When Joola signed Ben Johns, they didn’t just make one new signature paddle for him. They made a whole series. It’s called the Ben Johns Hyperion series. It’s a collection of three paddles that share the same shape but have a few different characteristics. There has been a lot of talk about the CFS 16 model because that’s the one Ben plays with, but there are two others in the Hyperion series called the CAS 16 and the CAS 13.5 that I reviewed alongside the CFS 16.
After playing with the paddles for several weeks to get a good feel for how they played and compared to each other, here’s my review of their performance. I’ll share my thoughts about each paddle separately and then the section at the end compares them all side by side.
Hyperion CFS 16
Price: $220
Quick Stats
| Technical Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Weight |
8.4 oz (head heavy) |
|
Length x Width |
16.5" x 7.5" |
|
Thickness |
16mm |
|
Facing Material |
Carbon Friction Surface |
|
Handle Length |
5.5" |
|
Handle Circumference |
4.25" |
Paddle Design and Technology
All paddles in this series share the same shape. It’s an elongated shape with an extra long handle at 5.5”. CFS is an acronym for Carbon Friction Surface. This is a carbon fiber surface and is different from what’s used in the other two Hyperion paddles. This surface feels lightly textured and is built into the material. The CFS 16 also uses a Carbon Forged Handle and a Hyperfoam edge that the other paddles in the series don’t have.
The Carbon Forged Handle and Hyperfoam edge are both new technologies that Joola introduced. I explain the details of those features in my full review of the CFS 16 that you can check out if you’re interested.
The last difference between the CFS 16 and the others in the series is the core. The CFS 16 uses a polymer core with smaller honeycomb cells. Joola calls this their Reactive core. The other two paddles in the series use Joola’s Responsive core which is made with larger honeycomb cells. The Reactive core is supposed to generate more power compared to the Responsive core.
Performance Summary
I’m categorizing it as an all-court paddle that leans towards the power side. It had a unique feel to it that I thought felt similar to a Selkirk Vanguard paddle but it was a little bouncier and the ball came off heavier. I really liked its feel, it felt like quality when you hit it. Although it had that bounce off the face I was still very in tune with it. My soft game didn’t come immediately but once I adjusted to the extra pop I felt in control and was confident in my ability to manage the pace of play with it. Which is something you can’t say for too many paddles that offer this much power.
One of my favorite things about the paddle was its handle. Sounds weird, right? You’ll see what I’m talking about when you hold one. Joola developed a technology they are calling a Carbon Forged Handle. One of the benefits it gives Joola is the ability to control the shape of the handle and it felt so good. I wish every brand would do the same thing.
The paddle is on the heavier side at 8.4 oz and is head heavy which made it feel even heavier than its actual weight. I prefer head heavy paddles but this was too much for me. It made it difficult to accelerate through the ball at times, especially with one-handed back hand volleys. However, if you do a lot two-handed backhand shots then the weight won’t bother you as much.
The bottom line: The Hyperion CFS 16 is an all-court paddle that leans towards the power side. I loved how it felt and its surprising pop gave you plenty of power. However, its extra head heavy design had drawbacks.
How does it compare?
I thought the CFS 16 offered more power and better control compared to the CAS 16 and CAS 13.5. It had some nice pop to it but somehow I still felt very in tune with it and could execute the soft game well. I liked this paddle the most out of the three. It’s a top-tier all-court paddle. However, the extra head heavy design may be too much for some people. If you deal with any sort of overuse injuries like tennis elbow then this will not help. The extra head heavy design also makes it difficult to produce power on the weaker backhand side. This was a close to perfect all-court paddle if it wasn’t for the extra head heavy weight. If weight is not a problem for you, or you play a lot of two-handed shots to support your backhand then I think you should consider this paddle.
Hyperion CAS 16
Price: $160
Quick Stats
| Technical Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Weight |
8.3 oz (balanced) |
|
Length x Width |
16.5" x 7.5" |
|
Thickness |
16mm |
|
Facing Material |
Carbon Abrasion Surface |
|
Handle Length |
5.5" |
|
Handle Circumference |
4.5" |
Paddle Design and Technology
The CAS 16 uses a different facing and core combination compared to the CFS 16 and doesn’t have the Hyperfoam edge and Carbon Forged Handle. Its facing material is a combination of fiberglass and carbon fiber. It has a carbon fiber layer stacked on a fiberglass layer. They did this to give the paddle a little more pop than what carbon fiber will give you on its own. The CAS 16 has a Responsive core which means the polymer honeycomb cells are larger which will add feel to the paddle.
CAS is an acronym for Carbon Abrasion Surface. The texture of this paddle feels very different compared to the CFS 16. It’s a sand paper type texture that’s laid on top of the carbon fiber while the CFS 16 has the texture built into the material itself.
