Comments: This racquet is outstanding!! I was playing with the Babolat AeroPro Drive GT 2012 and needed new racquets for the upcoming season. The specs are almost identical, with a one point increase in stiffness from the AeroPro Drive. I found the racquet increased power and spin. Even with more power I found it easier to place the ball in the corners of the court. Amazing job with this frame, as I love it very much! If your debating between the AeroPro Drive and the Head Instinct, it's tough as they are both amazing frames. You wont be disappointed with either choice.
From: Jonathan, 1/13

Comments: What a fantastic racquet! I've played with the Wilson nCode since 2000. I was hesitant to switch away from Wilson but saw the good player feedback and gave the IG Instinct a go, and I'm really glad I did. The feel of the ball off the strings was crisp. I experienced lots of topspin on groundstrokes, gaining confidence in the racquet immediately. The most thrilling part of the first time experience was with my serves. The second serve kick really bounded off the ground head high to my playing partner. I thought I'd lost the big kick as I got older and slower. It's back with the IG Instinct! It's well-balanced and firm despite its light weight. It's an awesome racquet at any price.
From: Tony, 12/12
String type and tension: Luxilon ALU Power Rough 16L mains / Wilson Sensation 16g crosses @ 52/55 lbs

Comments: This is a very versatile all round racquet. However, if you're looking to get one of these make sure that you are able to generate your own power from the baseline. I have a trouble doing that because I play with a lot of spin and most of my balls landed short. I switched to the Head YOUTEK IG Extreme and haven't looked back.
From: Ronny, 8/12
String type and tension: Pacific Poly Force 17
NTRP Rating: 4.0

Comments: Replaced Yonex EZone 98 with IG instinct. EZone is a good racquet but not as versatile as the Instinct. Great job by a good manufacturer.
From: Ron, 7/12
String type and tension: Dunlop Silk 17g @ 60 lbs

Comments: I am very pleased with this racquet. When I hit the ball I can hardly feel any vibrations (it feels like hitting clouds). Another thing that I just love about this racquet is how much power and spin mixed with the great control (it seems like I am always hitting the lines)! This racquet is very comfortable to play with and for my aggressive baseline style this racquet is perfect for it.
From: Otto, 7/12
String type and tension: Wilson SGX 16 @ 52 lbs

Comments: I have switched from the old Dunlop Aeropro Gel, which is similar to this Instinct. I have never really been a fan of Head racquets, but I am a big fan of the new 2012 versions. When I first tried the Instinct, I fell in love. It is the most comfortable, flexible racquet I've ever used. Effortless spin and power. I'd highly recommend it for the baseline huggers! Great job Head!
From: Jessica, 7/12
String type and tension: Head Sonic Pro mains @ 57 lbs / Gosen crosses @ 59 lbs

Comments: I got this racquet yesterday, and used it briefly today for the first time. I didn't demo it so I was taking a chance. I went from the Prince o3 Speedport Black. I have always loved Head racquets so I had high hopes for this one. So far, I love it! Felt very comfortable on my arm, easy to generate spin and power. My serve is my weakest shot but with this racquet they were incredible! Can't wait to use it more tomorrow. Tried a hybrid, Babolat Pro Hurricane 17 on the mains at 62 lbs and VS Touch on the crosses at 56 lbs and they felt great. So far I love this racquet!
From: Leeann, 6/12

Comments: I tested this racquet in a desperate attempt to find a racquet which would have more power, more easy spin and more forgiveness then my current Head Prestige Pro YOUTEK racquet. Well, I am still searching (after 16 racquets tests) but the Head Instinct is not a bad racquet overall, just too powerful for my game. In a way if Prestige S was half way between Prestige Pro and Instinct in terms of power then it would be the racquet I am after. Unfortunately Instinct is probably better for "up the ball and not through the ball" players.
From: Andrew, 5/12

Comments: It was too light and stiff for me. Took me a few days to get used. I felt I needed to use extra body strength to swing specially on backhand. Had good baseline control and power.
From: Alex, 5/12

Comments: I love this frame! I tried every racquet on the market and could not find one I liked. I like the stiffness. I have to disagree, it is not too stiff. There is plenty of "pop" off the strings. But not so much power you have trouble controlling it. I used to play with a Prince Speedport Black, poly in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses. With the new Instinct frame I started in the middle of the tension range and now I'm down to 34 lbs. This allows the ball to stay on the strings longer adding great spin potential. I will add, I'm no pusher! I swing out at every ball. Even at 34 lbs I have the control to drive the ball. I too never liked the lighter frames. But this racquet hits so solidly and the lighter weight allows me to really whip the racquet around when I'm late or drawn out wide for a running forehand. On the serve, there is plenty of control and the lighter weight allow me to add some head speed which adds a few MPH. The open string pattern gives me another foot of height and width to my kick and topspin serves and my righty slice out wide in the deuce court is really tailing off the court. The flat serves have the control and power provided by the frame and the added power that the loose string tension gives. As I started, "I love this frame!"
From: Mark, 4/12
String type and tension: MSV Focus Hex 34 lbs mains. Gamma Synthetic Gut 34 lbs crosses.

