Head Hawk Touch String Review

Naturally, Head Hawk Touch is not the most powerful string you’ll ever use. Given it is a co-poly it has a firm but forgiving construction, which gives it that characteristic control and consistency that is so typical of monofilament strings.

However, the fact that Head has expanded the diameter of the crystal core technology material in the Hawk Touch adds another dimension to the string.

It is now more powerful and comfortable than before thanks to the greater levels of flexibility. This doesn’t take away from the control however, as Hawk Touch is still a precision focussed string after all.

That said, Head hasn’t turned the Hawk into a lively, trampoline like string with the Touch variation. Unlike a natural gut or multifilament string, Head Hawk Touch remains pretty dead feeling in general. It is a muted string that requires your inputs to make the ball go anywhere.

This is the type of poly string I like to call a blank canvas. You get out what you put in and the string won’t do too much for you when it comes to generating power. This is great for players that need a control focussed string that will tame their natural strength and keep the ball well inside the lines when they want to swing freely.

However, if you are a player that needs both power and control from your string bed, you may want to pair this up with a softer, more elastic string like Wilson NXT that will offer more pop.

As far as control goes, Head Hawk Touch was on the more precision focussed side of things. It definitely lets you know what is going on in the string bed as you get a good sense of communication with the ball. For a softer string, it is very well judged in terms of feedback.

The string can feel a little muted at times, but this is actually what makes it so great to play with. You don’t get much in the way of power or liveliness, but you know exactly what to expect time after time. This makes Head Hawk Touch one of the most reliable and user friendly strings on the market today.

Most polyester strings are great at offering a load of control thanks to their consistent and low powered response. However, whilst you can always predict where the ball is going to go, this often comes at the expense of comfort and overall playability.

As far as Hawk Touch is concerned, you can rest assured that you get the best of both worlds! The ball pockets in the string bed nicely, allowing you to place the ball exactly where you want to, but you also get a great sense of connection.

Given this is a well balanced control oriented string, it may be better suited to a more powerful racket, or at least strung a few pounds lighter than normal if you need a little extra pop.

Most polyester strings tend to give you a great consistency in terms of their response, but can sometimes be left wanting in the touch and feel department. This is not the case with Head Hawk Touch.

The clue is in the name with this string, as you get a clear sense of where the ball is going no matter what type of shot you are hitting.

Low powered polyester strings are generally great for big baseline hitters, as they add more control and spin to your game. However, they sacrifice power and feel for this, as they are a lot less supple than multifilaments or natural gut strings.

This can make them feel a bit numb, something that Hawk Touches technology overcomes. It is a very soft feeling poly that combines feel control and spin to great effect.

Hawk Touch feels crisp up at the net and you can really cut your volleys nicely with some backspin. This keeps the ball low and forces your opponent to hit up on the ball, giving you an easy put away.

The string also performed well when I wanted to hit a drop shot, as it was easy to find my range and I was able to carve up the ball well with spin rather than the shot floating around the service line.

For a round shaped string, Hawk Touch offers a very generous amount of spin.

The fact that it is not angular in shape also improves its durability compared to some of the more spin friendly models out there.

Head also sells the Hawk string in a rough variant which is actually even softer than the touch or original Hawk. This is an even more spin friendly version, so if you are looking for even more RPMs on the ball, it may well be worth a try.

Hawk Touch does actually offer a decent amount of spin itself. You still get a good amount of plow through and some pop here are there when you middle it, but you still have enough spin to get the ball dipping inside the baseline nicely.

Durability is pretty average with Head Hawk Touch. It is not the most durable polyester string in the world due to its softness, but it will last longer than most multifilaments. From a tension management point of view, Hawk Touch maintains its tension pretty well across its life.

Comfort is the area in which Head Hawk Touch performed surprisingly well. For a polyester string it pockets the ball really well and is pretty easy on the arm. It’s no natural gut, don’t get me wrong, but it does have some give in it compared to its rivals.

The material used in the core of the string clearly does its job well, as it is specifically designed to dampen the vibrations for a smoother experience.

Hawk touch feels softer than Babolat RPM Blast, and sits somewhere between RPM Power and Solinco Hyper-G in terms of overall comfort. At first glance, the string can feel a little bit on the thin and wiry side, particularly if you aren’t used to playing with a polyester in general. However, after a few minutes you can soon get into a groove and feel the ball dwelling in the string bed nicely.

Although I personally wouldn’t tend to go for a full bed of polyester, I would definitely consider using it long term as part of a hybrid with a soft multifilament. The fact that even the professional players that play tennis for a living are using Head Hawk and Hawk Touch paired with natural gut shows it is a high quality string.

Overall, Head Hawk Touch is a very playable and approachable polyester string that players of all levels can enjoy. Whilst it may be a little too firm on its own for players with arm issues to go for, once paired up with a softer multifilament or natural gut it will deliver the best of both worlds.

The spin and control you get from the string are very impressive considering its construction, plus the comfort and touch is surprisingly good.

The crispness when it is strung up a big tighter is definitely a benefit of using Hawk Touch, whilst its ability to grip and rip the ball is also reassuring for big baseline hitters. I personally enjoyed how direct the string felt on contact, as I could always place the ball where I wanted it which helped with my defensive shots and passing shots.

Whilst Hawk Touch is positioned as an all rounder, it is a string that amounts to more than the sum of its parts. Head Hawk Touch is a string that combines all the best aspects of a traditional polyester string, whilst also being soft and playable enough to be enjoyed by a wider audience.