Adidas Metalbone 3.4

From the baseline, the Soft Performance core sets the tone: its high reactivity launches the ball effortlessly at low speeds, even on cold winter days. When the rally speeds up, the ball does not sink excessively into the core either, though that generous rebound requires a measured swing—follow through too much and it is easy to send the ball straight into the back glass.

Despite offering a large sweet spot for a diamond-shaped racket, its head-heavy balance penalizes you in tight defensive situations. Digging balls out at your feet or turning quickly in the corners takes more effort than with rivals like a Vertex or an AT10 Attack 18K, though it handles more smoothly from the back than its stiffer sibling, the Metalbone HRD+ 3.4.

At the net, it shows two very different sides depending on who holds the initiative. When you set your feet in time to strike out in front, the combination of the aluminized 16K carbon face and the head-heavy balance lets you punch deep volleys with a full, deep sound.

The trouble starts in fast reflex exchanges and when blocking heavy drives from your opponents. Because it is somewhat heavy to move, you arrive a fraction late on direction changes, and the very high ball exit makes the ball pop off the face too much on block volleys, taking away precision when you just want to absorb pace.

Up top is where its construction really shines. The momentum generated by the 13 cm handle and the more compact throat creates noticeable leverage on bandejas and viboras, driving the ball deep with pace without having to force your arm. The 3D textured finish, while subtle to the touch, bites the ball well and prevents slipping despite the glossy faces.

On the smash, it generates power with ease, especially on the x3 smash, where the reactive core helps kick the ball up and out. It only has two clear limits: on flat smashes it absorbs a bit more impact and has a lower power ceiling than the Hard version; and if you make contact in the upper-middle zone just below the tip, the response turns much stiffer and gives noticeably less ball exit than in the center.

Its medium-soft feel is easy on the arm and delivers a more elastic response at impact than most attacking rackets. However, one detail on the handle hurts everyday usability: the wrist strap exits from the side of the butt cap and feels awkward against the wrist, which also forces you to hit with the same face all the time and hurts long-term durability.

Compared to the previous year’s Metalbone 3.3, this edition takes a clear step toward offense with a more pronounced diamond-shaped racket profile, a higher balance, and a slightly livelier core. That translates into heavier punch and faster ball speed overhead, at the cost of a slightly smaller sweet spot and less agility in defense and rapid volley exchanges.

If you are torn between this and the Metalbone HRD+ 3.4, the choice comes down to your arm strength. The Soft Performance core version is lighter, carries a lower balance, and gives you a slightly larger sweet spot, whereas the Hard version demands more arm but rewards you with better control when blocking heavy shots and a higher ceiling on flat smashes.