Comments: I wanted to like this racquet but it was definitely way to stiff. I had pain in my elbow even with multifilament string at low tension. The low swingweight combined with high stiffness might contribute.
From: Rick, 4/12
String type and tension: Head Rip Control, 47 lbs

Comments: What an all around good stick. It is very maneuverable and powerful. Price is right for a high quality racquet.
From: Van, 4/12

Comments: I played with Head rackets for about 30 years and switched to Babolot Pure Storm about 2 years ago. I really like the "touch" of the PS but it lacked "pop" (and I'm close to being 70). I tried the IG Instinct while at the BNP Paribas at the TW court testing and liked it. I now have about four outings playing with it. Likes: power, serve, spin and solid frame. Dislikes: a bit too stiff and less touch than I'm used to and I'm still getting used to the wider frame as I "frame it" too often. Like most racquets you have to experiment a bit with string type and tension (I did 58lbs the first time, will likely drop 1-2lbs next time). I'll stick with it and see if in time my rating improves.
From: Bob, 4/12

Comments: I usually like 11.5oz+ rackets and dismissed this racket as just another way-too-light tweener, but a friend who also usually hits with heavier frames raved to me about it so I got a demo. Strung with 16g poly the stability of the top loop was great even without any lead. At such a low static weight and HL balance it's almost amazing. This racket has that crisp feedback and pop but is not blunt and hollow like the AeroPro Drive, more like a scalpel where AeroPro Drive is a club. The racket head speed is easy and spin is huge, though the power is actually on the low side due to low weight. With just a bit of lead (just 1g total at 10 and 2 for me) power and stability quickly shoots up. Overall the best tweener I've ever tried, very unique and definitely worth a demo.
From: Anton, 1/12

Comments: Love love love this racquet! I have been playing with Head racquets now for about a decade and never upgraded since the Head Instinct FlexPoint. Nothing seemed to compare in all my attempts to upgrade and then I tried this racquet. The spin this racquet produces is quite insane. I tend to hit the ball with a lot of pace, so I need a good control racquet that produces a lot of spin. It is also a great doubles racquet; the ease and placement of serves and incredible feel at the net makes it a dream on the court. I would highly recommend this racquet to many of those Head brand lovers who have been waiting for the next great model. One minor point is that you do need to make sure you are hitting the ball square on! The head size feels small, making the sweet spot that much smaller. However, this is something I look for in racquets, so it was a plus for me!
From: Aaron, USA, 12/11
String type and tension: Head Rip Control 17, 53 lbs

Comments: I bought this stick around 2 months back just for the look it offered. I also bought this one with relying on the spin potential that was told. It really offered a lot of spin. The power you could get was awesome, but the swing speed required was a little more. The best part of this racquet is you can easily push the opponent behind the baseline and you can play some delicate drop shots. The power you can get on the serves was good. It would have been a lot better if the racquet was a little heavier by around 5 to 7 grams with most of the weight in the handle area. This could take out a lot of impact on the shot and you would reduce the load on the wrists. The vibration during impact is not felt while playing. After playing you could feel pain in your wrists. With less swing speed the pick up shots could go wayward. You need have a lot of control when you try to go for the topspin because of the light weight you could end up mistiming it. To have a control over the shots sailing long go for a little higher tension. But overall a good one.
From: Thasneem, 12/11
String type and tension: Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power 16 L, 53 lbs

Comments: The greatest racquet I've ever played with. Because it is so stiff it plays like a player's stick. The last racquet I had was a Tecnifibre and this Head plays so much better. This is a must play for anyone.
From: Erik, 12/11
String type and tension: Tecnifibre Red Code 16, 63 lbs
NTRP Rating: 4.5

Comments: I have to agree with what some have said about this racquet, effortless power and spin from this racquet. The thing almost hits itself. Sometimes I feel that I have to hold back when hitting with it though. Otherwise, my shots sail long (probably the ridiculously low tension I'm at). Great all around the court, but I feel it really shines on serves. It's definitely an upgrade from my Head LiquidMetal racquet and worth getting again.
From: Matts, 12/11
String type and tension: Luxilon Big Banger, 46 lbs

