Kitchen Feedback

I have a confession.

I am easily persuaded by widebody paddles.

Give me a generous sweet spot, some forgiveness on off-centre hits and a design that doesn’t resemble a Paddle Pop, and there’s a reasonable chance I’ll want to try it.

Which brings me to the JOOLA V Scorpeus.

One evening, Edmund —a man whose paddle collection probably requires its own storage unit—handed me his JOOLA V Scorpeus 14mm, Anna Bright‘s signature paddle.

“It’s a widebody,” he said.

That was all I needed to hear.

The fact that it was yellow was something I was willing to overlook.

JOOLA V Scorpeus 14mm: The Unexpected Winner

The first few rallies felt comfortable.

The next few felt even better.

As the game progressed, I found myself putting less effort into my shots while achieving the same results. Returns cleared the net comfortably. Drops and resets felt natural. The paddle generated enough power when required without feeling overly explosive or difficult to control.

Most importantly, it suited my playing style.

I’m not the player trying to end every rally in three shots. I prefer consistency, defence, resets and making one more ball than my opponents.

The Scorpeus 14mm seemed more than happy to support that approach.

The paddle isn’t excessively poppy, which meant I rarely felt like it was launching balls unexpectedly. Most mistakes during the session were entirely my own doing.

As much as it pains me to admit it, the evening ended with a scoreline of:

JOOLA V Scorpeus 14mm: 15
Amelia’s Existing Paddle Preferences: 10

Anna Bright’s paddle had won me over. Amelia Bright I am not, but hey, anything to help a 2.25 self rated me better my game. I bought the paddle off Edmund shortly after.

JOOLA Scorpeus 16mm: The Defensive Specialist

The story doesn’t end there.

One of the regular social players, Eileen, owns the JOOLA V Scorpeus 16mm Colin Johns edition, and was kind enough to chip in for a review of her paddle.

If the 14mm version felt easy to use, the 16mm version felt reassuring. The colour of the paddle stands out too.

The additional thickness translated into greater control and a more planted feel during defensive exchanges. Defending hard drives felt easier. Resets came off the paddle face more predictably. Fast hands battles at the kitchen line felt less frantic.

In short, it suited her defensive tendencies perfectly.

As someone who spends a significant amount of time trying to neutralise aggressive opponents, she appreciated the extra control that the 16mm offered.

Eileen, meanwhile, has the opposite view than me on the 14mm.

She finds the 14mm version too light and prefers the stability of the 16mm.

Which highlights an important point about paddle reviews.

There is rarely a universally “better” paddle.

There is only a paddle that works better for your game.

So Which Would I Choose?

If you prefer a slightly quicker, more lively paddle that still offers plenty of forgiveness, the 14mm Scorpeus is an excellent option.

If your game revolves around consistency, blocking, resets and absorbing pace, the 16mm Scorpeus may be the better fit.

As for me?

I understand why both paddles have developed such loyal followings.

They’re easy to play with.

They’re forgiving.

And most importantly, they allow players to focus on playing pickleball rather than fighting their equipment.

That’s perhaps the highest compliment I can give any paddle.

Disclaimer
Neither JOOLA nor any retailer is aware of this review. I have not received any remuneration, sponsorship, discounts, free products or other benefits in exchange for writing it.
The paddles were borrowed from friendly social players who were kind enough to let me test them, or offer their valuable opinions.
As always, these are simply the thoughts of a recreational player who likes widebody paddles, defensive pickleball and black paddle designs far more than is probably healthy.

Soundtrack

The Killers — “Mr. Brightside”

Look, the article is about Anna Bright’s signature paddle.

The joke practically wrote itself.

Besides, if a paddle can win me over despite being yellow, it deserves a soundtrack from one of the biggest songs of the last two decades.