Joola Perseus Review: Is the Ben Johns Pro IV Worth It?
The Joola Perseus is Joola's tour-grade flagship — Ben Johns plays the Perseus Pro IV 16 to the world number-one ranking, and it costs £279–£329 in the UK. We've test-benched every Perseus generation and racked up 50 hours of live play across two Pro IV samples. The verdict: yes, the Perseus is the best paddle Joola has made, but the £80 gap to the non-Pro Perseus 4 only pays back above DUPR 3.5.
- Shape: 16.5″ × 7.5″ elongated
- Core thickness: 14mm (Pro IV 14) or 16mm (Perseus 4, Pro IV 16)
- Face material: T700 raw carbon
- Core construction: Propulsion Core EDGE foam-injected (Pro IV); standard…
The Perseus at a glance
Specs in a single table
Render the EAV table as a reader-facing comparison across Perseus 4, Pro IV 14, Pro IV 16, Pro IV Sceptre. Source: S025.
Who Joola made the Perseus for
200 words. The Perseus is the Joola for tournament play, designed around Ben Johns' game — elongated shape, T700 raw-carbon CFS, Propulsion Core EDGE foam-injected core. Not a beginner paddle.
How the Perseus performs on our test bench
Spin: 2,380 rpm on a controlled drive
The Joola Perseus Pro IV 16 produces 2,380 rpm on our standardised drive test, the highest of any paddle in the PickleballOne Test Bench Q2 2026 sample. The T700 raw carbon CFS face, refreshed for the Pro IV generation in 2025, generates roughly 200 rpm more than the previous Perseus 4 and 180 rpm more than the Hyperion CFS 16. Methodology: 30 drives, 0.7s contact window, indoor 22°C.
Methodology box from S012.
Power: highest in the Joola range
250 words. Pro IV 14 measures 8% over the Hyperion 14 on flat drive exit velocity. The Propulsion Core EDGE foam injection is the engineering reason — it stiffens the core perimeter so energy returns rather than absorbing.
Control and twist weight
200 words. Pro IV 16 twist weight 7.0; Pro IV 14 twist weight 6.4. The 16 forgives a wider sweet spot. Both are tighter than the Hyperion 16 (twist 7.6) — a measurable cost of the elongated shape.
50 hours of durability — what we found
250 words. We logged 50 hours across two Pro IV samples (one club use, one tournament). Findings: CFS texture wore visibly by hour 35; spin RPM dropped from 2,380 to 2,210 by hour 50; core delamination not seen. Verdict: tournament players will replace at 30–40 hours; recreational players will see 12–18 months.
Perseus vs Perseus Pro IV — the £80 question
What changes between Perseus 4 and Pro IV
Perseus 4 is the £199 entry to the Perseus line — T300 carbon Carbon Friction Surface, standard PowerCore Polymer construction. Pro IV is the £279–£329 tour paddle — T700 raw carbon CFS, Propulsion Core EDGE foam-injected core, and the model Ben Johns plays. The Pro IV adds roughly 200 rpm of spin and a noticeable power lift, at the cost of an unforgiving sweet spot. The £80 gap pays back above DUPR 3.5.
When the Pro IV pays back
200 words. Above DUPR 3.5, the spin uplift and power lift translate to measurable point-win rate gains on the kitchen-line attack and the third-shot drive. Below DUPR 3.5, the unforgiving sweet spot costs more points than it wins.
When the Perseus 4 is the smarter buy
150 words. DUPR 3.0–3.5 players who want the Perseus shape and the Joola brand without the tour-grade sweet spot. £199 UK.
Perseus vs Hyperion — picking inside the Joola range
Shape difference (elongated vs standard)
200 words. Hyperion 16″ × 7.85″ vs Perseus 16.5″ × 7.5″. Half an inch longer, one-third inch narrower. Reach gain on serves; sweet-spot width loss at the net.
Spin and power difference
150 words. Perseus +180 rpm, Perseus +8% power, Hyperion +20% sweet-spot width (twist weight). Source: S012.
Who should choose which
Choose the Hyperion if you play standard-shape, recreational-to-intermediate (DUPR 3.0–3.5), and value a wide sweet spot — £199 UK. Choose the Perseus if you play elongated-shape, intermediate-to-tournament (DUPR 3.5+), and prioritise spin and power over forgiveness — £199–£329 UK. The Perseus is half an inch longer and a third of an inch narrower than the Hyperion, with a tighter sweet spot and more leverage on serves.
See joola hyperion review for the full Hyperion treatment.
Buying the Perseus in the UK
Current UK prices and where to buy
Live retailer table. PickleballOne, Pickleball.co.uk, PDH Sports. £199 (Perseus 4) → £279 (Pro IV 14) → £279 (Pro IV 16) → £329 (Sceptre). Source: own retail.
Grip size, weight, and what to specify
200 words. Standard 4.0" handle; 4.25" available on Pro IV. 220g (light) and 230g (standard) options. The configurator on Joola's site doesn't ship to the UK — buy via UK distributor for warranty.
Warranty and after-sales
150 words. 24-month warranty on Perseus and Pro IV (extended over Joola's standard 12-month). Defects handled through Joola UK distributor. Returns: 14 days, unopened.
The five Perseus questions we get asked most
Verdict — is the Joola Perseus worth it?
Frequently asked
What paddle does Ben Johns use?
Ben Johns plays the Joola Perseus Pro IV 16 — the T700 raw-carbon CFS-faced, Propulsion Core EDGE construction, elongated 16.5″ × 7.5″ paddle. He switched from the Pro IV 14 to the Pro IV 16 mid-2025 and has played the 16 to every major championship win since. UK price £279.
How much is the Joola Perseus in the UK?
The Joola Perseus 4 is £199 UK; the Perseus Pro IV 14 and Pro IV 16 are £279 UK; the Perseus Pro IV Sceptre is £329 UK. PickleballOne, Pickleball.co.uk and PDH Sports all stock the line; current retailer comparison is in the UK pricing section above.
How long does a Joola Perseus last?
On our 50-hour durability test, the CFS texture wore visibly by hour 35 and spin RPM dropped from 2,380 to 2,210 by hour 50. UK club-frequency players will see 12–18 months of play before the spin face goes smooth. Tournament players replace at 30–40 hours. Joola's 24-month warranty covers manufacturing defects, not normal face wear.
Is the Perseus Pro IV 14 or 16 better?
For most UK players, the Pro IV 16 — it has a wider sweet spot (twist weight 7.0 vs 6.4) and is more forgiving on off-centre hits. The Pro IV 14 is a banger's paddle — more pop, less forgiveness — and suits DUPR 4.0+ players with reliable contact. Ben Johns played the 14 until mid-2025; he now plays the 16.