Best for intermediate attacking players
Intermediate players who want the Metalbone family's attacking diamond shape without the stiffness or price of the Carbon CTRL tier above it. It suits a player who commits to the net, the smash, and the overhead game, and who values a slightly more forgiving response over the sharpest possible feedback. Players newer to the game, or those specifically building a defensive or all court style, are better served by a lighter, more neutral racket; the Metalbone Team Light, with its round shape and lower balance, sits closer to that profile within the same family.
Specifications
- Shape
- Diamond
- Weight
- 360 to 375 g
- Touch
- Medium-soft
- Balance
- Head-heavy
- Core
- EVA Soft Performance
- Faces
- Fiberglass
- Frame
- Carbon fiber
- Level
- Intermediate
Overview of the adidas Metalbone Team 2026
The adidas Metalbone Team 2026 is the accessible entry point into adidas's Metalbone family, sitting below the Metalbone CTRL and Metalbone Carbon CTRL in both price and face material, and distinct from the differently shaped, lower balance Metalbone Team Light. It keeps the family's carbon tubular frame and octagonal section, but pairs it with fiberglass faces and an EVA Soft Performance core rather than the harder carbon faces used higher up the range. The result is a diamond, head heavy racket built for attacking play, positioned as the more approachable option within a family that otherwise leans toward stiffer, more expensive constructions.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Comfortable, forgiving response for a diamond shaped, head heavy racket.
- Stable, controlled net play and touch shots.
- Reduced torsion on off centre contact thanks to the Octagonal Structure.
- More accessible price and softer feel than the carbon faced Metalbone CTRL and Carbon CTRL.
Cons
- Smash and flat power fall short of the carbon faced models higher in the range.
- Defense still needs early preparation on fast, low balls.
- Overhead shots trade some pace for control compared with a stiffer diamond racket.
- Maneuverability is average rather than a strong point, typical of the head heavy diamond shape.
Technologies & Materials
- Frame — adidas's Octagonal Structure, a carbon tubular construction with an octagonal cross section designed to reduce torsion for more precise shots;
- Low Poly — the polyhedral design of the frame and core, adding stiffness and power;
- Extra Power Grip — lengthens the handle to add inertia and power on every shot;
- Spin Blade Gritt — a textured finish on the fiberglass faces that helps generate spin;
- Smart Holes Curve — adidas's spin oriented hole pattern;
- Structural Reinforcement — adds perimeter durability against twisting;
- Core — EVA Soft Performance, a softer compound than the Hard EVA or higher density carbon cores used elsewhere in the Metalbone range.
What Makes the adidas Metalbone Team 2026 Special
The Metalbone Team 2026 keeps the carbon tubular frame and octagonal section that define the wider Metalbone range, engineered to reduce torsion on off centre contact, but combines it with fiberglass faces instead of carbon. That pairing, together with the EVA Soft Performance core, gives the racket a softer, more forgiving response than its carbon faced siblings while keeping the same attacking diamond shape and head heavy balance.
Gallery
How it Feels on the Court
Defense
Defense benefits from the softer core more than the rest of the Metalbone range does: a driven lob still needs an early, prepared swing, but the response is less punishing on a slightly late or rushed contact than on the carbon faced Metalbone models.
Important
It still asks for real preparation on low, fast balls, and it is not built to make defense effortless.
Net Play
Volleys hold up well at the net, with stable, controlled contact rather than the sharpest possible pace. A player can close space and hold an angle confidently, and touch shots like the chiquita place without the ball jumping off the face unpredictably.
Bandeja & Víbora
Overhead shots come off with manageable, controlled penetration when the swing is committed, though the softer fiberglass faces trade some of the sharpest pace for a steadier, more controlled response.
Advice
The bandeja and víbora both reward a full swing more than a delicate, guided one.
Smash
The smash carries real pace when contact is clean, helped by the Octagonal Structure resisting twist on off centre hits, though it does not have the explosive top end of the carbon faced Metalbone CTRL.
Maneuverability
Head speed is moderate, shaped by the head heavy balance rather than the weight itself. Transitioning from defense to attack takes a beat of preparation, typical of a diamond shape at this balance.
Forgiveness
The sweet spot reads as generous for a diamond racket. Off centre contact loses some pace but stays playable rather than falling apart, and the Smart Holes Curve pattern helps extend that margin slightly beyond the immediate centre.
Comfort
Comfort is one of the racket's stronger points relative to the rest of the Metalbone range.
Note
The EVA Soft Performance core and fiberglass faces produce a noticeably softer impact than the carbon faced models above it, with less harsh feedback on mishits.
Conclusion
The adidas Metalbone Team 2026 brings the Metalbone family's carbon tubular frame and octagonal section to a more accessible tier, pairing them with fiberglass faces and an EVA Soft Performance core for a softer, more forgiving response than the Carbon CTRL models above it. It holds up well at the net and offers a genuinely playable sweet spot for a diamond shape, while asking for more preparation in defense and giving up some raw power on the smash. It suits an advanced player who wants the Metalbone shape and attacking intent without the stiffness or price of the range's carbon faced tiers, more than a player chasing the sharpest possible pace.
Where to buy Adidas Metalbone Team 2026
- Racket
- Adidas
- 7 minutes
- John Macallan
