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Our Verdict
7.0/10Best for: Players who want tunable weight and balance
Ale Galán's latest edition earns its score on one feature rather than an all-round profile. The Weight & Balance system gives you up to 12g of removable inserts, so the same frame plays at 345g for quick doubles or 372g for power singles — genuinely three rackets in one. Around that, the Carbon Aluminized 16K surface holds stiffness through temperature swings, the Low Poly polyhedral frame adds rigidity at the impact points, and Spin Blade 3D grips the ball on cuts. The honest caveats: the base weight is light without inserts, and the soft EVA core does soften in the cold.
Check Price on Amazon →Specs at a Glance
| Shape | Diamond |
| Weight | 345–360g (+12g adjustable) |
| Core | EVA Soft Performance |
| Surface | Carbon Aluminized 16K |
| Frame | Carbon, Low Poly structure |
| Price | $304.50 |
How It Scores
An 8 for power against a 6 for comfort is the standard diamond-shape trade, and the Metalbone 3.4 does not dodge it. The balance sits high, which is what puts mass behind an overhead — and it is also what makes a mishit low on the face feel like nothing at all. This is a racket for players whose contact point is already consistent.
What separates it from every other diamond we have scored is that the trade is adjustable. Pull the inserts and you are at 345g, quick enough through the hands to defend a net exchange; load all 12g and you are at 372g with the extra mass sitting where the smash needs it. Most players will find one setting and stay there, but the ability to change your mind after a month — without buying a second racket — is worth something real, and it is the reason this frame sits in our guide as the customization pick.
The 16K aluminized carbon face is the other spec worth understanding. Aluminized carbon holds its stiffness as temperature moves, so the face plays consistently on a cold morning and a hot afternoon — a genuine advantage if your club is outdoors. The soft EVA core does not share that property and will feel duller in winter, so the racket as a whole still changes with the weather, just less than most.
Who It's For — and Who Should Skip It
Buy the Metalbone 3.4 if you are an advanced player who finishes points overhead and genuinely wants to tune the frame — if the insert system is just a spec sheet line to you, you are paying $304.50 for a feature you will not use. It also suits anyone playing outdoors year-round, where the aluminized face earns its keep.
Skip it if you are still developing consistency. A 6/10 comfort score on a high-balance diamond frame is unforgiving, and there are better ways to spend $300 while your contact point is still moving. Skip it too if you want maximum power for the money: the power rackets guide has cheaper frames that hit as hard, they just will not let you re-weight them.
Alternatives Worth Considering
The obvious cross-shop is Agustín Tapia's frame — our NOX AT10 Genius 18K review covers the teardrop that scores 7.3/10 at $272 and asks less of your technique. Within the Adidas family, the Metalbone HRD+ at $279.99 gives a similar power profile without the insert system. And if the diamond shape is what you came for, our best diamond padel rackets guide ranks the full field.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Weight & Balance system work?
The racket ships with up to 12g of removable inserts that seat inside the frame. With them out you're playing a 345g racket that moves quickly at the net; fully loaded you're at 372g with noticeably more mass behind the smash. It's the same frame either way — you're moving where the weight sits, not swapping rackets.
Is the Metalbone 3.4 good for intermediate players?
Only at the top of that range. It's a diamond-shape racket scoring 8/10 for power against 6/10 for comfort, so the sweet spot sits high and mishits are punished. If you're still mishitting regularly, our intermediate guide has teardrop frames that will serve you better and cost less.
Metalbone 3.4 vs Metalbone HRD+ — which one?
The 3.4 is the Ale Galán signature edition with the Weight & Balance inserts and a Carbon Aluminized 16K face at $304.50. The HRD+ is the harder-feeling sibling at $279.99. Buy the 3.4 if the adjustability matters to you; if it doesn't, the HRD+ saves you money for a similar power profile.
Does it play differently in cold weather?
Yes, and it cuts both ways. The Carbon Aluminized 16K surface holds its stiffness across temperature swings better than plain carbon, which is a real advantage outdoors. But the soft EVA core still softens in the cold, so the racket loses some pop on winter mornings even though the face doesn't.