The HEAD Gravity line is one of their most popular ones on tour and this HEAD Gravity Tour 98 Review have been highly anticipated.
This HEAD Gravity Tour 98 Review was done using a teaser sample in a stylish all-black cosmetic with blue lettering. But when we got our hands on the brand new, glossy dark-blue cosmetic, we were very happy. Alongside the Tecnifibre Tfight 2025 and the Nordicdots Model 99 and 100, glossy racquets are back in business!
Introduction
When you hear about a HEAD Gravity Tour 98, you think that this will be an even more controlled version of the HEAD Gravity Tour. This is partly true, but it adds an extra dimension of spin and depth thanks to its relatively open 16/19 pattern. You will get a generous launch angle on your shots and can more easily play this version on clay, where the 18/20 of the previous Gravity Tour might be more demanding.
The racquet offers a soft and plush feel with a low stiffness rating. Most players who tried this racquet with me loved the feel of the Gravity Tour 98. Everyone from world-class 12-year-olds to intermediate 58-year-olds enjoyed the response and performance from the Gravity Tour 98.
You can purchase this racquet and others from Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, Tennis Only and Amazon.com
Let me know what you think about it in the comments below.
Specs and Tech
Head Size: 98 in² / 632.26 cm² |
Length: 27in / 68.58cm |
Strung Weight: 11.4oz / 323g |
Balance: 12.99in / 32.99cm / 4 pts HL |
Swingweight: 328 |
Stiffness: 59 |
Beam Width: 22mm / 22mm / 22mm |
Composition: : Graphene Inside/Auxetic 2/Graphite |
Power Level: Low-Medium |
Stroke Style: Medium-Full |
Swing Speed: Medium-Fast |
Racquet Colors: Black/Blue |
Grip Type: Head Hydrosorb Pro |
String Pattern: 16 Mains / 19 Crosses Mains skip: 7T,9T,7H,9H |
Playability and Performance
The first thing that strikes you when you hit the ball is the sound. When you play with the Gravity Tour 98, it sounds like you are hitting as hard as a pro. This even bothered some practice partners, which can be a good thing in match play. I don’t know what voodoo they did here, but the racquet sounds great. Definitely more boom than the Boom, if you know what I mean.
You quickly noticed that this a racquet for ball strikers who like to dominate. If you commit to your shot with top spin, this racquet delivers a powerful ball. The launch is high, so some flatter strikers might struggle to find their ideal level of of control, but I know players who have transitioned to this racquet from 18/20, so it depends on your style and mechanics, of course. And if you’re willing to do the adjustment.
If I take the foot off the pedal a bit, the racquet felt a little unstable at times. It is quite soft and I felt like it gained from slightly more weight in the hoop. It feels like it was made for a faster swing speed, but the variety of players who enjoyed it makes me question this statement.
The racquet came with a set of HEAD Hawk Touch attached to it, a popular string used by the likes of Jannik Sinner. For my game, the racquet played best with a hybrid setup with a multi or gut in the mains and a round, slick poly in the crosses. You mute some of the launch angle and improve the feel even more. But I also liked some round polys in it. It’s not that string sensitive, but I just didn’t enjoy Hawk Touch that much personally.
Overall, the feel and performance of the Gravity Tour 98 is very good. Since it is flexible, I prefer customizing it to a slightly higher weight using my Metortune and some lead tape.
But like I wrote above, I had players from all levels enjoying the frame in stock form with HEAD Lynx Tour strung at 50 lbs.
Where to buy?
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Pros and Cons
I have detailed some of the HEAD Gravity Tour 98 pros and cons in the text above already, but here they are in a summary.
Pros
Cons
Summary
My first impression with the HEAD Gravity Tour 98 wasn’t overly positive. I felt like the racquet played a little stiff and erratic. But I think it might have been the string setup, because Hawk Touch did not work well for me in the teaser. Once I tried a few different strings, the racquet performed much better.
The HEAD Gravity Tour 98 is a racquet that suits the player that likes to attack the ball confidently. Flat hitters might struggle a little with the launch angle compared to a precise racquet like the HEAD Gravity Pro, for example. But modern players will likely enjoy the feel, sound and performance from the racquet.
It feels like a more forgiving, powerful and spin-friendly Prestige at times and that’s a good thing. The feel is nice and the racquet is maneuverable yet pretty stable. I think the stability can be improved with some more weight, but not everyone needs that.
Overall, a very interesting release from HEAD that should be demoed by control players who are open to testing a more open string pattern and a slightly higher launch angle than they might be used to.
How would you compare the gravity tour 98 to the current prestige line? I’m still playing with older microgel prestige pros and am trying to find a similar frame.
It is most similar to the 99 sq inch MP L, but that one is softer and not as powerful. The Gravity Tour 98 will be quite different from a Microgel Prestige.
Reminds me of wilson ultra and burn lines where they added very different frames to the lines ( burn fst , ultra tour), only with head the main line (original speed line) is the control frame and the addition is the power and spin frame. Is it very different mold to extreme tour 98?. Thanks for the good work, keep it going, micha
It is a bit like a wider Extreme Tour to me, with a slightly more open pattern.
How does the power and control compare to a racquet like the Ezone 98?
Hey Jonas! Currently testing this one and I can generally find myself in your words. Is the swingweight reported been measured on your specific frame? Mine seems to be around 290 unstrung.
I used Prestige and Gravity a lot during the last 7/8 years and once I picked this up I immediately felt at home, it seemed I always played with it. I decided to string it with Lynx as I usually experience arm issues.
Hey Michele, I measured swing weight around 320, yes. So you like it, then?
I am a Blade 98 16×19 user, and tried and liked the Head Gravity 98, but the string setup was not my favorite. I am not in the position to try a string setup more familiar to me. But from your write up, it appears the Extreme Pro might be a smaller step away from the Blade 98 I am used to?
How would you say this compares to the Boom Pro please Jonas? Is the Boom slightly more forgiving and powerful, but also more unpredictable?
Would you consider this a good option for one backhand players, or not?
Yes I would
Is this a possible replacement for a Pure Storm Tour GT? Or would something like the Blade, or some other racquet, be closer? Had one of my PSTGT break after having 15 good years with it.