Some have recently said it needs to be thermoformed if it is injected with foam. The thermoforming with carbon fiber around the paddle keeps the foam in.
Hey Paul! It definitely has the edge foam not sure about the thermoforming. I think it plays pretty much identical to the Joola. I don’t think it has absolute put away power, but it has plenty. The drives seemed to me like they’re a little more loopy than direct. The touch, spin, feel, and control are excellent. Not sure there’s anything better out there for $118. My regular paddle is the Vatic Pro V7.
Ordered one from the manufacturer and I'd say there are some minor differences to the Hyperion. My Kronos is actually more powerful than the Hyperion and the balance seems to be a little more headlight, which makes it easier to swing. The muted feel and additional power makes the kronos a little more difficult to control than the hyperion imho, but I'm sure some players will prefer it. The grit of the surface feels noticeably rougher than the recent stock of new hyperions, and I suspect that is why it still isn't officially USAPA approved despite the label on the paddle surface claiming it is. Take all this with grain of salt as Joola's quality control is pretty bad, so your experience with the two paddles may be variable. I imagine ama sport's quality control can't be any better. Speaking of QC, my only real qualm with the kronos is it arrived with a loose edgeguard on one side - which was also a common problem with hyperions.
@EricShapiro-wx5ju never hear of them. I am currently using a Pacific Paddle Labs 16mm Force. Check them out. I love the paddle. They sell on Amazon also.
