Head is an international sporting-goods brand best known for ski equipment, tennis racquets, and products for other racket, snow, swimming, and diving sports. An Austrian sports-equipment brand serving skiing, tennis, racquet sports, swimming, and related outdoor activities.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Head is an international sporting-goods company whose roots lie in the American ski industry and whose current corporate base is in Kennelbach, Austria. The business was established in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1950 by Howard Head, an aeronautical engineer who believed that the aluminum-and-plastic laminate technologies used in aircraft construction could improve the performance of skis. The resulting Head Standard became an important early metal-and-wood composite ski and helped introduce more industrial materials and engineering-led design into downhill skiing. During the 1950s and 1960s, Head expanded rapidly in the United States and the United Kingdom. Its skis were credited with taking more than half of the American ski market, together with other Head designs, during the 1960s. The company initially concentrated on ski innovation and resisted the industry's move toward fiberglass, but it continued to develop prominent products and athlete relationships. In 1967, Harold Seigle became company president while Howard Head became chairman and chief executive. In 1969, Head was sold to AMF, after which Howard Head shifted much of his attention to tennis. Head's tennis business began in the late 1960s after Howard Head developed an aluminum-framed racquet. The design was introduced at the 1969 US Open and helped establish Head as a significant tennis-equipment name. The company later sponsored leading players, including Arthur Ashe, whose 1975 Wimbledon victory over Jimmy Connors became an important moment in the brand's sporting history. Head also expanded beyond its original ski business through the acquisition of Tyrolia, an Austrian ski-binding manufacturer, and Mares, an Italian diving-equipment company. These businesses contributed to the modern group's broader winter-sports and watersports portfolio. The company passed through several ownership changes. Minstar acquired Head from AMF in 1985. Head expanded into athletic footwear in 1987, introducing Radial Tennis Shoes, and opened an Australian production facility for tennis racquets in 1988. In 1989, management bought Head, Tyrolia, and Mares and combined them as HTM, with backing from Freeman Spogli & Co. Austria Tabak acquired HTM in 1993, and Johan Eliasch took control in 1995. The group subsequently operated through an international corporate structure while maintaining Head as its principal consumer-facing sporting brand. Today, Head's activities cover alpine skiing, snowboarding, ski bindings, tennis, squash and other racket sports, swimming, diving, and related equipment. The brand also licenses its name for categories such as apparel, footwear, accessories, bicycles, skates, watches, balls, fitness equipment, and beverages. In tennis, Head achieved repeated visibility through players such as Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova, Andy Murray, Marin Cilic, and Jannik Sinner. Three Grand Slam singles champions used Head racquets in 2012, and Sinner won the 2024 Australian Open with a Head Speed racquet. Head began incorporating graphene into racquet construction in 2013, reflecting its continuing emphasis on material and structural engineering. Head has also remained active in portfolio expansion. It pursued assets associated with ASE and several bicycle brands in 2019, although the reported acquisition did not proceed. In June 2025, Head acquired the Aqualung Group following its bankruptcy, bringing Aqualung-related diving brands into a group that already included Mares and other watersports businesses. This transaction strengthened Head's position in diving and broadened its role from a ski-and-racket specialist into a multi-category sports-equipment group.
