When players ask us about premium padel racquets in India, the conversation almost always comes down to two brands: NOX and Adidas. We’re authorised dealers for both. We’ve sold both extensively across India. We’ve played with the NOX AT10 Genius 18K and the Adidas Metalbone. We know where each brand wins and where it loses.
What you’re about to read is not a brand preference. We sell both — the recommendation we make doesn’t change our margin. What changes is whether you get the right racquet for your game. We’d rather make the right recommendation and build a long-term customer than make the expensive sale and get a complaint call two months later.
GOS has hosted padel tournaments in India including the GOS Open in Indore. We see what players at different levels actually use. That tournament experience informs every recommendation in this guide.
Why This Comparison Matters — and Who It’s For
This guide is for players who are ready to spend ₹20,000 or more on a padel racquet. If you’re a beginner or playing less than a year, you shouldn’t be reading this yet — our padel buying guide has better options for your level. This is for:
- Players who’ve been playing 18+ months and are ready for a tour-grade racquet
- Club-level competitors who want the best equipment their technique can use
- Players who’ve tried intermediate racquets and know they’ve outgrown them
- Anyone trying to decide between a NOX AT10 and an Adidas Metalbone specifically
Real Story: The conversation that made us write this guide
Siddharth came into our orbit via Instagram. He’d been playing padel competitively for two years in Bangalore, competed in three local tournaments, and was saving up for a premium racquet. He’d read every forum thread about NOX vs Adidas and come out more confused than when he started. He messaged us: ‘One group says NOX is the only brand serious players use. Another says Adidas Metalbone is just as good. Who’s right?’ The answer: both groups are partly right, and neither is giving him the full picture. We spent 20 minutes with him on a call. He bought the NOX AT10. We’re going to give you the same conversation this guide.
Brand DNA — What Each Company Stands For
| Factor | NOX | Adidas |
| Founded | 2000, Spain — padel only brand | 1949, Germany — multi-sport giant |
| Padel DNA | 100% padel — every decision is padel | Strong padel division, but multi-sport |
| Tour Endorsements | Agustín Tapia (World #1), Paquito Navarro | Ale Galán (former World #1), Marta Ortega |
| Signature Line | AT10 (Tapia) — tour-exact | Metalbone (Galán) — tour-grade |
| Carbon Technology | 18K carbon — densest commercially available | Metalbone face — proprietary carbon mix |
| India Availability | Strong — NOX AT10 stocked consistently | Limited — Metalbone harder to source |
| Price Range | ₹18,000–₹32,000 | ₹15,000–₹35,000 |
| Best For | Advanced players, power style, pure padel focus | Advanced, fashion + performance, power-control blend |
NOX — The Padel-Only Brand
NOX was founded in 2000 in Spain, when padel was still primarily a Spanish and Latin American sport. They’ve never made anything but padel racquets. Their engineers think about nothing except padel performance. When Agustín Tapia — currently ranked World No. 1 — chooses to put his name on the AT10, it’s not a marketing decision. It’s a performance validation. He plays with it on the World Padel Tour because it’s the best instrument for his game.
NOX’s 18K carbon technology — the facing on the AT10 — is the densest carbon weave commercially available on a padel racquet. The stiffness this creates means maximum power transfer on a clean hit. This is what makes the AT10 extraordinary for players whose technique can access it.
Adidas — The Global Sports Giant with Elite Padel Credibility
Adidas’s padel line is not a side project. Their Metalbone series uses proprietary carbon technology and has been endorsed by former World No. 1 Ale Galán and multiple top-10 WPT players. The fashion-forward design is real — Adidas racquets are distinctive and well-built. But beyond aesthetics, their top-end engineering genuinely competes with NOX.
The challenge for Indian buyers: Adidas’s range in India is more limited and less consistently available than NOX. The Metalbone — their top-end product — is excellent but can be harder to source. Mid-range Adidas products offer less value compared to equivalent HEAD or Babolat racquets at the same price.
