JOOLA Hyperion Review: Twelve Sessions With Simone Jardim's Paddle
Quick Answer
The JOOLA Hyperion is the more forgiving of JOOLA's two signature paddles: an elongated, textured carbon paddle built with Simone Jardim for players who win with dinks, drops and resets but still want spin and reach. I recommend it for 3.0 to 4.5 players. Pure attackers should look at the Perseus instead.
- Best for: patient, soft-game players who want spin and two-handed backhand reach
- Weight and shape: 7.9 to 8.3 oz (8.1 oz average), elongated, 16.5 in by 7.5 in, 5.5 in handle
- Price at Padelnox: $219, shipped free and tracked
Key Takeaways
- A builder's paddle: the Hyperion rewards players who construct points at the kitchen line rather than blast from the baseline.
- Same sheet as the Perseus: both list 7.9 to 8.3 oz, 16.5 in by 7.5 in, a textured carbon face and a honeycomb propulsion core with hyper-foam edge wall.
- Different feel in the hand: over twelve sessions it played calmer on resets and a little less explosive on counters than the Perseus.
- Reach is the bonus: the long 5.5 in handle and elongated face help on wide dinks and two-handed backhands.
- Core thickness is not on our sheet: if the 14mm vs 16mm question matters to you, email us and we check the paddle in hand.
Quick Links
- Twelve sessions with the JOOLA Hyperion
- JOOLA Hyperion versions explained
- Where the Hyperion falls short
- Who should buy it and how to set it up
- JOOLA Hyperion vs the alternatives
- Where to buy
- FAQ
Twelve Sessions With the JOOLA Hyperion
Most of my week is padel, but since moving to the US I also coach pickleball at my club, and many of my students play both. When three of them asked me about the Simone Jardim paddle in the same month, I took the JOOLA Simone Jardim Hyperion ($219) as my only paddle for twelve sessions. I used the same outdoor balls, the same drilling partner, and I wrote notes after every session on dinks, drives, resets, third-shot drops, hand speed at the kitchen line, serve spin and how my arm felt.
Sessions 1 and 2: first contact
The first thing I noticed was the face. The textured carbon grabs the ball, so even a lazy brushed dink carries some backspin and sits down after the bounce. The sound is a muted, solid thud rather than the sharp crack of a thin power paddle. On cross-court dinks the ball stayed low without me having to think about it, which is exactly what I want from a control-minded paddle.
Sessions 3 and 4: third-shot drops and resets
This is where the Hyperion earned its place. My third-shot drops landed in the kitchen from the first session, with very few floating long. Resets from the transition zone, the shots that usually expose a paddle, felt easy to take pace off. Compared with the JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus ($219), which I tested earlier this year, the Hyperion asked for less precision on soft blocks.
Sessions 5 and 6: drives and serves
Drives were good, not huge. A full forehand drive came off with heavy topspin and dipped well, but it did not jump off the face the way a thin-core power paddle does. On serves I could add plenty of side spin with a low-to-high brush, and the longer face gave me a little extra margin on deep serves to the backhand corner.
Sessions 7 and 8: hand speed at the kitchen line
An elongated paddle is never as quick in the hands as a wide one, and the Hyperion is no exception. In fast firefights I was a fraction late on body shots twice in session seven. By session eight I had shortened my backswing and it was fine. Players who live in hands battles will feel the extra length more than I did.
Sessions 9 and 10: two-handed backhands and reach
The 5.5 in handle fits two hands comfortably, and I found my two-handed backhand drive more stable than with shorter-handled paddles. The reach helped on wide dinks too. I could get to balls near the sideline and still roll them back with spin.
Sessions 11 and 12: arm comfort and verdict
No forearm or elbow soreness after any session, including a 90-minute drill block followed by an hour of games. The feel is solid enough that off-center hits did not jar my wrist. My verdict after twelve sessions: the Hyperion is the JOOLA I hand to patient players. It reminds me of a good teardrop padel racket, comfortable everywhere without being the most explosive in any one area.
JOOLA Hyperion Versions Explained
People search for the JOOLA Hyperion CFS, the Hyperion 16mm and several other names, because JOOLA has updated the paddle and offered more than one core thickness over the years. That makes buying confusing, so here is exactly what we know about the listing we carry.
The listing at Padelnox
Our listing is titled the JOOLA Simone Jardim Hyperion. The manufacturer sheet we hold gives an elongated shape, 7.9 to 8.3 oz with an 8.1 oz average, 16.5 in length, 7.5 in width, a 5.5 in handle, a textured carbon fiber face and a honeycomb propulsion core with a hyper-foam edge wall. It does not state a generation name or a core thickness, and I will not guess either. If you need that detail before ordering, email helppadelnox@outlook.com and we will check the paddle in hand.
Hyperion vs Perseus
The two signature paddles share every published figure, yet they are pitched at different players. The Perseus is Ben Johns' paddle for aggressive, all-court play. The Hyperion is pitched around a big sweet spot, reach and spin. I explain the difference in detail on my JOOLA Perseus vs Hyperion comparison, and the Perseus has its own JOOLA Perseus review.
Hyperion vs Pro Carbon
The JOOLA Pro Carbon Paddle Edition A ($219) and Edition B ($219) are carbon-faced JOOLA paddles with a textured surface and a solid, controlled feel. We do not hold a full spec sheet for them, so I compare them by feel only: they play closer to the Hyperion than the Perseus, without a player's name on the throat. The wider brand picture is in my JOOLA pickleball paddle guide.
