Six Zero Double Black Diamond Control 16mm

The Six Zero Double Black Diamond Control has been quietly climbing the ranks since its release, earning a reputation as the paddle that makes $220+ competitors nervous. In a market flooded with thermoformed carbon paddles making big claims, the DBD Control actually delivers — and does it for less money. But does the “Control” in the name tell the whole story? Not exactly.

Build & Feel

Six Zero went all-in on the construction here. The thermoformed unibody design fuses the top and bottom carbon faces into a single piece, which eliminates the seam-related dead spots that plague cheaper paddles. You can feel the difference immediately — there’s a structural solidity to this paddle that inspires confidence the second you pick it up.

The face is Japanese Toray T700 raw carbon fiber with a permanently textured surface. Unlike spray-on grit that wears down after a few months, this texture is baked into the carbon itself, which means your spin numbers won’t crater after 50 hours of play. It’s one of the reasons the DBD consistently ranks in the top ten for RPM across multiple independent tests.

The foam edgewalls deserve a shoutout too. Six Zero’s Carbon Fusion Edge technology wraps a lightweight carbon seam around the perimeter, which does two things: it extends the playable sweet spot closer to the edges, and it adds durability without packing on weight. At 8.1 ounces average, it’s not featherlight, but it’s right in the wheelhouse for players who want some mass behind their swings.

The 5.5-inch handle paired with a perforated leather grip feels substantial in hand. If you prefer a thinner grip, plan on swapping it out — the 4.25-inch circumference runs medium-thick and there’s no small-grip option from the factory.

Performance

Here’s where it gets interesting. Despite the “Control” branding, this paddle plays more like a power-control hybrid. The 16mm polypropylene honeycomb core provides good dwell time for touch shots, but the thermoformed construction and raw carbon face add a level of pop that pure control paddles don’t have. Dinks are manageable once you calibrate, but your first few sessions might send a few long if you’re coming from a softer paddle.

Drives and serves are where the DBD Control truly shines. The combination of raw carbon grit and the rigid thermoformed body lets you generate absurd topspin on drives — the kind that dips hard and kicks up off the court. Third-shot drives become a genuine weapon, not just a desperation play.

At the kitchen line, the paddle performs well but demands respect. The 16mm core gives you enough feel for resets and drops, but it’s not as plush as a dedicated control paddle like the original CRBN 1X. You need active hands and soft wrists to keep dink rallies tight. Players who rely heavily on a dead-paddle feel for their soft game might find the DBD a touch too lively.

The sweet spot, though, is genuinely enormous. Off-center hits that would clank on lesser paddles still produce clean, predictable shots here. That’s the thermoformed advantage in action, and it’s especially noticeable on fast exchanges where you don’t have time to perfectly center every ball.

For $180 — and frequently available closer to $160 with discount codes — the Six Zero Double Black Diamond Control 16mm is one of the best values in competitive pickleball. It doesn’t do any one thing perfectly, but it does everything at an exceptionally high level. That’s a trade-off most players should be thrilled to make.