The Racquets Compared — Full Lineup
| Racquet | Shape | Level | Carbon | ~Price |
| NOX AT10 18K 2025 | Diamond | Advanced | 18K | ~₹30,000 |
| NOX ML10 Pro Cup 3K | Teardrop | Adv-Int | 3K | ~₹22,000 |
| NOX Equation | Round | Intermediate | Fibre+Carbon | ~₹15,000 |
| Adidas Metalbone 3.2 | Diamond | Advanced | Metalbone | ~₹28,000+ |
| Adidas Adipower CTRL 3.2 | Teardrop | Adv-Int | Carbon Mix | ~₹20,000 |
| Adidas Rx Team | Round | Intermediate | Fibreglass | ~₹12,000 |
Head-to-Head Recommendations
| You should choose… | NOX | Adidas |
| Playing style | Power-first, smash-dominant | Power-control blend, tactical |
| Sessions per week | 4–5 times (dedicated) | 2–4 times (serious recreational) |
| India availability | Strong — order anytime | Variable — check with us |
| Brand matters to you | You care about padel-only heritage | You value global sports brand |
| Budget | ₹25,000–₹32,000 | ₹18,000–₹35,000 (wider range) |
| Long-term resale value | Higher — NOX holds value well | Good but trails NOX at top-end |
Detailed Reviews
The NOX AT10 Genius Attack 18K 2025
NOX FLAGSHIP — NOX AT10 Genius Attack 18K 2025 (Agustín Tapia Edition) — ~₹30,092 Diamond | ~370g | High Balance | 18K Carbon | Hard EVA Core | Tapia Signature
The story: We have a regular customer — Ananya, competitive doubles player in Hyderabad, plays 5 times a week — who upgraded to the AT10 eight months ago. She said: ‘I’ve been playing padel for three years but this was the first time I felt like my racquet and my game were at the same level.’ That sentence captures what the AT10 does for a player who’s ready for it. The 18K carbon creates a surface unlike anything else we sell. On a perfect smash, the feedback is extraordinary — you know exactly how much power you generated and exactly where it went. The EVA hard core amplifies this. The diamond shape puts all that engineering at the tip of the frame for maximum smash output. This is a weapons-grade racquet for players who’ve earned it.
Buy it if: You play 4–5x/week, compete regularly, have coached technique, and your game is consistent enough that you rarely mis-hit. You want the absolute best power tool available.
Skip it if: You’re under 18 months playing, still developing consistency, or mis-hit more than once every 3–4 rallies. The AT10 will punish every mistake.
Shop NOX AT10 Genius 18K 2025 →
NOX ML10 Pro Cup 3K — ~₹22,000
NOX ALL-ROUND ADVANCED — NOX ML10 Pro Cup 3K — ~₹22,000 Teardrop | ~365g | Mid Balance | 3K Carbon | Majo Sanchez-Alayeto Edition
The story: The ML10 is often overlooked in conversations about NOX because the AT10 dominates the narrative. That’s a mistake. For advanced players whose game is more tactical than power-pure, the ML10 Pro Cup delivers NOX’s engineering DNA in a teardrop shape that retains far more forgiveness. The 3K carbon face is precise and responsive without the unforgiving stiffness of 18K. Players who rely on placement, angles, and drop shots rather than raw smash power find this racquet more rewarding than the AT10 at the same level. It’s what we recommend when an advanced player tells us their game is more ‘tactical control’ than ‘explosive attack.’
Buy it if: You’re an advanced padel player with a tactical, placement-based game. You want NOX quality without the AT10’s aggressive demands.
Skip it if: You’re a power-first smasher. The AT10 is built for you.
