Dazzle Camo and the Ben Johns Effect: Confuse Your Opponent, Win the Point

From zig-zag stripes to neon chaos, Ben Johns’ fashion choices might just be strategic — inspired by the disorienting genius of World War I dazzle camouflage.

When you first see Ben Johns on the court in one of his signature JOOLA shirts — usually an electric mess of gradients, lines, and colors not found in nature — your first thought is probably, why?

But look closer. Then look at those WWI ships covered in jagged, high-contrast paint. The connection is real. This isn’t just fashion — it’s psychological warfare.

Dazzle Camouflage: A Brief, Brilliant History

During World War I, the British Navy painted ships in wild, clashing patterns of stripes, swirls, and jagged lines. The goal? Not to hide the ship, but to confuse the enemy.

This was known as dazzle camouflage, and it worked. Submarine officers couldn’t easily determine a ship’s direction, size, or speed through their periscopes. Targeting became harder. Decisions got slower. And in battle, hesitation is deadly.

Now apply that logic to a fast-paced dink rally or a surprise drive down the middle. See where I’m going?

The Dazzle of Ben Johns

• Blurred lines? Check.
• Clashing gradients? Check.
• Shirt and shorts that seem to move independently? Definitely.

It’s not just ugly — it’s brilliantly disorienting.

Imagine trying to read his shoulder drop or wrist flick while your peripheral vision is being assaulted by what looks like a ship leaving port in 1917. You're watching his elbow, but your brain is screaming, “Why is that arm purple? Is the ball coming from a highlighter factory?”

A Fashion Statement with Tactical Roots?

If this is intentional, I have to respect it.

Ben’s not blending in — he’s throwing you off. Like the ships he unknowingly channels, he’s hiding his true trajectory in plain sight. Whether or not he’s studying WWI naval tactics in his spare time, his shirts are doing more than catching light — they’re catching eyes, breaking rhythm, and maybe buying him half a second more deception.

And at his level of play, that’s all he needs.

Final Thought

In a game where timing is everything, maybe dazzle works. Maybe the weirdest shirts in pickleball are secretly the smartest.

And maybe, just maybe, the next JOOLA design is going to include torpedo deflectors and a periscope warning.