Executive Summary
The Head Radical MP 2025 is the definitive "all-court" racquet in the modern Head lineup — and arguably in the entire market. Its reputation as "The People's Racquet" is well-earned: it doesn't force a particular game style, rewards both aggressive and defensive play, and suits a wider ability range than almost any competitor at the 98 sq in level.
Key Characteristic: A 305g frame with a 66 RA stiffness, 16×19 pattern, and ~323 strung swingweight — firmly positioned on the control side of the power-control scale. The Radical doesn't gift you free pace; it rewards clean, full swings with precise, predictable trajectories and excellent feel. Control players and all-court strategists consistently rate it as their best match tool.
Key Update (2025): Auxetic 2.0 extends the frame's flexible construction from the yoke (2023) into the handle as well. The result is a slightly more dampened, connected feel across the full string bed — off-center hits in particular feel more consistent and less jarring than in previous generations. Specs are essentially unchanged from the 2023 Auxetic 1.0 version; the improvement is in feel quality, not raw performance numbers.
Performance Profile
The Radical MP's identity is balance above all else. It competes directly with the Wilson Blade 98 16×19 and Dunlop CX 200. Understanding where it sits versus both clarifies its unique position.
Performance Comparison: Radical MP vs Radical Pro
Radical MP leads in spin and maneuverability · Radical Pro leads in control and stability
On-Court Playtest
We took the Head Radical MP through a full hitting session — groundstrokes, serves, returns and net play — strung with a soft poly in the low 50s. Here's how Head's quintessential all-court control frame plays, shot by shot.
Groundstrokes
Off the ground the Radical MP shows exactly why it earned the "People's Racquet" nickname: it does everything well without forcing your hand. The 16×19 Control Pattern and ~66 RA beam give a controlled, predictable launch — you don't get free pace, but you get a clean, repeatable trajectory that rewards a full, committed swing. There's a genuine blend of control, spin access and access to power here rather than a single standout trait. Flatter drivers can flatten it out and target the lines, while spin players can swing up and the pattern bites enough to bring the ball down. The one thing to respect is that it plays a touch smaller than its 98 sq in head suggests, so off-centre balls are punished a little more than on a more forgiving 98 — clean contact is the price of the precision.
Serve
Serving is one of the Radical MP's quiet strengths. The sub-325 swingweight is easy to accelerate, so you can really snap through the ball, and the 16×19 pattern gives you spin variety for kick and slice. It isn't a free-power cannon like a stiffer power frame, but the controlled launch translates into excellent placement — you can hit your spots, mix in heavy kick, and trust the ball to land where you aimed. For an all-court frame it punches well above its weight on serve.
Volleys & Net
At net the Radical MP is in its element. The balanced, head-light feel and ~323 swingweight make it quick and maneuverable, so it's easy to get into position and react in fast exchanges. The connected, dampened Auxetic 2.0 feel gives you real information on contact, which makes touch volleys and drop shots feel natural — this is a frame that rewards players who like to come forward and finish, exactly the all-court identity the Radical line is built around.
Return & Defence
The Radical's heritage runs through its return game, and the MP carries that DNA. The maneuverable frame lets you take the ball early and block big serves back deep with a compact swing, and the predictable string-bed response means you can redirect pace with confidence. On defence the controlled launch helps you flick balls back with margin rather than over-cooking them, though against the very heaviest hitters the 305g standard weight can get pushed around slightly — which is why tour versions are customised with added mass for extra plough-through.
Comfort & Feel
Comfort is a real selling point. At ~66 RA the Radical MP sits in the arm-friendly mid-stiffness zone — firmer than a Blade 98 but well clear of the stiff power frames — and the 2025 Auxetic 2.0 construction, now extending into the handle, adds a slightly more dampened, connected response across the whole string bed. Off-centre hits in particular feel smoother and less jarring than on previous generations. It's comfortable enough to handle a wide range of string setups, including firmer polys that would be risky in a lower-RA frame, which is a big part of why it suits such a broad range of players.