The Adidas Metalbone
ADIDAS FLAGSHIP — Adidas Metalbone 3.2 Padel Racquet — ~₹28,000+ Diamond | ~360g | High Balance | Metalbone Carbon | Ale Galán Signature
The story: The Metalbone is the answer to anyone who says Adidas doesn’t make serious padel equipment. It absolutely does. The proprietary Metalbone carbon face has a distinctive character — it’s stiff and powerful like the AT10, but with a marginally softer feel on touch shots. Players who’ve hit with both describe the AT10 as ‘harder’ and the Metalbone as ‘precise.’ This isn’t meaningless distinction — the AT10 is built for maximum power, the Metalbone for high-power with slightly more control capability. If you’re choosing between these two, it genuinely comes down to style: pure power attack (AT10) vs high-powered tactical play (Metalbone). The availability caveat in India is real — we recommend checking stock before deciding on the Metalbone specifically.
Buy it if: You’re an advanced player who wants tour-grade power with slightly more touch capability than the AT10. You’ve confirmed the Metalbone is in stock.
Skip it if: You can’t find it consistently. The AT10 is always available and is the comparison winner on pure power. Don’t wait months for a Metalbone when the AT10 is in your hands.
The Honest Verdict — Which Brand Wins?
For pure padel performance at the highest level: NOX wins
The AT10 is the more powerful, more technically advanced racquet at the top of each brand’s line. Agustín Tapia is World No. 1. His racquet is designed around his game. No Adidas player is currently ranked higher on the World Padel Tour than NOX’s signature athlete. For Indian players who want the absolute best padel racquet available, the AT10 18K is the recommendation.
For availability and range in India: NOX wins
We can reliably stock NOX AT10 and ML10 series racquets. Adidas Metalbone availability in India is more variable. If you’re ready to buy now, NOX is the safer logistical choice.
For fashion and global brand recognition: Adidas wins
If you care how the racquet looks and value the Adidas brand as part of your sporting identity, Adidas makes excellent-looking padel equipment. The Metalbone is distinctive and well-designed. This is a legitimate buying consideration for many players.
For value below ₹20,000: Neither brand wins — buy HEAD
This is the honest answer most comparison articles won’t give you. At the mid-range price point (under ₹20,000), both NOX and Adidas have weaker offerings compared to HEAD’s Radical series. If your budget is under ₹20,000, we’d recommend the HEAD Radical Pro 2024 before any mid-range NOX or Adidas product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the NOX AT10 the same racquet Agustín Tapia uses on tour?
Yes. The AT10 Genius 18K 2025 sold by GOS is the same construction as the racquet Tapia uses on the World Padel Tour. This is not a co-branded retail version with different specs — it’s the actual tour racquet made available to consumers.
Q: Why is the Adidas Metalbone sometimes unavailable in India?
Adidas’s distribution network in India for premium padel products is more limited than NOX’s. We source from authorised distributors and stock when available. If you want the Metalbone specifically, contact us to check current stock before committing.
Q: Is there a significant performance difference between NOX AT10 18K and the regular AT10 3K?
Yes — substantial. The 18K carbon is significantly stiffer, creating more power transfer on clean hits. The 3K version is more forgiving and accessible. The 18K is the choice for players with fully developed technique; the 3K suits advanced-intermediate players.
Q: Do both brands offer warranty in India?
Yes, through authorised dealers. GOS is authorised for both NOX and Adidas. All racquets sold by us come with manufacturer warranty support.
Q: Can I get a custom string with either brand?
Yes. We string all racquets we sell and can advise on string and tension based on your game. Contact us with your model and playing style.
Final Call
The GOS Decision
Power-first advanced player, plays 4–5x/week, technique is solid → NOX AT10 Genius 18K 2025. The benchmark for power padel.
Advanced tactical player, wants NOX quality with more touch → NOX ML10 Pro Cup 3K. Underrated. Excellent.
Want Adidas specifically, high-power with slight control advantage → Adidas Metalbone 3.2 when in stock. Confirm availability first.
Budget under ₹20,000 → Buy HEAD Radical Pro 2024. Honest advice.
Related: Best Padel Racquet India 2026 (Full Buying Guide) →
