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Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026
Rackets/Adidas

Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026

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.

What players keep saying

Loved for

Complaints

Also mentioned: soft12

Year
2026
Shape
Round
Weight
345–360g
Balance
Low/Medium
Core
EVA Soft Performance core
Surface
16K Carbon

How it plays2 players

  • Power3.0
  • Control3.5
  • Maneuverability4.0
  • Comfort4.5
  • Forgiveness5.0

Who's playing it

Side
Left 50%Right 50%
Level
Intermediate 2
Ratings
  • 51
  • 40
  • 30
  • 21
  • 10

Reviews

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Showing 17 reviews mentioning forgiving Show all

Sort: Most helpfulNewest

I am intermediate playing for about 1 year and this is my second padel racket, Before this I played with some random cheap rackets my club had, and this is a huge jump, i like how easy it is to hit my shots, sweet spot is the all racket so even when I miss hit the ball does not die like on other rackets I tried, it doesn't have a massive power but it's enough for me as I don't really smash, i do get great deep vibora and volley with it. When I use it in defense it feels really solid on ground stokes and lobs.

good controlforgivinggreat in defence
Power4Control4Maneuverability4Comfort5Forgiveness5
Gali A·Intermediate·Right side·All-round·1–6 months

Tried the Metalbone CTRL 2026 and found it very stable with one of the largest sweet spots, better power than the 2024 and 2025 versions and slightly stiffer foam; less stable without the weights.

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“The Ctrl with the weights on the sides becomes a brick wall, great ball output, stability improves, and more forgiving on off center hits. It has one of the largest sweet spots imho.”
positiveforgivinggood control
Redditr/Padelracket·

Finds the Metalbone CTRL soft and comfortable with an enormous sweet spot; even soft volleys get depth and power, it stays manoeuvrable, and without the weights it's super light.

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“El punto dulces es enorme y si le quitas los pesos es súper ligera.”
positiveforgivingsofteasy power
YouTubeDani 13·

Compared with the AT10 18K, found the Metalbone CTRL 2026 clearly softer with a trampoline effect and high ball output, still going deep on slight mishits, but a bit more top-heavy with the stock weights.

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“Adidas is clearly softer and definitely has a trampoline effect. The ball output is high.”
mixedsoftforgivingeasy power
Redditr/Padelracket·

A 4.2 left-side player finds the Metalbone CTRL 2026 forgiving and excellent in defence after about 20 games, but too springy in attack: mild effort sends the ball long, especially against fast shots.

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“It’s excellent in defence e.g. lobs and chiquitas, but isn’t clicking for me on offensive shots like forehand volleys/smashes.”
mixedgreat in defencesoftforgiving
Redditr/Padelracket·

Forgiving sweet spot with much more power than the 2025; finishes points better.

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“I feel like the sweet spot is still as forgiving as a control racket can be, but has a lot more power output compared to the 2025.”
positiveforgivingeasy power
Redditr/Padelracket·

In love with the CTRL with two weights at the top: well balanced, sweet spot across the whole face, amazing sound and feel, lots of control and power; the best of the nine rackets they have owned.

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“Sweet spot is the whole racket, the sound and feel are amazing, super control, lots of power”
positiveforgivinggood controleasy power
YouTubeOtro Nivel Padel·

Played the Metalbone CTRL 2026 for a few months: great, with a huge sweet spot, but the big trampoline effect makes the rebound hard to control.

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“It’s a great racket with a huge sweet spot. What I did not like is the trampoline effect.”
mixedforgiving
Redditr/Padelracket·

Owns both the 2026 and 2025 Metalbone CTRL and has no issues with power, playing both sides: forgiving, easy to place at different paces, with power there when they put it in themselves.

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“The racket is forgiving, you are able to place shots on different kind of power levels. But does have the power if you need it, but your body needs to give it that.”
positiveforgivinggood control
Redditr/Padelracket·

Finds the Metalbone CTRL 3.5 more forgiving and easier to play than the ST4, and lighter, which helps on the right side.

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“I bought Metalbone CTRL 3.5 and is much easier to play with it, also it is lighter that helps me a lot in the right side.”
positiveforgiving
Redditr/Padelracket·

Owns the Metalbone CTRL 2026: a round control racket with enough punch, a rough surface for spin, softer and more forgiving than the Nox.

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“From my perspective it does have enough punch”
positiveforgiving
Redditr/Padelracket·

One of the best control rackets they've tried: the whole face feels like a sweet spot and volleys are crisp, at the cost of power.

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“Felt like every part of that racket is a sweet spot and all my volleys felt crisp. Ofc you trade this for lack of power, but man that racket felt like I could not mis hit it.”
positivegood controlforgiving
Redditr/Padelracket·

Compared it with other rackets they tried and found the Metalbone CTRL 2026's sweet spot significantly better, though they want something similar without its trampoline effect.

mixedforgivingsoft
Redditr/Padelracket·

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.

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“Massive sweet spot, very maneuverable and I love the longer handle. Just an amazing racket.”
positiveforgivingfast at the net
Redditr/Padelracket·

One of the best: huge sweet spot, enough power, manoeuvrable; bought a second as backup.

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“The metalbone ctrl is one of the best rackets in my opinion, huge sweet spot, good enough power, good maneuverability, better quality than nox.”
positiveforgivingfast at the net
Redditr/Padelracket·

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.

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“The sweet spot is much larger and lower, and I felt it was more manoeuvrable. My mmm 3 is more difficult to move”
positiveforgivingfast at the net
Redditr/Padelracket·

Owns both the Metalbone CTRL and a Nox AT10 and struggled with the Nox as an intermediate; with the Adidas everything became much easier straight away.

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“Tengo ambas palas y me costó bastante jugar con la Nox.”
positiveforgiving
YouTubeDani 13·

Common questions about Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026

Is Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026 worth it?

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.

What do people like about Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026?

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.

What are the most common complaints about Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026?

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).

How does Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026 rank?

#1 in Best Padel Rackets 2026, #1 in Best Padel Rackets for Control 2026, ranked by real player reviews.

Where do these Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026 reviews come from?

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.

Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.5 2026View on Amazon