Alright, let’s talk about the new Adidas Metalbone 3.4 HRD+ 2025. If you’ve been watching Ale Galán play lately, you’ve seen him wielding this thing, and like me, you’ve probably wondered: is it really as beastly as it looks?
I’ve spent a good amount of time with this racket now, and I’m ready to give you the real story – no marketing fluff, just what it actually feels like to play with it. So, if you’re an advanced player looking for that extra gear, grab a seat. This might be the racket for you, but you need to know what you’re getting into.
First Impressions: It Just Looks Mean
You know that feeling when you pick up a racket and it just feels… serious? That’s the Adidas Metalbone 3.4 HRD+ 2025. The moment I took it out of the plastic, it felt less like a piece of sports equipment and more like a carefully engineered weapon. The sharp lines, the aggressive red on black, the gritty sandpaper finish on the face – it all screams power.
It’s got that classic diamond shape, so you can feel the weight is tipped towards the top. It wants to fly through the ball. But it’s not a heavy log, either. The base weight is light enough that you feel like you can still whip it around. It’s an interesting, and frankly, exciting combination.
My First Hit: A Humbling and Thrilling Experience
I’ll be honest with you, my first hour on the court with the HRD+ was a rollercoaster. The first smash I really connected with was just absurd. The sound, the speed, the way the ball exploded off the face – it was addictive. You immediately understand why Galán can hit winners from anywhere. This racket has a cannon built into it. That’s thanks to its super-stiff combo: a hard “High Memory” EVA foam core wrapped in a 16K aluminized carbon face. In plain English, it feels like hitting the ball with a powerful, high-tech plank. There’s zero sag, zero mushiness, just pure energy transfer.
But then came the humbling part. I tried to dink a soft ball into the kitchen, and it flew halfway up the back glass. I tried to block a fast body shot, and if I wasn’t perfectly centered, the ball died. The sweet spot is not your friend. It’s small, it’s high up on the face, and it demands your full attention. This racket doesn’t give out freebies. It makes you earn every single shot.
Getting to Know the Beast: What Makes It Tick?
After that initial shock, I started to figure it out. You don’t need to swing for the fences to generate pace. The racket does the heavy lifting. The key is to use a compact swing and trust that the technology will provide the power. Once I started doing that, my consistency went way up.
The spin you can generate is just nasty. That gritty “Spin Blade” surface really bites the ball. My viboras and bandejas were diving and skidding in ways that gave my opponents fits. You can be so creative with angles and effects because you know the racket will grip the ball for you.
And then there’s the famous Weight & Balance System – those little screws in the throat. I started with all of them in, which is max power mode. It felt great on smashes but a little slow in fast volley exchanges. So, I took them all out. The racket instantly felt quicker and easier to handle, but I lost some of that “heavy ball” feeling on my overheads. After some tinkering, I found my sweet spot with just the two middle screws in. It gave me a great compromise of power and speed. You absolutely have to play around with this feature; it’s a game-changer for personalizing the racket.
Mastering Customization: A Practical Guide to the Weight & Balance System
The Weight & Balance System is a characteristic of the Metalbone series and is made up of six screws in the racket throat providing 11.2grams. Fathoming how this racket functions is the secret to releasing the weapon’s full power.
- Amended Configuration (All Weights In): This setting will make your frame the most head-heavy, giving you the most power. It is excellent for generating the most power on smashes and has a lot of stability. But it’s also the least nimble.
- Lightweight Configuration (All Weights Out): You will feel that the racket is significantly more maneuverable and head light. This is for players who want the fastest reaction time at the net or who find the default setup to be a bit too much of a good thing over the course of a long match. You will be trading away some brute force.
- The Strategic Configurations (Partial Weights): This is fine-tuning, right here. Takes off the 4 outer screws & leaves the two screws from the middle allows the ideal combination of power and spin. What you should be doing is trying the outer ends first, and then start with partials so that you can ease yourself into what fits your own personal set up.
Performance at a Glance: A Detailed Breakdown
Let’s rate the racket’s performance attributes on a scale of one to five, giving you a clear picture of its strengths and weaknesses.
Power and Smashes (5/5):
It stands at the pinnacle of power. Every single feature, from its diamond shape to its dense core, is engineered for maximum explosive force. It simply does not get more powerful than this.
Control (2.5/5):
This is the racket’s biggest trade-off. It demands precision and excellent technique from the player. You can certainly control the ball, but the racket itself offers very little assistance, which is a deliberate design choice to maximize power.
Feel & Comfort (2.5/5):
The racket is extremely stiff and hard, which advanced players often describe as a “direct” and “connected” feel. However, it is not a comfortable racket. It transmits a lot of feedback directly to your arm and is unforgiving on off-center hits.
Maneuverability (3/5):
In its default, powerful state with all weights in, it can feel a bit sluggish in fast exchanges. However, because its baseline weight is low, removing the weights makes it significantly faster and more agile. This rating represents an average of its customizable potential.
Spin (5/5):
The Spin Blade Decal is one of the most effective rough surfaces on the market. It grips the ball incredibly well, allowing you to generate heavy, venomous spin on serves, viboras, and kick smashes.
