Adidas Granite 2.0 Pro Carbon 2024

Pros

• ✓That rough 3K carbon finish bites into the ball on cut bandejas and lifted viboras, and you can really feel the extra grip on kick shots off a high bounce The round shape and even balance keep the sweet spot dead centre on the face, so off-centre hits on a reaction volley still come out with direction instead of dying on you The Soft Performance EVA core soaks up impact on rushed wall exits, where a firmer rubber would send that vibration straight back into your elbow At 360-375 g with an even balance, this padel racket moves fast enough at net to string together quick volleys without lagging behind on the second shot

Cons

• ✗This isn't a racket built for a flat, point-ending smash: the power comes from what you put into it, and on a low smash it's missing that last bit of punch The soft core loses feel when you're after tight, driven balls from the baseline — an attacking lob needs you to follow through more to make it count The rough face wears down with use, and the extra spin you get on the vibora softens off well before the racket itself is done An advanced player with a set game might find it too forgiving: it bails you out so often that it doesn't reward fine-tuned precision

Adidas Granite 2.0 Pro Carbon 2024 review: round, rough-faced, and built to let the ball do the work

The Adidas Granite 2.0 Pro Carbon 2024 is a round-shaped padel racket weighing 360-375 g, with a rough-finish 3K carbon face, a Soft Performance EVA core and a 38 mm frame. That spec sheet tells you everything about its character before you've hit a ball: control over raw power, a generous sweet spot, and a surface built to work the spin.

This isn't Adidas's attacking racket. It's the model the brand aims at the intermediate player who wants control and power in the same package, without sacrificing comfort.

Who should actually be playing with the Granite 2.0 Pro Carbon?

It's built for the intermediate who already has recognisable shots but isn't consistently finding the centre of the face. The round shape and even balance put the sweet spot right in the geometric middle of the racket — exactly where a player still building their technique tends to make contact most. Miss by two or three centimetres and the ball still comes out with reasonable direction and depth, where the same mishit on a diamond-shaped racket usually falls short.

Technical specs

Rough 3K carbon over Soft Performance EVA: what each layer brings

3K carbon uses an open weave. Compared with denser weaves, it gives back a response that's less dry and a touch more elastic, with a longer dwell time between ball and face. On court, that means the ball stays on the strings a fraction longer and leaves with direction that's easier to control.

On top of that weave, Adidas adds a rough finish specifically designed to boost spin-heavy shots. You feel it on a cut bandeja, where the slice bites and the ball dies flatter after the bounce, and on the vibora, where the lateral lift picks up revs without needing to whip the arm through as hard.

The Soft Performance EVA core is what really shapes the feel. A softer, medium-low density rubber deforms more on impact, which cushions vibration on rushed shots and helps the ball exit cleanly without the player having to supply all the energy themselves. The trade-off for that comfort is a less taut response when you want flat, fast balls.

The 38 mm frame sits at the maximum allowed thickness, giving the full hitting surface that permits. Nothing exotic here, but it makes sense: maximum usable face on a racket that sells itself on sweet spot.

Shot by shot: how it plays

At net, this is where the racket shines brightest. At 360-375 g with an even balance it moves quickly, and the block volley comes out clean even when you're not perfectly set. In a fast exchange, when you need to string two volleys together, the racket gets to the second shot without your hand lagging behind.

On the smash, let's be honest: this isn't a racket for finishing points flat. The power's there, but it's power you generate and the racket simply passes through rather than adding to. On a bandeja-style smash off a shot hit for 3, it works well because that shot calls for placement and spin over raw speed. On a flat smash from mid-court, an arm-driven player will feel that last bit of punch missing.

On defence and wall exits, it really stands out. The soft rubber absorbs the shock of a heavy ball coming off the back wall, and the defensive lob goes long without forcing the wrist. This is where the intermediate player genuinely notices the difference against a stiffer racket: you finish the match without a sore elbow.

From the baseline, the lifted forehand and sliced backhand both come out with solid directional control, but a driven ball meant to apply pressure from back court needs more follow-through from your arm than you'd need with a stiffer core.

Who's going to enjoy this racket

1. The intermediate player stepping up from a beginner racket who wants control without jumping straight into something demanding.
2. Anyone who plays the backhand side and lives off bandeja, vibora and placement rather than closing out points with a smash.
3. Players with a history of elbow or wrist trouble, thanks to the soft rubber and even balance combination.
4. Anyone who plays long sessions back to back and values a racket that doesn't beat up their arm.

Who won't enjoy it: the power player who wants the racket to add metres to their smash, and the advanced player with a well-grooved game looking for a tool that rewards fine precision and punishes mistakes. The Granite 2.0 Pro Carbon forgives — and that forgiveness has a ceiling.

Verdict

This Adidas racket delivers exactly what its spec sheet promises: an all-round round-shaped design, comfortable to play with, a rough surface that adds real extra spin, and a core that looks after your arm. The big sweet spot is its strongest selling point, and the lack of raw punch its clearest limit.

If you're after a padel racket that supports you while you're still building your technique and lets you play three matches a week pain-free, this one fits. If you're already closing out points on the smash and want your racket adding to that, this isn't the model.

One thing worth keeping in mind before buying: that rough finish is a consumable. It polishes down with use, so the extra spin it gives you today will be noticeably less after a few months of hard playing.