Adidas
Start with what you want to change about your racket: the weight, the balance or the feel. Adidas uses similar names for some very different setups. Cross IT Light is round and evenly balanced; Arrow Hit Light is a high-balance diamond. Metalbone also includes both attacking models and a round CTRL option.
Use the starting points below to narrow the range, then compare the exact model and current offer. A Light or CTRL name is worth checking against the specifications.
15 linked Adidas rackets compared · Updated 27 September 2026
Each starting point covers a different preference. Open the full assessment if you want the details behind the specification.
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First Adidas racket
Drive is the first Adidas model to compare for a beginner. Its round head, even balance and soft construction keep the choice straightforward. Check its 360–375 g range against a club racket you have used; it is a standard-weight model.
Placement and adjustable weight
Metalbone CTRL 3.4 is the round, evenly balanced option to compare if you want to place the ball and adjust the racket's weight. It uses EVA Soft Performance and has a 345–360 g base range before optional weights. Start with the base setup. Add weight only if you prefer the change in handling. Compare it with Cross IT Light if lower weight and a fixed setup matter more to you.
Lighter performance option
Cross IT Light has a round head, even balance and a 345–360 g range. Compare it if you want a lighter performance model for quick preparation. Try finishing shots as well as defensive adjustments before paying more, using the grips you normally play with.
Firmer attacking feel
HRD+ is the Metalbone to compare if you already like high balance and want a firmer response. It pairs a diamond head with EVA High Memory. In a comparison published by Padel Market, El4Set preferred its depth control to the softer standard Metalbone, while still finding it reactive. Try blocks and defensive shots before choosing it for overheads alone.
Compare the Adidas rackets our retail partners link to by level, weight, balance and current price. Out-of-stock and previous-generation models stay in the list while their retailer link works.
15 of 15 Adidas rackets shown · Quoted in-stock offers in your region: €75.00–€299.95 · Quoted prices checked 9 October 2026
Current generation
New players who want a fixed, straightforward setup while they learn returns, lobs and volleys.
Previous generation
Intermediate and advanced players who build points with placement and want a round racket with adjustable weight and balance.
Current generation
Experienced intermediate and advanced players who prefer a lighter racket for defensive adjustments, controlled volleys and quick changes of direction.
Current generation
Experienced attackers who accelerate confidently and prefer a firmer response when controlling depth.
Current generation
Experienced attackers who want to adjust balance to suit their volleys, overheads and defence.
Current generation
Experienced players who like attacking shapes and want to try a lighter base specification.
Current generation
Experienced intermediate and advanced players who like the feel of a head-heavy racket and want to build their game around attacking overheads.
Current generation
Improving club players who prefer a central hitting area and want extra room on the handle.
Current generation
New and occasional players who want an Allround head and soft EVA construction.
Current generation
New and occasional players comparing soft-core starter rackets who can confirm a suitable weight with the seller.
Current generation
Experienced attackers who like a lively response and want to adjust the racket's weight and balance.
Current generation
Experienced players who want the adjustable Metalbone format and prefer this edition's design and moulded texture.
Current generation
New and improving players choosing a standard-weight racket for learning placement, returns and lobs.
Previous generation
Strong intermediates and advanced players who want a fixed attacking racket with extra grip space.
Previous generation
Experienced players who prepare overheads early and prefer a firmer response when they swing through the ball.
Adidas padel is run by All For Padel, the official adidas licensee for the sport. The company designs and markets the racket range, bags and accessories. Its padel business began in 2013, when it signed Marta Ortega. In its tenth-anniversary history, All For Padel dates the first adidas racket collection to the 2014 season.
The wider adidas brand goes back to 1949, when Adi Dassler founded the company in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Its early business centred on sports shoes. The padel operation came more than six decades later, with its own product development and player partnerships.
Several names in the current racket catalogue have been around for years. Adipower arrived in 2016, Álex Ruiz joined that year, and Ale Galán followed in 2018. Metalbone launched in 2021. All For Padel also moved into court building, completing its first court in 2015.
The full model name matters. A family can contain different shapes, cores and weight ranges. Use the comparison for the exact racket you are considering.
