Adidas Metalbone Team 2026

Technologies

Pros

• ✓The Soft Performance EVA core sends the ball rocketing off the face with barely any acceleration needed: on a flat smash or vibora, just guide the shot and it'll fly deep The frame's Octagonal Structure cuts down on twist from off-centre hits, and you feel it on blocked volleys at mid-court, where the face stays true and the ball comes back straight The Extra Power Grip extends the handle and adds real leverage: choke down for the smash from position 3 and you get head speed without straining the shoulder The fibreglass face with its Spin Blade Gritt finish bites into the ball nicely on kick serves and cut drop shots, offering more touch than a pure carbon face in the same diamond shape

Cons

• ✗The high balance in a diamond shape punishes you on defence: get caught late on a ball hugging the back wall and the racket feels heavy, leaving your lob short At 360-375 g with the weight stacked up top, repeated bandejas over a long match take a toll on the shoulder unless your high-arm technique is rock solid The sweet spot sits exactly where it should, but it's narrow: hits below centre lose a lot of pace and feel dead The combination of a soft core and sky-high ball exit costs you fine touch on defensive blocks — it's tough to drop the ball short at your opponent's feet

The Adidas Metalbone Team 2026 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.

The Adidas Metalbone Team 2026 is one of those padel rackets that forces you to recalibrate your hand from day one: diamond shape, 38 mm frame, 360 to 375 grams, and a Soft Performance EVA core that turns even a half-hit shot into a deep ball. It skips the player signature found on the Metalbone line worn by Ale Galán, which puts it in an interesting spot in the lineup — high-end power without the price tag of the tour model.

What sets the Metalbone Team 2026 apart in the Metalbone family?

The key is pairing an aggressive shape with a core that doesn't play as aggressive. The high-balance diamond is pure power-hitter DNA, but the Soft Performance EVA cushions the impact and delivers a ball exit you wouldn't expect from a racket this weight.

That creates a distinctive feel: the racket pushes the ball through even when you don't swing hard. That's unusual for a diamond shape, where you'd normally have to generate all the pace yourself.

Technical specs

Octagonal Structure and Low Poly: what they actually bring to your game

The frame uses Octagonal Structure, a tubular carbon design with an octagonal cross-section. That geometry cuts down frame torsion on impact, and on court the payoff is concrete: on blocked volleys at mid-court and off-centre smashes, the face stays firm and the ball goes exactly where you aimed it.

Built on top of that is the Low Poly design, a polyhedral structure running through frame and core meant to balance power, control and comfort. It's the counterweight to the diamond's wild streak — it doesn't tame it entirely, but it does soften the vibration that reaches your wrist.

The third piece is the Extra Power Grip, a longer handle that boosts leverage. Choke down for the smash and you gain swing weight and head speed without forcing the shoulder. It's the kind of tech that sounds like marketing copy until you feel it in the third set.

Rounding out the package are Structural Reinforcement, the Metalbone Protector Tape and Smart Holes Curve in the drilling pattern, plus the Spin Blade Gritt surface finish.

Shot-by-shot breakdown

Smash. This is home turf. The flat smash from position 3 comes off alarmingly easy, and the kick serve grabs revs thanks to the sandy face texture. The soft core doesn't cost you power — it just gives a more pleasant feel on contact without sacrificing ball speed.

Bandeja and vibora. Here's the nuance. The bandeja demands well-drilled high-arm technique: the top-heavy weight helps you bring the ball down, but arrive with your arm trailing and the racket takes over, sending the ball long. The vibora, on the other hand, feels completely natural on this frame — it comes off sliced and venomous.

Defence and off-the-back-wall shots. The weak link. The high balance demands early preparation; get caught on a ball tight to the wall without anticipating it, and your lob falls short, gifting the net to your opponents. It's the usual toll of a diamond shape, and this padel racket doesn't dodge it.

Volleys. Solid, with plenty of ball exit to spare. It's harder to drop the ball short at your opponent's feet than to attack it — this isn't a racket built for fine blocking.

What level is the Adidas Metalbone Team 2026 built for?

Advanced or competitive players with an aggressive, dominant style. You need solid technique on overhead shots and the physicality to swing 360-375 grams with top-heavy weight distribution through a long match.

If your game is built around counter-attacking, bringing the ball down from position 3 and closing points at the net, this fits. If you're a defensive, lob-and-wait player, this Adidas model will wear out your elbow.

Playing style and partner fit

1. **The backhand that attacks.** With this much ball exit, smashes off the backhand side gain depth without extra effort.
2. **The player who climbs and finishes.** Rewards short points: strong first shot, net approach, smash.
3. **A pairing with a steady partner.** If your partner can sustain the long rallies, you can afford the errors that come from a racket that's less forgiving on defence.

Verdict: accessible power with a cost at the back of the court

The Metalbone Team 2026 solves a specific problem well: delivering diamond-shape power without the harshness that usually comes with it. The Soft Performance EVA and fibreglass face lower the physical demands on contact, and the Octagonal Structure supplies the firmness the soft core might otherwise give up.

What it doesn't solve is the physics of a high balance. On defence and off the back wall you'll work harder than with a round shape, and that narrow sweet spot punishes the days you're not quite dialled in.

It's a clear buy if you want pop without a racket that beats up your joints on every bandeja. It's a poor buy if your game lives on fine control and grinding out rallies from the back.