Joola is a relative newcomer to the pickleball game, having started as a table tennis brand. I’ve tested a half-dozen paddles from the past two seasons of gear made by the Maryland-based company, including a unique round frame paddle more closely modeled on a tennis racket and several from the series made for pro pickleballer Ben Johns, the reigning number one singles player in the world.
This paddle is thermoformed, meaning it’s heat-pressed together and virtually indestructible. It’s a little heavy on the head and delivers the most power of any paddle I tested. Everyone who tried this paddle found it not that forgiving, which makes sense given it was designed for an advanced player. The sweet spot is toward the top of the paddle face and isn’t especially large. Whack one right on the money and the ball jolts off it. For a player without great control, it’s easy to hit too…
