adidas Metalbone HRD+ 2026 Padel Racket (Ale Galán)

The adidas Metalbone HRD+ 2026 is the Metalbone Ale Galán actually competes with. Same mould, same Carbon Aluminized 16K face and the same Weight & Balance System as the standard Metalbone; the one difference is the core — EVA High Memory, adidas's high-density rubber — and that one change turns it into the hardest-feeling racket in the family.

How it actually plays. Padel.how scored it 70/100 (updated September 2026): power ceiling 10, control 9, spin 9, stability 7, net play 7, comfort 6, sweet spot 6, power on demand 6, defence 5, manoeuvrability 5. Their summary is blunt and we will repeat it: advanced players only. There is no free power, the sweet spot is narrow and high, comfort and damping are below average, and fatigue builds over a long session. What you get in exchange is the most direct, precise smash in the adidas range and a very high spin ceiling. Padelful's panel rates it 8.7 (power 9.9, control 9.4) and describes an “explosive smash and volleys” that punishes off-centre contact; Racketdoktor's comparison with the standard Metalbone found the drier HRD+ response gives more control at the cost of a smaller sweet spot and less help at low swing speeds, and noted it comes into its own in hot conditions — relevant on a Queensland summer court.

Metalbone or HRD+? Visually identical, and the choice is simply the rubber. If you hit the ball hard and clean and want the racket to stay quiet and precise under a full swing, the HRD+. If you want some help from the frame, a larger sweet spot and a more forgiving feel, the standard Metalbone 2026. Most club attackers are better served by the standard.

What changed for 2026. Official specs are unchanged from the 2025 HRD+ 3.4. Retailers who have played both describe the 2026 as stiffer and more stable at maximum impact with slightly lower ball output — a refinement, not a redesign. Ships with the adjustable weights and a padded wrist cord.

Is this the racket for you?

• Yes if you are an advanced attacker with a repeatable, high-speed overhead, you already play a hard diamond, and you want the stiffest, most precise version of the Metalbone. The other hard diamonds on our wall are the Hirostar Alien Pro and the Babolat Technical Viper 3.0.
• No if you have ever had elbow or shoulder trouble, you are an intermediate looking to grow into a racket, or you play more than three times a week and need the frame to absorb some of the work. The standard Metalbone is the same racket with a softer core; the CTRL is the round, even-balanced version.

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.