JOOLA Perseus Review: Six Weeks With the Ben Johns Paddle
Quick Answer
The JOOLA Perseus is a spin-heavy attacking paddle that rewards players who take the ball early and swing through it. It is stable in hands battles and grips the ball well on drives and rolls. Intermediate and advanced players will love it, while newer players will find the JOOLA Hyperion or a thick-core Selkirk more forgiving.
- Best for: aggressive 3.5+ players who counter, speed up and roll dinks with topspin
- 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
Key Takeaways
- Built around Ben Johns' style: JOOLA pitches the Perseus as an aggressive, all-court paddle with serious spin, and it plays that way.
- Textured carbon does the work: the face grips the ball, so topspin drives dip and slice dinks stay low.
- The Hyperion is its twin on paper: same published dimensions, weight and core description, but it played a little more forgiving for me.
- Long handle, long reach: the 5.5 in handle suits two-handed backhands.
- Not a beginner's first paddle: it gives back energy, which makes resets harder until your soft game is solid.
Quick Links
- Six weeks with the JOOLA Perseus
- Perseus vs Hyperion vs Pro Carbon
- Who should buy it and how to set it up
- What I would change
- JOOLA Perseus vs alternatives
- Buying a genuine Perseus
- Where to buy
- FAQ
Six Weeks With the JOOLA Perseus
I am a padel coach first, but a good part of my week now goes to pickleball players, especially padel students who play both. The JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus ($219) was the paddle they asked about most, so I made it my main paddle for six weeks. Same balls, same practice partner, and notes after every session: sweet spot, stability, spin, and how my arm felt after 90 minutes.
Week 1: the face grabs the ball
From the first rally, the textured carbon face made itself known. On a brushed forehand drive the ball dipped sharply after the net. On backhand slice dinks it skidded low. The paddle feels crisp rather than soft, with a firm, clean sound at contact.
Week 2: speed-ups and counters
This is the Perseus's home. At the kitchen line, speed-ups came off fast and flat, and counters stayed on a line instead of floating. The weight, around 8.1 oz on average, gives enough mass to stay stable when someone drives straight at you. I won more hands battles in week two than in any week of my LUXX test.
Week 3: the soft-game adjustment
The honest part. My third-shot drops floated long in the first few sessions, and resets from the transition zone needed a shorter, softer stroke than I was used to. The face gives back more energy than a thick-core control paddle. By the end of the week I had adapted. A newer player might take a month.
Week 4: rolling dinks
Once my touch settled, the Perseus became a weapon at the kitchen line. Topspin roll dinks, which I rarely attempt with control paddles, dipped at the feet of my opponents. That is where a spin-friendly face shows its value for an aggressive player.
Week 5: the Hyperion swap
I spent a week with the JOOLA Simone Jardim Hyperion ($219). On paper it matches the Perseus: 16.5 in long, 7.5 in wide, 5.5 in handle, textured carbon face, honeycomb propulsion core with hyper-foam edge wall, 7.9 to 8.3 oz. In my hand it played a touch more forgiving on resets and a touch less punchy on counters. Small differences, but they were there across four sessions.
Week 6: verdict and arm check
No forearm or elbow soreness at any point, even after back-to-back sessions. The Perseus is a very good paddle for players who attack. It reminds me of a diamond-shape padel racket: rewarding when you are in control of the point, less forgiving when you are scrambling.
Perseus vs Hyperion vs Pro Carbon: Versions Explained
JOOLA has refreshed the Perseus several times over the years and has offered it in more than one core thickness, which is why you see searches for different generations and for 14mm or 16mm weights. The listing we carry is titled the JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus, and the manufacturer sheet we hold does not state a generation number or a core thickness. I will not guess either. If that detail matters to you, email us before ordering and we will check the paddle in hand.
Perseus: the attacker
Elongated, textured carbon face, 8.1 oz average. Built for players who take the ball early and win with pace and spin.
Hyperion: the builder
Designed with Simone Jardim. Same published figures as the Perseus, pitched around a big sweet spot, reach and spin. It is the JOOLA I recommend to patient players.
Pro Carbon Edition A and Edition B
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 have no full spec sheet for them, so I describe them only from feel. They suit players who like the JOOLA face and do not need a signature model. My JOOLA pickleball paddle guide covers the full range.
Who Should Buy the JOOLA Perseus, and How to Set It Up
- Check your game first. If you win points with counters, speed-ups and topspin, the Perseus fits. If you win with patience, choose the Hyperion or a thick-core Selkirk.
- Check your level. I recommend it from about 3.5 upward. Below that, soft-game consistency matters more than spin.
- Size the grip. The 5.5 in handle is long. If the grip feels thin, add one overgrip rather than two, so the handle does not get bulky.
