Adidas Cross IT Team 2025

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The Soft Performance EVA cushions the impact without stealing ball exit: the ball rockets off the face on flat smashes and viboras even when your footwork isn't perfectly set The 11 Thirteen drilling system (13 standard holes plus 11 smaller ones) stiffens up the 38 mm frame and keeps the response consistent on heavy hits by 3 The combination of head-heavy balance and a soft core makes it especially comfortable for left-handed smashers and right-handers who move in to close out the point at net The sandy-finish fiberglass face and Spin Blade Decal bite into the ball nicely on cut bandejas and on viboras lifted to the side wall The Power Extra Grip holds firm on long-arm swings, exactly where a head-heavy racket usually slips at the end of the stroke

Cons

• ✗The head-heavy balance forces earlier preparation on defence: on low, dead-ball exits off the back wall, the head feels heavy and you arrive just a touch late At 360-375 g and with a diamond shape, the sweet spot sits high and narrow; anything toward the bottom edge leaves with next to no pace The fiberglass face and soft core take away bite on dry blocks: fine touch on a finishing volley isn't this racket's strength This is an advanced-level racket; a player who hasn't grooved their smash yet will feel it in the elbow before they see it on the scoreboard

The Adidas Cross IT Team 2025 targets advanced players with consolidated technique who want more performance without yet moving to a pure competition racket. Its diamond shape moves the sweet spot to the top of the face, giving more leverage and power at the cost of some tolerance. The high balance adds weight to the swing and pushes the racket toward an offensive profile. Its 360-375g weight range places it in the medium-weight group, the most common among amateur players.

Adidas Cross IT Team 2025 review: a 38 mm diamond padel racket that goes easy on the arm

The Adidas Cross IT Team 2025 runs a diamond shape, head-heavy balance, 38 mm frame and a Soft Performance EVA core in a 360 to 375 gram range. On paper that's the classic attacking padel racket blueprint; on court, the soft core rewrites the equation and takes a lot of the physical toll out of a typically demanding diamond shape.

Why a diamond racket with a soft core changes your smash

Most head-heavy power rackets ask for two things: tight technique and a strong arm. The Cross IT Team still wants the first, but it lets you off the hook on the second.

The Soft Performance EVA compresses more on contact, gives energy back, and sends the ball out fast even when the strike isn't perfectly centred. That's why this padel racket feels medium-soft off the face despite a geometry built purely for attack.

On a flat smash that translates into depth without needing to swing all-out. On the vibora, the head-heavy mass does the acceleration work for you and the ball comes off quick towards the side wall.

Adidas Cross IT Team specs at a glance

11 Thirteen and Dynamic Air Flow: what each system actually does

The 11 Thirteen system pairs 13 standard-sized holes with 11 smaller ones. It's not just cosmetic: the smaller holes leave more material in the perforated zone, giving stiffness back to a 38 mm frame that, paired with a soft core, would otherwise feel too spongy on heavy impacts.

Dynamic Air Flow works on airflow through the swing, which matters on a racket with its mass stacked up top: every bit of swing resistance you shave off comes back as extra head speed when you meet the ball.

Power Extra Grip covers the spot where a heavy diamond racket needs it most — holding the grip through the tail end of the stroke, right when inertia is pulling the handle out of your hand.

Shot-by-shot feel

Smash by 3 and flat overhead. This is where the racket lives. Ball exit is the standout feature of its profile: the Cross IT Team sends the ball off with barely any extra effort, which makes it especially effective if you smash often and need to repeat the motion point after point without gassing out.

Bandeja and vibora. The sandy-finish fiberglass face, backed by the Spin Blade Decal, grips the ball well on cut shots. The bandeja comes out heavier than it does precise: this is a racket that pushes, not one that places.

Transitioning from the back to the net. It moves forward smoothly on the attack. The head-heavy balance that costs you on defence turns into an advantage once you're advancing and looking to close out on a high ball.

Defence and wall exits. The weak point. With a low, tight ball, the head feels heavy and you need to start your prep earlier. Get to a lob late and the Cross IT Team won't bail you out — it'll hand back a short ball.

Volley. It delivers on attacking volleys, where the weight does the damage on its own. On block volleys and fine finishing touches at the net, the soft core dulls the feedback in your hand and control lags behind what a rounder shape would give you.

Who is this Adidas racket actually built for?

Short answer: an advanced-level player with an aggressive game who's regularly the one finishing the point at the net, and especially left-handed smashers attacking from the left side. You need your smash technique dialled in already; you don't need exceptional physical power, because the core takes care of that.

Player profiles it suits:

1. **Left-handed backhand-side player** closing out points by 3 who wants mass up top without a harsh, elbow-punishing feel.
2. **Aggressive right-hander** who takes on the smash and prioritises ball speed over pinpoint precision.
3. **High-match-volume player** who needs to repeat the smash across three sets: this is where the soft EVA makes the difference versus a classic rigid diamond.

Profiles I wouldn't point towards this Adidas option: the backcourt player who builds points on lobs and control, and anyone still grooving their smash technique. A diamond shape's high, narrow sweet spot punishes off-centre hits, and here the minimum weight already starts at 360 grams.

As a court partner, it works best alongside someone who brings the control and placement game from the other side, because the Cross IT Team pushes the point upward: get up, attack, close it out.

Verdict: accessible power, with some fine print

The Adidas Cross IT Team 2025 solves a real problem — how to hand an advanced player a 38 mm diamond racket without making them pay the usual price in comfort and forgiveness. The Soft Performance EVA and the 11 Thirteen system are the two pieces holding that balance together.

The fine print: this isn't an all-rounder. What you gain in ball exit and comfortable impact, you give up in fine control and defensive response. If your game is built on reading the point, placing the ball and waiting for the opponent's error, this isn't your racket. If your game is built on getting up to net and finishing, the Cross IT Team makes it easy more often than you'd expect from such a demanding shape.