Adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The Soft Performance EVA core paired with the 38 mm frame delivers instant ball exit off low, tight wall exits — the ball pops up on its own even when you're rushed and have no leg drive behind it, the 485 cm² round-shaped hitting area with a mid balance gives you a huge, forgiving sweet spot on blocked volleys when the ball arrives off-centre, the Weight & Balance System lets you add up to 11.2 g and shift the balance point, so you can start neutral and load it head-heavy later once you want more punch on your bandeja, the textured Carbon Aluminized 16K face, backed by the Spin Blade Decal, bites well on cut viboras and on kick serves lifted toward the back glass, and at 345-360 g with a mid balance in a 45.5 cm racket it's razor-quick to handle in net exchanges and grip switches

Cons

• ✗The control-oriented profile doesn't hand you free power — on a flat smash down the middle you have to generate all the arm speed yourself, and without it the ball stays in play; the soft EVA and mid balance also take some sting off smashes into the back glass, where a stiffer, head-heavy racket would put the ball away with less effort; the Power Groove adds a bit of extra pop, but only on well-centred hits — it's not a safety net when you catch the ball outside the sweet spot; and it's rated for advanced players, since the soft feel and easy ball exit can be misleading — the real payoff only shows up when you build the point, not when you just swing and hope

The Adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026 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. The medium balance keeps a balanced behaviour between baseline shots and volleys. 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 CTRL 2026 review: the Metalbone built for long rallies

The Adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026 is the patient read on a family known for going on the attack. Round-shaped, with a 38 mm frame, a 485 cm² hitting area, a Carbon Aluminized 16K face and a Soft Performance EVA core weighing in at 345-360 g — every design choice on this padel racket favours placement over demolition.

It's a separate SKU from Ale Galán's signature model — same bloodline, different spec sheet — and you feel that the moment you hit your first bandeja.

What sets the Metalbone CTRL 2026 apart from the rest of the line?

The Adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026 shifts the approach on three concrete fronts: a round shape instead of a smash-oriented profile, a mid balance instead of head-heavy weighting, and a soft rubber where the attacking end of the range demands firmness.

The result is a racket for the player who wins points by moving their opponent around, not by blowing them off the court. Anyone hunting the definitive smash-for-3 out of the box is looking at the wrong model in the family.

Carbon Aluminized 16K over Soft Performance EVA: why this pairing works

The 16K aluminized carbon weave is a stiff, dense face. On its own, over a hard core, it would feel harsh and leave you a narrow margin for error.

Adidas mounts it over Soft Performance EVA instead, and that's the key move: the soft rubber absorbs the impact, extends contact time and gives you generous ball exit, while the 16K face keeps the directional precision on volleys.

The 38 mm frame adds extra flex through the profile. On defence, when you're scrambling to reach a ball that's dying against the glass, that combination lifts your lob without you having to muscle it with your wrist.

The Octagonal Structure and Low Poly Design reinforce the frame's structural rigidity so that softness doesn't translate into a racket that flexes off-line and loses direction. The Power Groove is the counterweight: it adds extra pop on well-centred contact, a tool for closing out the point once the rally has already served you an easy ball.

The Weight & Balance System: up to 11.2 g on your terms

This is the racket's most practical selling point. The system lets you add up to 11.2 grams of extra weight and reposition the balance.

In on-court terms: you can play it stock, with mid balance and excellent maneuverability for fast net exchanges, or build it up gradually until your bandeja carries more mass behind it and your vibora comes out with extra weight.

This isn't customisation for its own sake. It's the difference between a racket that suits you for the first month and one that keeps adapting as your game evolves.

Adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026 specs

Technologies: Weight & Balance System, Power Groove, Extra Power Grip, Low Poly Design, Octagonal Structure, Smart Holes Curve, Spin Blade Decal.

How it performs shot by shot

Wall exits. Its strongest suit. The soft core and 38 mm frame pull the ball out with minimal effort; even arriving late with no weight on your front leg, the lob clears the net with height to spare.

Blocked volleys. The 485 cm² round shape with mid balance gives you a very wide sweet spot. An off-centre hit doesn't punish you the way it would on a diamond-shaped racket — you lose a bit of pace, but you keep control of direction.

Bandeja. Comfortable and repeatable straight out of the box. If you want more weight behind it as it drops onto the ball, that's exactly where the Weight & Balance System's 11.2 g comes into play.

Vibora and kick serve. The rough surface and Spin Blade Decal bite well. Kick serves come off with plenty of revs, and the cut vibora grips just enough to open up angles toward the back glass.

Smash for 3 and flat smash. The honest limit of this racket. The soft EVA and mid balance won't gift you ball speed — all the acceleration has to come from you. A fast-armed player can still put it away; anyone relying on the racket's own weight will come up short.

Who is this racket built for?

For the advanced, patient-minded player who wins points through placement, depth and attrition rather than a single winning shot. It's especially well suited to the backhand side and to players who grind through long rallies of lobs and bandejas before closing them out.

A quick rundown of who it fits:

1. **Yes** if you build the point, defend well and value a big sweet spot.
2. **Yes** if you're coming off a hard racket and want less strain on the elbow without giving up precision.
3. **Yes** if you want a neutral base you can build up over time.
4. **No** if your go-to winner is the flat smash-for-3 on the first exchange.
5. **No** if you're just starting out — the rating is advanced, and the easy ball exit masks how much tactical judgement it actually demands.

As a doubles partner racket, it pairs well alongside someone running a more aggressive, head-heavy stick: you hold the rally and open up the court, your partner finishes it.

Verdict

The Adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026 does exactly what its name promises, and it does it well: excellent maneuverability, a wide sweet spot, and ball exit that forgives mistimed shots. The Power Groove keeps it from feeling toothless, but it doesn't turn this into an attacking racket.

Anyone after control with the option to fine-tune balance has a solid case here. Anyone chasing stock power should look elsewhere in the Metalbone line.