The adidas Metalbone Ctrl 3.4 changes exactly one thing compared with the 3.3. The face goes from Carbon Aluminized 2 to 1 to Carbon Aluminized 16K. Everything else carries over. Same EVA Soft Performance core, same round shape, same even balance, same 345 to 360 g weight window, same 38 mm frame. If you know the 3.3, you largely know this racket.
16K instead of 2 to 1: the one change since the 3.3
The face is now Carbon Aluminized 16K, the same carbon adidas lists for the 2026 successor. A 16K weave is a stiffer facing than the older 2 to 1 layup on paper. Stiffer face, same soft core underneath. That pairing shapes everything else about this racket: a firm surface over a forgiving middle.
The 3.3 also listed pro player Lorena Rufo. For the 3.4, no pro player is published. That is a label change, not a spec change.
If you want the full side-by-side, see the Metalbone Ctrl 3.4 versus the 3.3.
Round, even, soft EVA: the control recipe underneath
The shape is round and the balance is even. That combination keeps the racket calm in the hand. You direct the ball rather than launch it.
The core is EVA Soft Performance. Soft foam absorbs impact and widens the zone where the ball still goes where you aimed. On paper that means a large sweet spot and comfort on late, defensive contact.
The cost is power. Soft core plus round shape plus even balance rates low for power. The stiff 16K face pushes back a little, but smashes still need your arm. Not a racket that finishes points for you, but one that rarely gives points away.
The surface is Spin Blade Decal, as adidas lists it. The head measures 485 cm2 and the frame is carbon, 38 mm thick.
A weight system you tune, and reviewers who heard it differently
The Weight & Balance System lets you add or remove small weights on the frame. Adidas says you can shift weight by up to 11.2 g and move the balance toward control or power. Treat that as the brand's claim, not a measured figure for this model.
That adjustability matters because the stock setup is control-first. If the low power bothers you, the screws are the fix adidas provides.
Extremely agile or slower in volleys: where the court tests split
Four video reviewers played this racket on court. They do not agree.
Padel Review called it extremely agile and easy to handle. Dani 13 found the opposite: worse handling than the previous version, plus slower movement in volleys and direction changes, and more demanding play at high speeds. Same racket, two opposing conclusions.
Virgin Active Padel Club ZA landed in the middle, praising the stability and precision in defence and the large, forgiving sweet spot. The Padel Reviews channel also found it easy to handle and control-focused.
How do you read that? The specs support the agile camp: round shape, even balance, 345 g at the light end. But the 16K face is stiffer than the 3.3's, and stiffer faces can feel slower on quick exchanges. If fast net play is your game, the disagreement is a reason to try before buying.
No arm discomfort here, a trampoline effect there: reading the comfort claims
Comfort splits the reviewers too. Padel Review said it no longer caused arm discomfort, an improvement over the previous version. The Padel Reviews channel found the core too soft for its taste and noted a noticeable trampoline effect.
Those are personal reactions, not measurements. The EVA Soft Performance core is genuinely soft, and soft cores produce a springier contact than hard ones. If you like a crisp, direct hit, that trampoline feel may annoy you. If your elbow complains, the soft core plus the reported lack of arm discomfort is encouraging. Medium comfort is the honest middle.
Ctrl 3.4, Carbon Ctrl 3.4 or Stiga ACE 3: picking your round control racket
Adidas sells a second round control model this year, the Metalbone Carbon Ctrl 3.4. It swaps the 16K face for 6K carbon and runs heavier at 360 to 375 g, with comfort rated high instead of medium. Same idea, more weight.
Outside adidas, the Stiga ACE 3 matches this racket almost line for line: round, control high, power low, sweet spot high, at a fixed 360 g. See the full comparison with the Stiga ACE 3. Its lighter sibling, the ACE 3 LW, adds maneuverability rated high.
Pick the Ctrl 3.4 when you want the adjustable weight system and the stiffer face. Pick the others when you want a fixed setup or a softer hit.