Where the JOOLA Hyperion Falls Short
I like this paddle, so it is fair to be clear about its limits. First, it is not a finishing weapon. If you want free pace on put-aways and drives, a thinner power paddle hits harder for the same swing. Second, the elongated shape narrows the sweet spot toward the edges, and jammed backhands near the rim felt thinner than on a wide-body paddle. Third, the spec information is limited. Selkirk often publishes core thickness and swingweight, and our JOOLA sheet does not, which makes direct comparisons harder.
None of these is a dealbreaker for the player the Hyperion is built for. They simply tell an attacker to look elsewhere.
Who Should Buy the JOOLA Hyperion, and How to Set It Up
- Be honest about how you win points. If your best shots are dinks, drops and resets, the Hyperion fits. If you win with speed-ups and drives, go to the Perseus or a power paddle.
- Check your level. I recommend it from about 3.0 to 4.5. Newer players get forgiveness on soft shots, and stronger players still get enough spin to attack.
- Size the grip before you play. The 5.5 in handle is long. If it feels thin, add one overgrip, not two, or the handle becomes bulky in two-handed shots.
- Leave the weight alone for a month. At 8.1 oz on average it sits in the middle of the usual 7.5 to 8.5 oz range. After a month, if you want more stability, add a little lead tape at 3 and 9 o'clock, never at the tip.
- Protect the face. Textured carbon loses bite when it rubs against keys and shoes. Carry it in a cover or a Pickleball Paddle Bag in Black ($19.99) and wipe the face with a damp cloth after play.
- Give your drives a week. If you come from a power paddle, your drives will feel slower at first. Swing through the ball and let the spin do the work.
JOOLA Hyperion vs the Alternatives
Every figure below comes from the manufacturer specification sheets we hold. Where a sheet does not give a number, the cell shows "-" rather than a guess.
| Paddle | Shape | Weight | Core | Face | Price at Padelnox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOOLA Simone Jardim Hyperion | Elongated | 7.9 - 8.3 oz (8.1 oz average) | Honeycomb propulsion, hyper-foam edge wall | Textured carbon fiber | $219 |
| JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus | Elongated | 7.9 - 8.3 oz (8.1 oz average) | Honeycomb propulsion, hyper-foam edge wall | Textured carbon fiber | $219 |
| JOOLA Pro Carbon Paddle, Edition A or B | - | - | - | - | $219 |
| Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.9 - 8.3 oz | X7 Thickset honeycomb, 20 mm | Florek carbon fiber | $219 |
| CRBN 3X Power Series 16mm | Elongated | 7.8 - 8.1 oz (8.0 oz average) | Polypropylene honeycomb, 16 mm | Raw T700 carbon fiber | $159 |
If you want an even calmer feel, the Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm in Red ($219) has the thickest published core here, and my Selkirk LUXX Control Air review covers it session by session. If $219 is more than you want to spend, the CRBN 3X Power Series 16mm ($159) is the closest budget match in feel, and my CRBN 1X vs 3X comparison explains when the thinner 1X makes more sense. For the brand-level view, read Selkirk vs JOOLA, and for my full shortlist, see the best pickleball paddles of 2026.
Where to Buy the JOOLA Hyperion
The Hyperion sits in our JOOLA paddles collection next to the Perseus and both Pro Carbon editions. You can also browse every pickleball paddle we carry, or compare against the Selkirk paddles and CRBN paddles. Padelnox is a US-based online store with 221 frames and bags in stock. We sell genuine brand stock, never replicas, and every order is inspected before dispatch and shipped tracked worldwide.
Orders are processed in 1 to 3 business days, and delivery takes 7 to 14 business days from dispatch. Shipping is free and tracked on orders over $99 and $9.95 flat below that, so the Hyperion ships free. Unused items in original packaging can come back within 30 days, and anything damaged or incorrect is replaced or refunded if you send a photo within 7 days. The details are on our shipping and returns page. Every racket over $150 ships with our free Court-Ready Kit, an overgrip 3-pack plus a frame protector.
Buy three or more items from accessories or bags and 15% comes off automatically. There is no code to hunt for, as my Padelnox discount code page explains. If you also play on a glass court, my padel vs pickleball guide covers how the two paddles and rackets differ. Questions about the Hyperion go to helppadelnox@outlook.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the JOOLA Hyperion good for beginners?
Yes, it is one of the friendlier carbon paddles for a newer player who has learned the basics. The textured face keeps dinks low, and in my testing third-shot drops and resets were easier to control than with the Perseus. Absolute beginners can still learn on it, although a cheaper paddle is fine for your first few weeks. From about 3.0 upward, it is a paddle you will not outgrow quickly.
What is the difference between the JOOLA Hyperion and the Perseus?
On paper, nothing: both list 7.9 to 8.3 oz, 16.5 in by 7.5 in, a 5.5 in handle, a textured carbon face and the same core description. On court, the Hyperion, built with Simone Jardim, felt calmer on resets and drops, while Ben Johns' Perseus felt crisper on counters and speed-ups. Patient players should pick the Hyperion and attackers the Perseus.
Is the JOOLA Hyperion 14mm or 16mm?
JOOLA has offered the Hyperion with more than one core thickness over the years, which is why both numbers show up in searches. The manufacturer sheet we hold for our JOOLA Simone Jardim Hyperion listing does not state a core thickness, so I will not guess. If thickness matters to you, email helppadelnox@outlook.com before ordering and we will check the paddle in hand.