The current standard Metalbone and HRD+ are high-balance diamonds. Standard uses EVA Soft Performance; HRD+ uses the firmer EVA High Memory. Selected models allow extra weights. Metalbone CTRL 3.4 is a round, evenly balanced alternative with a soft core. Check the model suffix before comparing offers.
Cross IT Light is round, evenly balanced and uses Soft Energy EVA. Cross IT Carbon is a heavier high-balance diamond. Team CTRL has a round head but a published high balance, so it should not be treated as a low-balance beginner racket from the CTRL name alone.
Both ATTK and Light are high-balance diamonds. ATTK has a 360–375 g base range; Light has a lower 345–360 g base range. Both list EVA Soft Performance, which does not establish the complete racket's firmness. Compare the exact model's shape and balance before choosing Light for easier handling.
RX is a round, soft-core option for new and improving players. Its 360–375 g range is standard weight. Compare it with Drive at the current price; their shared headline specifications do not establish an upgrade.
Drive is round with even balance. Match uses an Allround head and higher balance. Match Light's weight remains unresolved in the current record, so confirm it with the seller before choosing it to reduce weight. Neither the Match name nor the Light suffix replaces that check.
Adipower 3.2 is an older, firm attacking diamond. It can be worth comparing for an experienced player who likes that setup. A discount does not turn it into an all-court or beginner recommendation. Apply the same check to older Metalbone and Cross IT offers.
If your current racket feels too head-heavy, compare balance first. If you dislike the response at contact, compare complete-racket feel. Paying more for another setup with the same problem is unlikely to help.
A Metalbone's published base range excludes its optional weights. Extra grips and protectors add more. Compare rackets in the setup you intend to use.
Include rushed returns, blocks and low balls in a trial. A racket you enjoy on clean overheads may still be awkward in those situations.
Check the exact model, year, colour, total price and return terms. Shared family names and similar photographs are not enough to match a buying link.
Adidas offers enough different setups to make model choice more useful than a blanket brand verdict. Start with Drive or RX for a first-racket comparison, and use the profile routes for other preferences. Buying a professional player's model only makes sense when its setup suits your game.
Yes, if the condition, specification and current offer suit you. Compare the delivered price with similar current models and check return terms. A new season does not by itself establish a playing improvement or make the older racket unsuitable.
Adidas Drive (2026) is our current starting point for a first Adidas racket. Check its weight against a racket you have tried, and compare the grip before buying.
Compare Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.4 (2025) if you want a round head, even balance and optional added weight. Adidas Cross IT Light 2026 Marta Ortega is another option for experienced intermediates who want a lighter performance model. Adidas RX Series 2026 remains a starter alternative. Choose based on what you want to change from your current racket.
Adidas Metalbone HRD+ 2026 Ale Galán is our current match for that preference. It combines a diamond head and high balance with verified firmer construction. Try it on blocks and defence as well as overheads before deciding.
Compare the complete model names. Metalbone includes both high-balance attacking rackets and a round CTRL option. Cross IT also spans round and diamond models. Shape, balance and feel will narrow your choice more usefully than the family name.
Start the Adidas beginner comparison with Adidas Drive (2026). Team CTRL has a round head but a high published balance and standard weight. It is worth a trial for an improving player who already prefers that setup.
Use the comparison for the current offers in your region. Prices can differ by model, retailer and currency.
Choose by fit and preference. The model's weight, balance, grip and feel matter more than its gender label or linked professional player. A Light model can still have high balance.
No. Check the actual weight and balance. Arrow Hit Light remains a high-balance diamond, and Match Light's weight needs confirming with the seller. Use the lighter performance route for a model that meets the researched weight and balance requirements.
Use the racket chooser and answer a few short questions about your level, style, preferred feel and budget. It compares the full PadelFormat catalogue, including Adidas and suitable alternatives from other brands.
Our assessments draw on researched product records and published specifications. We match rackets to level, shape, balance, weight and feel, and each starting point names a reviewed racket chosen for a playing need.
The comparison lists every published Adidas racket that our retail partners link to the exact model, including out-of-stock models and older generations. It does not cover every Adidas racket on sale. Manufacturer details establish the specifications, and exact-model retail listings verify the links. Commission does not influence selection.
By PadelFormat Editorial Team · Last updated 27 September 2026 · Quoted prices checked 9 October 2026