- Understand swing weight before adding weight. JOOLA does not publish a swingweight on the sheet we hold. Play a month before adding lead tape, then add a few grams at 3 and 9 o'clock for stability, never at the tip.
- Look after the face. Textured carbon loses bite if it rubs on keys or shoes. Use a cover or a Pickleball Paddle Bag in Black ($19.99), and wipe the face with a damp cloth after play.
- Give it time. Expect two weeks of floating drops. After that, the spin starts paying you back.
What I Would Change About the Perseus
No review is useful without the downsides, so here are mine. First, the sweet spot. Like every elongated paddle, the Perseus trades width for reach, and when I got jammed on the backhand side, contact near the edge felt thinner than on a wider shape. Second, the learning curve on soft shots is real. A student of mine moved up to the Perseus too early and spent a frustrating month floating drops before going back to a control paddle for a season. Third, information. JOOLA's sheet for this listing gives dimensions and weight but no core thickness or swingweight, which makes comparisons harder than with Selkirk, where those numbers are often published. None of this changes my verdict. It just tells you who should wait.
JOOLA Perseus vs the Alternatives
| Paddle | Shape | Weight | Core | Face | Price at Padelnox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Simone Jardim Hyperion | Elongated | 7.9 - 8.3 oz (8.1 oz average) | Honeycomb propulsion, hyper-foam edge wall | Textured carbon fiber | $219 |
| Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.9 - 8.3 oz | X7 Thickset honeycomb, 20 mm | Florek carbon fiber | $219 |
| Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Invikta 13mm | Elongated (Invikta) | 7.7 - 8.1 oz | Polymer honeycomb, 13 mm | Fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid | $219 |
| CRBN 1X Power Series 12mm | Elongated | 7.8 - 8.1 oz (8.0 oz average) | Polypropylene honeycomb, 12 mm | Raw T700 carbon fiber | $159 |
For a softer alternative, the Selkirk LUXX Control Air Invikta 20mm in Blue ($219) is the calm opposite of the Perseus, reviewed in full on my LUXX Control Air page. For more raw power, the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Invikta in Red/White ($219) hits flatter and harder. For attack on a budget, the CRBN 1X Power Series 12mm ($159) is the value pick, and my CRBN review explains why. The brand-level comparison lives in Selkirk vs JOOLA.
Buying a Genuine JOOLA Perseus
Popular signature paddles attract copies, so it is worth buying where you can check the seller. Look for tracked shipping, a clear returns policy, a real support contact and a price that is not suspiciously low. At Padelnox every order is inspected before dispatch, and we stock genuine brand stock only. My page on whether Padelnox is legit lists the checks you can make on any online store.
Where to Buy the JOOLA Perseus
The Perseus, Hyperion and both Pro Carbon editions are in our JOOLA paddles collection. Padelnox is a US-based online store with 221 frames and bags in stock, shipping worldwide. Orders are processed in 1 to 3 business days, inspected before dispatch and shipped tracked, with delivery in 7 to 14 business days from dispatch.
At $219 the Perseus ships free and tracked, because free shipping applies over $99. Below $99 shipping is $9.95 flat. Unused items in original packaging can be returned within 30 days, as explained on our shipping and returns page. Our Court-Ready Kit, a free overgrip 3-pack plus a frame protector, is included with every racket over $150. Buy three or more items from accessories and 15% comes off automatically, with no code needed, as the discount code page confirms.
To compare brands, browse every pickleball paddle, the Selkirk range and the CRBN paddles, or read my best pickleball paddle picks. Questions about the Perseus go to helppadelnox@outlook.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the JOOLA Perseus weigh?
The manufacturer sheet we hold lists the JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus at 7.9 to 8.3 oz, with an 8.1 oz average. That sits in the middle of the usual 7.5 to 8.5 oz range for pickleball paddles. It is heavy enough to stay stable in fast exchanges at the kitchen line and light enough to swing freely through a long session without tiring your forearm.
Is the JOOLA Perseus good for beginners?
It is playable, but I do not recommend it as a first paddle. The textured carbon face and lively response reward an attacking, brushing swing, and they make dinks, drops and resets harder to control while you are learning. Beginners progress faster with a thick-core control paddle such as the Selkirk LUXX Control Air. Move to the Perseus once your soft game holds up under pressure.
JOOLA Perseus or Hyperion: which should I choose?
Both list identical dimensions, weight and core construction, so the choice comes down to style. The Perseus, Ben Johns' paddle, felt crisper and more punishing on counters and speed-ups in my testing. The Hyperion, designed with Simone Jardim, felt slightly more forgiving on resets and drops. Attackers should pick the Perseus, and players who build points patiently should pick the Hyperion.