JOOLA Perseus Mod TA-15 Pro Player - pickleball paddle review

Are you a Ben Johns or a JOOLA fan? Have you been eyeing their next paddle release? In case you missed it, JOOLA quietly launched a new Perseus model.

You probably heard that JOOLA Gen 3 paddles were banned by USA Pickleball. The Perseus 3 was easily the most powerful paddle I've ever tested. If the Perseus Mod hits anything like the older model, it will find many fans. Read my JOOLA Perseus Mod TA-15 review to see how it plays on the court.

The JOOLA Perseus Mod TA-15 Pro Player is almost as powerful as the JOOLA Gen 3 paddles (which were banned for being too powerful). While it doesn't have that rocket-powered drive, you can feel the trampoline effect from the Propulsion Core tech.

This has more than enough power for rec players. It also matches the great spin of the Gen 3 paddles and offers way more than the Gen 2 JOOLA Perseus.

What makes this a 5-star all-court paddle is the larger sweet spot for more forgiveness and the high levels of control for a powerful elongated paddle. I've already won a lot more games with this paddle than I ever did with any Gen 3 model (and trust me, I tested them all).

Watch my first thoughts on the Perseus Mod:

There are downsides like with any paddle. It's still easy to pop up balls if you put too much swing on a touch shot. More advanced players will be able to adapt their swing speed and find the right technique for their control game. However, this will challenge lower-level players.

It's also not the fastest paddle, but that's what you should expect from an elongated paddle. If you want something with great aerodynamic qualities, try the all-court Six Zero Infinity DBD or the Gearbox Pro Power if you're a banger.

Overall, the pros outweigh the cons big time for me. This isn't a paddle for new players. However, if you're an advancing intermediate or high-level player and you want a strong blend of power and control, you'll like it a lot.

While this is a pricey paddle at $280, it's worth the investment for the right player who wants one of the best paddles in 2024. It's a great replacement for the Perseus 3, especially if you wanted more control and forgiveness from that model.

The Perseus Mod TA-15 has almost no branding and design, which is unique for a JOOLA paddle. They're usually colorful and decked out in branding and pro signatures. I bet this was a model that was made during the process of creating their Gen 3 paddles, like a Gen 2.9.

I actually like this toned-down style. It's not flashy and doesn't scream "I have a JOOLA". It has a really nice feel too. I tested it after a tough six-week hiatus because of an injury and I had no issues. I could easily last a 3-4 hour session, so this is a great paddle for tennis elbow.

Let's look at some of the features.

This is foam added to the core to give it extra power, making it behave like a trampoline. I always thought this is what got the Gen 3 paddles from JOOLA banned by USA Pickleball (and the Vatic Pro Oni too), and I'm not alone in that thinking. I'm surprised the Mod TA-15 was approved.

This must be a toned-down version of the tech because the power is tamed a little. While you can still feel a trampoline effect—especially on aggressive shots like overheads—you won't be hitting balls into outer space like you could with the Perseus 3.

This "additive bonding" makes the paddle surface stronger. It's what gives you crazy good spin, right up there with some of the best paddles for spin. It's also what makes this paddle so poppy.

The Perseus 3 had this chip in the handle too. Basically, you tap your phone against it to unlock your warranty and authenticate the paddle. While it doesn't change the paddle's performance in any way, it's meant to prevent against counterfeits. This might be handy since you're paying such a premium.

This paddle has power that's hard to react to, which is why a lot of people complained about the JOOLA Gen 3s being unfair in rec games. It's slightly tamed here, and I knocked the Mod TA-15 down a half-point on power versus the Gen 3 Perseus.

While you still get a ton of acceleration off the face, it's not the kind of power that had people scared for their safety! It's closer to a Gen 2 paddle like the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C.

The power works best on aggressive shots like overhead smashes. I find myself playing like Ben Johns from the left side, shifting to the middle and taking every overhead smash until I have completely put the ball away (which I usually can).

