Review

Comfort - Score: 4.4

Some of our playtesters required a slight break-in period before getting used to the fit of the Sprint SF, but ultimately everybody experienced a comfortable ride on court. Having tested many shoes from Head over the years, Troy compared the Sprint SF's comfort level to other models in the line. He said, "When I first slipped these shoes on, I loved the feel of the bootie-constructed upper. I playtested the Head Sprint Pro 2.0s, and the comfort was good, but with the addition of the bootie, these Head Sprint SFs felt even better on my feet. When it came to the fit, I was somewhat in between sizes. The 10.0 felt a bit too long, but the 9.5 was very snug. I went with the smaller of the two sizes with hopes that they would break in and mold to my feet. For the first week the shoes were cramping my toes a bit, but after breaking them in they started to fit just right. The SuperFabric uppers provided plenty of comfort on top of my toes. There wasn't as much cushioning as the Head Revolt Pro 3.0s, but that was somewhat expected since the SF is a lighter option. There was just enough cushioning to keep my feet padded without feeling like they were slapping the court. The arch support was medium and worked well for my feet. Ventilation is one area where I thought the older Sprint Pro 2.0s were better, due to the mesh in the uppers. The SuperFabric upper on this Sprint SF is less porous, so the shoe feels a bit more stuffy."

Mark had no discomfort in these shoes from the start of this playtest to the end. He commented, "Overall, the Sprint SFs have offered great comfort. They were very easy to get on my feet, even with the unitongue, and for the full month of this playtest my feet were treated to a high degree of comfort. These shoes had a somewhat spartan level of cushioning, but they were very comfortable because the upper materials and construction provide a supple, supportive feel."

After adjusting to the fit, Erik found the Spring SF to be a comfortable option. He noted, "These shoes have very responsive cushioning. The upper ventilation isn't great, but the shoes do have some ventilation underfoot, which is nice. There is a low arch and a narrower fit, which I found to break in nicely after a couple of days. The material stretched, but not to the point where it made the shoes unstable. The SuperFabric near the tongue of the shoe really cinched down on my feet, which took a little getting used to."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.0

With its Tri-NRG system and bootie construction, the Head Sprint SF was built to offer a stable, supportive ride. Erik appreciated the shoe's locked-in feel on court. He said, "The Sprint SF had excellent stability and foot support. The bootie construction really locked my foot in place, and the SuperFabric did not stretch much. The top of the shoe cinched down pretty hard whenever I pulled the laces tightly, but I certainly don't mind that."

Although Troy experienced good support and stability throughout the playtest, he did notice that the fit changed slightly over time. He described, "As with previous versions of the Sprint Pros, I found a high level of support and stability in these shoes considering their lightweight construction. The Sprint SF has more support and stability than most lightweight shoes, such as the Asics Solution Speed FF or Babolat Jet Mach II AC. On the other hand, this shoe isn't quite as rigid as heavy-duty options like the Asics Gel Resolution 7 or adidas Barricade 2018. The combination of the TPU midfoot shank and the low-to-the-ground profile in the forefoot kept me confident when changing directions and moving aggressively. The only knock I had was that the forefoot started to open up and the upper material stretched out a bit toward the end of the playtest. Once this happened, I was finding some added wiggle room within the toe box, but considering the 12.8-ounce weight (size 10.5) I thought the support and stability were impressive."

Mark found that the Sprint SF offered a good amount of support, although less than other shoes in the Head line-up. He elaborated, "I have worn through several pairs of Sprint Pro shoes, which were very supportive throughout their lifespan. Compared to them, the Sprint SF offers plenty of support, but not quite to the same degree as the Sprint Pro 2.5. The Sprint SF feels like it has a bit less upper material overall, which tended to stretch a little more than the standard Sprint 2.5."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.7

Our playtesters reported mixed results when it came to how well the Sprint SF's Hybrasion+ outsole held up on hard courts. However, the team agreed that the new SuperFabric upper proved to be very abrasion resistant. Erik found the shoes to hold up well for their weight. He noted, "The Sprint SFs have survived the durability test so far. The sole is very resilient, and the toe seems to have held up its end of the bargain. I found the SuperFabric upper material to hold up to my standards. It was quite durable, even after sliding a good amount on the hard court, which I loved to do with these shoes. I am extremely impressed by this material."