Performance Summary
I’m putting the CAS 16 in the control category. It’s not completely mute off the face but it absorbs the ball well and allows you to control the pace of play. It has a decent sized sweet spot though it’s not as forgiving as the CFS 16. It didn’t take me long to adjust to my soft game and I was able to execute dinks, drops, and resets well.
The ball comes off the face in a controlled way, it’s not bouncy. But it’s not without some power. I’d say it has more power than what you would see in a pure control paddle like an Electrum E or something. We can thank the fiberglass facing layer for that.
I could generate lots of spin the first few days I played with it but the sandpaper like grit did wear out much quicker than what I was seeing with the grit the CFS 16 uses. After a couple of weeks of play the grit was noticeably reduced though it wasn’t as smooth as Ben’s old Franklin Signature would be during that same time period.
The bottom line: The Hyperion CAS 16 is a good control paddle though there is nothing spectacular about it. If you’re nervous about the head heavy design of the CFS 16 then this is a good alternative.
How does it compare?
I didn’t feel as connected to the CAS 16 as I did the CFS 16. That’s why I gave it a lower control rating. Although you could still control and absorb pace well, it didn’t have the same connected feel to it as the CFS 16 did.
Although the CAS 16 wasn’t mute off the face it wasn’t as lively as the CFS 16 and offered less power.
The CAS 16 has an average weight that is one oz lighter compared to the CFS 16 but it feels much lighter and is well balanced. This paddle was easier to maneuver in fast hand battles and in scramble situations because of it.
Hyperion CAS 13.5
Price: $160
Quick Stats
| Technical Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Weight |
8.2 oz (balanced) |
|
Length x Width |
16.5" x 7.5" |
|
Thickness |
13mm |
|
Facing Material |
Carbon Abrasion Surface |
|
Handle Length |
5.5" |
|
Handle Circumference |
4.25" |
Paddle Design and Technology
The CAS 13.5 is constructed the exact same as the CAS 16 other than the thickness. The CAS 13.5 has a thinner core which typically means more power at the sacrifice of some forgiveness.
This one has that hybrid facing material with a carbon fiber layer stacked on a fiberglass layer. It has the responsive core with the bigger honeycomb cells to add some touch and forgiveness.
CAS is an acronym for Carbon Abrasion Surface. The texture of this paddle feels very different compared to the CFS 16. It’s a sand paper type texture that’s laid on top of the carbon fiber while the CFS 16 has the texture built into the material itself.
Performance Summary
This paddle falls into the all-court category. It didn’t have enough power to make it a power paddle like I expected it to. You get a little more power from this paddle compared to the CAS 16 but not as much as the CFS 16.
It had a pretty tight sweet spot. I thought the additional power the paddle offered was not worth the exchange of the smaller sweet spot. I personally prefer thinner core paddles because I like the easier maneuverability of them but I didn’t like how this one played. I kept dumping balls into the net that would go over with many other paddles. I played with the CAS 13.5 a lot because I wanted to like it but it never got any better for me.
I could generate lots of spin the first few days I played with it but the sandpaper like grit did wear out much quicker than what I was seeing with the CFS 16. After a couple of weeks of play the grit was noticeably reduced though it wasn’t as smooth as Ben’s old Franklin Signature would be.
The bottom line: The Hyperion CAS 13.5 was quick in your hands and had decent power. I thought the addition of power was not worth what you sacrificed in forgiveness and control.
How does it compare?
The CAS 13.5 did not have as much control or power compared to the CFS 16. It also didn’t offer as much control as the CAS 16 while the gains in power were marginal.
It was much lighter and easier to move compared to the other paddles in the series. I liked that about it. It was the least forgiving and not as player friendly compared to the other paddles too.
Side by side comparison and recommendation
To make things easier to compare the paddles, here’s a table that shows the rankings of all three paddles right next to each other.
| Paddle | Control | Power | Spin | Forgiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CFS 16 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
CAS 16 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
|
CAS 13.5 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
The CFS 16 performed the best in every category. Its only downside was the extra head heavy weight. The CAS 16 is a good alternative to the CFS 16 if you want something with an even weight distribution and don’t want to spend $220 on the paddle Ben plays with. The CAS 16 is $60 cheaper. I wasn’t a fan of the CAS 13.5 and wouldn’t recommend it. I think there are better thinner core paddles out there.
If the heavier weight of the CFS 16 is not an issue for you then I’d recommend the CFS 16. I thought it was a top-tier all-court paddle. The CAS 16 is a good control paddle that offers a little more power compared to a pure control paddle. If the weight of the CFS 16 is an issue for you then you should consider the better weight balanced CAS 16.
All in all, I want to tip my hat to Joola. They made a grand entrance and brought legitimate paddles to market that are pushing paddle technology forward. I’m sure we’ll continue to see great things from them.
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SHOP JOOLABraydon competes at the 4.5 level and plays in 5-10 tournaments a year. He plays/drills 3 to 4 times a week and would play more if time allowed it.
