Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.4 Padel Racket vs Babolat Counter Viper Padel Racket — Padel Rackets Comparison UK 2026

Big spec gap — but the price gap has flipped. The Metalbone CTRL 3.4 at £158 is tour-spec: 18K carbon, EVA Hard Performance core, diamond shape, high balance, Smart Holes. Surgical at speed, brutal on mishits.

The Babolat Counter Viper at £170 is the all-levels Viper variant, friendlier than the Technical Viper, with enough Viper character to feel competitive but without the unforgiving edge of a flagship diamond. And here's the twist: it's now slightly the dearer racket — the Metalbone undercuts it by about £10.

My take: - Metalbone CTRL if you're playing tournaments and chasing the absolute top of the control category — the 18K carbon is a real, felt difference, and for once the tour frame isn't the expensive option. - Counter Viper if you want a properly capable racket you can actually relax with, and you're realistic about your level.

For most UK players this is still straightforward, just for a different reason than it used to be. The Metalbone is the cheaper buy now, but it only reveals itself at a high standard and punishes you every time your technique slips. Forgiveness is worth paying a tenner extra for. Tournament-level players, though, are getting tour kit at a mild discount.