By the end of the playtest Troy had noticed some wear on the outsoles, but very little on the uppers. He explained, "The sole durability was average compared to other lightweight shoes. The outsole tread pattern was intact on the bottom of these shoes, just with some slight balding at the tip of the toes. I found the outsole of this shoe to last similarly to that of the Asics Solution Speed FF. Although the outsoles are not ultra durable, being backed with a six-month outsole guarantee is a big upside when looking to purchase these shoes. The SuperFabric uppers held up well throughout the playtest, and I didn't notice any wear there."

As someone who is known to chase down every ball, Mark was satisfied with the durability. He commented, "The Sprint SF's SuperFabric upper held up very well. I am not as elastic as the SF's upper anymore, and it was almost impossible for me to get my feet into a position to make contact with the shoe's upper on the court surface. The outsole of the Sprint SF was also durable enough for my style of play, but more agile players who can slide a bit on a hard court may not get the level of durability that they hope for. Overall, I can describe the Sprint SF as a lightweight, high-performance tennis shoe that offers a higher than average level of durability."

Traction - Score: 4.4

Head found the right mix of grip and give with the Sprint SFs, according to our team. Troy found that the traction settled in nicely and allowed him to feel secure in his movements. He said, "As with most Head shoes that I have tried, the traction was top-notch here. I never felt like I was slipping or losing my footing. With that being said, I never felt like the Hybrasion+ outsoles were too sticky either. The rubber felt a bit firm out of the box, which is pretty typical. However, after wearing the shoes on-court for about a week the material softened up a bit and was gripping the court very nicely. The combination of the low-to-the-ground forefoot and the high level of traction allowed me to move aggressively with few worries."

The Sprint SF’s traction fell right into Erik's sweet spot. He noted, "These shoes are perfect for me traction-wise. They are on the slicker side out of the box, which was great for sliding, but they have a little more grip than the Nike Vapor X. I could transition effectively out of stops, and I could slide to a ball with no issue at all."

Mark was happy to find the Sprint SFs well balanced underfoot. He described, "This playtest was done entirely on hard courts, and like the Sprint Pro 2.5, the Sprint SF featured just the right amount of grip versus slip, even if the court wasn’t clean."

Weight - Score: 4.6

Weighing in at 12.8 ounces (size 10.5), the Sprint SFs are noticeably lighter then previous models in the line. Erik was pleased that he could move freely on court while still feeling well supported. He said, "I loved the weight of these shoes; they reminded me of a Vapor X. I could move at top speed with no issues at all. Even with the low weight, the Sprint SFs still felt very stable, and the material didn't stretch much at all."

Once the Sprint SFs settled in, they started to feel more true to weight for Troy. He explained, "These shoes felt a little rigid during my first hit on court, which made them seem a bit heavier than the weight on the scale would indicate. However, the more I played in the shoes the more they softened up and felt lighter and lighter. After a couple weeks of playtesting my Sprint SFs felt impressively light, and on top of that, the stability was better than just about any other shoe I have tested in this weight category. I was amazed Head was able to make these SFs an ounce lighter than the Sprint Pro 2.0s without sacrificing any of the stability. I guess it must be the SuperFabric."

Mark also felt light on his feet in the Sprint SFs. He said, "Weight is a good indicator of whether a shoe is going to be easy to maneuver in, but it does not always tell the entire story. The Sprint Pro 2.5 felt light at 13.2 ounces, and the SF is even a bit lighter than that. The numbers accurately reflect how easy it is to move around the court in the Sprint SF."

Overall - Score: 4.1