Our verdict and review for the Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1 after testing the racket is that it is an awesome racket for the offensive player who is at a Beginner – Intermediate level. This racket also has a Diamond shape which gives you more offensive qualities.
Adidas new padel rackets are not only really aesthetically pleasing, they also have a really good quality. The price level is neither the lowest nor the highest compared to competitors.
We have tested the racket!
Mikael at Elitepadel has tested the Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1. In this video you can see us test play and review the racket.
See our test and review on Youtube!
Our opinion after testing the Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1:
Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1 is the update of the previous Adipower Lite where the impact surface has been upgraded to carbon fiber instead. This model has a top-heavy balance and a diamond shape but also with a soft core which makes the control in the racket very good. When I tried this racquet, I found it very easy to get right to the ball and the racket also extracts really good speed from the ball. Thanks to the relatively large sweetspot, this is a rack I would recommend to the recreational player looking for an offensive choice of rack.
Content of the review
Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1 characteristics
Below we review the Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1 and the racket’s features. In addition to the features, the racket is aesthetically beautiful with fine lines and nice coloring.
| Rackets specifications | |
| Brand | Head |
| Shape | Diamond |
| Balance | High |
| Game type | Offensive |
| Game Level | Beginner – Intermediate |
| Weight | 360 – 375 g |
Material
A racket that is reinforced with carbon fiber in the frame, with their new strong technology Graphene 360+, so it becomes a harder racket and more durable. The Power Foam core dampens vibrations in the racket, while providing proper power to the player.
The balance
The high balance combined with a larger sweetspot provides both good power for the high balls and more chances for powerful ball strikes.
Racket shape
This racket has a diamond shape, which provides more power in the game. As it gives more stiffness to the racket, and despite this racket shape, there is still a larger sweetspot which gives good help to facilitate ball hits with both good speed and control of the ball direction.
Hard or soft?
This model from Head is a hard package with those diamond shape, high balance and multiple carbon fiber reinforcements. A hard package that is well suited to play more aggressively on the padel court. However, it may be worth considering that it is good if you as a player are used to a hard racket and have enough strength in your muscles and joints.
What level of player is the Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1 suitable for?
With the characteristics of this racket, it requires a player with longer experience on the padel court. Players at a level from intermediate to advanced. A racket with a diamond shape and a high balance point requires training and more strength in the game.
Is the racket best suited for offensive or defensive play?
This hard racket with a high balance point will be a strong advantage for the offensive game. Its characteristics can provide good help for getting balls away with strong speed and control, and can provide proper power when getting balls over your head.
Information about the Adidas brand
HEAD was founded in 1950 mainly because Howard Head had a great passion for skis and wanted to launch his new ski models with metal. Although, he had to struggle a lot in the beginning with getting customers to use these new-age skis.
In 1968, they also started to focus on the sport of tennis and later on padel. Over the years, some technology has been developed to provide their rackets with unique features. With today’s models, you now see mainly the new Graphene 360+, which gives the racket models more stiffness and strength.
Read more about the Adidas padel racket and our other reviews.
Compare racket with other models
| Adidas rackets | Shape | Balance | Game type | Player level | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adidas Adipower CTRL 3.1 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Advanced | 360-375 g |
| Adidas Adipower Light 3.1 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Intermediate | 345-360 g |
| Adidas Adipower CTRL Lite 3.1 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Junior | 360-375 g |
| Adidas Adipower Woman Lite 3.1 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Intermediate | 345-360 g |
| Adidas Adipower 3.1 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Advanced | 360-375 g |
| Adidas Adipower Greenpadel | Round | Medium | Defensive | Intermediate | 360-375 g |
| Adidas Adipower Junior 3.1 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Intermediate - Advanced | 310-330 g |
| Adidas Metalbone 3.1 | Diamond | High | Offensive | Advanced | 345-360 g |
| Adidas Metalbone HRD 3.1 | Diamond | High | Offensive | Advanced | 345-360 g |
| Adidas Metalbone CTRL 3.1 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Advanced | 345-360 g |
| Adidas Metalbone Greenpadel | Diamond | High | Offensive | Advanced | 360-375 g |
| Adidas Adipower Lite 3.1 | Diamond | High | Allround | Intermediate - Advanced | 360-275 g |
| Adidas Metalbone Woman Lite 3.1 | Diamond | High | Offensive | Beginner - Advanced | 345-360 g |
| Adidas Metalbone Youth 3.1 | Diamond | High | Offensive | Junior | 330-345 g |
| Adidas Green Padel | Round | Medium | Control | Beginner – Intermediate | 365 g |
| Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1 | Diamond | High | Offensive | Intermediate | 360-375 g |
| Adidas Essnova Carbon CTRL 3.1 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Intermediate | 360-375 g |
| Adidas RX20 Light | Drop | Medium | Allround | Beginner - Intermediate | 345-360 g |
| Adidas RX30 | Round | Medium | Defensive | Beginner - Intermediate | 360-375 g |
| Adidas RX200 Light | Round | Medium | Defensive | Beginner - Intermediate | 345-360 g |
| Adidas RX100 | Round | Low | Defensive | Beginner - Intermediate | 360-275 g |
| Click here to read about all Adidas padel rackets. | |||||
Benefits of Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1
The advantages are that there are several features for a strong offensive game. The diamond shape, high balance point and Graphene 360+ can provide proper power to the high or fast balls. It can also be easier to smash out the opponents.
The carbon-reinforced frame provides extra durability and makes it more resistant to various types of impacts.
- Good qualities for offensive play
- Good racket for smashing
- Very durable racket
Disadvantages
It requires a more experienced player to handle this padel racket properly. At the same time, it can be difficult to get much use out of this racket in defensive situations on the court.
- Requires more experience to handle this racket properly
Our review for Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1
Mikael Rohana from Elitepadel has tested the Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1 and gives the following review and rating:
“Adidas Essnova Carbon 3.1 is the update of the previous Adipower Lite where the impact surface has been upgraded to carbon fiber instead. This model has a top-heavy balance and a diamond shape but also with a soft core which makes the control in the racket very good. When I tried this racquet, I found it very easy to get right to the ball and the racket also extracts really good speed from the ball. Thanks to the relatively large sweetspot, this is a rack I would recommend to the recreational player looking for an offensive choice of rack.”
