{"product_id":"adidas-metalbone-ctrl-2026-padel-racket","title":"adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026 Padel Racket","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe adidas Metalbone CTRL 2026 is the Metalbone for the player who wants the build quality and the adjustable weights without the head-heavy diamond. Round head, even balance, a centred sweet spot, the same Carbon Aluminized 16K face and EVA Soft Performance core as the standard Metalbone, and the same Weight \u0026amp; Balance System — which on a round frame is more useful than on the diamonds, because you can nudge it towards attack for a match and back for a lesson.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow it actually plays.\u003c\/strong\u003e Padel.how scored it 71\/100 (January 2026): control 9, net play 8, stability 8, manoeuvrability 7, sweet spot 7, spin 7, defence 7, comfort 6, power on demand 6, power ceiling 6. They place it for intermediate-to-advanced players with a compact, well-prepared stroke, and note it favours placement over finishing help — it ranked near the bottom of their 2026 round-control group, chiefly on comfort and power. Padelful is more enthusiastic (8.5 overall, sweet spot 9.1, rebound 9.3) and sums it up well: it “keeps the Metalbone identity, but it is calmer and less demanding”. Two practical caveats from their panel — the long Extra Power Grip handle may not suit small hands, and volleys can feel a touch awkward until you are used to the balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it sits in the range.\u003c\/strong\u003e Same price tier as the two diamonds when at RRP, but it is currently the value pick: the Australian distributor has it at $499 against a $659 RRP, and we hold that price. Against its round rivals on our wall it is stiffer and more direct than the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/nox-ml10-ventus-control-3k-2026-padel-racket-miguel-lamperti\"\u003eNOX ML10 Ventus Control\u003c\/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hirostar-solar-2026-padel-racket\"\u003eHirostar Solar\u003c\/a\u003e, and lighter than both.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat changed for 2026.\u003c\/strong\u003e Official specs are unchanged from the CTRL 3.4. Padelful's side-by-side has the 2026 fractionally more powerful and fractionally less soft than the 3.4 — a tweak to the layup rather than a new racket. New black finish and product code.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIs this the racket for you?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYes\u003c\/strong\u003e if you are an intermediate or advanced control player — a right-sider, a lob-and-volley builder, a tennis convert with a compact swing — who wants a premium round frame with a tuneable balance. It is the Metalbone we would put in most club players' hands.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo\u003c\/strong\u003e if you want the frame to do the finishing (look at the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/adidas-metalbone-2026-padel-racket-ale-galan\"\u003eMetalbone 2026\u003c\/a\u003e), if comfort is your first criterion (the soft-cored \u003ca href=\"\/products\/babolat-counter-vertuo-2-6-2026-padel-racket\"\u003eBabolat Counter Vertuo\u003c\/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/tecnifibre-curva-speed-2026\"\u003eTecnifibre Curva Speed\u003c\/a\u003e are kinder), or if you have small hands and dislike a long handle.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eShape\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRound\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e345–360g, plus up to 11.2g of adjustable screws\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBalance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEven (one tester measured about 26cm)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProfile\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e38mm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCore\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEVA Soft Performance (low density)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFace\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarbon Aluminized 16K\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFrame\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarbon, Octagonal Structure, Low Poly\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSurface\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSpin Blade decal (textured)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHitting area\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e485cm²\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLength\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e455mm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTechnologies\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight \u0026amp; Balance System (up to 11.2g of screws) · Power Groove · Octagonal Structure · Low Poly frame · Extra Power Grip (longer handle) · Spin Blade decal · Smart Holes Curve · Structural Reinforcement · Metalbone protector tape\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLevel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntermediate to advanced\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eColourway\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlack\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProduct code\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAR1CB0U22\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eSpecifications 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 \u0026amp; 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.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"adidas","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":64731614675315,"sku":"APS-AD-0003","price":499.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/6287\/6275\/files\/AR1CB0U22METALBONECTRLFRONT.png?v=1790249289","url":"https:\/\/australianpadelshop.com\/products\/adidas-metalbone-ctrl-2026-padel-racket","provider":"Australian Padel Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}