Ben Johns' JOOLA Perseus 3S Weighted Tape Setup Explained
Where did Ben Johns put weighted tape on his JOOLA Perseus 3S 16mm—and why? His 3S setup is particularly interesting because it included additional weight near the top corners that he later eliminated when he switched to the Perseus Pro IV.
If you own a JOOLA Ben Johns Perseus 3S 16mm and want to know how Ben Johns customized his own paddle, there's an important detail that is easy to miss:
His Perseus 3S weighted-tape setup was different from the setup he later used on the Perseus Pro IV.
Johns continued using weight around the lower sides of the paddle, but on the 3S he also added a small amount of weight near the upper corners.
When he later demonstrated his Pro IV setup, Johns specifically referred back to the 3S and explained that he had eliminated that upper-corner weight. That small change tells us quite a bit about how an elite player tunes a paddle.
Where Did Ben Johns Put Weighted Tape on His Perseus 3S?
His setup used six pieces of lead tape in two different widths and lengths:
Lower sides
- Two 5.5-inch × 0.5-inch strips on each side of the paddle
- Four strips total
Upper corners
- One 2-inch × 0.25-inch strip at each upper corner
- Two strips total
Ben Johns Perseus 3S Weighted Tape Configuration
This second part is what distinguishes the 3S setup from his later Perseus Pro IV configuration.
When explaining his Pro IV setup, Johns said:
“On the previous version of this paddle, the 3S, I used to add a little bit of top corner weight.”
He then explained that he had eliminated those upper pieces on the newer paddle.
Why Put Weight on the Lower Sides?
Lower-side weighting is a recurring feature of Johns' Perseus setups.
And mechanically, it makes a lot of sense. Weight placed toward the outside edges of the paddle increases resistance to twisting on off-center impacts.This characteristic is measured by twist weight.
But because the lower sides are relatively close to the player's hand, weight placed there has a smaller effect on swing weight than the same amount of weight placed near the top.
So lower-side weighting provides an attractive trade-off:
More stability, more solid feel, and greater resistance to twisting, with a relatively modest penalty in swing weight and hand speed
That's one reason this region is so popular for paddle customization.
Why Did Johns Also Add Weight to the Top Corners of the 3S?
This is where his 3S setup was a bit different. Moving weight upward changes the physics. The contribution of a small amount of mass to rotational inertia can be approximated by:
I = mr²
where:
m is the added mass and
r is its distance from the axis of rotation.
Because distance is squared, moving even a small amount of mass farther from the hand can have a disproportionately large effect on swing weight. But Johns wasn't placing the additional 3S weight directly at 12 o'clock.He positioned it toward the upper corners. That gives the added mass both:
longitudinal distance from the hand and lateral distance from the paddle's centerline. So upper-corner weighting can contribute to both swing weight and twist weight.
In practical terms, it can provide a combination of more plow-through, more effective hitting mass, and more stability and potentially a more solid response higher on the paddle face.
The trade-off is that the paddle becomes harder to accelerate and maneuver.
The Stock Perseus 3S Helps Explain this Setup
The stock Perseus 3S 16mm was already a relatively substantial paddle. Independent testing puts it at approximately:
Static weight: ~8.0 oz
Swing weight: ~119–123
Twist weight: ~6.2
The paddle's 16.5 × 7.5-inch elongated shape and Propulsion Core were designed to provide significant power and plow-through. So adding weight to the upper corners of a paddle that already has a relatively high swing weight represents a meaningful choice. Johns was accepting some additional rotational mass in exchange for whatever benefit he felt the upper-corner weighting provided. And apparently, that trade-off changed with the next Perseus.
Want to understand how these placement choices affect paddle performance? Explore our Pickleball Paddle Customization Guide for an overview of weighted-tape placement, swingweight, stability and balance.
Why Did Ben Johns Remove the Top-Corner Weight on the Pro IV?
When Johns moved from the Perseus 3S to the Perseus Pro IV, he retained lower-perimeter weighting but eliminated the additional upper-corner pieces. His Pro IV setup uses approximately 5.5 grams of tungsten tape concentrated around the lower sides and corners.
No additional upper-corner weight.
Why?
We should be careful not to attribute a specific reason to Johns unless he states it himself. But we can explain what the change accomplishes mechanically. Removing upper-corner mass reduces weight located far from the hand.That helps: reduce swing weight, preserve hand speed, and make the paddle easier to accelerate and recover. While the lower-side tape continues contributing additional stability. So the change effectively moves his customization further toward stability with maneuverability rather than: stability + additional plow-through.
Perseus 3S vs. Pro IV: Johns' Weighting Strategy
The evolution is easier to see side by side.
| Perseus 3S | Perseus Pro IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-side weight | Yes | Yes |
| Lower-corner weight | Yes | Yes |
| Upper-corner weight | Yes | No |
| Primary lower-weight benefit | Stability | Stability |
| Upper-weight effect | Additional SW + stability | — |
| Overall tuning philosophy | Stability + more rotational mass | Stability with greater emphasis on maneuverability |
This doesn't mean the Pro IV setup is inherently “better.” It means Johns changed his customization as the underlying paddle changed. And that's an important lesson for recreational players.
Should You Copy Ben Johns' Perseus 3S Setup?
Not automatically. If you own a Perseus 3S, the useful lesson isn't necessarily to reproduce every piece of Johns' tape. Instead, think about what you're trying to change. If you want more stability without dramatically increasing swing weight, start with weight around the lower sides and lower corners.
If you want more plow-through and don't mind increasing swing weight, moving some additional mass toward the upper corners will have a greater effect.
If your 3S already feels slow or head-heavy:
Adding weight high on the paddle is probably moving in the wrong direction. That's important with the Perseus 3S because its stock swing weight is already relatively high.
When Johns moved to the Pro IV, those upper pieces disappeared. That illustrates one of the most important principles of pickleball paddle customization:
Don't copy a weighted-tape setup simply because a professional uses it. The right setup depends on the paddle you're starting with and the characteristic you're trying to change. Even Ben Johns doesn't use the same weighted-tape configuration on every Perseus.
Want to understand the principles behind this setup? Explore our Pickleball Paddle Customization Guide to learn how weight placement, swingweight, twistweight and balance can change paddle performance.
Need help with your weighted tape configuration. Check out our Paddle Optimization App for guidance.
For more in depth information on Ben Johns weighted tape setup for other paddles like the Perseus Pro IV, see our blog - Why Ben Johns Adds Weighted Tape to His JOOLA Perseus Pickleball Paddle