Finding the right paddle for your game is a challenging yet rewarding journey. You’re doing well for yourself by finding and researching Six Zero’s paddles. They offer high performing that don’t break the bank.
In this post, I cover all of Six Zero’s current pickleball paddle offerings and provide you with tailored recommendations based on my hundred-fifty-plus hours spent playing with these paddles.
By the end of this breakdown, you’ll have the confidence to determine which Six Zero paddle best matches your playing style and skill set.
Here’s an at-a-glance summary of the paddle rankings in this review:
- Best overall paddle: Ruby | Buy Now with Discount | Full Review
- Runner up: Double Black Diamond Control (DBD) | Buy Now with Discount | Full Review
- Best lightweight control paddle: Infinity Edgeless Double Black Diamond | Buy Now with Discount | Full Review
- Best power paddle: Black Diamond (BD) | Buy Now with Discount | Full Review
- Best lightweight power paddle: Infinity Black Diamond | Buy Now with Discount | Full Review Coming Soon
- Best entry-level thermoformed paddle: Sapphire | Buy Now with Discount | Full Review
Contents
Ruby
Price: $199 | $180 | Discount code DASHPB
Awards: Best Six Zero all-court paddle
Where it excels: The Ruby delivers top marks in key areas, including control, spin, and power. The Kevlar-faced Ruby has the best spin output of any Six Zero paddle to date. It’s also the most plush and controllable paddle in Six Zero’s lineup, beating out the DBD. It’s excellent for dropping, dinking, and resetting.
Where it struggles: The Ruby won’t deliver the same high-level pop output of Six Zero’s other paddles in this lineup. This could be seen as a negative or a positive, depending on the player. Its plusher feel gives great touch, but it won’t perform as well for counters or speed ups compared to the DBD. It comes in slightly heavier than other Six Zero paddles, which can make it slower to maneuver, albeit very subtly so. Note that this extra weight also increases its power output.
Where it stands in the lineup:Â The Ruby is the new king on the block, supplanting the Double Black Diamond as the best all-around control-focused thermoformed paddle from Six Zero. It has the best touch and spin of all of Six Zeros paddles. It also delivers high-level power, right up there with the Black Diamond and Infinity Black Diamond, though it doesn’t come with the same pop output as the Black Diamond, so it is a less aggressive paddle.
My opinion of the Ruby: The Ruby is an aesthetically unique paddle that features Six Zero’s next-level evolution in paddle performance. It’s a step up in most areas, and as such, it wins the award for my most recommended paddle from Six Zero for most players.
Who I recommend the Ruby to: The Ruby is a great fit for anyone interested in a top-tier control-focused thermoformed paddle. If you want a paddle with the best spin and control in the thermoformed market while retaining excellent power, I’d recommend the Ruby wholeheartedly. If high pop performance is essential, read on or wait for the 14mm Ruby coming later in 2024.
Link Applies Discount Code DASHPB at Checkout
Double Black Diamond Control (DBD)
Price: $180Â | $162 (Comes in 16mm & 14mm) | Discount code DASHPB
Awards: Six Zero’s best-selling paddle in 2023
Where it excels: Arguably the top-performing thermoformed paddle of 2023, the DBD brings top-tier spin, power, pop, and control packed into a quick-moving hybrid shape. It blends all of these attributes well, giving it a great overall feel that’s captivated the paddle market.
Where it struggles:Â Being thermoformed, the DBD packs a lot of power. But it won’t provide as much power output as its sibling, the Black Diamond Power, since it is a control-focused thermoformed paddle. So, if you’re after more power, then the BD might be the better choice. The DBD is also not as quick in hand as its edgeless Infinity DBD counterpart.
Where it stands in the lineup:Â If you want a control-focused thermoformed paddle, then the DBD is one of the best choices on the market, only falling behind the Ruby.
