Six Zero just dropped a highly anticipated paddle – the Black Opal. Will it vie for the paddle of the year title? Or is it just another Gen 4 paddle to join the craze? I got to play with this one early to find out.
This launch is big news because Six Zero hasn't released a paddle in almost two years. They’re one of the pickleball industry’s powerhouse brands, makers of the Double Black Diamond Control paddle, one of the all-time great paddles.
The Black Opal is not a revamp of an earlier paddle. This is a brand-new model. I took it out on the courts to see how it compares to other Gen 4 paddles like the Bread & Butter Loco ($200) and the JOOLA Pro IV Series ($280). At $250, it’s priced right between them, though you can get it for $225 with our 10% discount.
Six Zero is back
I’ve been really excited to see what Six Zero does next, and it’s been a long time coming. The last paddle they brought out was the Six Zero Ruby in December 2023.
Sometimes your high hopes are dashed with a paddle launch that’s just meh. But the moment I took the Black Opal out I knew this paddle was going to be in my bag for a long time.
The paddle just feels dangerous. My third or fourth shot with the Opal was a drive down the line that was legitimately one of the best shots I’ve ever hit. I’m going to remember that one for a while. I’ve found almost every paddle I’ve tested this year needs lead tape – except this one. It’s ready for high-level play out of the box.
My main paddle right now is the B&B Loco so I was comparing the Black Opal against it. Both are foam paddles but the Six Zero feels a little bit stiffer, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't quite have that responsive plush feel like a lot of foam paddles. It reminds me more of the JOOLA Pro IV paddles. I’ll talk about this and more below.
✅ What stands out
Next-gen power
This is a Gen 4 paddle and you get a real boost in performance over earlier generation paddles. However, compared to some plush foam paddles, this has a more cannon-like boom where the ball flies off the face, making it a solid power paddle.
That’s why it feels more like a JOOLA IV Perseus than a Bread & Butter Loco. I was surprised in the first ten minutes by how lively and aggressive it was. It had the all-around play that made the Double Black Diamond so popular, but with a big boost in pop and power (which you need in today’s modern game).
I hit a forehand winner with this paddle that was probably the best shot I've ever hit in my life. It was off my right side and I hit it so hard down the line that my opponent didn’t even move. I wish I caught that one on video!
10-out-of-10 spin
The grit is really strong here. You can feel it on the paddle face and see it immediately in the dipping shots you can hit. The CEO of Six Zero, Dale Young, loves to source premium materials from around the world and he told me they use actual diamonds in the grit, what they’re calling their Diamond Tough™ texture. I can’t imagine this paddle is cheap to make.
This paddle has a deadly combination of power, spin, and precision. I remember a cross-court forehand drop that had so much angle and spin on it, it was an outright winner. This paddle can take routine shots and turn them into winners. That's a big reason why I have so much fun playing with it.
Hybrid all-court performance
I like that they kept the shape from the Six Zero DBD. This is what a hybrid paddle should be, giving you most of the power of an elongated paddle but with more of the sweet spot, touch, and hand speed of a square-shaped paddle.
If you want a hybrid-shaped paddle, Six Zero excels at them. I prefer this to the Bread & Butter Loco Hybrid model. (The Loco I use is the Elongated one.)
❌ What to consider
Less dwell time, more pop
Most of the foam paddles I’ve been testing have great dwell time, where the ball momentarily hangs on the paddle, letting you shape and control your shots. The CRBN TruFoam Genesis 4 is a great example of this.
The Black Opal has more of that hard-pop Selkirk Boomstik feel to it. You’re not getting that same responsive, connective feel with the ball. This isn’t a bad thing if you’re a power player, just something to consider.
Adjustment period for some players
My first three serves sailed long and went out, which never happens. If I held the grip too tight it was pretty easy to pop up dinks too. So, it doesn’t have the finesse of many Gen 4 foam paddles, or even the Gen 2 Six Zero DBD.
If you’re willing to adjust and adapt, you’ll be fine. If you’re a lower-level player, it might be wiser to start with a paddle like the Honolulu J2NF.
Pricing
Don’t get me wrong – this plays like a $250 paddle. It’s extremely well built and high performing. It’s just that Six Zero made their name offering paddles in the $180 range that rivaled the $250 JOOLAs and Selkirks. If they’d gone for that $200ish price range again (like Bread & Butter did), this would be a no-brainer.
At $250, you’re nearing the JOOLA pricing and it’s harder to say you should go with the Six Zero over a Perseus. If you decide to get this paddle, you will not regret the money spent. I guess it just narrows the appeal.
Still, outside of the B&B and JOOLA Pro IV paddles, this is definitely the most exciting paddle that I've played with in 2025. We can help you sweeten the deal too as our readers get an exclusive 10% discount at Six Zero, bringing the price down to $225.
How the Six Zero Black Opal plays
| Category | Rating | Notes |
| Power | 9.5/10 | Very powerful for a hybrid paddle. Easy to put away balls and hit hard drives. |
| Control | 8.5/10 | Because of the pop, other foam paddles are better for control but this is still good, especially if you’re a higher-level player. |
| Spin | 10/10 | There’s a lot of grit on this. I could get so much dipping topspin. It feels like the texture will hold up really well over time. Let’s see. |
| Forgiveness | 8.5/10 | I don’t remember a lot of mishits, but it is somewhat easy to pop the ball up. |
| Weighting | 8/10 | Feels heavier and a little slower in hands battles than the Loco. The flipside is you don’t need much or any lead tape to get this playing at a high level. |
| Grip | 8/10 | The grip is fine. I threw an overgrip on it because I always do these days. |
| Durability | 10/10 | I can tell this is a solid paddle, a cut above the slightly more plasticky-feeling J2NF and Loco. The high-grade materials help justify the $250 price. |
| Aerodynamics | 8.5/10 | Not that fast, but not slow. The hybrid shape makes up for any heaviness, boosting the speed here. |
Features that matter
- G4 solid foam core: definitely a big leap in quality from Gen 2 thermoformed carbon paddles and should boost long-term paddle durability.
- 14 mm core: the thinner core is why this paddle has a harsher, stiffer feel with less “padding” to cushion the ball compared to 16 mm foam paddles.
- Diamond Tough™ surface: apparently there are actual diamonds used in the surface grit. Whatever they’re doing, the spin is outrageous here.
Who the Six Zero Black Opal is for
Any serious intermediate or advanced player is going to have a lot of fun with this paddle, with the prime candidate probably being at the higher intermediate level.
I don’t think this is a beginner paddle. It has a lot of pop that’ll be hard for new players to control. There are intermediate paddles that are softer and more forgiving that are worth checking out too.
If you want an aggressive hybrid paddle with tons of drive and spin, though, the Six Zero Black Opal is for you. It rivals the JOOLA Pro IV paddles but costs $55 less (with our 10% discount).
This is a definitive upgrade to the Six Zero DBD, and it’s a better paddle in the context of today’s market. It’s more powerful and lively. While I don’t think it will replace the B&B Loco Elongated as my main paddle, I’m definitely keeping it as the hybrid in my bag. I’ll whip it out every few games, especially when I want a powerful paddle that can finish points quickly.Today's best deals
