After seeing the evolution of Joola's competitive pickleball paddle line, I firmly consider Joola to be the Apple of pickleball paddles. It is clear that Joola defines the competitive pickleball paddle meta, and like iPhone releases— Joola iterates on previous generations rather than implementing something truly groundbreaking. With the rising popularity of foam cores amongst the paddle reviewer space, rec play and even pro play, Joola took a big risk keeping the Pro V models honeycomb based. But after playtests with every shape, I believe that this move was not lazy at all and actually improved Joola's already-dominant market presence.
TLDR: The Pro V line is a lateral upgrade to the hugely successful Pro IV line, and provides players with a more controllable paddle profile with a feel that is quite different than the Pro IV if you're sensitive to that trait.
Read on for a complete buying guide and first impressions.
First Impressions
I have had the privilege of testing the entire Pro V line for the last week, with the most amount of time spent with the Scorpeus 14mm and the Hyperion 16mm. For reference, I play 5 times weekly for about 4-5 hours which includes games and drilling sessions.
Out of the box, you'll immediately notice a difference in feel if you have used the Pro IV line for any amount of time. While the Pro V line is still firm overall, it plays more soft and dense on ball contact.
The feel of the paddle translates directly into play characteristics—there is noticeably less pop (short swing responsiveness) and more overall control with the Pro V which for me personally was an upgrade.
As a side note, I actually didn't connect well with the Pro IV line last year, so the fact that I wanted to keep on testing the Pro V line despite being in training for my next tournament speaks volumes. I use a low-tier power paddle with a lot of dwell time as my main paddle, and adjusting to the Pro V line especially in the standard shape was seamless—regardless of thickness.
In terms of full swings, the Pro V performed right in line with the Pro IV from my testing using a speed radar and clocking average serve speeds. Given—I only compared serve speeds between the Pro V & Pro IV Perseus, Scorpeus and Hyperion shapes in both thicknesses as I wanted to get time with every shape and that particular test carried less weight for my testing. However, because of the rest of my on-court testing with every shape I'm certain that the other shapes would still be proportionate to that test.
In a nutshell, power, sweet spot and spin were pretty similar between the Pro V and Pro IV lines. Pop and feel seem to be the biggest differences, with the Pro V having lower pop and a more plush feel across the lineup.
Kinetic Frame—what is it?
Joola introduced their KineticFrame system in the Pro V line, drawing inspiration from hockey sticks. While I have no clue about anything hockey related, my understanding is that the Pro IV reacts like a diving board on ball contact which leads to the paddle flexing at an angle. Think about a medieval catapult and how that force is created through pulling the tip back and releasing. The Pro V however, because of the KineticFrame system, reacts like an entire platform. This will, in theory, promote more consistency across each shot. In my testing, this proved true. One of the reasons I didn't connect well with the Pro IV line last year was because of the old response—some drives and serves would spray long because of it. This year with the Pro V, I had much more ease in keeping big shots in the court which was a result of the KineticFrame doing its job plus the lower launch angle of every shot.
Buying Guide
The Pro V line brings back the entire shape lineup from last year: 3 elongated variants with the Perseus, Hyperion and Agassi, the Scorpeus standard shape and a new hybrid shape with the Kosmos. All shapes are available in both thicknesses.
If you jive with the feel and play characteristics detailed above, the next move would be to decide on thickness and shape.
Thickness: 16mm vs. 14mm
Across the lineup, what you can expect is that the 16mm will have more baseline power, less pop on short swings, a bigger sweet spot, more stability and less maneuverability than their 14mm counterparts.
Also, while the launch angle across the board is lower with the Pro V lineup, the 16mm variants of the line will have slightly higher launch angles than the 14mm variants.
| Feature | 16mm Thickness | 14mm Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline Power | More | Less |
| Pop (Short Swing) | Less | More |
| Sweet Spot | Bigger | Smaller |
| Stability | More | Less |
| Maneuverability | Less | More |
| Launch Angle | Higher | Lower |
Shapes: Elongated vs. Standard vs. Hybrid
The Perseus, Hyperion and Agassi are elongated shapes.
The Scorpeus is a standard/widebody.
The Kosmos is Joola's newest shape and it is a true hybrid.
My recommendation? Go with the shape you typically use, especially if you're coming from the Pro IV. If you're new to the Joola line, the same sentiment applies.
| Feature | Elongated (Perseus, Hyperion, Agassi) | Standard (Scorpeus) | Hybrid (Kosmos) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline Power | Most | Least | Middle-ground |
| Pop (Short Swing) | Least | Most | Middle-ground |
| Sweet Spot | Tightest (side-to-side) | Widest | Middle-ground |
| Maneuverability | Slowest | Fastest | Middle-ground |
Final Thoughts
The Joola Pro V lineup has caused a ton of buzz, the same way every annual Apple keynote event causes buzz in the tech world. Say what you want about the usage of honeycomb in the core, the lack of durable face texture, or any other cookie cutter dig at Joola but like last year, Joola will continue to be a major player (if not the top player) in the paddle space amongst professional players and rec players alike.
If you can try before you buy and jive with the feel and play profile the line has to offer, then hopefully this guide helps you narrow down your Pro V paddle search.
If you'd like to demo one of the Pro V models, demo any other paddles in stock or have questions, feel free to contact us HERE.
Shop the JOOLA Pro V Collection
The entire JOOLA Pro V collection is available now at Spinwave Pickleball. Find the shape and thickness that's right for your game.
