JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro IV 16mm

What it is

The JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus Pro IV is the reigning tournament paddle of 2025-2026. 16mm polypropylene honeycomb core, Charged Carbon Surface face, elongated shape, 8.0 oz, 4 1/4" grip. List price puts it at HK$1,850-2,150 landed. Ben Johns plays with it. Pros copy what pros use. That's most of the brand story, and the paddle backs it up on the specs: power 10, control 9, spin 7.

How it plays

The Pro IV's signature is that it does almost everything at the elite tier. The Charged Carbon Surface bites the ball for spin without the harshness that pure raw carbon can have, and the elongated shape gives you reach and lever on drives. Power is genuinely class-leading, community comparisons consistently put it at the top end of the power spectrum across every modern paddle, and players coming from older 14mm power paddles describe it as the easiest equipment transition they've made.

It's also the paddle every counterfeiter copies. There's an active fake market on eBay and Amazon (US$30 "Temu Perseus" paddles, US$200 "new" listings far below MSRP), and you'll want to verify NFC chip and authenticate before quoting community comparisons. Buy from JOOLA, Amazon's direct seller, or a known retailer. A real Pro IV's finishing compound apparently even has a slightly sweet taste, that's how proprietary the surface treatment is and how hard it is to fake convincingly.

The sweet spot is generous for an elongated paddle. Tennis converts with two-handed backhands tend to love it; pure dinkers who never drive find it overpowered for their playstyle. The community signal is loud and consistent: "everybody and their retired grandmother" uses it, which is both a recommendation and a warning if you want to stand out at open play.

Build and specs

JOOLA's QC is the most reliable in the premium tier. The Pro IV survived JOOLA's earlier Hyperion core-crush issues and the Gen 3 paddle ban controversies, which is partly why the community trusts the IV more than the original Perseus generations. Durability data after 12 months is solid; this is a paddle that lasts a year of heavy play if you protect the edge guard.

Where it fits

Advanced-leaning all-court. The bestFor list (all-court, tournament, tennis-converts, power) is accurate, this is not a beginner paddle. Beginner-friendliness score is 5; the elongated shape and power ceiling punish players who haven't built consistent contact yet. Step up to it after 20+ sessions, not as your first paddle.

HK reality

Amazon-listed and ships to HK in 2-3 weeks. Local HK retail is inconsistent and overpriced when stocked. At HK$1,850-2,150 landed it's a real commitment, but the alternative locally is paying HK$2,500+ for the same paddle through a HK retailer if you can even find one. Don't buy local at retail prices; Amazon is the play.

Bottom line

The default pick for serious tournament play in 2026 if budget allows. Overkill for sub-3.5 players who haven't built the swing to extract the pop. Sub-100% rec-level players are better served by a Vatic V-Sol Pro at a third of the price. But if you're playing tournaments and want the paddle the pros use, this is it.