History
Head began in 1950 when Howard Head, an aeronautical engineer working at the Glenn L. Martin Company, applied aircraft-construction ideas to skiing. He was dissatisfied that skis were still made largely from wood even though aluminum and plastic laminates were transforming aircraft design. Head developed a metal-and-wood composite ski using an aluminum structure and plastic laminate. By the winter of 1950, the design was sufficiently durable and easier to turn than conventional skis, creating the foundation for the Head Standard. The Head Standard and subsequent models grew strongly during the 1950s. During the 1960s, Head skis and related designs reportedly represented more than half of the United States market and made Head a leading ski manufacturer in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The company became associated with technical experimentation in ski construction, although Howard Head resisted the industry's transition to fiberglass. In 1967, he appointed Harold Seigle as president and assumed the roles of chairman and chief executive officer. Head entered tennis in the late 1960s. Howard Head developed an aluminum-framed tennis racquet designed to provide greater strength and a larger usable hitting area than traditional wooden designs. The aluminum racquet appeared at the 1969 US Open, marking a major extension of the company's engineering approach beyond skiing. That same year, Head was sold to AMF. Howard Head subsequently concentrated on tennis and later acquired a controlling interest in Prince Sports. Under AMF, Head produced tennis racquets in Boulder, Colorado, and Kennelbach, Austria. The brand used athlete endorsements to build visibility in both skiing and tennis. In skiing, Head signed Olympic champion Jean-Claude Killy in 1969 to promote the Killy 800, a metal-and-fiberglass ski, and later developed a broader Killy product line. In tennis, sponsored player Arthur Ashe won Wimbledon in 1975. These relationships helped associate Head with elite competition while the company continued to develop skis, racquets, and related equipment. During the 1970s, Head broadened its corporate scope through the acquisition of Mares, an Italian diving-equipment manufacturer, and Tyrolia, an Austrian maker of ski bindings. The acquisitions established the basis of a group that could operate across winter sports and watersports rather than relying only on the original ski business. Ownership changed again in 1985, when Minneapolis-based Minstar acquired Head from AMF. Head entered athletic footwear in 1987 with Radial Tennis Shoes and opened a plant in Australia in 1988 to manufacture tennis racquets. In 1989, management bought Head, Tyrolia, and Mares and formed HTM. Freeman Spogli & Co. backed the transaction. Austria Tabak acquired HTM in 1993, and Johan Eliasch assumed control in 1995. The business developed as an international group headquartered in Kennelbach, Austria, while preserving Head as its main sporting brand. The company also licensed the Head name for a wide range of products, including clothing, footwear, accessories, bicycles, skates, watches, balls, fitness equipment, and drinks. Tennis became one of Head's most visible modern categories. In 2012, Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova, and Andy Murray each won a Grand Slam tournament using Head racquets. Marin Cilic won the 2014 US Open with a Head racquet, and Jannik Sinner won the 2024 Australian Open using a Head Speed. Head began integrating graphene into racquet construction in 2013, presenting the material as part of its effort to optimize weight distribution and frame performance. Head continued to explore expansion beyond its established categories. In 2019, it was reported that the company had pursued the acquisition of ASE assets connected to multiple bicycle brands and bicycle retailers, but Head later backed out of the transaction. In June 2025, Head acquired the Aqualung Group following its bankruptcy. The deal added Aqualung and associated diving businesses to a group that already included Mares and other watersports interests, reinforcing Head's position in global diving while maintaining its established activities in skiing, snowboarding, tennis, swimming, and other racket sports.
- 2025
Head acquires the Aqualung Group
[1]Head acquired the Aqualung Group after its bankruptcy, expanding its diving portfolio.
- 2024
Jannik Sinner wins the Australian Open with Head
[1]Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open using a Head Speed racquet.
- 2019
Head withdraws from reported ASE transaction
[1]Head was reported to have pursued ASE assets but subsequently backed out of the proposed acquisition.
- 2014
Marin Cilic wins the US Open with Head
[1]Marin Cilic won the 2014 US Open using a Head racquet.
- 2013
Graphene enters Head racquet construction
[1]Head began integrating graphene into its tennis-racquet designs.
- 2012
Three Grand Slam champions use Head racquets
[1]Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova, and Andy Murray won major singles tournaments using Head racquets.
- 1995
Johan Eliasch takes control
[1]Johan Eliasch assumed control of the company.
- 1993
Austria Tabak acquires HTM
[1]HTM was sold to Austria Tabak.
- 1989
HTM is formed
[1]A management buyout combined Head, Tyrolia, and Mares into HTM, backed by Freeman Spogli & Co.
- 1987
Head launches Radial Tennis Shoes
[1]Head entered athletic footwear with its Radial Tennis Shoes.
Products and positioning
Engineering-led performance sporting goods spanning winter sports, racket sports, swimming, and diving, with a strong emphasis on competitive athletes, technical materials, and equipment innovation.
Alpine skis · 1950
Head Standard
The Head Standard was one of the company's foundational products and an early successful metal-and-wood composite downhill ski. It applied aerospace-inspired aluminum and plastic laminate construction to skiing and was designed to improve durability and make turning easier than with conventional wooden skis.
Alpine skis · 1969
Killy 800
The Killy 800 was a metal-and-fiberglass ski associated with Olympic champion Jean-Claude Killy's endorsement of Head. It formed part of a broader Killy-branded ski line developed during Head's expansion of its competitive skiing portfolio.
Tennis equipment · 1969
Head aluminum tennis racquets
Head's aluminum-framed tennis racquets were among the company's earliest major tennis products. Introduced at the 1969 US Open, they extended the company's materials-engineering approach from skis to racquet frames and helped establish Head in tennis equipment.
Tennis footwear · 1987
Radial Tennis Shoes
Radial Tennis Shoes marked Head's entry into athletic footwear. The line broadened the company beyond hard equipment and supported its wider tennis offering.
