# adidas Cross IT Carbon Ctrl 2026 > Round, 360 to 375 g, even balance. Above average for forgiveness, below for power. € 172.95 delivered to the Netherlands, checked 14 Nov 2026. Score 8.3/10. - URL: https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-carbon-ctrl/ - Last updated: 2026-11-14 - Author: [Ruud Caris](https://padell.io/about/) - Language: en - Site: padell.io (https://padell.io/) Shop links go through padell.io/go/ (affiliate links: padell.io may earn a commission, which never affects scores). Prices include shipping to the Netherlands unless stated otherwise, and change daily. --- [Rackets](https://padell.io/rackets/) · [adidas](https://padell.io/brands/adidas/) · [Cross IT Carbon CTRL](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-carbon-ctrl/generations/) 2026 - **Shape**: Round - **Weight**: 360 to 375 g - **Balance**: Even - **Core**: EVA Soft Performance Lowest price **€ 172.95** at Tennis-Point NL · In stock · Free shipping · Checked at 02:03 (2026-11-14) · 10% cheaper than usual Lowest in 53 days **€ 144.91** Today **€ 172.95** [Buy at Tennis-Point NL](https://padell.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis-point.nl%2Fproducts%2Fadidas-crossit-carbon-ctrl-2026-padel-racket-00507600305000-nl) 1. [PadelShop.com · In stock · Free shipping · Checked at 04:12 (2026-11-14) **€ 187.79**](https://padell.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpadelshop.com%2Fproducts%2Fadidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-2026) 2. [All for Padel · In stock · Free shipping · Checked at 05:33 (2026-11-14) **€ 196.00**](https://padell.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fallforpadel.com%2Fen%2Fpadel-rackets%2F7537-padel-racket-adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-2026-8435739405970.html) Prices include shipping to the country you choose. [How padell.io earns money](https://padell.io/how-we-earn-money/) The short answer The adidas Cross IT Carbon Ctrl 2026 is a round, even-balance control racket for advanced and professional players, weighing 360 to 375 g. Against last year's CTRL 3.4, exactly one spec changed: the face is now Carbon Aluminized 18K instead of 6K carbon. No independent court test exists yet, so the judgement rests on the specs and one video. By [Ruud Caris](https://padell.io/about/) · facts checked 5 October 2026 Choose it if - you build points with placement and patience instead of raw smash power - you liked the CTRL 3.4 and want the same racket with a stiffer 18K face - you already swing a heavy round racket and want control first Skip it if - you want a light racket that moves fast at the net, look at the Stiga ACE 3 - you need free power on overheads, the adidas Cross IT Carbon 2026 Maxi Arce fits better - you are still learning technique, this is labelled Professional and weighs up to 375 g ## How it plays 8.3 **padell.io score 8.3** Play 8.5 (60%) and reviews 8.1 (40%). No independent reviews found yet, so that part starts low. [How the score works](https://padell.io/how-we-score/) - **Control**: 8.5 above average▲ - **Power**: 5.0 below average▼ - **Comfort**: 5.5 around average● - **Handling**: 5.0 around average● - **Forgiveness**: 7.5 above average▲ - **Line = the average of all rackets**: ▲ above ▼ below On paper this is a classic control racket: round shape, even balance, soft core, and a heavy build that rewards a long, clean swing. - **Control** The round shape, even balance and soft EVA core all point the same way, so placement is the whole idea here. - **Power** Power is the weak side on paper; the soft core and round head give little free pace, so you supply it yourself. - **Comfort** The soft core helps your arm, but the stiff carbon face and the weight pull comfort back to the middle. - **Handling** This is the slow part of the package; a heavy round head does not whip around at the net. - **Forgiveness** The round shape and soft core give a forgiving hitting area, the strongest meter this racket has. ## Specifications - **Launched**: 2026 The newest version of this racket - **Shape**: Round [Big sweet spot low in the face: control and margin](https://padell.io/guides/padel-racket-shapes/) - **Weight**: 360 to 375 g Average: not tiring, stable enough - **Balance**: Even according to the brand Even: quick at the net, enough in the smash - **Face**: Carbon Aluminized 18K Stiff: precise and powerful at speed, less damping - **Core**: EVA Soft Performance Soft: comfort and ball exit, less control at high speed - **Thickness**: 38 mm The maximum the rules allow - **Surface**: Spin Blade Decal Rough: helps with spin - **Handle**: Extra Power Grip Not published by the brand: head size, frame Specs from the brand's own site · checked 23 September 2026 · [Spotted a wrong spec? Report it →](https://padell.io/contact/?topic=correction&racket=adidas%20Cross%20IT%20Carbon%20Ctrl%202026) ## Video reviews 1 video from an independent channel or shop Tested on court The reviewer highlights that the Cross IT Carbon Ctrl is designed for players who prioritize control and precision. It features a round shape and a centered sweet spot to support a controlled game style. ## Every version [Compare all versions →](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-carbon-ctrl/generations/) [2025 · Different specs · € 168.00](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-carbon-ctrl-67/) 2026 · This racket · € 172.95 The 2026 Cross IT Carbon Ctrl replaces the CTRL 3.4 from 2025. The change list is short: the face moves from 6K carbon to Carbon Aluminized 18K. Core, shape, balance label, weight range, thickness, surface and grip are all identical between the two years. The frame material is not published for either version. On paper the new face should