Sweet Spot (2.5/5):
It is small, demanding, and unforgiving. Located high on the racket face, it requires consistent, clean contact. If you miss it, you’ll notice a significant loss of power and control.
Defense (2.5/5):
This is a challenging aspect of its use. The combination of the hard touch, small sweet spot, and head-heavy balance makes digging balls out of the back corner a difficult task that requires high levels of skill and anticipation.
Durability (5/5):
This racket is built like a tank. The high-end carbon construction, Power Groove, and Octagonal Structure make for a very robust and durable frame that is designed to withstand the rigors of professional play.
The Reality Check: Who Should NOT Buy This Racket?
Look, I love this racket, but it’s my duty to tell you who it’s not for.
If you’re a beginner or intermediate player, please stay away. It will hurt your arm and your confidence. It’s too stiff, too demanding, and the small sweet spot will make you miserable. If you play a defensive, control-oriented game and win points with placement and patience, this is not your racket. It’s like trying to paint a watercolor with a sledgehammer. It’s clumsy for the soft game and will fight you on every delicate touch shot.
This racket is for the strong, technically sound attacker who lives at the net and whose game revolves around overwhelming the opponent. It’s for the player who already has good control and is looking to add a layer of brutal power to their game.
Sizing Up the Competition
So, you’re probably wondering how it stacks up against the other big dogs. The main rivals are the Babolat Technical Viper and the Bullpadel Vertex.
Think of the Babolat Technical Viper as another purebred racehorse, but with a slightly different ride. It’s also a stiff, diamond-shaped cannon, but it feels a little bit “rawer” to me, with more vibration. Babolat puts a lot of tech into dampening that, but the Metalbone just feels more solid, more like one solid piece.
The Bullpadel Vertex is like the powerful older brother who is a bit more forgiving. It has a core that’s hard on the outside but softer on the inside, which gives it a slightly kinder feel on off-center hits. It’s still a power racket through and through, but it has a slightly wider margin for error than the Metalbone.
The Adidas Metalbone 3.4 HRD+ 2025 is the specialist of the group. It’s the stiffest, most direct, and most customizable of the three. It’s for the player who wants to feel every single vibration and control every aspect of their power.
Living with a Pro Racket: Durability and Care
A racket like this is an investment. To protect it, use a frame protector, avoid leaving it in extreme temperatures (like a hot car), and transport it in a thermal-lined bag. With proper care, its pro-level construction will serve you for hundreds of hours of intense play.
So, is it worth it?
If you are the right player for it, then 100% yes. Taming this racket is a journey, but when you do, it feels like you’ve unlocked a new level in your game. The power and confidence it gives you on attacking shots are unmatched. It makes you want to be aggressive, to take charge of the point, and to end it with authority. It’s not just a racket; it’s a statement.
If you think you have what it takes to handle the Adidas Metalbone 3.4 HRD+ 2025 and want to add some serious firepower to your game, you won’t be disappointed.
FAQ – PADEL IMPROVEMENT
How to get better at padel?
You will need regular practice, hit on the walls and watch matches of professionals. Read this Article – How to play Padel Tennis.
How can I improve my Service?
For more information on Padel Service, please read the Article – Best Padel Serve Techniques
Can I know more about the Rules of Padel Tennis?
Absolutely, for a beginner-friendly explanation of the Rules of Padel Tennis, please have a look at the Article – Rules of Padel Tennis. For Official Rules, please download the official rules of Internatlonal Padel Federation here.
FAQ – PADEL FOR CHILDREN
At what age should children start Padel Tennis for children?
Children as young as 4 can start out with foam balls and mini-rackets. The majority of clubs are for ages 5–15.
How does padel improve teamwork in kids?
Doubles requires constant communication and mutual strategies; collaboration is natural.
Can padel help academically?
Doubles requires constant communication and mutual strategies; collaboration is natural.
What is a good reason why padel is safer than tennis for little kids?
Enclosed courts, slower balls, and lighter gear reduce injury risks significantly.
Is there any competitive padel opportunity for kids?
Absolutely! Try to look for Junior leagues that offer Padel tournaments for under-12 and teen divisions. the positive impact of padel tennis on children
FAQ – PADEL EQUIPMENT
Do I need special padel tennis attire?
Please read the Article – Top Padel Clothing Essentials.
Do you have a checklist of padel tennis essentials I’ll need?
Could you recommend which padel balls I should use?
Please read the Article – Best Padel Balls.
Planning a Padel Tournament?
Use our Free Tool and get the schedule in seconds.
FAQ – PADEL TENNIS COURT
Is it possible to erect a padel court in my garden?
Installation is possible with a minimum area of 10m × 20m, subject to local zoning approval. For more information, Read this Article.
How much the cost of a padel court?
A typical padel court can range from AED 335,000 to AED 1,113,000, depending on materials, location and amenities. See the full cost breakdown here: Article – How much does it cost to build a padel court.
What about lighting required for the padel court – what advice can you give on that?
Please have a read through on the Article – Essential Padel Lighting Tips.
