Adidas Metalbone Carbon Ctrl 3.3 2024

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The Spin Blade Decal texture on the 6K carbon face bites into the ball on cortadas and viboras, adding extra spin without sending the shot long. The Weight & Balance System lets you dial in the racket's actual weight and balance without switching models. The low balance trims head inertia, sharpening your block volley and low volley against fast body shots. The octagonal structure tying core to frame delivers a solid, low-vibration feel on wall shots.

Cons

• ✗The control-oriented Soft Performance EVA core leaves the smash a touch short compared to rackets running harder or multi-density EVA in the same range. The low balance costs you raw punch on the smash de tres; you have to make up for it with wrist technique rather than head weight.

The Adidas Metalbone Carbon Ctrl 3.3 2024 targets advanced players with consolidated technique who want more performance without yet moving to a pure competition racket. Its round shape concentrates the sweet spot in the center of the face, increasing tolerance and favouring control. With a low balance, it gains maneuverability and quick response at the net. With a weight of 345-360g, it sits among the lighter rackets on the market: easier to swing and less stressful on the elbow.

Adidas Metalbone Carbon CTRL 3.3 2024: control with room to tune

The Adidas Metalbone Carbon CTRL 3.3 2024 is the control-leaning racket in the Metalbone line, built for advanced players who want precision without giving up too much pop. A 6K carbon face, a Soft Performance EVA core, and a weight range of 345 to 360 grams you can adjust yourself with the Weight & Balance System.

No tour pro's signature is tied to this specific model, so it sits firmly in the premium club and amateur-competition bracket rather than the tournament signature tier.

6K carbon meets Soft Performance EVA: the CTRL 3.3's technical pairing

The face combines 6K carbon fibre with a Carbon Aluminized 2TO1 treatment and the Spin Blade Decal finish — a sandpaper-style texture built to generate extra bite on cut shots without forcing your wrist.

Inside, the Soft Performance EVA core is a rubber tuned to absorb the impact and send the ball back with a controlled rather than explosive ball exit. The octagonal structure ties that core into the frame, stiffening the whole package so the racket never feels soft off the back wall. At 38mm, the frame sits neither at the thin nor the thick end of the range, chasing that middle ground between flex and solidity.

How the Metalbone Carbon CTRL 3.3 plays, point by point

From the back of the court

The round shape keeps the sweet spot centred, so forgiveness from the back of the court is where this racket earns its keep: off-centre contact still comes out with direction. The soft core makes low balls and lobs easy to handle without the racket shuddering in your hand.

At the net

Low balance is the racket's calling card at net. With less weight up in the head, block volleys and reflex volleys get quicker on the prep — you're ready sooner for shots coming straight at the body.

On the smash and the bandeja

This is where the racket asks a bit more of the player. With a control-focused core and a balance that doesn't stack weight in the head, the flat smash from the back doesn't come free — you need to bring more arm than you would with a head-heavy racket. The bandeja, on the other hand, benefits from the Spin Blade Decal grain for extra bite when you cut the ball.

Adidas Metalbone Carbon CTRL 3.3 2024 spec sheet

• Shape: Round
• Balance: Low
• Face: 6K carbon (Carbon Aluminized 2TO1)
• Core: Soft Performance EVA
• Frame: 38 mm
• Weight: 345-360 g (adjustable)
• Level: Advanced
• Playstyle: Control

Who should — and shouldn't — play the Metalbone Carbon CTRL 3.3?

It performs best in the hands of advanced players who rate placement and net play above raw power, and who like being able to adjust the racket's actual weight and balance with the Weight & Balance System instead of buying a new model every time their game shifts.

It's not the right partner if a heavy smash is your main weapon: without a hard core or head-heavy balance behind it, that power has to come from your arm, match after match.

Verdict: adjustable control, with power left to the player

The Adidas Metalbone Carbon CTRL 3.3 2024 is an advanced-level control racket, with 6K carbon and a Spin Blade Decal grain for extra bite on cut shots and a low balance that sharpens net play. Its biggest strength is the Weight & Balance System, which lets you adjust weight and balance without switching rackets. Its biggest drawback is that the flat smash leans more on your arm than on the racket itself. This one's for a club or amateur-competition player with a placement-based game, not someone chasing a racket that smashes on its own.

Can you adjust the weight on the Metalbone Carbon CTRL 3.3?

Yes: the Weight & Balance System lets you shift weight between different zones of the racket. That means you can go from a more manoeuvrable feel to one with a bit more head inertia without buying a different model.

What does the Spin Blade Decal finish actually do?

Spin Blade Decal is a rough-surface finish applied over the carbon face, designed to grip the ball better and make it easier to generate spin on cut shots, especially on bandejas and lobs. It's a feature of the face's surface treatment, not a separate mechanical component.