My opinion of the DBD:Â The DBD has received a lot of praise and accolades since its launch, which I believe has been well-deserved. It is a fantastic paddle and has served as a reliable entry into thermoformed paddle tech for thousands of players. While I still wholeheartedly recommend it to control-focused thermoformed-desiring players, it does have competition in the Ruby, which improves upon the DBD in some areas, and the newer edgeless infinity DBD, which is lighter.
Who I recommend the DBD to: Any player that wants a control-focused thermoformed paddle and isn’t drawn to the Ruby, or just wants more pop than the Ruby provides.
Link Applies Discount Code DASHPB at Checkout
Infinity Edgeless Double Black Diamond Control
Price: $220Â | $200 | Discount code DASHPB
Awards:Â The lightest and most maneuverable control-oriented Six Zero paddle
Where it excels:Â Like the original DBD, the Infinity edgeless DBD is a control-focused thermoformed paddle that excels in both power and control. It has an even softer feel on contact than the DBD. While softer than most thermoformed paddles, it retains a degree of that signature poppy thermo stiffness. It’s also notably lighter and more nimble than the original DBD. It’s my favorite hybrid-shaped paddle in the maneuverability department. It’s worth noting that you get more surface area with the Infinity DBD over the original DBD since there’s no edge guard.
Where it struggles:Â The Infinity DBD has great maneuverability touch, control, and spin, but you do lose a bit of power, pop, stability, and sweet spot performance compared to the original DBD.
Where it stands in the lineup: The Infinity DBD is Six Zero’s ideal choice for control-oriented players who favor maneuverability and quick hands.
My opinion of the Infinity Edgeless DBD:Â The Infinity DBD is great paddle for its target audience. I tend to prefer heavier paddles with more plow-through, so I added lead tape to my Infinity DBD, which negated its lightweight edge. But I’ve played with a handful of players who love the paddle for what it offers out of the box.
Who I recommend the Infinity Edgeless DBD to: Edgeless paddle aficionados who want a controllable thermoformed paddle that is optimized for controllable thermoformed power plus increased hand speed and maneuverability.
Link Applies Discount Code DASHPB at Checkout
Black Diamond Power (BD)
Price: $180Â | $162Â | Discount code DASHPB
Awards:Â Six Zero’s most powerful paddle
Where it excels:Â The Black Diamond is Six Zero’s thermoformed power dedicated to power. It delivers on this front, providing enough power and pop to please hard-hitting players. It’s also surprisingly controllable for being a power paddle and delivers excellent spin.
Where it struggles:Â The Black Diamond won’t provide a ton of support for your soft game, as it features a raw fiberglass face surface that’s meant for pop and power. It’s also not going to be as powerful as other dedicated power paddles like the Black Ace or Power Air, though it will be more controllable.
Where it stands in the lineup:Â While all of Six Zero’s paddles are powerful due to their thermoformed build, the Black Diamond is the only “power” designated paddle from Six Zero aside from the Infinity Edgeless Black Diamond that was recently released.
My opinion of the Black Diamond:Â While not the most powerful paddle on the market, the Black Diamond delivers abundant power for a 16mm paddle (most power paddles are thinner). This thicker core makes it more controllable than pure power paddles, such as the 10mm ProKennex Black Ace. The Black Diamond has an excellent blend of power and control, with a strong lean towards power.
Who I recommend the Black Diamond to: Players who want a high-spin thermoformed paddle that doesn’t force them to sacrifice too much control.
Link Applies Discount Code DASHPB at Checkout
Infinity Edgeless Black Diamond Power
Price: $220Â | $200 | Discount code DASHPB
Awards:Â Best edgeless thermoformed power paddle for quick hands
Where it excels:Â The Infinity BD is light (just under 8 oz avg. static weight) and has a low swing weight, making it feel very quick in hand and easy to maneuver. The fiberglass face generates top-tier spin (2,250+ RPMs) and grabs the ball well for highly controllable spin shots. The Infinity BD also has top-tier pop output and solid power. The sweet spot is also impressively large for an edgeless paddle.