Pros & Cons
The quick scannable summary of what we liked — and what to be aware of — with the Radical MP.
Pros
- Superb all-court versatility — a true do-everything frame
- Balanced control with real access to spin and power
- Comfortable ~66 RA beam, improved by Auxetic 2.0 in 2025
- Easy to customise — a favourite platform for tuning
- Excellent for improvers stepping up and tournament players
- Quick, maneuverable feel that shines on serve and at net
Cons
- Jack-of-all-trades — no single standout, specialist trait
- Less raw, effortless power than a dedicated power frame
- Less pure control than a dense 18×20 such as the Radical Pro
- Plays smaller than 98 sq in — punishes off-centre mishits
- Standard 305g can get pushed around by the heaviest hitters
Model Comparison Guide
The Radical family covers two competitive player models and a range of recreational versions. The Pro vs MP decision is the most important one for serious players.
Radical Pro 2025
The demanding specialist. Dense 18×20 pattern, higher mass, more plow-through against heavy pace. Requires strong technique to unlock its full potential — rewards players who generate their own pace and want pinpoint targeting.
Radical MP 2025
The all-court standard. Lighter, faster, more spin-friendly than the Pro. Broad appeal without sacrificing the control and feel the Radical line is famous for. The strongest selling point is its versatility.
Radical Team / Elite 2025
Lighter versions for developing players and those who need an easier-to-swing frame. More power assist than the MP, less demanding physically. Good entry point to the Radical family's feel and character.
Radical Lite
The most accessible Radical. At 265g and ~62 RA it's extremely light and flexible — designed for recreational and senior players who need maximum comfort and maneuverability. Very forgiving, very comfortable, minimal physical demand. A significant step down in stiffness and stability from the MP.
Who Plays With This?
The Radical has attracted an unusually diverse roster of tour players — from baseliners to all-court experts. Tour versions are customized significantly, but the style profiles illustrate what the Radical MP enables.
Fritz's clean, aggressive flat groundstrokes and exceptional serve are hallmarks of the Radical's profile. The frame's control orientation lets him play flat with confidence, while the 16×19 pattern gives enough spin access when he needs to open up angles. One of the clearest style matches in the ATP top 10.
Cobolli's aggressive, early-ball style relies on precise placement and clean contact rather than raw power — the Radical's core strengths. His attacking approach game and sharp angles benefit from the frame's maneuverability and consistent, predictable string bed response.
Bellucci's emphasis on spin, placement, and tactical construction of points mirrors the Radical MP's strengths. The frame supports heavy topspin without being a power launcher, enabling the precise, high-percentage ball-striking style that defines his game.
The frame's icon. Agassi's extraordinary return game and early-ball precision defined what the Radical brand stands for. The modern Radical MP carries forward that DNA: a frame that rewards seeing the ball early, moving in to cut off angles, and hitting with flat, heavy precision. The 2025 version would feel familiar to him.
Technical Must-Knows
String Setup Guide
Quick Start
The Radical MP's 66 RA stiffness and control-oriented character reward strings that aren't too stiff. Avoid harsh co-polys strung at high tensions — the frame punishes mishits already, and a dead string bed exaggerates this. The 16×19 pattern gives reasonable spin access with most string types. Starting range: 48–55 lbs (21.8–25 kg).
Pro Reference
ATP tour players using Radical-family frames typically use natural gut hybrid setups or soft polys at mid-range tensions. Taylor Fritz has been associated with setups in the low-to-mid 50s with a co-poly full bed or gut/poly hybrid. For the retail MP, matching this approach (soft poly or gut main / poly cross) is the best way to unlock the frame's feel and touch.
