 |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 64 - After stringing |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 54.0 |
| Racquet - In Plane Stiffness | 378.2 lbs/Inch |
| Weight, Grams | 328 |
| Weight, Ounces | 11.57 |
| Balance, mm | 330 |
| Balance, Inch | 12.99 |
| Length, Cm | 68.6 |
| Length, Inch | 27.008 |
| Head Width | 9.59 |
| Head Length | 12.82 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 622.9 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 96.5 |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 19 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .630 |
| Main String Grid | 7.125 |
| Cross String Grid | 9.75 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | .669 |
| Average Cross String Space | .496 |
| Average Main String Space | .429 |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT | 35 |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 195.76 |
| First Moment, Nm | .837 |
| Polar Moment | 334 |
| Torsional Stability | 14 |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 320 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 11.29 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 357.2 |
| Power, RDC | 48 |
| Control, RDC | 53 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 73 |
| Power, Calculated | 1997.1 |
| Head Points | 4.09 |
| Head Weight, % | 48.1% |
| Center of Percussion | 20.6 |
| Dwell Time, ms | 8.58 |
| Efective Stiffness - lbs | 29.6 |
| K, Lb/In | 195.76 |
| Recoil Weight | 146.89 |
| Twist Weight | 228.20 |
| End Weight | 128.8 |
| Tip Weight | 199.2 |
| 9 O'Clock | 99.1 |
| 3 O'Clock | 99.2 |
| Butt Cap | 128.9 |
New Head Racquet Names
There is a need for clear descriptions of tennis racquets so you, and we can make good buying decisions.
Head has applied this to the Prestige 2021 Series and it is a little confusing, maybe. So here is the information as we know it right now and according to the racquets in stock is correct:
New Head Prestige Names
You can see the entire Prestige 2021 Line-Up including additional data here
Racquet Quest, LLC
