JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro V Review: Does It Live Up to the Hype?
This JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro V review comes from three months with the Perseus shape, including serious singles matches and hours of drilling. Short answer: it hits like a truck. Long answer: that power comes with real trade-offs, and I don’t think it’s the right paddle for most players who ask me about it. Last Updated: October 2026
Disclosure: I bought this paddle myself. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. See how I test paddles.
JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro V Review: Quick Verdict
The JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro V is the hardest-hitting paddle I’ve tested. Drives push opponents back, and overheads finish points. The catch is a head-heavy swing that slows fast hand battles at the kitchen and exposes sloppy contact. I’d only recommend it to 4.0+ players with clean mechanics.
My overall rating is 9.1/10: a perfect 10/10 for power, but 8.5 for both control and forgiveness. It’s Ben Johns’ signature paddle, but his swing isn’t yours. If you’re newer or you live at the net, look elsewhere, because this paddle punishes hesitation and sloppy contact.
Who Is the Perseus Pro V For?
It’s built for advanced players, 4.0 and up, who make their own power with clean swing mechanics and want a paddle that adds pop on top. If you’re still building consistency, or you rely on a lighter paddle to stay quick in hand battles, I’d steer you away. This one will feel unmanageable long before it feels powerful.
JOOLA Perseus Pro V Specs Overview
JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro V
Best Overall Power
| Shape | Elongated |
| Dimensions | 16.5″ × 7.5″ |
| Weight | 8.1–8.3 oz |
| Grip Length | 5.5″ |
| Core Thickness | 14mm and 16mm (both tested) |
| Core Material | Honeycomb Propulsion + Hyper-Foam Edge Wall |
| Face Material | Raw Carbon Fiber, Textured Surface |
| Spin Tier | High |
| Swing Feel | Head-heavy, driving |
| Thermoformed | Yes (KineticFrame) |
| USAP Approved | Yes (also UPA-A certified) |
These are my ratings from on-court testing, not manufacturer numbers. Swing feel comes from my calibrated balance board and real play, not the spec sheet.
Dylan’s Rating (9.1) is the average of the four category scores above. Power 10, Control 8.5, Spin 9.3 and Forgiveness 8.5 add up to 36.3, which is 9.075 and rounds to 9.1 out of 10.
On-Court Performance
Dinks & Kitchen Play
This is the primary trade-off. With a head-heavy, driving swing feel, the paddle isn’t built for rapid kitchen hand speed. If your game relies on lightning-fast resets at the net rather than baseline plow-through, you’ll feel the mass working against you in quick exchanges.
Drives & Power Shots
This is where the Pro V separates itself. I could feel the rigid KineticFrame load up on a big backswing and release that energy at contact. On full drives, I consistently pushed opponents back to the baseline, not just occasionally. Overheads were even more one-sided, and put-aways ended points almost instantly. For more options in this category, see my best power pickleball paddle guide.
Serves
The 16.5-inch elongated shape adds reach and leverage on serves.
Resets & Ball Control
The raw carbon face surprised me here. It had enough bite that I could still dip a hard incoming ball back into play under pressure, which isn’t always true of paddles built this heavy for pure power. But “capable of a reset” isn’t the same as “comfortable doing it all match”. See the swing weight section below for why.
Feel, Pop & Power
The KineticFrame is the story here, and it feels different from a standard stiff-core paddle. You load it on the backswing, and it releases real pop at contact, instead of just passing along whatever swing speed you brought. I felt that difference session after session compared with stiffer constructions. That’s why I rated its power 10/10.
Spin & Ball Contact
I rate the Spin Tier as High. The textured carbon face grabbed the ball well, and combined with the dwell time off the KineticFrame, I got solid topspin on drives and dipping serves without losing ball control. For paddles built around spin first, see my best pickleball paddles for spin.
Swing Weight & Maneuverability
Swing weight is how heavy a paddle feels when you swing it, not what it weighs on a scale. This is the factor that decides whether the Pro V fits your game. It’s head-heavy and driving, so it takes solid mechanics and forearm strength to control, and it punishes technique errors when your form breaks down late in a match. If you hit off-center or rely on fast hand exchanges at the kitchen line, it’ll feel sluggish next to lighter hybrid builds. If net quickness matters more than baseline plow-through, pick a paddle with a lighter swing feel.
