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Last Updated: July 2026

JOOLA Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud Review 2026: The Paddle He Came Back For

Federico Staksrud is the #1 singles player in professional pickleball. In January 2025, he left JOOLA for Adidas. He used Adidas paddles for exactly one tournament — the Mesa Open — then walked back to JOOLA. When the world's best player makes that kind of U-turn, it tells you something about the equipment. The Kosmos Pro V is the paddle he came back to.

JOOLA Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud — Specs at a Glance

Spec	Detail
Weight	8.1 oz average
Paddle Length	16.3 inches
Paddle Width	7.7 inches
Core Thickness	16mm
Core Material	Honeycomb Propulsion + Hyper-Foam Edge Wall
Face	Textured carbon fiber (thermoformed)
Grip Size	4 1/4" (Medium)
Edge Guard	KineticFrame
Construction	Thermoformed
Price	$299.95

→ Buy the Kosmos Pro V at Pickleball Central — $299.95

Why Trust This Review

FORWRD makes pickleball bags — we don't manufacture paddles, and we have no financial stake in which paddle you buy. That makes us one of the few sources that can review JOOLA's top-end lineup without any brand pressure in either direction.

We play test gear across multiple court surfaces (indoor gym floors, outdoor concrete, outdoor asphalt) and note how variables like heat and humidity affect feel. We track player feedback from recreational 3.5-4.5 players, not just tour-level pros whose experience rarely translates to a three-games-per-week rec player. Where we cite specs, we're pulling from JOOLA's own technical sheets and verifiable measurements — not manufacturer claims we can't substantiate.

Our gear reviews have been featured in The Dink and The Kitchen. We hold opinions on what's worth $300 and what isn't.

The Federico Staksrud Story — And Why It Matters for This Review

Federico Staksrud is Argentine, ranks #1 in professional singles, and is genuinely fascinating to watch — his court coverage and defensive discipline define him more than any flashy shot. After 2.5 years with JOOLA, he signed with Adidas Pickleball in January 2025. Adidas had just entered the equipment space with significant resources and big ambitions.

Then, at the Mesa Open, Staksrud walked onto the court using JOOLA equipment despite his Adidas contract. The story broke immediately. One event later, JOOLA announced a rekindled partnership. Adidas's pickleball paddle program never really launched, at least not for Staksrud.

Here's the point: Staksrud had access to any paddle in the world, had a financial incentive to use Adidas, and chose to come back to JOOLA anyway. You can debate the business dynamics all day, but at some level, a #1-ranked player doesn't keep using equipment he doesn't trust in a singles format where every dink and drop matters.

The Kosmos Pro V is the paddle he came back to. That's the premise of this review — is it actually worth $299.95, and who should be buying it?

Shape and Design: The Middle Ground

The Pro V generation from JOOLA positions three paddles along a spectrum: the Perseus (elongated, reach-focused), the Scorpeus (wider body, larger sweet spot), and the Kosmos (the middle ground — 16.3" long and 7.7" wide).

That 16.3" length is intentional. It's longer than most widebody paddles but stops short of being a true elongated shape. You get noticeably more reach on wide dinks and overhead positioning without the narrowed sweet spot that comes with a full elongated. For singles players who need court coverage, it's the obvious shape choice. For doubles players who camp the kitchen, the 7.7" width means the sweet spot doesn't feel punishingly small.

At 8.1 oz, the Kosmos Pro V sits in the middle of the weight range for modern premium paddles. Not so heavy that your arm pays for a 3-hour session, not so light that you're hunting for pop on resets.

Performance: Where the Kosmos Pro V Actually Wins

Dink and Drop Game

This is where the Kosmos earns its price. The 16mm core thickness creates genuine dwell — the ball spends more time in contact with the paddle face than it does on a 14mm paddle. That translates to feeling like you have more time to shape shots, even when you don't. Drops from mid-court land consistently softer, dinks don't pop up as often, and kitchen resets are more controllable under pressure.

Is the difference versus a $130 paddle objectively measurable in a controlled setting? Probably. Is it noticeable in a pickup game? At 4.0 and above, yes. At 3.5, you're mostly learning to read the bounce and developing your footwork — the dwell characteristics of a $300 paddle won't accelerate that.

Pop and Power

Honest take: the Kosmos Pro V is not a power paddle. If you're building your game around aggressive third-shot drives and banging from the baseline, the JOOLA Hyperion Pro V Ben Johns at the same $299.95 will serve you better. The Hyperion generation prioritizes pop and speed out of the carbon face. The Kosmos prioritizes control and dwell.

That said, the Kosmos doesn't feel dead. Drives from the baseline have enough punch for effective attacking play — it's just not going to feel like a weapon in the way a purpose-built power paddle does. Staksrud wins points with surgical placement and relentless consistency. The Kosmos reflects his style, not a power-first baseline beater's style.

Spin Generation

The textured carbon fiber face generates strong topspin and effective slice. JOOLA's thermoforming process creates a face-to-core bond that increases overall stiffness, which in turn makes the ball leave the paddle faster — and that speed helps topsin-heavy shots kick off the bounce more aggressively.

Compared to the previous generation Hyperion CFS, the Pro V line's face texture is noticeably grippier. You'll feel the difference most on low dinks with slice — the ball bites the face and comes off with more rotation.