Recommended Setups by Goal
| Goal | Recommended Setup | Starting Tension | What You'll Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | Soft poly full bed (1.25mm) | 50–53 lbs (22.5–24 kg) | The frame's natural character — controlled, spin-friendly, arm-comfortable |
| Max Feel / Touch | Natural gut mains + co-poly crosses | Gut 52–55 lbs / poly 49–52 lbs | Excellent ball feel, premium pocketing sensation — the Radical's best version |
| More Spin | Shaped poly (Hyper-G, Hexonic), 1.20–1.25mm | 48–51 lbs (21.8–23.2 kg) | More topspin bite; lower tension offsets the control-oriented pattern |
| More Power | Softer multifilament or gut-like poly (1.25mm) | 47–50 lbs (21.3–22.7 kg) | More free depth and launch — useful for players who find the frame too demanding |
| Max Control | Firm co-poly (ALU Power, Tour Bite) at higher tension | 54–58 lbs (24.5–26.3 kg) | Very flat, precise trajectory — for advanced players only, risk of arm stress |
Maintenance Rule
Top 3 Recommended Strings
These strings consistently perform well in the Radical MP 2025, based on reviewer playtests, community feedback, and the frame's 66 RA / 16×19 characteristics. The Radical rewards strings with a combination of control, feel, and moderate tension maintenance.
Best for: Players wanting a well-rounded, arm-friendly poly that amplifies the Radical's natural feel.
Head's own recommended string for this frame family, and the pairing earns its place. Lynx Tour is a softer, more connected co-poly that doesn't fight the 66 RA frame's flex. The result is a controlled, crisp string bed with good feel and adequate spin potential. Best starting point for any newcomer to the Radical MP — it's the "safe" setup that showcases the frame's natural character without extremes.
Best for: Players wanting the maximum feel, touch, and all-round performance the Radical MP can deliver.
The tour-tested hybrid for frames in this class. Natural gut mains deliver exceptional feel and pocketing that highlights the Radical's touch and net play, while ALU Power crosses add durability and lateral control. At 66 RA, the frame is soft enough to let the gut breathe and flex — a pairing that genuinely improves on any full-bed poly in this frame.
Best for: Players who want more topspin production from the Radical's controlled platform.
Hyper-G's square cross-section generates exceptional spin bite, compensating for the Radical's tighter-than-average center string pattern. The combination produces heavy, looping topspin groundstrokes that complement the Radical's precision with increased net clearance. String at the lower end of the reference range (48–50 lbs) to avoid a harsh feel in the 66 RA frame.
Pro tip: The Radical MP responds very well to natural gut mains at the 4.0+ level. If you've always hit with full-bed poly, trying a gut/poly hybrid in this frame is one of the clearest "quality of life" upgrades available — the improvement in touch and serve feel is pronounced, and arm fatigue typically drops noticeably.
Full Specifications
| Specification | Radical MP 2025 | Radical Pro 2025 | Radical Team 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head Size | 98 sq in (632 cm²) | 98 sq in (632 cm²) | 98 sq in (632 cm²) |
| Weight (Unstrung) | 305g / 10.8oz | 310g / 10.9oz | 285g / 10.1oz |
| Length | 27 in | 27 in | 27 in |
| Balance | ~4 pts HL | ~6 pts HL | ~2 pts HL |
| String Pattern | 16×19 (Control Pattern) | 18×20 (dense, Control Pattern) | 16×19 |
| Beam Width | 20 / 23 / 21mm | 20 / 21 / 20mm | 20 / 24 / 21mm |
| Stiffness (RA) | ~65–66 | ~62–64 | ~63–65 |
| Swingweight (strung) | ~323 | ~330–332 | ~305 |
| Technology | Auxetic 2.0, Graphene Inside, Control Pattern | Auxetic 2.0, Graphene Inside, Control Pattern | Auxetic 2.0, Graphene Inside |
| Recommended Tension | 48–57 lbs | 48–57 lbs | 50–60 lbs |
| Target Player | Intermediate–Advanced (3.5–5.0) | Advanced–Elite (4.5+) | Recreational–Intermediate (2.5–4.0) |
Our Verdict
The Radical MP is the quintessential all-court "do-everything" frame — a balanced blend of control, spin and access to power that earns its "People's Racquet" reputation by suiting more players than almost anything in its class.