Grip & Comfort
The 5.5-inch handle gives two-handed backhand hitters comfortable room. The stock grip was tacky out of the box. Because the head-heavy balance makes you squeeze harder, players with smaller hands or wrist sensitivity may want a fresh overgrip to stay secure without over-gripping on long sessions.
Durability
Across three months of heavy drilling, the unibody KineticFrame held up well, with no play at the neck and no edge separation. The textured carbon face showed little smoothing and kept its bite far longer than the budget fiberglass paddles I’ve tested.
Value for Money
This is a serious financial commitment, priced at the top of the market alongside the Selkirk Labs Boomstik and JOOLA’s own Pro IV. The premium covers the KineticFrame build, the Ben Johns pro-level design, and a tournament-ready spec (JOOLA says it includes an NFC chip for warranty registration, and it’s USA Pickleball and UPA-A certified). Whether that’s worth it depends on whether you’re the player I described above. If you’re not, save your money. The Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro gets you strong power for far less, and my paddles under $200 guide covers more value picks.
How Does the Perseus Pro V Compare?
| Paddle | Feel | Best For | Dylan’s Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro V | Head-heavy, driving | Baseline power | 9.1 |
| JOOLA Hyperion CFS 16mm | Plusher at the kitchen | Forgiveness with pop | Rating coming soon |
| Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro | Balanced, controllable | Budget power | 8.5 |
Against the Hyperion CFS 16mm, the Pro V gives up some of that plush kitchen forgiveness for much more baseline plow-through and pop off the KineticFrame. Against the V-Sol Pro, the Pro V has more structural rigidity and raw drive speed, but the V-Sol Pro swings lighter and costs far less. For a head-to-head against Selkirk, read my JOOLA vs Selkirk comparison.
Buy if:
You make your own power, and this paddle rewards it instead of compensating for you.
Full drives pushed opponents to the baseline, and overheads ended points almost instantly.
The KineticFrame loads on the backswing and releases real pop, which suits singles and heavy drivers.
Pass if:
It exposes imprecise contact instead of helping it.
The head-heavy swing works against you in quick exchanges. The Vatic Pro V-Sol Pro swings lighter.
It sits at the top of the market, and cheaper paddles in my best pickleball paddles list get you most of the way for far less.
Final Verdict
Buy it if you’re 4.0+, you generate your own power with clean mechanics, and you want a paddle that rewards your swing. Pass if you’re on a budget, below 4.0, or your game lives at the kitchen line instead of the baseline. Not sure where you land? Try my paddle decision matrix. Check the Perseus Pro V on Amazon.
JOOLA Perseus Pro V FAQs
What’s the difference between the JOOLA Perseus Pro IV and Pro V?
JOOLA says the Pro IV uses TechFlex foam in the throat and corners, while the Pro V swaps in the KineticFrame, built to flex and recover on impact for a springier response. On court, the Pro V felt more spring-loaded to me on big swings.
Is the JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro V USA Pickleball approved?
Yes, it’s listed as approved for tournament play and is also UPA-A certified. Check the current approved list before sanctioned play, because lists get updated.
How much does the Perseus Pro V cost?
It’s priced at the top of the market, alongside the Selkirk Labs Boomstik and JOOLA Pro IV. Prices move, so check the current price on Amazon.
What swing weight does the Perseus Pro V have?
It’s head-heavy with a driving feel. That gives you maximum baseline plow-through and drive speed, but it asks for stronger mechanics in fast net exchanges than lighter hybrid paddles do.
Is the Perseus Pro V good for beginners?
No. It rewards clean technique and punishes mishits. I’d point beginners and lower intermediates to my best pickleball paddles for beginners guide instead.
What is Dylan’s Rating for the JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro V?
It’s 9.1 out of 10, the average of my four category scores: Power 10, Control 8.5, Spin 9.3 and Forgiveness 8.5. It’s the hardest-hitting paddle I’ve tested, but control and forgiveness score lower at 8.5 each.
Dylan is a 4.5-rated pickleball player and gear writer who has tested 80+ paddles across 400+ hours on court. He rates spin, power, control, and forgiveness from real court time so you can buy smarter — no sponsored rankings, ever.