adidas Drive 3.4 Padel Racket (Black, 2025)

Padelful calls the Drive 3.4 a racket with superb control for its level, and its numbers back the handling half of that: manoeuvrability is the top score at 7.0. The text says it stays light in the hand, with quick reactions for volleys and drop shots at the net.

Power is the other side. At 5.8 it is the soft end of the soft end, and Padelful warns that defending can take more effort than you would like. Rebound is 5.7 and the sweet spot 5.5, even though the review text praises the sweet spot's size. Those two lines disagree, and we would not read much into either.

A Dutch review lists it as lighter, 340 to 360 g, with a low-to-medium balance. Most listings say 360 to 375 g and one reviewer calls the balance even. Expect a light-feeling racket and check the box when it arrives.

The adidas Drive 2026 scores almost the same: 6.1 overall, with power at 6.2 against 5.8 here. Both are round and fibreglass with the same core. If the older racket is reduced, you give up very little.

The lighter Drive Light is the other member of the family, and the Match is the hybrid-shaped alternative if you want something with a bit more bite.

Anyone who already rallies with confidence. A soft fibreglass racket with a score of 5.8 for power will feel flat once your swing speed improves, and Padelful says defence takes extra effort. Look at the intermediate padel rackets page or the Metalbone Team Light.

Add a racket protector, a fresh adidas overgrip and a tube of adidas Speed RX balls. The padel grips and padel balls pages cover the options, and the right padel shoes matter more than a first racket upgrade.

Other starters are on the beginner padel racket and cheap padel racket pages, our guide to choosing a padel racket explains the trade-offs, and the full padel racket range covers the rest.