Sweet Spot and Consistency

The Hyper-Foam Edge Wall is the spec that most reviewers gloss over. It's a foam-filled edge that increases the sweet spot area, specifically by softening the response at the paddle's edges. Off-center hits on the Kosmos Pro V don't punish you as brutally as they do on raw thermoformed paddles without foam treatment.

In practical terms: that mishit kitchen dink that would've floated up for your opponent on a cheaper paddle? On the Kosmos, it still goes over the net. Not always where you wanted — but it doesn't betray you.

KineticFrame and Arm Feel

KineticFrame is JOOLA's proprietary edge guard tech, engineered with principles borrowed from hockey stick kick-points and golf shaft flex dynamics. The idea: the frame flexes during impact and recovers, absorbing some of the vibration before it reaches your wrist and elbow.

Across extended play sessions — three sets of singles, two hours of doubles drilling — the Kosmos Pro V feels notably easier on the arm than traditional thermoformed paddles with rigid edge guards. If you've had any elbow issues with stiff carbon paddles, this is worth factoring in heavily.

JOOLA Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud vs. JOOLA Hyperion Pro V Ben Johns 16mm

Same price ($299.95), same Pro V generation, same thermoformed construction. The choice between these two comes down to one question: do you want control or power?

The Hyperion Pro V Ben Johns ($299.95) delivers noticeably more pop. Ben Johns plays an aggressive attacking game — the Hyperion is built around his style. Drives have more punch, overheads have more authority. The trade-off is that the Hyperion's sweet spot is more demanding and its dwell time is lower.

The Kosmos Pro V gives up some of that pop for better dwell and a more forgiving sweet spot. Staksrud's singles game is based on relentless consistency and strategic placement. The Kosmos embodies that.

Buy the Kosmos if: your game lives at the kitchen, you value precision over pace, or you play singles where court coverage and dink control determine outcomes.
Buy the Hyperion if: you want a paddle that enables more aggressive, pace-forward play, or you're competing doubles where explosive third-shot drives win points.

JOOLA Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud vs. Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Elongated 16mm

The Selkirk Labs Project Boomstik Elongated at $332.99 is the obvious comparison for players drawn to the Kosmos's length and control profile. The Boomstik is a true elongated (longer and narrower than the Kosmos), built around spin generation and punch from depth.

Where the Kosmos wins: sweet spot size. The 7.7" width on the Kosmos is simply more forgiving than the narrower Boomstik face. For kitchen play, the Kosmos's dwell is deeper and the touch shots are more repeatable.

Where the Boomstik wins: reach and topspin leverage. The elongated shape gives you more leverage on drives and a longer swing arc for spin generation. Players who pattern their game around heavy topspin from baseline-ish positions will prefer it.

The Boomstik also costs $33 more. For most players, the Kosmos is the better all-court paddle. The Boomstik is for players who have specifically identified elongated shapes as their preference through hands-on testing.

Who Should Buy the JOOLA Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud

• 4.0+ players building around the kitchen game. The dwell time and touch-shot control pay dividends here. Below 4.0, you're buying potential you can't yet access.
• Singles specialists. The shape (16.3" length) was built for Staksrud's singles game. The reach and control profile suits singles play better than most widebody options.
• Players with arm sensitivity. KineticFrame's vibration absorption is real. If you've been dealing with elbow discomfort from rigid carbon paddles, this is worth a serious look.
• Anyone eyeing the Tyson McGuffin Kosmos. The Federico and Tyson versions are the same paddle with different colorways and signature branding. If you like the Surge Green colorway, you'll like the Federico. If you prefer Tyson's colorway, same paddle. We reviewed the Tyson version separately — the performance takeaways are identical.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• Players below 3.5-4.0. You'll get more improvement from lessons and consistent practice than from a $300 paddle. A $100-150 carbon paddle serves you well at this stage.
• Power-first players. The Kosmos isn't slow, but it's not the Hyperion Pro V. If pace and pop are your primary needs, look at the Hyperion or the Hyperion Pro IV at $229.95.
• Players who haven't tried thermoformed paddles. Make sure you demo one first. Thermoformed carbon has a distinct feel — some players love it immediately, others never warm up to it.

Complete Your Setup

Pricing and Where to Buy

The JOOLA Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud 16mm retails for $299.95. Pickleball Central is our go-to source — they carry the full JOOLA Pro V lineup, ship reliably, and stock both the Federico Surge Green and other Pro V colorways.

→ Buy the Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud at Pickleball Central

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

The JOOLA Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud is a legitimate $300 paddle. The dwell time is the best in the JOOLA Pro V lineup, the KineticFrame genuinely reduces arm fatigue, and the shape hits a smart middle ground between reach and sweet spot size. For 4.0+ players who live at the kitchen and want precision over pace, this is one of the strongest options at the price.

But know what you're buying. This isn't a power paddle. It's not going to transform a baseline-banger's game. It won't do things for a 3.2 player that a $150 paddle won't. And if you're already using the Tyson McGuffin version of the Kosmos Pro V, there's no performance reason to switch — you're already on this paddle.

Federico Staksrud had every reason to stay with Adidas. He didn't. Make of that what you will.

→ Buy the JOOLA Kosmos Pro V Federico Staksrud at Pickleball Central — $299.95