HEAD Hawk Touch is a round co-polyester tennis string designed for high-level players who prioritize precision, feedback and a controlled response. It is lower powered and more demanding than Hawk Power, while adding a more dampened sense of pocketing than an extremely rigid tournament polyester.
The string uses HEAD’s Crystal Core manufacturing concept, which creates different response characteristics between the crystalline inner region and the more flexible outer material. This construction is intended to combine a stable core with improved touch.
Hawk Touch targets advanced players with long, fast swings who generate their own pace and want the stringbed to limit launch. Its smooth surface also makes it useful as the control-oriented half of a hybrid. The Tennis String Finder can help compare it with less demanding options.
HEAD Hawk Touch Rating
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Power | 5.5/10 |
| Spin | 8/10 |
| Comfort | 6.5/10 |
| Control | 9.5/10 |
These ratings compare Hawk Touch with the full tennis-string market. It is intentionally low powered and exceptionally controlled, with comfort that is reasonable only within the firm co-polyester category.
HEAD Hawk Touch Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| String type | Co-polyester monofilament |
| Technology | Crystal Core manufacturing concept |
| Profile | Round |
| Surface | Smooth |
| Gauges | 16 / 1.30mm, 17 / 1.25mm, 18 / 1.20mm and 19 / 1.15mm |
| Color | Anthracite |
| Set length | Approximately 12m |
| Reel length | Approximately 200m, depending on market |
| Player category | Tour and advanced players |
Current gauge availability can differ by region and retailer. HEAD lists four diameters from 1.30mm to 1.15mm, giving the family an unusually broad range.
Material and Construction
Hawk Touch is a co-polyester monofilament rather than a multifilament. It consists of one solid round strand, giving it greater physical resistance and lower rebound than a bundle of elastic nylon fibers.
Crystal Core refers to a manufacturing process that varies the molecular structure within the string. Product documentation describes a larger crystalline inner core for stability and a more flexible outer region intended to improve feel and pocketing.
The exact proportions and formulation are proprietary, so the technology should not be converted into unsupported material claims. Its practical purpose is to combine the predictable response of a control polyester with a less abrupt sensation at impact.
Hawk Touch has a smooth, round exterior. It does not grip the ball with geometric edges. Rotation comes from swing speed, string movement and snapback, while the low-friction surface makes it a sensible cross string in a natural-gut or multifilament hybrid.
HEAD Hawk Touch Performance
Power
Hawk Touch is a low-powered string. It absorbs and contains pace, allowing accomplished hitters to accelerate through the ball without the rebound associated with natural gut or a multifilament.
Players who already create depth through technique may appreciate this restraint, particularly in a powerful racket or open pattern. It supports confident targeting on returns and aggressive groundstrokes.
Compact swingers will receive little help. Even compared with other polyesters, Hawk Touch sits toward the controlled end of the spectrum, so the name “Touch” should not be interpreted as easy power.
Power rating: 5.5/10
Spin
Hawk Touch offers strong spin despite its round shape. Its smooth surface permits efficient movement, and its low power encourages the fast acceleration required to bend the ball’s trajectory.
The response is more predictable than aggressively biting. Players who hit a heavy ball through speed and snapback can generate substantial rotation, while those relying on sharp edges may prefer a shaped co-polyester.
The thinner gauges increase deflection and spin access. They also wear faster and may feel less stable in an open pattern.
Spin rating: 8/10
Control
Control is Hawk Touch’s defining quality. Its firm monofilament structure, low rebound and consistent round profile produce a precise launch for long, fast strokes.
The string is particularly effective for directional baseliners, aggressive returners and players who want to redirect incoming pace. Its pocketing is measured rather than springy, helping the response remain predictable.
This level of control is only useful when the player supplies sufficient pace. A string that consistently leaves the ball short is not a good match simply because it scores highly for containment.
Control rating: 9.5/10
Comfort and Feel
Hawk Touch feels dampened and connected for a firm control polyester. Crystal Core is intended to provide touch and feedback without turning the string into a highly elastic power source.
The sensation is comfortably firm, not soft across the wider string market. Some players describe useful ball pocketing, while others perceive the response as muted or demanding, especially at high tension.
Players with current arm pain should not select Hawk Touch based on its name. A multifilament or natural gut is generally more forgiving, and persistent symptoms require qualified medical assessment.
Comfort rating: 6.5/10
Durability and Tension Maintenance
Physical resistance to breakage is high. The solid co-polyester construction and smooth profile withstand abrasion well, particularly in 1.30mm and 1.25mm.
The thinner 1.20mm and 1.15mm options trade material volume for liveliness and spin access. Strong hitters using open patterns may wear through them considerably faster.
Useful playability duration must be judged separately. The string may remain unbroken after tension loss, reduced elasticity or declining snapback changes its response. Independent retailer feedback is mixed on how long the preferred feel lasts, which makes regular inspection more reliable than a fixed hour count.
