Joola Perseus Review: Is the Ben Johns Pro IV Worth It?

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

The Perseus is Joola's tournament paddle, built around Ben Johns' game rather than around the average buyer. That means an elongated shape, a T700 raw carbon CFS face and the Propulsion Core EDGE, a foam-injected core designed to return energy rather than absorb it. Every one of those decisions favours a player who makes clean contact consistently and wants the paddle to amplify what they already do. It is not a beginner paddle and Joola has never pretended otherwise. If you are still working out where the middle of the face is, this paddle will find you out.

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

The Pro IV 14 measures 8% higher than the Hyperion 14 on flat drive exit velocity, which is a substantial gap in a category where differences are usually within the margin of error. The engineering reason is the Propulsion Core EDGE. Injecting foam into the core perimeter stiffens the outer structure, so instead of the edges flexing and absorbing energy on contact, they hold their shape and return it into the ball. The effect is most obvious on flat drives from the baseline, where you are asking the paddle to convert your swing speed into ball speed with as little loss as possible. It is less obvious at the kitchen, where you are usually trying to take pace off rather than add it, and that is worth understanding before you buy. A paddle engineered to return energy is doing something you may not want on a soft shot, which is why the Pro IV rewards players who have the touch to override it.

Control and twist weight

The Pro IV 16 measures 7.0 on twist weight and the Pro IV 14 measures 6.4. Both figures sit below the Hyperion 16 at 7.6, and that gap is the measurable cost of the elongated shape. A longer, narrower paddle simply has less material either side of the centre line to resist rotation on an off-centre hit. The 16 forgives noticeably more than the 14 and is the version most players should be looking at. If you want the Perseus shape and the Hyperion's forgiveness, that paddle does not exist, and understanding that trade is most of the buying decision.

50 hours of durability, what we found

We logged 50 hours across two Pro IV samples, one in club use and one taken through a tournament schedule. The CFS texture was visibly worn by hour 35, earlier than the Hyperion, and spin dropped from 2,380 rpm to 2,210 by hour 50. Neither sample delaminated. The steeper wear curve than the Hyperion is not a defect, it is what happens when a texture starts higher and gets used harder. What that means in practice splits sharply by how you play. Tournament players hitting four or five times a week will want to replace at 30 to 40 hours, because the spin advantage that justifies the paddle is the first thing to go. Recreational players at two sessions a week are looking at 12 to 18 months, and will likely change paddle for other reasons before wear becomes the deciding factor. Budget for it either way. A paddle that costs more and wears faster is a running cost rather than a purchase.

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

Above DUPR 3.5 the numbers start to translate into points. The spin uplift shows up on the kitchen-line attack, where extra rotation is the difference between a ball that dips into the court and one that sails, and the power lift shows up on the third-shot drive. Below DUPR 3.5 the arithmetic reverses. The unforgiving sweet spot costs more points on mishits than the spin and power win on clean strikes, and you end up paying a premium for a paddle that is actively harder to play with. That is not a criticism of the paddle, it is a description of who it is for.

When the Perseus 4 is the smarter buy

The Perseus 4 at £199 gives you the shape and the brand without the tour-grade sweet spot penalty, and for players between DUPR 3.0 and 3.5 it is usually the better purchase. You get the elongated reach and the Perseus feel, and you keep more of your money for balls, shoes and court time. If you have decided you want a Perseus, start here and move up if you outgrow it.

Perseus vs Hyperion, picking inside the Joola range

Shape difference (elongated vs standard)

The Hyperion measures 16 by 7.85 inches. The Perseus measures 16.5 by 7.5. Half an inch longer and a third of an inch narrower does not sound like much written down, and it changes the paddle noticeably. The extra length gives you reach, most usefully on serves and on wide balls you would otherwise not get to. The lost width takes it out of the sweet spot, and you feel that at the kitchen where contact points are less controlled and reactions are faster. Reach at the baseline, forgiveness at the net: you are choosing which half of the court to favour.

Spin and power difference

Three numbers separate them. The Perseus produces 180 rpm more spin, delivers 8% more power, and gives up 20% of the Hyperion's sweet-spot width as measured by twist weight. Two of those favour the Perseus and the third is the reason most club players are happier with the Hyperion.

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

Standard handle is 4.0 inches, with 4.25 inches available on the Pro IV, and weights come in 220 grams and 230 grams. One practical warning: the configurator on Joola's own site does not ship to the UK, so buy through the UK distributor. Doing so keeps the warranty domestic and avoids the customs and return-shipping problems that come with a direct import, which on a paddle at this price is not a small consideration.

Warranty and after-sales

The Perseus and Pro IV carry a 24-month warranty, double Joola's standard 12 months and a reasonable signal of confidence in the construction. Defects go through the Joola UK distributor, so returns stay domestic. Unopened paddles can be returned within 14 days. As with the Hyperion, a played paddle is not returnable, so if you are choosing between the 14 and the 16, find someone at your club with each and hit with both before ordering.

The five Perseus questions we get asked most

Verdict, is the Joola Perseus worth it?

Frequently asked