Comments: When I read about the spin potential in various reviews, I was doubtful, but a few games with this racquet have me convinced. The spin is outrageous! I found my balls bouncing up head-high without any extra whip needed. Shots were landing in despite high arc. And yet it is easy to flatten out shots for amazing power. Serves (especially my kick) were wicked, high and spinning off the court. Slices were deep with intense side spin. Wow, this racquet is a whole lot of fun - comfortable with aggressive spin. The racquet is very light, but stable and comfortable. Use that spin and power wisely for more powerful and penetrating game.
From: Michael, 11/11
String type and tension: Babolat Pro Hurricane Hybrid, 55 lbs
NTRP Rating: 4.0

Comments: Great racquet if you are looking for a controlled power. My serve is juicy, my groundstrokes are penetrating, angled, consistent, and deep. My volleys are crisp and directed. And anything I put topspin or slice on is phenomenal. One of the best racquets I've ever had, I've been using it for about 3-4 months. Amazing racquet.
From: Anon, 11/11
String type and tension: Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Rough/ 60 lbs
NTRP Rating: 4.0

Comments: I agree with many of the positive comments already mentioned. It really does seem to offer the perfect mix of power and control. What I love about it the most though is it's comfort, feel and balance. And don't let the low swing weight or static weight specs turn you off. My racquet (from Tennis Warehouse) strung and with overgrip and dampener weighs 11.3 (similar to Babolat Pure Drive GT in weight). It has decent plow through, and is stable at the net and on off-center shots. Great all around racquet!
From: Bobby, 11/11
String type and tension: Solinco Tour Bite 17, 52 lbs
NTRP Rating: 4.0

Comments: I'm a real grinder and I like to mix it up by coming up to the net. It is an excellent racquet with every shot and it feels a lot better than my old Head Youtek Extreme MP. I'm just getting used to the slice backhand, it just floats a bit to much.
From: Ben, 10/11
String type and tension: Head Sonic Pro 17 , 52 lbs

Comments: I was getting lots of arm and elbow pain with my Babolat Pure Drive 107 GT, and demoed this racquet last week, and bought one after playing with it a couple of hours. So far, I have been quite pleased. It is very comfortable; my residual arm pain actually feels better after playing! It seems to have plenty of power at the baseline and touch at the net, and is very accurate. I hit a flat shot, but loaned it to a friend and played against her, and her shots seem heavier with more spin. So far this racquet has been great
From: Paul, 10/11
String type and tension: Tecnifibre X-One Biphasic 16, 54 lbs
NTRP Rating: 3.5

Comments: I just purchased this racquet for my wife who has just started tennis this year. She has made excellent progress using a Head Radical MP, but found it a bit too demanding for her skill level. We tested quite a few new racquet's for her and ended up with the new Head Youtek IG Instinct MP. She took to it immediately! The Instinct has a bit more power than the Radical, but not too much. I'd say it's very controllable power but just that "extra" bit she needed to land the ball deeper in the court. I think the stability of the racquet is better too. I hit with it too (I play the Prestige MP) and was very impressed with the racquet. Nice feel, and a nice extra bit of very controllable power. I think the playtesters at Tennis Warehouse were right on with the spin production of the racquet. The only questionable spec for me was the stiffness rating 69 (i.e. tennis elbow issues). Hopefully, with the Tecnifibre (soft multi) and low tension (i.e. 52) this won't be an issue. By the way, don't be afraid of going with tension of 52. It might seem low, but it's right in the sweet spot of the racquet recommended tension and feels really "right".
From: Doug, 10/11
String type and tension: Tecnifibre X-One BiPhase 16, 52 lbs

Comments: This is a great racquet for all types of players and a great platform for customization for those that demand a 12 ounce + frame. I just feel like the swingweight is heavier than the specs suggest. Also, stick to the actual recommended tension even though it is rather low. It plays so much better regardless of your style and level.
From: Anon, 9/11
String type and tension: Gamma Professional 16g
NTRP Rating: 5.0

Comments: This racquet is a perfect frame for those trying to focus on consistency from the baseline. I've only been using this for four weeks now but it has improved my strokes very quickly. Serving with this stick also gave a better, more controllable power as well as gave me a kick second serve. Definitely an improvement from previous models of the Instinct. Definitely a recommendation to many high school and college players out there.
From: Nik, 9/11
String type and tension: Mains: Babolat RPM Blast 17 (52), Crosses: Prince Synthetic Gut 16 (55)

Comments: I just love this racquet. I'm an offensive baseliner and it was very easy for me to dictate play with not only power, but with angles as well. It's also very light so it's easy to really whip around. I think this a racquet for anyone but perfect for an offensive baseliner or counter puncher. I definitely recommend this racquet to anyone!
From: Marcus, 8/11
String type and tension: Head FXP Tour 16 Liquid Blue, 53 lbs
NTRP Rating: 4.0

