The adidas Cross IT Carbon Ctrl 2026 is a round, even-balance racket aimed at the professional level, and its story this year is short. Against the 2025 CTRL 3.4, one spec changed: the face. Everything else on the sheet, from the 38 mm thickness to the 360 to 375 g weight range, stayed the same. There is no independent court test yet. This article works from the specs, the brand's own claims, and one video from the padel site allforpadel.
6K out, 18K aluminized in: the one change since the CTRL 3.4
Last year's Cross IT Carbon CTRL 3.4 used a 6K carbon face. The 2026 version switches to Carbon Aluminized 18K. That is the entire update. The core, shape, balance label, weight range, surface finish and grip all carry over unchanged.
What does a different face mean on court? A denser, aluminized carbon weave is typically stiffer than a plain 6K layup, which suggests a firmer, more precise response on contact. But treat that as reasoning from the spec sheet, not as a measured fact. Nobody outside adidas has published a court comparison of the two faces. If you own the 3.4 and it plays well, there is no measured argument here to upgrade.
Round, even, 360 to 375 g: heavy control by geometry
The control profile comes from the shape, not from any trick. A round head puts the hitting zone where your eye expects it, and the even balance keeps the racket neutral in the hand. Add the EVA Soft Performance core and the picture is consistent: high control, high sweet spot, low power.
The weight is the other half of the story. At 360 to 375 g this sits in the heavy class for a round racket. That mass stabilises blocks and volleys, and it helps you absorb hard balls on defence. It also makes the racket slow to redirect. Maneuverability is the lowest meter here. If your game lives on quick reactions at the net, that is the cost you pay.
EVA Soft Performance under a stiff carbon face: where Medium comfort comes from
Comfort lands at Medium, and the drivers explain why. The soft EVA core absorbs vibration and is kind to your elbow. The Carbon Aluminized 18K face pulls the other way: stiff carbon transmits more of the impact. The heavy weight counts against comfort too, because swinging up to 375 g for ninety minutes asks more of your shoulder and forearm.
So this is not an arm-friendly racket in the way a light, soft, fiberglass model would be. It is a firm control racket with a soft centre. If you have a history of elbow trouble, the soft core helps, but the total package still leans demanding.
The only video so far is from allforpadel
The one available video comes from allforpadel, a padel retail site whose reviewer took the racket on court. Two caveats. First, the video's match to this exact model is only partial, so its details may not fully apply here. Second, a channel that sells rackets has no reason to find faults.
With that in mind, the conclusion matches the spec sheet. The reviewer describes a racket for players who prioritise control and precision. The round shape and the hole pattern get credit for rigidity and lower air resistance. Until an independent reviewer puts this on court, that is all the court evidence there is.
Balance in millimetres not published: what you cannot check
adidas labels the balance Even, but does not publish the balance point in millimetres. For a racket in the heavy class, that number matters. An even label can hide a balance anywhere in the middle range, and a few millimetres change how fast the head comes through.
If you are sensitive to balance, check the racket in hand before buying, or weigh and measure it yourself. The published specs alone cannot tell you how it swings.
Cross IT Ctrl 2026, Stiga ACE 3 or this one: picking a heavy control racket
Within the 2026 line, the adidas Cross IT Ctrl 2026 is the closest sibling. It shares the shape and weights, but uses a firmer EVA High Memory core and a 15K face, with comfort rated Low. Choose it if you want a harder, drier response. Choose the Carbon Ctrl if you want the softer core.
Outside adidas, the Stiga ACE 3 plays the same control-first game at a fixed 360 g and rates Medium on maneuverability, so it moves faster. The Kuikma Control Pro mirrors this racket's profile almost exactly at intermediate to advanced level.