It's the racquet we'd recommend to intermediate-to-advanced all-court players who want versatility, feel and comfort rather than one extreme strength — improvers stepping up, tournament players and tinkerers who love an easy frame to customise. The trade-off is that being a jack-of-all-trades, it doesn't specialise: it has less raw power than a dedicated power frame and less pure control than a dense 18×20. If you generate your own pace and want pinpoint flat targeting, step up to the 18×20 Radical Pro; if you want effortless launched power, look elsewhere — but for sheer all-court versatility at the 98 sq in level, the Radical MP remains a benchmark.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Head Radical MP good for beginners?
The Radical MP (305g, 98 sq in, 16×19) is aimed at intermediate-to-advanced players (3.5–5.0) who can take full, clean swings — it rewards technique with control and feel rather than handing out free power. Several testers note it plays smaller than its 98 sq in head suggests, so mishits are punished and a complete beginner will struggle with it. Improvers are better off in the lighter, more forgiving Radical Team/Elite (265–290g) or Radical Lite (265g) before stepping up to the MP.
Head Radical MP vs Pro — which should I buy?
Choose the Radical MP if you want the versatile, do-everything all-court frame — its open 16×19 pattern, lighter 305g weight and ~323 swingweight make it faster, more spin-friendly and easier to use across a wide range of games. Choose the Radical Pro if you are an advanced 4.5+ player who generates your own pace and wants the dense 18×20 pattern, higher 310g mass and extra plough-through for pinpoint, flatter targeting. The MP is the broader, more forgiving choice; the Pro is the demanding specialist.
Is the Head Radical MP arm-friendly?
Yes, for most players. At ~66 RA the Radical MP sits in the comfortable mid-stiffness zone — stiffer than a Blade 98 (61–64 RA) but meaningfully softer than Pure Drive / EZone class frames (68–71 RA) — and the 2025 Auxetic 2.0 construction adds a dampened, connected feel. That lets it handle a wider range of strings, including firmer polys, without arm issues for most players. To keep it gentle, avoid harsh co-polys at high tension and lean toward a soft poly or a natural-gut hybrid in the 48–55 lb range.
What string and tension is best for the Radical MP?
A soft control poly such as Head Lynx Tour at 51–54 lbs is the safe starting point that showcases the frame's natural character. For the most feel and touch, a natural-gut main with a co-poly cross (gut 52–55 lbs / poly 49–52 lbs) is the tour-tested upgrade and the Radical MP's best version. For more topspin, a shaped poly like Solinco Hyper-G at 48–52 lbs adds bite. Across setups, most players live in the 48–55 lb reference window — avoid going too stiff and high, which exaggerates how much the frame punishes mishits.
Is the Radical MP a control or power racquet?
It is firmly a control-oriented all-court frame, not a power racquet. The 305g weight, ~66 RA stiffness, 16×19 Control Pattern and ~323 swingweight sit on the control side of the scale — the Radical doesn't gift you free pace, it rewards clean, full swings with precise, predictable trajectories and excellent feel. It does blend in enough spin access and serving punch to feel versatile, but if you want effortless, launched power you should look at a dedicated power frame instead.
Who is the Head Radical MP best for?
The Radical MP is best for intermediate-to-advanced all-court players (3.5–5.0) who value versatility, control and feel over raw power — its reputation as 'The People's Racquet' comes from not forcing a single game style and rewarding both aggressive and defensive play. It suits aggressive baseliners, tactical players and all-court strategists, is easy to customise, and is a long-standing development and tournament favourite. Players wanting purer control should consider the 18×20 Radical Pro; those wanting more outright power should look elsewhere.