- ✓Pro-level spin and control
- ✓Carbon fiber face for maximum pop
- ✓Preferred by top competitive players
- ✓Works for all skill levels
- ✓Incredible feel on soft shots
- ✓Premium build quality
Competitive intermediate and advanced players
Players who want a paddle they can keep as they improve
Which One Should You Actually Buy?
Both of these are premium paddles used by serious players, but they're built around different priorities. The Hyperion's carbon fiber face and foam-injected core are tuned for spin and precision - it's the paddle top competitive players choose when they want to control the ball aggressively. The Amped S2's fiberglass face and X5 polymer core prioritize a softer overall feel, particularly at the kitchen line, and it's rated as suitable across a wider skill range.
If your game is built around aggressive third-shot drives, quick resets, and generating spin on drives, the Hyperion's stiffer carbon face gives you more of that. If your game leans on patient dinking, feel, and touch shots rather than raw pace, the Amped S2's softer polymer core is the better match - fiberglass and polymer combinations tend to produce a gentler, more controlled response than carbon fiber.
Price is close enough ($200 vs $160) that cost shouldn't be the deciding factor. The real question is which playstyle you're building toward, and secondarily, how forgiving you want the paddle to be if your technique isn't fully consistent yet - the Amped S2's rating for beginner-through-advanced play means it's more forgiving than the Hyperion even at a similar price point.
If you're wondering which fits your game: A 4.0 player who wins points by attacking with pace and spin will get more out of the Hyperion. A 4.0 player who wins points by outlasting opponents in dink rallies and forcing errors will get more out of the Amped S2's softer touch.
The Hyperion's association with Ben Johns means it draws a lot of attention from competitive and aspiring competitive players specifically trying to emulate a pro setup. The Amped S2 has a broader following across skill levels since Selkirk markets and builds it as a paddle that grows with the player, not just a pro-replica.
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