Reviewed: JOOLA Gen 3 Pickleball Paddles - Perseus, Hyperion, Scorpius, and Magnus
by Joseph Sutton on Apr 23, 2024
The Biggest JOOLA Launch Yet
The pickleball world is buzzing about the new “Gen 3” paddle lineup from Joola, and for good reason. We’ve seen players absolutely dominate on the PPA tour with the “Alpha” prototype models all year, and the production versions are finally available to the public, and they slap.
Joola launched the same 3 shapes and thicknesses they had available in their 2023 launch with the 14 and 16mm Perseus, Hyperion, and Scorpius, and this year they added the Magnus shape for their new signee Tyson McGuffin. We will get into each shape and who it’s for soon, but we have to talk about the main reason these paddles are the talk of the town, the new Propulsion Core.
Let’s take a deep dive!
(Or just jump to the paddle you wanna see)
What is the Propulsion Core?
The team at Joola took the structure of their best selling “gen 2” paddles and added a new component to the construction process that allows the paddle face to store and release more energy than almost any paddle on the market. They did this by adding a horseshoe shaped channel of foam between the foam filled carbon fiber perimeter and the honeycomb core at the top of the paddle. This allows the components to move more freely similar to the stringbed on a tennis racket.
Like lowering the tension on a guitar string, the pitch of these paddles is deep and can sound hollow. Similar to tennis string tension, lower tension on the paddle face paired with a stiff beam on the perimeter creates a more powerful piece of equipment.
Because the additional foam layer does not surround the entire core, the honeycomb still retains enough stiffness to offer control on softer shots, but the harder you swing, the more flex you’ll get allowing you to ramp up the power when you need it.
Dwell Time, Spin, and the "Charged Carbon Fiber" Surface
So the paddles hit like a freight train when you need it, but how are you supposed to keep the ball in the court? The core allows for more “dwell time”, or time the ball spends on the paddle face, and that gives players more access to spin, making it easier to bend the ball back in the lines.
On top of that, Joola continues to include their “Charged Carbon” surface, their version of what the industry calls raw carbon fiber, to give players access to even more spin which the paddles desperately need to remain controllable.
Weight Distribution and Overall Specs
Aside from the face and core, the 16mm paddles fall around 8 ounces each, while the 14mm models over closer to 7.8 ounces making these accessible weight wise to most players. Swingweights range from the light and maneuverable 14mm Scorpius at 108 to the more head heavy and powerful Perseus 16mm at 119 which is still low compared to other options in its class leaving plenty of room for weighted tape customization.
Naturally, the wider and thicker models feature higher twistweights thanks to the extra weight away from the vertical axis making them less reactive to off center hits. This makes these better options for players who need a little more forgiveness.
Besides the Magnus, all of the new shapes feature a 5.5” handle offering plenty of room for 2 handed backhands.
A Bright Light in a Dark Market
While the Gen 3 Joolas utilize a similar black "raw carbon fiber" face material as the rest of the market, we love to see a new aesthetic on the court, and JOOLA went all in on color with their rainbow assortment they call their Gradient Edge Shield. While the edgeguard itself may be nothing to write home about, It's the small touches on these paddles that give them the premium feel and look that you can feel up close and see from a long, long way away.
Let’s get into the different shapes so you can decide which one is right for you.
The Scorpius 3
In their second generation, JOOLA launched their version of a standard shaped paddle with the Scorpius, and it was an instant hit with pros and amateurs alike. While it fits the standard standard shape in its 16 by 8 dimensions, the team at JOOLA gives us an elongated 5.25” handle that realistically measures at 5.5” giving players like Anna Bright plenty of room for two handed backhands, which we love. Like the players they were built for, the 2 Scorpius models benefit 2 specific playstyles extremely well.
The 14mm Anna Bright Scorpius is the most maneuverable paddle in the lineup but also has the second highest lateral stability. This makes the paddle a dream for hands battle specialists that love to start fights and dig their way back into the point, which is a pretty perfect description of Anna Bright’s game!
The Collin Johns 16mm Scorpius still has solid maneuverability, but the even higher stability makes this model a resetting and counter attacking machine. As one of the best right side specialists in the game, Collin needed a paddle that helped him use his tactical defensive playstyle to get to the kitchen line and punish poor speedups and high dinks once he got there. Players looking for this in their own game should choose the CJ 16 mil Scorpius.
Specs
Shape:
Standard
Face Material:
Raw Carbon Fiber
Core Thickness:
14mm
Handle Length:
5.25" (5.5" usable)
Avg Weight:
7.8 oz
Core:
Thermoformed Polyprolylene "Propulsion" Core
Swingweight
108
The Perseus 3
The Gen 2 Ben Johns Perseus 16 was one of the top selling paddles of 2023, and the Gen 3 model has a good chance of following in its footsteps. With the highest power potential and most reach, the Perseus is a natural choice for Ben’s game as he covers most of the court, and he opts for the 16mm option for its increased stability and predictability in his tactical game. While most players looking for these attributes will choose the 16mm model, singles specialists and aggressive players who prefer to swing more freely and shape shots from anywhere on the court may prefer the 14mm option for its higher maneuverability and ball feel that can help them make shots with tight margins even on full swings.
The Hyperion 3
The first generation JOOLA Hyperion CFS is still one of the most popular paddles on the market, and the team at JOOLA wisely kept it in the lineup for gen 3 even though its specs are incredibly similar to the Perseus. While still technically an elongated paddle, the Hyperion shape has a rounded top that moves the center of mass further down the paddle and brings the sweet spot with it to create a more central and slightly more forgiving hitting zone.
Along with that sweet spot shift, the lower center of mass also creates a lower swingweight making the Hyperion a little more maneuverable than the Perseus. While this may impact the plow through a tiny bit and on paper should be less powerful, we never felt that we needed more. JOOLA Pro and legend of the game Simone Jardim prefers the Hyperion, and both she and Ben Johns have signature editions of the paddle.
The Magnus 3
When you bring the most electrifying man in sports to your team, you better have a paddle that can match that energy, and the new Magnus shape does just that, and I have a feeling it was Tyson himself who insisted on the neon pink aesthetic. Modeled after his paddle shape of choice, the Magnus fits a more niche pro player featuring a shorter 5 inch handle and extra-elongated face. As a player who uses a 1 handed backhand and is known for exceptional handspeed and consistency, Tyson prefers more face than handle, and though I actually use a two-hander, I found myself having a blast with this shape.
I tried the 14mm model and felt like I had the maneuverability of a standard shaped paddle with the reach of an elongated paddle. Two-handed drops and dinks definitely felt cramped, but my one-handed backhands felt nimble and natural enough for me to get by. Players who don’t use a two-handed backhand may feel wary to try a paddle with such a short handle, but I’d encourage them to try the Magnus and see what its forgiveness and maneuverability can do for their game. Similar to the other models, more defensive players will prefer the 16mm Magnus for the added stability while offensive minded players should opt for the 14mm Magnus.
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