The JOOLA MOD Rides Off into the Sunset

Few pickleball paddles have left a mark as indelible as the JOOLA MOD TA-15.

It was the power paddle that promised super-human results, and delivered, heavily marketed as the same model the pros played with. Understated in looks but bursting with tech, it sold out instantly when it debuted in late July, the "it" paddle of Summer 2024.

When people talk about a paddle that can actually make someone a better player just by wielding it, they're referring to the MOD.

The MOD was revolutionary. But it was ahead of it's time. In late December 2024, just five months after its debut, the MOD was blacklisted by USA Pickleball. They had established enhanced testing standards to cap the paddle market at a new power threshold it felt best suited the sport.

The MOD was simply too hot for its own good and would be "sunset" out of all sanctioned play at a later date.

That date: July 1, 2025.

First, a Very Quick Origin Story

The MOD was the successor of another infamous JOOLA paddle, the Gen3 Perseus.

• In late April of 2024, JOOLA announced its new line of Gen3 paddles
• The Gen3 featured JOOLA's new Propulsion Core, a bed of polypropylene surrounded by a one-inch ring of foam, sandwiched between layers of carbon fiber
• It was highly touted by JOOLA's impressive roster of top-not pros, among them Ben Johns, Tyson McGuffin and Anna Bright
• Throughout May 2024, it was discovered that the paddles approved by USAP in late 2023 and the paddles now in the hands of the public were different
• JOOLA cited an administrative error, but contended the publicly available paddles were "materially the same" as the models previously approved by USAP
• Nevertheless, on May 15, USA Pickleball announced the JOOLA Gen3 paddles did not pass all requirements and would be removed from their Approved Paddle List

What came next is now stuff of legend. On June 12, 2024, JOOLA filed a lawsuit against USA Pickleball, saying "We firmly believe our Gen3 paddles are compliant with all applicable published rules and should not have been removed from the Approved Paddle List."

In April of 2025, USAP filed a countersuit against JOOLA, stating plainly:

These suits are ongoing.

What Set the MOD Apart

It was in the wake of this firestorm that the MOD was unveiled to an expectant public.

The MOD featured the same Propulsion Core as the Gen3 paddles. Its dimensions were similar.

Paddle reviewer Chris Olson of Pickleball Studio reviewed the MOD and had this to say: "After playing with both the Gen3 and the MOD, I was unable to find a difference in how they play."

Not surprisingly, the MOD hit harder than most other paddles on the market. It seemed to possess the rare ability to hit absolute nukes while still feeling controllable on drops, resets and dinks.

It was elongated with a longer, 5.5-inch handle, a popular shape for that time in the sport's evolution. And in a sea of neon colors, strange geometric shapes, and funky graphics, its clean black and white aesthetic stood out.

It looked like a weapon. And performed like one, too.

"The short and sweet of it," Olson went on, "is these are some of the most powerful paddles you can buy, the pop from counters is extremely aggressive, and it has a better sweet spot than most power paddles on the market."

Why the MOD Was Sunset

The Gen3 paddles were extremely powerful. From anywhere on the court, they could generate an unprecedented level of pop and power.

Soon after their release, their impact on a game or a match – and, truly, the sport as a whole – became a popular and polarizing subject.

The Gen3's, as we know, were ultimately delisted from USAP's Approved Paddle List and removed from pro play soon thereafter.

The MOD quickly took its place atop the throne.

If you had a MOD, you felt nearly invincible. See one across the net and a prickle of doubt would creep down your spine. If every player on the court had one, a common occurrence at their peak, you knew you were in for a firefight.

Later that year, USA Pickleball went even further by establishing a new testing standard called PBCoR (Paddle/Ball Coefficient of Restitution), which would measure a paddle's performance and limit the "trampoline effect."

Part of this rollout meant any existing paddles that failed this new testing standard would be "sunset," or phased out over the course of the next few months.

The list was short, but included the fan-favorite MOD right at the top:

• Joola: Perseus 14mm Mod TA-15
• Joola: Perseus 16mm Mod TA-15
• Gearbox: Pro Power Elongated
• ProKennex: Black Ace Ovation
• ProKennex: Black Ace Pro
• ProKennex: Black Ace LG (now re-listed)
• ProKennex: Black Ace XF

JOOLA, for its part, didn't fight this news.

Where We Go From Here

The MOD's lifespan was short-lived but prolific – here in the Northeast, at least, it was ubiquitous on courts of all levels, from casual open play to competitive tournaments, male and female, rookies to veterans.

It's had a brief but memorable run, but it's time has officially come.

For all of you who have held out this long, we tip our hat to you. Kudos to sticking by your guns as long as you could, despite the side-eyes and snarky comments you've likely endured these past months. You knew greatness when you had it, and chose to experience it for as long as you could.

But let this be a final warning: The MOD is officially banned from any and all USAP-sanctioned play. And it's time has come on the rec courts, as well.

It was fun while it lasted. But it's time to hang it up. There are thousands of new paddles to choose from, better paddles, many of them extremely powerful in their own right.

So let's appreciate the MOD for the game-changer it was, remember it fondly for all the questionable points won because of it.

Now let it ride off into the sunset.