Six Zero Black Opal Review
Six Zero’s power line, and the paddle for players who win by driving the ball. It comes in a standard 14mm banger and an elongated build for reach, so the choice here is about shape, not core.
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The short version
If the Double Black Diamond is Six Zero’s do-everything line, the Black Opal is the one built to hit hard. Both versions run the same thin 14mm core and grippy raw carbon face, and both sit at the top of the range for power. What changes is the head shape, and with it the trade between a forgiving sweet spot and extra reach. This is a paddle for a game that already has a soft hand and wants more pace, not a first paddle.
Same engine, two chassis. The 14mm is the easier one to hit, the Elongated reaches further and asks for a cleaner strike.
The two, side by side
Black Opal 14mm
Black Opal Elongated 14mm
These ratings are our read of the published specs and where each paddle sits in the Six Zero range, not lab or hands-on testing. Where we have played a paddle ourselves, we say so.
How to choose your shape
Standard 14mm, for a bigger target. The hybrid shape keeps the sweet spot in a sensible place, so you get the Black Opal’s power without the punishing miss-margin of a long paddle. Pick it if you want to drive and bang but still want a forgiving face, and the surprising twist for a $200 paddle is that it is the more beginner-tolerant of the two, relatively speaking.
Elongated 14mm, for reach. The longer head extends your leverage on drives, serves, and put-aways, which suits singles play and two-handed backhands. The trade is a narrower sweet spot, so it rewards a cleaner strike and punishes an off-center one harder. It also comes in a touch cheaper at $180. Choose it only if your contact is already consistent.
What the specs tell us
Power. This is the whole point. The thin 14mm core and stiff raw carbon face are built to send the ball, so drives and counters should carry more pace than anything else in the Six Zero range. If you have been getting outhit at the baseline, this is the family that closes the gap.
Feel and control. Power paddles ask for a better soft game, and these are no exception. The face is grippy and controllable on paper, but the low-touch reading means resets and dinks want a trained hand. A developing soft game will find these less forgiving than a DBD.
Spin and serve. The raw carbon face is built to bite the ball, so topspin drives and slice serves should both have real shape, which pairs naturally with an aggressive, spin-heavy style.
On the arm. Both sit around 8.1 ounces. A stiff, powerful paddle transmits more to the arm than a soft control build, so a sensitive elbow will likely prefer the DBD 16mm or an aramid-faced Ruby over either Black Opal.
Who it is for
Buy a Black Opal if
- Your game is built on driving and putting the ball away
- You play singles, or a power-first doubles style
- Your soft game is already reliable enough to handle a hot paddle
- You want the most pace Six Zero makes
Look elsewhere if
- You want one do-everything paddle, see the DBD
- You want the softest hands and touch, see the Ruby
- You are new and still building a soft game
- Your elbow flares up with stiff, powerful paddles
The full spec sheet
| Black Opal 14mm | Elongated 14mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $200 | $180 |
| Core | 14mm | 14mm |
| Shape | Hybrid | Elongated |
| Face | Raw carbon | Raw carbon |
| Weight | 8.1 oz | 8.1 oz |
| Handle | 5.5 in | 5.5 in |
| Best for | Power, sweet spot | Power, reach |
| Approval | USAP | USAP |
If the Black Opal is too much paddle
Six Zero Double Black Diamond
The do-everything line. Power on tap, but far easier to control.
Six Zero Ruby
The aramid soft line, the softest hands and kindest on the arm.
Vulcan V1200 16mm
A forgiving all-court paddle that costs about half as much.
Not sure the Black Opal fits your game?
Answer a few questions and the picker scores both against your style, alongside every other Six Zero, so you can see whether a power paddle is really your match.
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