It's great on drives too. I've won a lot of cheap points by speeding up to my opponent's weak side (usually a forehand from the kitchen).

Overall, the faster you swing, the more you unlock the power. While the power unlock is less exponential than the Gen 3s, you get benefits back in forgiveness and control.

This paddle is surprisingly good on control. I can land third-shot drops pretty routinely. The key is to engage the topspin and to watch my swing speed. Dinks feel natural and I have no issues enduring an extended dink rally to set up the point.

The reason it doesn't score higher is because there's a ton of pop. I've had a few routine volleys sail long on me when I hadn't even swung that hard. That never happens to me with a Gen 2 paddle like my Six Zero DBD Control.

This is the first JOOLA paddle that I've scored 10/10 on spin. It's a huge jump up from the Gen 2 Perseus, and right on par with the Gen 3. This puts the Mod TA-15 right beside the best spin paddles like the Proton Series One, Gearbox Pro Power, and Engage Pursuit Pro1 6.0.

I feel it most on topspin swinging volleys. I can put so much topspin on these that they dip at my opponents' feet. Sometimes I won't even hit them that hard and they're still difficult to return because of the bounce off the spin.

On serves, I learned to ramp up my swing speed to send them deep. I only missed a serve every other game. That's really good—I remember hitting errant serves with the Gen 3s a few times when I didn't even swing that hard, which was frustrating.

I'm happy to have found a Perseus with a decent-sized sweet spot (the Perseus 2 had a frustratingly small one). I've had very few mishits with the Mod TA-15 so far and I don't think I had even a single one in my first 2-3 hour testing session.

While it isn't a massive sweet spot like on the PIKKL Hurricane Pro (a square-shaped control paddle), it's on a par with the square-shaped JOOLA Scorpeus 3. This is great news for a pro-level elongated paddle, which are notoriously unforgiving.

I'm impressed by the weight distribution. It's an elongated shape so naturally the swingweight is going to be on the higher side but JOOLA nailed the design. This is an 8 oz paddle that packs a ton of power without needing extra static weight.

This model has the same premium grip I've come to expect from JOOLA, which you'd hope for given the $280 price tag. Just note that the white handle will get dirty over time. Some people might complain about this, but I like the clean look. Most serious players will toss an overgrip on it anyway.

This is made from premium materials. With the carbon fiber build and edge guard, it will hold up over time.

The big question is the grit. Spin was great out of the box but I'll have to report back after 3-6 months on the courts to see if it degrades much.

This is a standard elongated paddle that's built for reach and power. It's not so interested in being an aerodynamic paddle.

I do miss the fast swing speed of the standard-shaped Scorpeus, my favorite of the Gen 3s. I hope JOOLA adds a Scorpeus Mod TA-15.

Rating:

JOOLA continues to push the limits of what players will pay. At $279.95, this is the same price as one of their Gen 3 paddles. That said, given the initial success of the Gen 3 launch, it's obvious players value the JOOLA name and the innovation and quality they bring.

The unique Propulsion Core tech is part of what makes this paddle expensive. Many people assumed that wouldn't be here because they thought it was why the Gen 3 paddles were banned.

Most advanced players are already willing to spend this kind of money. Gearbox, Proton, and Engage all have paddles in this range.

If you're an intermediate who's serious about advancing your game, it's a worthy investment if you have the budget. Since it skews toward power over control, I think you need to be at least a 3.5 player to find success with it. Players 4.0 or above will get the most out of it.

This is an excellent all-court paddle. The Gen 3s felt more like a novelty to me with their over-the-top power. In comparison, the Mod TA-15 gives a more rounded performance, and I'm able to win more games with it.

If you're one of the many Ben Johns and/or JOOLA fans, I 100% recommend you check out this paddle. Personally, it's my favorite JOOLA release since the breakthrough JOOLA Hyperion CFS 16 back in 2022.

If the JOOLA Perseus Mod TA-15 Pro Player isn't the paddle for you, take a look at some other paddles I recommend:

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