adidas Drive Padel Racket 2026
Be the first to review- Round head
- 360 to 375 g
- Fibreglass face and frame
£58.49
£70
Save 16%Price includes VAT · UK stock · no customs charges · free UK delivery
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- Tracked UK delivery in 3 to 4 working days · free over £40, £3.95 below
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Complete your kit
Grip, protector and padel balls for the adidas Drive Black 2026 Padel Racket
The three things every racket order needs, together about £15. Free delivery over £40.
- £58.49
£8.99
£4.15
£5.50
Total £77.13· free UK delivery
adidas Drive Padel Racket 2026
£58.49
The adidas Drive padel racket is adidas's plain round entry racket: fibreglass face and frame, an EVA Soft Performance core, a medium-soft feel and a weight of 360 to 375 g. It is for beginners and for players coming back after a break who want a calm, forgiving racket and nothing fancy.
Padelful scores the 2026 Drive Black 6.1 overall, with quick handling at 6.9 and an unremarkable 5.5 for the sweet spot. Its own line is that this is comfort first, power second. This page tells you what that means and who should buy something else.
- Round head
- 360 to 375 g
- Fibreglass face and frame
- EVA Soft Performance core
- Padelful overall 6.1
- Beginner
| Brand | adidas |
|---|---|
| Model | Drive Black 2026 (Drive Blue is the same racket) |
| Shape | Round |
| Balance | Medium; no millimetre figure published |
| Weight | 360 to 375 g |
| Face and frame | Fibreglass |
| Core | EVA Soft Performance |
| Feel | Medium-soft |
| Level | Beginner |
Weights are the midpoint of the brand’s range; every frame varies by a few grams. Balance is in the brand’s words (low, medium, high).
- Dispatch and delivery
- Tracked UK delivery in 3 to 4 working days. You get a tracking link when the parcel is scanned.
- Cost
- Free over £40, £3.95 below.
- UK stock, VAT included
- No customs charges, no handling fees on arrival.
- On arrival
- Damaged in transit? A photo within 48 hours and we sort a replacement.
The fine print: delivery page.
Changed your mind: tell us within 30 days and return it unused for a refund. Keep the protective film and grip wrapper on a racket until you are sure. Damaged in transit: email photos to info@padeldepot.co.uk within 48 hours. Faulty later: covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. All of it: returns.
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Reviews come from buyers only and are shown unedited. Bought it? Reply to your dispatch email or write to info@padeldepot.co.uk.
Built for steps 1 to 2 of 6
Which level is the adidas Drive Black 2026 Padel Racket for?
By Tushan Das, Owner, Padel Depot · Updated
adidas Drive review: calm, soft and easy
Padelful's testers describe a calm, easygoing round racket with a soft response and enough stability to keep beginners swinging with confidence. It handles quickly at the net, stays stable on off-centre contact and has an easy, centred sweet spot.
What it does not do is hit. Padelful lists limited power, a soft finish on volleys and overheads that need clean mechanics, and says it is not a weapon for fast finishing. That is the point of an entry racket. It asks little of you and gives little back, which is exactly what a first-month player needs.
One note: the 5.5 for sweet spot looks harsh next to the text, which calls the sweet spot easy and centred. Entry rackets sit at the bottom of Padelful's scale, so read the numbers as a rank, not as a verdict.
Show this as text
| Rating | Score out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Manoeuvrability | 6.9 |
| Power | 6.2 |
| Control | 6.2 |
| Rebound | 5.6 |
| Sweet spot | 5.5 |
A calm round racket for new players. Overall 6.1. Comfort first, power second, as Padelful puts it. Scores out of 10, Padelful, Drive Black 2026 (scale starts at 5).
Drive or Match?
The two entry adidas rackets score alike. The Drive is round; the Match is listed as a hybrid or teardrop, and Padelful's numbers for the two sit within a few tenths of each other. Pick the Drive if you want the plainest round head. Last season's Drive 3.4 is nearly identical on paper and worth a look if it is reduced. Take the Match if you want a shape that leans a little towards attack.
One source, Padel Passion, calls the Drive an attacking diamond. That contradicts Padelful and the adidas licensee's sheet, both of which say round, so we go with round.
Swipe sideways for every column
| Racket | Shape | Weight | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive | Round | 360 to 375 g | You want the plainest round head |
| Drive Light | Round | 345 to 360 g | You want it lighter |
| RX Series | Round | 360 to 375 g | You want a step-up build |
| Match | Hybrid | 360 to 375 g | You want a hybrid shape |
Weights from the All For Padel (adidas licensee) 2026 sheets.
Who should buy something else
Players who already rally with confidence and want pace, and anyone who needs a lively face. A soft fibreglass racket tops out quickly, and an improving player will want the next step inside a season. See the intermediate padel rackets page, or try the fibreglass Metalbone Team Light for a step up in handling. The fibreglass Cross It Team Ctrl is another soft round option. For a limited design on a similar soft build, there is the England World Cup racket.
Not for you if
You want power, you want a crisp feel on volleys, or you are already past the first few months of padel. The Drive is a starting point.
What goes with a Drive
Fit a racket protector and a fresh adidas overgrip, and see the padel grips page for others. A tube of adidas Speed RX balls and our padel balls guide cover the next bit, then padel shoes and a padel bag.
Compare other starters on the beginner padel racket page and the cheap padel racket page, and read our guide to choosing a padel racket. The full padel racket range covers the rest.
adidas Drive Padel Racket 2026: questions people ask
Is the adidas Drive the same as the Drive Light?
Is the adidas Drive a good beginner padel racket?
Is the adidas Drive round or diamond?
What is the difference between the Drive Black and the Drive Blue?
Is the adidas Drive worth upgrading from?
How do I look after a fibreglass padel racket?
More from the adidas family
Still comparing? The full range of padel rackets sits on one page, sorted by level, shape and weight, and the best padel racket for beginners page narrows it to your level.
Tracked, 3 to 4 working days
Every parcel tracked. Free over £40, £3.95 below.
30-day returns
Unused gear back within 30 days for a refund.
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A registered UK company, registered office in London.
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