Where it struggles:Â The Infinity BD is powerful but has notably less power output than the original Black Diamond. This is to be expected since the infinity paddle line is so lightweight. You must trade off some power and plow-through to achieve that quicker hand speed that defines the Infinity line.
Where it stands in the lineup:Â The Infinity Black Diamond stands next to its Infinity Double Black Diamond sibling as a go-to Six Zero paddle for lightweight performance that sits at the top for maneuverability and hand speed. While the Infinity DBD delivers more control, the Infinity BD is the choice for hand speed and power/pop performance.
My opinion of the Infinity Black Diamond:Â The Infinity Black Diamond fills in an important niche for Six Zero, delivering a light and fast paddle with abundant pop and power. It’s my favorite paddle for hand battles at the net. Its lightweight agility and pop make it quite a weapon for speed-ups and counters.
Who I recommend the Infinity Black Diamond to:Â Players who prefer a lightweight paddle and want to improve their net/quick-hands game while still retaining high pop, spin, and power from a premium fiberglass-faced thermoformed paddle.
Link Applies Discount Code DASHPB at Checkout
Sapphire
Price: $99 | $89 | Discount code DASHPB
Awards:Â Six Zero’s most affordable thermoformed paddle
Where it excels:Â The Sapphire is an affordable paddle that delivers top-tier entry-level thermoformed performance. Its 13mm core gives it plenty of pop and power, and its spin output is more than sufficient for its sub $100 price range. The thinner core also gives it impressive maneuverability.
Where it struggles:Â At 13mm core thickness, the Sapphire isn’t one of Six Zero’s most controllable paddles. The paddle face’s epoxy surface coating is also a step down from Six Zero’s more premium line, resulting in less spin and paddle face durability.
Where it stands in the lineup:Â The Sapphire is the budget option in Six Zero’s line. It’s the paddle to get if you want to try out Six Zero’s thermoformed tech for less than $100.
My opinion of the Sapphire:Â Although it is their non-premium starter paddle, the Sapphire still provides great performance for its price. Considering the price difference, you do lose some control and spin compared to most Six Zero paddles, but not too much.
Who I recommend the Sapphire to: The Sapphire is an excellent choice for any player who wants to dabble in thermoformed tech but doesn’t want to spend more than $100.
Link Applies Discount Code DASHPB at Checkout
A quick recap of my Six Zero Paddle Recommendations
If you want the best Six Zero offers, go for the Ruby. Its first-to-market full Kevlar face isn’t entirely groundbreaking, but it has resulted in a paddle that features multiple improvements over the ever-popular Double Black Diamond. The Ruby suits all-around players the best, as it provides much power without sacrificing too much control. It also boasts a boatload of spin output, the most in Six Zero’s lineup.
Though the Ruby has usurped the Double Black Diamond Control in most areas, it’s still a phenomenal thermoformed control paddle. The 16mm DBD is slightly quicker in hand than the Ruby, while the 14mm DBD is notably more maneuverable. If pop is an important feature in your control-oriented thermoform, then you should choose the DBD over the Ruby.
When it comes to the Black Diamond Power, it’s the paddle you should pick up if you want power above all else. Its fiberglass face smacks the ball with power and crisp pop that feels great on contact. If you want a lot of power but don’t care as much about pop, then the similarly powerful yet softer Ruby might be up your alley.
Now, the Infinity paddles. The Infinity DBD and Infinity BD are great choices if you’re interested in a lightweight thermoformed paddle with great hand speed. The edgeless style also appeals to many players aesthetically and performance-wise. If you fall into these categories, get the Infinity DBD for lightweight control and the Infinity BD for lightweight power and pop.
The Sapphire is an excellent intro-level thermoformed paddle for under $100. At 13mm, it’s fast, powerful, and poppy. The Sapphire is a solid choice for the price.
Keep Reading:
- Double Black Diamond (16mm) vs Black Diamond (16mm) Comparison
- Double Black Diamond 14mm vs Double Black Diamond 16mm
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