Loves it without weights: great manoeuvrability; slightly smaller sweet spot than 2025; prefers it to the AT10 12K.
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“2025 definitely has a larger sweet spot but i took off all the weights on my metalbone control 3.5 2026, and i love it”
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63% positive62 reviewsView price on Amazon
#1 in Best Padel Rackets 2026#1 in Best Padel Rackets for Control 2026
In shortMost players like the large, forgiving sweet spot, easy power and control, and many add weights at the top for more punch. The soft, springy face divides opinion, with some finding it too bouncy at the net or in warm weather. A few report the weight screws breaking.
Showing 5 reviews mentioning fast at the net Show all
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Loves it without weights: great manoeuvrability; slightly smaller sweet spot than 2025; prefers it to the AT10 12K.
“2025 definitely has a larger sweet spot but i took off all the weights on my metalbone control 3.5 2026, and i love it”
Very manoeuvrable, easy lobs, enough power and less tiring than the HRD+.
“What I love most is how maneuverable it feels, and how easily I can hit lobs with it. I was worried I might miss some power, but honestly I don’t feel that way.”
Has owned both the 2025 and 2026 Metalbone CTRL and rates them just behind their favourite: massive sweet spot, very manoeuvrable, and a longer handle they love.
“Massive sweet spot, very maneuverable and I love the longer handle. Just an amazing racket.”
One of the best: huge sweet spot, enough power, manoeuvrable; bought a second as backup.
“The metalbone ctrl is one of the best rackets in my opinion, huge sweet spot, good enough power, good maneuverability, better quality than nox.”
Tried the 2026 Metalbone CTRL in a training session and was so taken with it that he wanted to buy one at once; found the sweet spot much larger and lower and the racket more manoeuvrable than his Kombat MM3.
“The sweet spot is much larger and lower, and I felt it was more manoeuvrable. My mmm 3 is more difficult to move”
Of the 59 reviews with a clear verdict, 63% are positive, 27% mixed and 10% negative. The praise mentioned most is forgiving. The most common complaint is durability issues.
The praise reviewers mention most: forgiving (17 reviews), easy power (16 reviews) and good control (11 reviews). For example: Finds the Metalbone CTRL 3.5 more forgiving and easier to play than the ST4, and lighter, which helps on the right side.
The complaints reviewers mention most: durability issues (2 reviews). For example: Finds the Metalbone CTRL 2026 too soft with too much trampoline, and its weight screws a gimmick that break quickly (comment in French).
#1 in Best Padel Rackets 2026, #1 in Best Padel Rackets for Control 2026, ranked by real player reviews.
60 are quotes from discussions on Reddit and YouTube, each linked to the original post. 2 were written by players here. Player reviews are checked for spam before they appear, and only they count toward the star rating; quotes never do.