adidas has kept the recipe of the Cross IT Light for three seasons. The 3.3 from 2024, the 3.4 from 2025 and the 2026 version all list the same build. That is a round shape, an even balance, an Eva Soft Energy core and a Carbon Aluminized 24K face. All three have a 38 mm profile and weigh 345 to 360 g. The level label stays PRO. The player stays the same too: Marta Ortega, listed as Martita Ortega for 2026.
The recipe that did not change
Across the three versions the listed changes are small. The surface went from Spin Blade on the 3.3 to Spin Blade Mold on the 3.4 and the 2026. The player name gained a nickname. That is all the spec sheet shows.
The product page adds details the spec table does not. It mentions Dynamic Air Flow holes in the center to make the swing faster, and an Extra Power Grip. A hole pattern with smaller central holes, adidas says, adds firmness. It also mentions a new adjustable cord with a padded wrist strap. Those are brand claims, and nothing shows whether they change how it plays against the 3.4.
A stiff face on a soft core
The combination is the interesting part. This page's profile classes Carbon Aluminized 24K as a stiff carbon face. Among the 2026 Cross IT rackets, only the Pro Edt lists the same face. The others use 6K, 15K or 18K carbon, or fiberglass.
A stiff face gives a direct, precise response and rewards clean contact. Behind it sits Eva Soft Energy, a soft core that absorbs impact and keeps the ball on the face a little longer. The two pull in opposite directions on comfort, which is why the profile lands on medium. On precision they agree.
Round and even-balanced, the racket keeps its weight in the middle of the frame. You steer the ball more than you drive it. Power rates low. That is no flaw for this type of racket. It is the reason to pick another model if your points end at the net with a smash.
What the Light in the name means
The Light is the lighter branch of the round Cross IT rackets. The adidas Cross IT Ctrl 2026 and the Cross IT Carbon Ctrl 2026 are also round with an even balance. They weigh 360 to 375 g. At 345 to 360 g the Light is lighter at both ends of the range. That shows at the net: the profile rates the Light's maneuverability medium, and low for the Ctrl and the Carbon Ctrl.
The Cross IT Pro Edt 2026 is the odd one out. It lists exactly the same specs as the Light, with Marta Ortega's name. The spec sheet alone gives no way to tell the two apart on court.
Cross IT Light or Metalbone Ctrl
Outside the Cross IT line, the closest match on paper is the Metalbone Ctrl. The adidas Metalbone Ctrl 3.4 is also round, even-balanced and 345 to 360 g. It uses an Eva Soft Performance core and a Carbon Aluminized 16K face. Its profile matches the Light's on all five meters. The 2026 Metalbone Ctrl drops to low on comfort and medium on sweet spot. If you want the same profile in the Metalbone family, the 3.4 is the one to compare.
Still untested
No independent review, video test or player thread covers the 2026 version yet. The balance in millimetres, the frame and the head size are not published either. Everything here reads the listings and the product page. Because the build matches the 3.3 and the 3.4 on paper, experience with those versions is the closest guide you have.