Comments: This racquet is awesome! The power this racquet has can sneak up on if you are not careful, but man it is power that you can actually notice. The control this racquet has is also very formidable especially when I hit shots outside of the sweet spot, but when you make clean contact there the combination of control and power left me in awe. I have never had such easy access to power before. I love the fact that it is a player's racquet for myself and also for my wife who is a 3.5 4.0 player. This racquet is a must for any person at any level who steps out on the court!
From: Eddie, 8/11
String type and tension: Solinco Tour Bite at 50 lbs
NTRP Rating: 5.0

Comments: Just got this racquet today, even at a relatively low tension for myself, this racquet is very controlled and as a nice feel, I find that its "touch" is lacking but you can really feel the ball. I find that even on balls that should fly, the spin potential helps bring them in deep every time. A very good stick for any player who may find themselves on the defensive but likes to be offensive.
From: Donavan, 8/11
String type and tension: Solinco Revolution in mains at 54 lbs, Gamma TNT 2 in crosses at 52 lbs
NTRP Rating: 4.0

Comments: Nice improvement from Head over the last Instinct. The open pattern and the added power really make this more of a "tweener" than before, but it's still a racquet that you won't outgrow too quickly. Only negative is the very low swingweight, even though my racquet weighs a respectable 325 grams with overgrip and dampener. It plays very solid for such a light racquet and shouldn't get pushed around at anything under 4.5 level. Seems perfect for 3.5-4.0 level players who want a all around racquet that does everything well.
From: Anon, 8/11

Comments: I loved it right after I started hitting with it. It is light but still able to provide plenty of power which I didn't get out of the Head Youtek IG Speed 18x20. It is easily maneuverable and provides plenty of control. Love it.
From: DK, 8/11
NTRP Rating: 4.0

Comments: Wow. Just wow! It's amazing what a difference a racquet change can make in your game. I wanted to try the new racquet Maria was using, and at first I was afraid of both the light weight, and the balance/swingweight. I thought perhaps the racquet would be difficult to control and I'd be having a hard time dealing with other aggressive baseliners. This racquet helps you hit with so much spin, I actually had a much easier controlling rallies. The plow through was actually greater than my previous racquets (all Yonex's) because it was so light weight that it just whipped through the ball since I was able to produce much more head speed. In the beginning, serving felt somewhat hollow and if I had to hit harder to get good pace, but I realized where the sweet-spot was and later hit serves with great pop and consistency and the "jammer serve" was my new favorite serve! All in all, I was able to hit shots I've never hit before (with such control and power) and I played with more confidence and consistency, and I've never had that kind of feeling from a frame before. Try it out!
From: Trevor, 8/11
String type and tension: Luxilon M2 Pro 16 @ 57 lbs

Comments: I got a demo the other day and was blown away by its performance. It initially felt similar to my old Head Radicals MP/OS (Microgel, Flexpoint, Liquidmetal), but I soon realized there was something different about it. It felt as if it had more control, stiffness, as well ease through the hitting zone. There wasn't as much vibration through the beam as I have experienced with my Radicals. It added power to the swing unlike the Extreme, however at times I felt there was similar power to the Extreme. I did find out one thing that when hitting with this stick, you were able to put pace and placement on your return swings easier than compared to the Youtek Extreme which kept them deeper at the baseline and unable to get good swings. I would use this stick in a heart beat. The few negatives don't overshadow the positives.
From: Vince, 8/11

Comments: This racquet is very light weight indeed. I had a tough match with a player who had so much pace on his shots compared to mine but I beat him through counterpunching. Good control, good power!
From: Al. 08/11
String type and tension: Wilson NXT 16 @ 52 lbs

Comments: I have been playing for a week now with this racquet. My first comments are it is a light and powerful racquet, much like the Head IG Youtek Extreme Pro, but with more control. I found Tecnifibre X-One to be the perfect compliment at 52 pounds.
From: Corrado, 7/11
String type and tension: Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 1.24 at 52 pounds
Headsize: 100

Comments: Despite its light weight, this is a nice racquet. It has nice access to spin, and excellent control.
From: Ben. 7/11

Comments: I won this racket in a Head competition and found that it is truly is awesome. At first I was afraid that the power from it would be too much for me but after hitting with it a few times I fell in love. The power has really helped my serve, forehand and I love hitting my one-handed backhand with it! I was also wary of its weight as my last three rackets have all been 315 grams while this is three hundred. But alas after a few knocks I really liked and enjoyed it. I was also afraid of how the racquet can only go up to 57 pounds because I usually have it around 60/61 and at first it felt terrible but it's pretty good!
From: John. 7/11
String type and tension: Prince Tournament Nylon 15L @ 57 lbs