If you've been playing pickleball long enough, you know what JOOLA paddles represent. If you're new to the sport, this is the brand of Ben Johns – arguably the best men's player in the world. It's the benchmark by which most serious players measure every other paddle.
The Pro V is JOOLA's latest iteration of the series and the headline question is simple: does it move the needle enough to justify an upgrade? The short answer is yes – with a caveat.
I played with the elongated JOOLA Perseus Pro V and it is excellent. Has it reinvented the wheel? No, but JOOLA doesn't need to. This is like Apple releasing a new iPhone: if you already have the JOOLA Perseus Pro IV, you're probably fine to hold off. If you're ready to upgrade, or you want the best all-court power paddle available right now, this is it. This new model gives you a better balance of power and control, with improved energy absorption on touch shots and release on hard shots. You don't have to swing hard to unlock huge power and you don't lose accuracy on placement. If you can afford the $300 price tag, this is a plush paddle with amazing feel.Today's best deals
Buy or pass?
Buy if:
You want maximum dwell and feel without sacrificing power:
the 16 mm I played with gives you that connected, ball-sits-into-the-paddle sensation on drives, while still launching the ball with serious authority off the baseline.
You like to play aggressively and shape the ball:
you can rip drives but you can also dip topspin serves, roll lobs over opponents' hands at the kitchen, and reset with control in the transition zone.
You play at an advanced level and aren't price-sensitive:
this is a real pro-level paddle with a top-of-market performance. For the right player, $300 is justified.
Pass if:
You want a lower-priced alternative:
the Holbrook Fuze and Honolulu Sword & Shield J2NF give this a run for its money in the $200 price range.
You want a foam paddle:
JOOLA is not joining the foam-core revolution just yet – check out the Selkirk Boomstik or CRBN TruFoam Genesis if you want a full-foam paddle.
You want a more aerodynamic version:
the JOOLA Hyperion Pro V has an aero-curve shape to move faster through the air.
The benchmark for pro all-court paddles
A new Perseus is always big news in pickleball. Launching one year after the Pro IV model, the JOOLA Perseus Pro V is more of an upgrade than a revolution, but there's nothing wrong with that. JOOLA already had one of the best pickleball paddles on the market, they just made it better.
The biggest change is the new KineticFrame technology – a patent-pending frame structure integrated into the throat that flexes to store momentum and release it on impact, like a kick-point in a hockey stick. In practice, that means easier access to power without having to swing harder, and improved absorption of the ball for touch shots.
It's worth pointing out that JOOLA opted against a foam core again here. This is notable when every other brand seems to be releasing foam paddles. My worry is that we'll see some of the same delamination issues that plagued earlier JOOLA paddles, but it's too early to call.
At $300, you want to be confident your paddle will last. If you're an advanced player who's less concerned about longevity and more focused on squeezing every bit of performance out of your paddle, this one definitely delivers.
Paddle Weight
7.9 oz (14mm) / 8.1 oz (16mm)
Paddle Length
16.5 inches
Paddle Width
7.5 inches
Handle Length
5.5 inches
Grip Circumference
4.25 inches (Ben Johns) / 4.125 inches (Simone Jardim 16 mm)
Paddle Face Material
Textured carbon fiber
Core Material
Propulsion core (polymer honeycomb with KineticFrame)
Core Thickness
14 or 16 mm
Sweet Spot
Large
How the JOOLA Pro V plays
| Category | Rating | Notes |
| Power | 9/10 | Not the raw power ceiling of something like the Selkirk Boomstik, but a heavy-hitting all-court paddle. It excels on delivering dwell-based power, which I'll explain more about in the Pros section. |
| Control | 9/10 | It’s not as soft or maneuverable as a pure control paddle, but for a power paddle the level of feel and touch is impressive. Advanced players who like to shape the ball will feel right at home. |
| Spin | 10/10 | The textured carbon fiber face grabs the ball extremely well, and the combination of grit and dwell time lets you generate serious topspin. This is an elite spin paddle. |
| Forgiveness | 9/10 | The sweet spot is large and consistent enough that I rarely felt punished for not finding the dead center. |
| Weighting | 9/10 | The 16 mm comes in at 8.1 oz. I added lead tape to my paddle – 5 grams to each side – and it still felt quick in hand battles. That flexibility to add weight without feeling like you're sacrificing hand speed is a real asset for players who like a heavier feel at the kitchen. |
| Grip | 8/10 | The handle is long enough for two-handed backhands, the grip circumference is comfortable, and the tacky texture resists sweat reasonably well. It didn't become slippery during longer sessions. No standout negatives, but also nothing that sets it apart from other top-tier paddles. |
| Durability | 8/10 | JOOLA ignores the foam paddle craze for now, but that keeps this paddle at a Gen 3-adjacent level, rather than a Gen 4 with the most modern tech. I wonder if it will last as long as a full-foam paddle. |
| Aerodynamics | 8/10 | Not the fastest paddle I’ve played with but it moves quickly enough that I never felt like it was getting in my way at the kitchen. |
✅ Pros
Great dwell-based power
On drives from the baseline, the ball feels like it sits into the face before catapulting out. You can counter speed-ups at the kitchen with authority, serve with pace, and drive thirds without needing a big windup.
Learn more about dwell-based vs pop-based power.
Awesome connected feel
The plush, cushioned feel (especially off the 16 mm face) means the ball sits in long enough that you can place your dinks rather than just aim them. I found resets in the mid-court particularly effective – I was able to take balls out of the air in the transition zone and push them back into the kitchen without too many pop-ups.
Next-level spin
This is one of the top pickleball paddles for spin. I was able to serve high and have the ball dip toward the baseline with heavy spin, execute aggressive topspin lobs from the kitchen that cleared my opponents' hands and still landed in, and attack at the net with dipping speed-ups.
Improved forgiveness
Forgiveness is boosted compared to the Pro IV. Mishits off the edges and throat were more forgiving than I expected. I didn't experience many of those "what just happened?" moments where the ball inexplicably dies on the face.
❌ Considerations
Not 10 out of 10 power
This is more of a powerful all-court paddle than the more explosive Pro IV. If you want max aggression, see the best pickleball paddles for power.
If you're a Pro IV user
The jump from the Pro IV isn't massive. If you're ready to upgrade, then by all means go for it. If you love your Pro IV, however, and it's still in good shape, there's no need to run out and buy this tomorrow. The improvement is real, but it's incremental.
Durability
To beef up durability compared to JOOLA Gen 3 paddles, they've added layers over the honeycomb core and introduced additional quality control measures during manufacturing. Time will tell if it works.
JOOLA Pro V price – is it worth it?
At $300, this is the most expensive version of the Perseus yet. Another player told me that the Pro V plays close to the Luzz Pro Cannon ($109). I wouldn't go that far – there's a real gap in refinement and feel – but the point is that strong alternatives exist at much lower price points. The Honolulu J2NF, for example, runs about $175 and offers a competitive performance with a foam core that may outlast the Pro V.
So, there are excellent paddles at $150-200 that get you 80-90% of the way there. If you want Ben Johns' paddle and you're not worried about spending $300 every one to two years, the performance is unambiguous: this is the best all-court power paddle on the market.
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Alternatives to the JOOLA Pro V
If you're considering the JOOLA Pro V, here are three paddles worth looking at depending on your priorities:
Best for durability
Selkirk LABS Project Boomstik
Best value alternative
Honolulu Sword & Shield J2NF
Best for beginners
Warping Point Neon
What even more options? Try our 30-second quiz and we'll recommend the best paddles for your play style and budget.
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