Tennis racquets
Head Speed
The Speed is a major Head tennis-racquet family associated with modern competitive play. Jannik Sinner used a Head Speed racquet when he won the 2024 Australian Open, giving the line prominent Grand Slam visibility.
Ski equipment
Tyrolia ski bindings
Tyrolia is an Austrian ski-binding business incorporated into the Head group. Its products extend Head's winter-sports offering from skis and snowboards to binding systems.
Diving equipment
Mares diving equipment
Mares is an Italian diving-equipment manufacturer that became part of the Head group during the 1970s. It gives the group an established presence in scuba and recreational diving equipment.
Winter sports
Ski equipment
HEAD’s winter-sports business includes skis and associated equipment for alpine and mountain use. The range is organized into product families intended for different terrain and skiing preferences, including all-round, performance, and freeride-oriented applications. Ski boots, bindings, and accessories extend the offering beyond the ski itself. The Kore family is one identifiable HEAD ski line.
Racquet sports
Tennis equipment
HEAD’s tennis portfolio centers on racquets designed around different combinations of power, control, maneuverability, and playing style. The business also offers tennis footwear, balls, bags, apparel, and accessories. Product families such as Radical provide a recognizable structure for the range and help distinguish equipment for different player profiles.
Racquet sports
Padel and pickleball equipment
HEAD’s current sports coverage includes padel and pickleball equipment in addition to traditional tennis and squash products. These categories broaden the company’s racquet-sports reach and address growing participation in platform- and court-based games. Exact models, specifications, and market availability vary by region and product cycle.
Aquatic sports
Swimming equipment
The swimming range includes goggles, caps, swimwear, and related accessories for training, recreation, and competition-oriented use. Goggles are a particularly visible part of the category, with product design focused on fit, vision, comfort, and suitability for different swimming environments.
Sporting goods and apparel
Sportswear and accessories
Alongside core equipment, HEAD presents sportswear, bags, footwear, balls, and other accessories. These products support the company’s main sport categories and provide complete-use solutions for athletes and recreational consumers. The mix of apparel and accessories also gives the brand a broader retail presence than equipment alone.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012Grand Slam player visibility
Global tennis markets
Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova, and Andy Murray won Grand Slam tournaments using Head racquets during 2012, giving the brand simultaneous visibility across men's and women's professional tennis.
Outcome. Reinforced Head's competitive-tennis positioning.
- 1975Arthur Ashe tennis sponsorship
International tennis markets
Head-sponsored player Arthur Ashe won Wimbledon in 1975. The result provided high-profile validation for Head's emerging tennis-racquet business.
Outcome. Strengthened Head's association with elite tennis performance.
- 1969Jean-Claude Killy endorsement
International skiing markets
Head signed Olympic champion Jean-Claude Killy to endorse the Killy 800 and subsequently developed a Killy ski line. The partnership connected Head's technical ski products with elite competitive skiing.
Outcome. Expanded Head's athlete-led positioning in skiing and supported the Killy product range.
Brand decisions
2025
Acquire the Aqualung GroupM&ABackground
Aqualung entered bankruptcy, creating an opportunity for Head to expand its existing diving and watersports portfolio.
Action taken
Head acquired the Aqualung Group in June 2025.
Aftermath
The acquisition brought Aqualung-related diving brands into a group that already included Mares and strengthened Head's position in global diving.
2019
Withdraw from the reported ASE acquisitionM&ABackground
Head was reported to be pursuing ASE assets connected to bicycle brands, retailers, and related businesses.
Action taken
Head Sports backed out of the proposed transaction.
Aftermath
The reported bicycle-sector expansion did not proceed through that deal.
2013
Integrate graphene into racquetsProduct launchBackground
Head continued to compete through materials and frame engineering in the performance-racquet market.
Action taken
The company began integrating graphene into tennis-racquet construction.
Aftermath
Graphene became part of Head's technology-led product narrative.
1989
Combine Head, Tyrolia, and Mares as HTMM&ABackground
The three previously independent sporting-goods businesses were brought together after a management acquisition.
Action taken
Management bought the businesses with backing from Freeman Spogli & Co. and formed HTM.
Aftermath
The transaction created the corporate basis for a diversified group spanning skiing, ski bindings, and diving.
1969
Introduce the aluminum tennis racquetProduct launchBackground
Howard Head sought to apply the materials approach used in ski construction to tennis racquets.
Action taken
Head introduced an aluminum-framed racquet at the 1969 US Open.
Aftermath
The launch established tennis as a major business for the company and helped challenge the dominance of wooden racquets.
Sources2 sources
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