# adidas Drive 2026 > Round, 360 to 375 g, even balance. Above average for comfort and forgiveness, below for power. € 68.94 delivered to the Netherlands, checked 14 Nov 2026. - URL: https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive-2026/ - 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/) · [Drive](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive/generations/) 2026 - **Shape**: Round - **Weight**: 360 to 375 g - **Balance**: Even - **Core**: EVA Soft Performance Lowest price **€ 68.94** at Tennis-Point NL · In stock · € 62.95 + € 5.99 shipping · Checked at 02:00 (2026-11-14) Lowest in 53 days **€ 63.95** Today **€ 68.94** [Buy at Tennis-Point NL](https://padell.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis-point.nl%2Fproducts%2Fadidas-drive-2026-padel-racket-00507600318000-nl) 1. [Extreme Padel · In stock · Free shipping · Checked at 02:26 (2026-11-14) **€ 69.90**](https://padell.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.extreme-padel.fr%2Fraquettes-de-padel-adidas%2F22503-raquette-adidas-drive-black-2026.html) 2. [All for Padel · In stock · + € 13.92 shipping · Checked at 05:33 (2026-11-14) **€ 69.92**](https://padell.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fallforpadel.com%2Fen%2Fpadel-rackets%2F7491-padel-racket-adidas-drive-black-2026-8435739406038.html) Prices include shipping to the country you choose. [How padell.io earns money](https://padell.io/how-we-earn-money/) Same specs, lower price: the [2025 model](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive-3-4/) costs € 61.92. ## Available in 2 colours Same racket, same specs; only the design differs. Prices per colour, delivered to your country. **Black** € 68.94 [At Tennis-Point NL · 9 shops](https://padell.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis-point.nl%2Fproducts%2Fadidas-drive-2026-padel-racket-00507600318000-nl) **Blue** € 63.94 [At Tennis-Point NL · 10 shops](https://padell.io/go/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis-point.nl%2Fproducts%2Fadidas-drive-2026-padel-racket-00507600317000-nl) The short answer The adidas Drive 2026 is a round, beginner racket with an even balance, a soft EVA core and fiberglass faces. On paper it is identical to last year's Drive 3.4: same specs, new label. Control and comfort rate High, power Low. The catch: at 360 to 375 g it is heavy for a first racket, and nobody has published a court test yet. By [Ruud Caris](https://padell.io/about/) · facts checked 5 October 2026 Choose it if - you are starting padel and want control and comfort over power - you like a soft, forgiving feel on off-center hits - you already know the Drive 3.4 and simply want the current version Skip it if - you want a light racket that is easy to swing, look at the adidas Drive Light 2026 instead - you need help generating power from the back of the court - you only buy rackets with published reviews, this one has none yet ## How it plays 7.7 **padell.io score 7.7** Play 8.4 (60%) and reviews 6.6 (40%). No independent reviews found yet, so that part starts low. [How the score works](https://padell.io/how-we-score/) - **Control**: 7.5 above average▲ - **Power**: 3.5 below average▼ - **Comfort**: 8.0 above average▲ - **Handling**: 5.0 around average● - **Forgiveness**: 7.5 above average▲ - **Line = the average of all rackets**: ▲ above ▼ below Everything below comes from the spec sheet, because no independent court test of this racket exists yet. - **Control** High, driven by the round shape, the even balance and the soft core, which together keep the ball on the face a fraction longer. - **Power** Low, the soft EVA and fiberglass faces absorb energy rather than return it, so you supply the pace yourself. - **Comfort** High, the soft core and fiberglass dampen vibration well, though the weight works against you on long sessions. - **Handling** Low, mainly because this is a lot of racket to move quickly at the net for a beginner. - **Forgiveness** High, the round shape and soft foam forgive hits away from the center. ## 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**: Fiberglass - **Core**: EVA Soft Performance Soft: comfort and ball exit, less control at high speed - **Thickness**: 38 mm The maximum the rules allow - **Head size**: 519 cm² - **Surface**: Smooth Not published by the brand: handle, 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%20Drive%202026) ## Video reviews 1 video from an independent channel or shop ## Every version [Compare all versions →](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive/generations/) [2025 · Same specs · € 61.92](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive-3-4/) 2026 · This racket · € 68.94 There are two versions of this line: the adidas Drive 3.4 from 2025 and this Drive 2026. On the published specs they are identical. Same round shape. Same even balance. Same EVA Soft Performance core. Same fiberglass faces, same 38 mm thickness, same 360 to 375 g weight, same Beginner label. The only open item is the balance in millimetres. The 3.4 listed 265 mm. The 2026 does not publish a figure, so a direct check is impossible. Which one should you look at? On specs it makes no difference. Choose on price and availability between the two, and do not pay extra for the newer year expecting a different racket. ## Price history Today **€ 56.00** Lowest in 30 days **€ 57.94** vs 30-day average **-12%** Lowest price per day across the shops in your market. Checked every night. The adidas Drive 2026 is, spec for spec, the same racket as last year's [adidas Drive 3.4](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive-3-4/). Every published number matches: [round shape](https://padell.io/guides/padel-racket-shapes/), even balance, EVA Soft Performance core, fiberglass faces, 38 mm thick, 360 to 375 g. Nothing in the shared spec list changed. That is the honest starting point for this page, and it shapes everything else you read here. ## Same racket, new year: the Drive 3.4 comparison [adidas](https://padell.io/brands/adidas/) labels this racket 2026, but the sheet underneath is the Drive 3.4's sheet. Same weight window. Same core. Same face material. Same 519 cm2 head. Even the target level, Beginner, carries over. What does that mean for you? Two things. First, if you have played the Drive 3.4 and liked it, this is that racket. Second, if you are comparing the two in a shop, pick on looks or availability, not on specs. There is no measured difference to chase. A changed label is a changed label. It is not a measured change. The Drive family Same year, from most power (left) to most control (right) **Drive** [**Light**](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive-light-2026/) ## 360 to 375 g on a beginner label: the heaviest part of the sheet Here is the one spec that deserves a second look. The Drive 2026 weighs between 360 and 375 g. That is a normal adult weight, but it sits at the top of what most beginners enjoy swinging. On court you notice this at the net. Fast exchanges ask you to move the racket head quickly, and mass works against that. The spec profile rates maneuverability Low, and the weight is the main driver. In defense, where you have more time, it matters less. What can you do about it? If weight is a concern, look at the [adidas Drive Light 2026](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive-light-2026/), the same recipe at 345 to 360 g, which pushes maneuverability up to High. If the standard window suits you, the Drive 2026 gives you the same control and comfort ratings with a bit more mass behind the ball. ## EVA Soft Performance under fiberglass: the comfort recipe in full The core is EVA Soft Performance, adidas's soft foam. The faces are fiberglass. That combination decides how the racket feels before anything else does. Soft foam compresses on contact and gives back slowly. The ball stays on the face a touch longer, which helps placement and takes the sting out of mishits. Fiberglass flexes more than carbon, adding to the same effect. Together they produce the High comfort rating and, on paper, a racket that is kind to your arm while you learn. The trade is power. Everything that absorbs energy also withholds it. The profile rates power Low, and both the core and the face pull in that direction. Smashes and fast viboras will need your own swing speed. Not a flaw, but a choice. This racket prioritizes keeping the ball in play over ending the point. ## Round, even, 519 cm2: where the High control and sweet spot come from Round shapes concentrate the playable area near the middle and spread the weight evenly. Add an even balance, and nothing pulls the head forward or back. The result, on paper, is the High control and High sweet spot in the profile. For a beginner this is the friendly end of the market. Off-center hits lose less. Blocks and chiquitas need less precision. The head measures 519 cm2 with a smooth surface, so there is no rough texture helping you add slice or topspin. Spin will come from your technique alone. adidas markets a Structural Reinforcement system and a grouped hole pattern for durability. Those are the brand's own claims, not measured facts, so treat them as intentions rather than proven strengths. ## No balance in millimetres, no court test: what you cannot know yet Two gaps are worth stating plainly. adidas does not publish the balance point in millimetres for this racket, only the label Even. The Drive 3.4 listed 265 mm, but assuming the same figure here would be a guess, so this page does not. The second gap is bigger. No independent review of the Drive 2026 exists yet. Nothing here comes from someone who played it. Everything follows from the specs, and specs cannot tell you how the foam behaves in cold weather or how the racket feels after two hours. If a published track record matters to you, check back once the first court tests appear, or compare it with an alternative such as the [Wilson Optix V1 Black](https://padell.io/rackets/wilson/optix-v1-black/) before deciding. ## Drive 2026, Drive Light 2026 or Wilson Optix V1 Black: picking your first round racket All three are round, soft-cored, fiberglass rackets aimed at newer players. All three rate High on control, comfort and sweet spot with Low power. The differences are in weight and level. The Drive Light 2026 is the same adidas build in a lighter window. If your arm tires quickly or you play a lot at the net, that is the more sensible pick. The Wilson Optix V1 Black sits at a fixed 370 g with a foam core. It targets beginner to intermediate players, so it stretches a little further as you improve. The Drive 2026 itself suits you if you want the standard weight, the adidas feel, and a racket that puts every spec into control and comfort. None of the three will hand you free power. That is the deal with this category. 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 [adidas Rx Series](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/rx-series/) · 8.5 [Compare side by side](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-drive-2026-vs-adidas-rx-series/) [adidas RX Series Red](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/rx-series-red/) · 7.7 [Compare side by side](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-drive-2026-vs-adidas-rx-series-red/) [adidas Drive 3.3 Vintage](https://padell.io/rackets/adidas/drive-3-3-vintage/) · 7.7 [Compare side by side](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-drive-2026-vs-adidas-drive-3-3-vintage/) [Dunlop Galaxy](https://padell.io/rackets/dunlop/galaxy/) · 7.7 [Compare side by side](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-drive-2026-vs-dunlop-galaxy/) [All rackets that play like the adidas Drive 2026 →](https://padell.io/alternatives/adidas/drive-2026/) ## Questions before you buy **Is the adidas Drive 2026 the same as the Drive 3.4?** On every published spec, yes. Shape, core, faces, weight, thickness and level all match. The only unknown is the balance in millimetres, which the 2026 does not publish. **Is the adidas Drive 2026 good for beginners?** That is its stated level, and the specs support it: High control, comfort and sweet spot with Low power. The caveat is the 360 to 375 g weight, which is heavy for a first racket. Consider the Drive Light 2026 if that worries you. **What is the difference between the Drive 2026 and the Drive Light 2026?** Weight. The Light runs 345 to 360 g against 360 to 375 g here, with the same round shape and soft core. That lifts its maneuverability rating from Low to High. **Is the adidas Drive 2026 easy on the arm?** On paper, yes. The soft EVA core and fiberglass faces dampen vibration well and the comfort rating is High. The weight is the only factor working against you over long sessions. **Is the Drive 2026 worth the money right now?** Today's price is labelled "Good value" 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 adidas Rx Series plays most alike. Differences: comfort +1.0. Today: € 84.95. [Compare side by side →](https://padell.io/compare/adidas-drive-2026-vs-adidas-rx-series/) **Who should not buy it?** Skip it if you want easy power for smashes (power 3.5/10). **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/)