The Ruby is using Six Zero’s popular hybrid shape, is thermoformed and has a raw texture but features a kevlar facing material instead of carbon fiber and fiberglass that’s found in Six Zero’s other hybrid models.
Kevlar is a trendy material right now that was recently popularized towards the end of 2023 by the brand Pickleball Apes, but I bet we will see more of it from many brands in 2024. The Ruby, however, is the first 100% kevlar face, distinguishing it from Pickleball Apes’ blend of kevlar and carbon fiber design. Kevlar isn’t as proven and tested by the market as carbon fiber is, so it will be interesting to see how the market reacts to it.
These are the questions I had going into this review.
I answer these questions directly after my Performance Summary section. So, after drilling and playing with the paddle for over two weeks, here are my thoughts on its performance.
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| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Kevlar gives you a touch more power than carbon fiber | Not super different from the Double Black Diamond |
| Very good spin rating | New feel at impact that takes some adjustment |
| Hybrid shape for extra reach but still good forgiveness | A little heavier than other Six Zero hybrid paddles |
| Very good looking design | — |
When comparing the Ruby to carbon fiber thermoformed paddles, it is certainly different in terms of impact feel. The Ruby has a lighter and more muted feel, while carbon fiber thermoformed paddles have a little stiffer and denser feel. My ability to control carbon fiber thermoformed paddles did not directly translate to controlling the Ruby. Its little extra pop in certain scenarios and slightly different feel takes a few sessions to get used to. After you adjust to it, its control rating isn’t too far off the Double Black Diamond though don’t expect to be able to control it immediately if you’re coming from a carbon fiber thermoformed paddle.
At the end of the day I was still able to control the DBD better than the Ruby. Partly due to my familiarity with the DBD but also because it didn’t have the same level of pop variability. However, in general, I thought the Ruby still performed well here, albeit, not quite as good as the DBD.
The Ruby is stable and has a generous sweet spot that is comparable to the DBD. Both the Ruby and the DBD excel here and are more forgiving than the BD. If I had to give the edge to the Ruby or the DBD here I would give it to the DBD though it’s only marginally better and wouldn’t impact my decision of picking between the two paddles.
There is a small weight increase with the Ruby compared to the DBD and BD. You can feel the extra weight if you’re paying close attention but otherwise it didn’t really feel any slower to me. It wasn’t an issue for me and I don’t think it should hold anyone back from getting the paddle if they like the other attributes of the paddle.
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The spin on the Ruby is fantastic. My spin tests were averaging just over 2100 RPMs. This ranks among the highest measurements I’ve recorded and is better than the DBD. The grit of the paddle is very rough to the touch and is similar to the BD whereas the texture of the DBD is a bit smoother. The paddle felt grippy on drives, dinks, and rolls. Some paddles only feel grippy on drives but the Ruby felt grippy on fast swings used to drive the ball and with slower swings used when dinking. The spin potential of this paddle was a highlight for me and is what stood out the most when comparing it to the DBD.
Six Zero advertises the paddle as having longer lasting grit, but I’m skeptical of that. Pickleball Apes thought the same thing for their kevlar paddles though that didn’t prove true for them. The grit on the paddle isn’t actually kevlar. It’s an epoxy that’s applied on top of the kevlar and is susceptible to wear like the raw carbon fiber texture used on most other paddles.
Based on my experience playing with both the Ruby and the Pickleball Apes kevlar/carbon fiber blend, I have observed that Kevlar plays in between carbon fiber and fiberglass in terms of performance. It provides a little more power than carbon fiber, but falls short of the poppy and powerful characteristics of fiberglass. In terms of forgiveness, kevlar is not quite as forgiving as carbon fiber, but offers more forgiveness compared to fiberglass.
The Ruby played more similar to the carbon fiber DBD than the fiberglass BD. Looking at the five main attributes of a paddle, here’s how I would rank all of Six Zero’s hybrid paddles.
While I think that kevlar is here to stay, I don’t believe it to be the next major breakthrough like the shift from cold pressed style to thermoformed paddles in 2022 to 2023. Though I don’t think we’ll witness the same widespread adoption as with thermoformed paddles, certain players will appreciate the added pop and the different feel of kevlar, while others will prefer the forgiveness, feel and control of carbon fiber. Instead of replacing carbon fiber entirely, I see kevlar as an alternative option alongside it. Ultimately I believe it will be up to personal preference in feel rather than specific performance attributes that will attract some players to kevlar over carbon fiber.
Although the Ruby does give you a little extra power over the DBD, the two paddles aren’t worlds apart and since the spin level is so good with the Ruby it makes it an attractive option over the DBD. I imagine many players will prefer the Ruby over the DBD for that reason. However, the Ruby does have its own unique feel that isn’t a direct translation from the DBD or from other carbon fiber thermoformed paddles. There will certainly be those that will still prefer the better consistency and feel that carbon fiber offers over kevlar.
I like the Ruby and do think it has some qualities that set it apart from other Six Zero paddles, however, I didn’t feel like it was a huge change from the DBD. If you’re currently playing with a DBD or a carbon fiber thermo paddle and you’re happy with the power and pop output then I wouldn’t rush to buy the Ruby, but if you’re seeking a little more offensive ability over your carbon fiber thermo but don’t want to commit to a power paddle then I’d say go with the Ruby.
Additionally, if you’re a spin junky, you’ll want the Ruby. The high spin level is a highlight of the paddle.
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