Metalbone 2026 Padel Racket (Ale Galán)

The adidas Metalbone 2026 is the racket that carries Ale Galán's name and the most recognisable silhouette in padel — the octagonal frame, the rail down the profile, and the screws in the head that let you set your own weight. Diamond shape, head-heavy balance, a Carbon Aluminized 16K face over adidas's EVA Soft Performance core. It is the attacking frame of the three 2026 Metalbones and the one with the most ball speed off the face.

How it actually plays. Padel.how scored the 2026 Metalbone 64/100 in January 2026: power ceiling 9, control 7, spin 7, stability 7, net play 7, sweet spot 6, manoeuvrability 6, comfort 5, power on demand 5. Their reading is the one that matters before you buy: this is a stiff attack frame for advanced players who generate their own racket-head speed. The sweet spot sits high and compact, there is no free power at slow swing speeds, and they flag an arm-fatigue risk for anyone with a sensitive elbow. Padelful's panel is warmer (8.7 overall — power 9.1, control 8.7, rebound 9.4) and describes heavy volleys and an easy smash acceleration, with the same caveats: unforgiving off-centre and demanding in defence. Racketdoktor's back-to-back with the HRD+ found the standard Metalbone has the larger sweet spot, the better feel and more trampoline of the two — which is why it is the sensible Metalbone for most attacking players.

The Weight & Balance System. The head takes up to 11.2g of screws and washers in different positions. Fitted to the top of the head it plays like a heavier, more head-weighted frame for the overhead; left out it plays at its listed 345–360g. Tennis Warehouse's playtesters said the racket “really began to shine” once they had dialled the weights in, and we would say the same: budget an hour of experimenting.

What changed for 2026. The official spec sheet is the same as the 2025 Metalbone 3.4 — same mould, same 16K face, same core and technologies. adidas position 2026 as a refinement (retailers who have hit both talk about a quieter, more stable response off-centre) with a new black-on-black finish and new product codes. If you are coming from a 3.3 or older the differences are larger: the 3.4 generation introduced the Power Groove rail, the Low Poly frame and the longer Extra Power Grip handle.

One honest note on the name. Ale Galán competes with the Metalbone HRD+, the harder-core version, not this one. Both carry his signature.

Is this the racket for you?

• Yes if you are an advanced left-side attacker who finishes points overhead, wants a diamond with a real power ceiling, and likes tuning a racket to your own swing. Closest rivals on our wall: the Babolat Viper Juan Lebrón 3.0 (firmer, no adjustable weight) and the Hirostar Alien Pro (24K, harder again).
• No if comfort matters, you defend more than you attack, or you are still building a repeatable overhead. The same mould in a round, even-balanced control frame is the Metalbone CTRL 2026; the kindest attacking diamond we sell is the Tecnifibre Bomba Soft.

adidas's sponsored professionals may compete with frames that differ from the retail model.

Specifications from All For Padel (the adidas padel licensee) and Everything Padel Australia (the Australian distributor), verified 2026-09-24. Manufacturer weights vary by around ±10g and exclude the optional Weight & Balance System screws. Independent scores are quoted from the named tester and are their opinion, not ours; we have not court-tested this frame ourselves.