Adidas Metalbone Team 3.4 Padel Racket vs Babolat Viper Air Padel Racket — Padel Rackets Comparison UK 2026

Just under £50 separates the entry-level from the genuinely intermediate. The Adidas Arrow Hit at £113 is a round-shape EVA Soft frame aimed squarely at improvers - forgiving 8/10 sweet spot, mid-265mm balance, easy to swing through the ball. The Babolat Viper Air at £160 is a teardrop with a stiffer hybrid carbon face and a slightly higher balance, which means more pop and more spin potential but a tighter forgiveness zone on off-centre hits. If you're under 18 months in, the Arrow Hit will flatter your game and reward your worst days; if you've been playing two years and your technique is settling, the Viper Air is the more rewarding frame and will keep teaching you. Buy the Adidas Arrow Hit if you're a beginner-to-early-improver who wants forgiveness above all else, otherwise go for the Babolat Viper Air. UK clubs see a lot of Arrow Hits in beginner courses for good reason - it's a confidence-builder. The Viper is exactly what you graduate into when you're ready, and the £45-50 step up is fair for what it adds.