read stiffer and more precise. No independent test has measured the difference, so treat it as a spec change, not a proven on-court change. The 3.4 is essentially the same racket with a different face; if you want the current face, this is the one to look at. ## Price history Today **€ 149.95** Lowest in 30 days **€ 139.95** vs 30-day average **-3%** Lowest price per day across the shops in your market. Checked every night. ## What reviewers say There are no independent reviews of this racket yet. The only court coverage is a video from allforpadel, a padel retail site, whose reviewer took it on court. That video's match to this exact model is only partial, so treat its details with care. It lines up with the spec sheet: control and precision first, plus a hole pattern credited with rigidity and lower air resistance. Because the channel also sells rackets, read it as confirmation of intent rather than neutral testing. Everything else on this page comes from the published specs. Independent tests will show whether the firm 18K face really changes the feel compared with the 6K version it replaces. 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](https://padell.io/guides/padel-racket-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](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-vs-adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-67/) 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](https://padell.io/brands/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. The Cross family Same year, from most power (left) to most control (right) [**IT Carbon Maxi Arce**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-carbon-2026-maxi-arce/) **IT Carbon Ctrl** [**IT Ctrl**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-ctrl-2026/) [**IT Team Ctrl**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-team-ctrl/) [**IT LIGHT PRO**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-light-2026-pro-edt/) [**It Light Milano**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-light-milano/) [**IT Pro Edt**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-pro-edt-2026/) [**IT Light**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-light/) [**IT Team Light**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-team-light-2026/) ## 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](https://padell.io/guides/padel-racket-shapes/) 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](https://padell.io/rackets/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](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-vs-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](https://padell.io/rackets/kuikma/control-pro/) mirrors this racket's profile almost exactly at intermediate to advanced level. Written by **[Ruud Caris](https://padell.io/about/)** Padel player and founder of padell.io Bought, played and sold more rackets than was good for him, and built padell.io to bring it all together. [About padell.io →](https://padell.io/about/) ## Similar rackets [Kuikma Control Pro](https://padell.io/rackets/kuikma/control-pro/) · 7.7 [Compare side by side](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-vs-kuikma-control-pro/) [Stiga ACE 3](https://padell.io/rackets/stiga/ace-3/) · 7.9 [Compare side by side](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-vs-stiga-ace-3/) [adidas Arrow Hit Carbon Ctrl](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/arrow-hit-carbon-ctrl/) · 8.4 [Compare side by side](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-arrow-hit-carbon-ctrl-vs-adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl/) [adidas Cross IT Ctrl 2026](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/cross-it-ctrl-2026/) · 8.4 [Compare side by side](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-vs-adidas-cross-it-ctrl-2026/) [All rackets that play like the adidas Cross IT Carbon Ctrl 2026 →](https://padell.io/alternatives/?r=38) ## Questions before you buy **What changed compared to the Cross IT Carbon CTRL 3.4?** One spec: the face. The 2025 model used 6K carbon, the 2026 uses Carbon Aluminized 18K. Core, shape, balance label, weights and thickness are unchanged. **Is the Cross IT Carbon Ctrl 2026 the same as the Cross IT Ctrl 2026?** No. The Cross IT Ctrl 2026 uses a firmer EVA High Memory core and a 15K aluminized face, and rates Low on comfort. The Carbon Ctrl keeps the softer EVA Soft Performance core. **Is this racket good for intermediate players?** adidas labels it Professional, and at 360 to 375 g with low power it demands a full, well-timed swing. Intermediates who want this profile should also look at the Kuikma Control Pro. **Is it easy on the arm?** Partly. The soft EVA core absorbs vibration, but the stiff carbon face and the heavy weight work against comfort, which is why it rates Medium. Players with elbow issues should try before buying. **Is the Cross IT Carbon Ctrl 2026 worth the money right now?** Today's price is labelled "Fair price" compared with the rackets that play most alike. Which shops deliver, and what shipping costs, depends on your country. The price comparison shows it for yours. See all prices **What is the closest alternative?** The Kuikma Control Pro plays most alike. On paper the differences are under one point. [Compare side by side →](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-cross-it-carbon-ctrl-vs-kuikma-control-pro/) **Who should not buy it?** Skip it if you want easy power for smashes (power 5.0/10), or if your elbow or shoulder complains (comfort 5.5/10). **How heavy is it really?** The brand gives 360 to 375 g. That counts as medium. Each racket can differ within that range. [Why a range? →](https://padell.io/guides/padel-racket-weight-range/)