Choosing the Right Gauge
| Gauge | General characteristics |
|---|---|
| 16 / 1.30mm | Maximum control, stability and physical durability |
| 17 / 1.25mm | Best general balance of control, spin and response |
| 18 / 1.20mm | More pocketing and spin access with reduced durability |
| 19 / 1.15mm | Maximum liveliness and ball access with the shortest physical life |
The 17 / 1.25mm version is the most versatile starting point. Players using dense patterns can explore a thinner gauge, while string breakers and powerful-racket users may prefer 1.30mm.
Full Bed or Hybrid Setup
Full Bed
A full bed maximizes Hawk Touch’s precise, low-powered response. It is best reserved for healthy intermediate-to-advanced players with full swings and experience using polyester.
The string does not need excessive tension to control the ball. A more moderate setup can preserve pocketing and reduce unnecessary firmness.
HEAD Hawk Touch in the Mains With Softer Crosses
Hawk Touch mains dominate control and spin, while natural gut or multifilament crosses add power and comfort. This is useful for players who want a less rigid version of the full-bed response.
The smooth main is less abrasive than a shaped polyester, but it will still notch the softer crosses. Useful life should be monitored at the intersections.
Softer Mains With HEAD Hawk Touch Crosses
Natural gut or multifilament mains maximize power, feel and elasticity. Hawk Touch crosses lower the launch and provide a smooth track for main-string movement.
This orientation is one of the string’s most logical hybrid roles. The soft mains dominate the response, while Hawk Touch supplies containment without sharp edges.
General Tension Guidance
Hawk Touch should generally be installed below the reference used for nylon or multifilament. Its low-powered monofilament construction already provides substantial control.
Lower tension improves depth, pocketing and comfort. Higher tension flattens the launch but can produce an unnecessarily rigid stringbed and make the string inaccessible to all but the fastest swingers.
Stay within the racket manufacturer’s range and account for pattern, head size and gauge. Change tension gradually after evaluating a complete setup. The Tennis String Tension Calculator offers broad starting guidance.
Who Should Use HEAD Hawk Touch?
Hawk Touch is best suited to:
- Advanced players with long, fast swings
- Aggressive hitters who generate their own pace
- Players prioritizing precision over free depth
- Powerful-racket users needing a lower launch
- Round-poly users who value snapback and consistency
- Hybrid users seeking a smooth control cross
Who Should Avoid HEAD Hawk Touch?
Hawk Touch is less suitable for:
- Beginners and compact swingers
- Players who need easy depth from the stringbed
- Anyone with current elbow, wrist or shoulder pain
- Users wanting multifilament softness
- Players who rarely replace polyester
- Spin specialists who depend on sharp geometric edges
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Exceptional directional control | Very limited free power |
| Predictable round response | Demanding for compact swings |
| Strong snapback while fresh | Firm across the wider string market |
| Four gauge options | Useful life can end before breakage |
| High physical resistance | No edge-driven bite |
| Excellent hybrid-cross potential | Anthracite is the principal color |
HEAD Hawk Touch Compared With Other Strings
Hawk Touch vs HEAD Hawk Power
HEAD Hawk Power is livelier and easier to drive through the court. Hawk Touch provides a lower launch, more restraint and a wider range of gauges.
Hawk Touch vs HEAD Lynx Touch
HEAD Lynx Touch uses a co-extruded structure to emphasize comfort and pocketing for performance club players. Hawk Touch is firmer, more precise and better suited to faster swings.
Hawk Touch vs HEAD Lynx Tour
HEAD Lynx Tour uses a shaped profile for stronger surface bite. Hawk Touch offers a cleaner round response and is less abrasive when used as a hybrid cross.
Hawk Touch vs Luxilon 4G
Luxilon 4G is another control-oriented co-polyester known for stability and tension behavior. Both suit accomplished hitters, while preferred feel and gauge needs will determine the better match.
Final Verdict
HEAD Hawk Touch is a specialized control string for players who already create their own pace. Its Crystal Core construction, round profile and restrained rebound provide precise targeting, consistent snapback and useful feedback for advanced strokes.
It is not a broad comfort string despite being more dampened than some rigid polyesters. Beginners, compact swingers and players with arm discomfort should choose a more elastic material.
The 17 / 1.25mm gauge offers the best general balance. The thinner versions suit dense patterns and players seeking more response, while 1.30mm is the stronger choice for maximum stability and physical durability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HEAD Hawk Touch a polyester string?
Yes. It is a round co-polyester monofilament designed primarily for advanced players.
What is Crystal Core?
It is HEAD’s manufacturing concept that creates different structural characteristics between the inner and outer regions of the string to balance stability with feel.
Is Hawk Touch powerful?
No. It is deliberately low powered and works best for players who generate pace through fast, complete swings.
Which gauge should most players choose?
The 17 / 1.25mm version provides the most balanced combination of control, response and physical durability.
Is Hawk Touch suitable as a hybrid cross?
Yes. Its smooth round surface and low-powered response make it a logical control cross beneath natural gut or multifilament mains.