2025 Hot List Gold Award For Power

Power type paddles often sacrifice forgiveness to gain power. The materials and designs that add power typically shrink the sweet spot. JOOLA managed to create a power paddle that is also forgiving. The JOOLA Hyperion 3S gives you big power and good pop while also giving you some margins for mistakes, making it one of the more appealing options for the everyday player looking for a power paddle.

The JOOLA 3S series offers multiple shapes, but the Hyperion is the standout option for me due to its elongated design and manageable swingweight of approximately 116. The standout feature of this paddle, and others in the series, is the exponential power factor. While most paddles offer a 1:1 power ratio, these paddles provide increased power with harder swings.

The paddles incorporate foam into the paddle which is what’s flexing more when you swing bigger. But the foam activates more on bigger swings than compact, slow swings like a dink or something like that. This makes them easier to dink and reset the ball with compared to more poppy paddles like the Paddletek Bantam series.

One potential drawback of these paddles is that they are only UPA-A certified, not USAP certified. This means they are not allowed in USAP-only tournaments, although they are accepted in many tournaments and clubs. If you don’t play in tournaments then it’s nothing to worry about but something to consider if you do.

The paddle has two thickness options. A 16mm and a 14mm. The 16mm offers more power and pop while the 14mm is subdued a little. You can learn about the other shape options in the 3S series here.