Dang, Chris - you had me at 0:17 with all the slick production lighting and smoke. Made me want to make an impulse purchase right then, and I already own two!🤣

Chris great review. I for one have been waiting for this, and to have you compare all three together was epic. You are truly a rock star in the paddle business. People really wait to hear your opinion on the reviews. Not bad for a kid from Minny. As a fellow Minnesotan I'm proud of the niche you've carved out for yourself. Keep up the great work. Don't stand pat. Keep trying to reinvent yourself all the time to stay ahead of the game. So fun to see guys making a career out of this doing something other than being a player. Well not yet anyway right!!!

Great Review! Exactly, what I needed to know. Appreciate the realness and honesty!!!

You have to wait for the Ruby to go through a break in period before you can really appreciate how great this paddle really is. Now that my Ruby is broken in after 4 or 5 sessions of hours of play each time, the paddle plays so different than when it was brand new. What I have noticed the most is the plushness of this paddle emerged and now it seemingly has all aspects of a near perfect paddle. Control is great due to the plushness and spin qualities; the power has ramped up somehow as well and has more of a trampolene effect, and this paddle has no discernable dead spots. In other words, the sweet spot is insane on this paddle. This paddle is also a resetting machine. If I can get the paddle on the ball that ball will clear the net 90% of the time and in a controllable fasion. I think Chris needs to continue to break the paddle in and then do another reveiw. I have a feeling his opinion about it will change.

Just got mine today in 🇨🇦. Looking forward to trying it. I own the other two as well and my #1 so far is the DBD. Loved watching the rec play (especially the last clip). Wish you would put out a best of three video of those sometimes. Cheers! Keep up the good work.

ALOHA❣️Happy holidays PBSTUDIO 🎅🏻🎄

Great review as always!

Top notch production. Excellent graphics and presentation making the contents easier to consume. Currently is playing with DBD and the Ruby just arrived, this weekend will fun.

Thank you for the review! I love my dbd but maybe in the future I'll look to the Ruby 👀

Nailed it. Those 3 paddles were exactly what I was debating between.

Hi, great review, and i was waiting for your review. I have also watched other videos on the Ruby, but I do value everyone's opinion. Seeing as though the ruby and dbd i guess for me now is the longevity between the ruby and dbd.

I’ve been playing with PLES for a few weeks and very satisfied. I play a lot of doubles with a focus on control and dinks and it’s performed very well. Have had no issue putting the ball away with power

I think I got the freak paddle. My Ruby came stock at 8.13oz. After overgrip and edge guard it weighed in at 8.54oz. Played really good and don’t think I need to add lead. That being said I love my dbd. It’s my go to paddle. Honestly beside a touch more power and the feel I could easily grab either paddle and play the same game. Wanna say thanks Chris for doing what you do. You tell it like it is unlike a lot of others who are obviously in the pockets of manufacturers. Keep it up bro!!!

Appreciate your thoughts on Kevlar. I’m glad I’m not the only one that sees it the same way.

Just about to use my Pro Line Energy S for the first time today...wish me luck!

The DBD was ahead of it's time. It is still on the top of the list.

@pickleball studio Love your videos! I wish you would post rec games (maybe a separate channel?). I would totally watch them!

I think Chris has provided a very balanced review. The Ruby is a follow on option to the DBD base model. Kevlar will in theory be a longer lasting abrasion resistant material compared to carbon. The peel ply texture will wear at the same rate, though the underlying kevlar fabric with 3K twill has its own base texture and should provide a highly durable face plate.

Been waiting for your review as I was itching to buy the ruby. But I’m very happy with my 14mm DBD and am now convinced it’s not worth the purchase. Also almost bought the Engage Pro EX, but upon trying it out felt it was also close in performance to my DBD with a little less pop.

I really hope to see a 14mm hybrid shape with the kevlar top plate. I have the PLE-S with a little lead at the throat and it plays well but I think a 14mm would be a real winner.

my wife just got the pro line energy...i got dbd...her paddle puts super spin,specially on backhand

Good stuff Chris! Some of these other reviewers need to go back and watch your video about how the peel ply, not carbon fiber or kevlar gives texture and is what wears out.

Hey Chris! I have a suggestion for the spreadsheet. I run a decently sized pickleball group so I’m constantly using your spreadsheet to recommend paddles to people that are trying to change or upgrade their paddle. One thing that I would really love is a power/ control rating. You could do it on a 1-10 scale. So a “1” would be full control (project 003) and a “10” would be full power (Gearbox Pro Power). Then anything near the middle would just indicated how all court paddles lean. Or maybe having two separate ratings. One for power and one for control. Anyway, thanks for all you do! I really appreciate what you’ve already done with the spreadsheet. Just wanted to throw an idea out that might help myself and others.

I'd love to see reviews of Hyperion C2 14mm and Electrum Stealth, thanks!

Good video! You did misspell “stiffer” at 3:51.

Excellent review! Thanks!! I have a Double Black Diamond and I need to replace it soon. I am considering buying another Double Black or a Ruby. Given their similarity, and my comfort with the Double Black Diamond, I am inclined to stick with the same model. But......my curiosity may get the better of me.

since I have using the DBD 14mm since February, I think this will be a good test to see if the paddle is the real deal....the Gearbox Pro was too powerful for me so this new Kevlar material vs the Carbon fiber will be a real head to head test..I just wish it was available in the 14 mm so it was apple to apples comparison

Another great video review Chis. Question, I don’t own a DBD paddle but I am planning to get one soon so should I get a Ruby instead?

I've had dbd for a bit and just played my Ruby for the first time yesterday. I agree with everything said here, especially the thoughts around the Ruby being "Plush" while the dbd "stiffer". I think if you like your dbd and are thinking of getting a new paddle due to wear, you may as well get the Ruby just in case the "kevlar lasts longer..." pans out.

Comparing the Ruby to the DBD and relating it to the iPhone being 6 and 6s was genius. Makes total sense when putting it that way.

the concept of peel ply has to be taught as most don't seem to know what really is, like you pull the paddle out of the vacuums bag mold and actually peel the fabric off the face of the paddle leaving the negative imprint in the resin on the surface. I do feel the next advancements in paddle tech will be this peel ply application and the ability to use more advanced last layer resin for the peel ply fabric. to imprint upon.

Great review. Was going to buy the DBD and then heard about the Ruby. After your review, Im buying the DBD tomorrow. I have played with the DBD a couple of hours and really liked it. Done deal now.

Would love to see you do a review on the Holbrook Power Pro! Been using it for a week and it’s so good

I ordered on release day. Coming from volair and bread n butter filth , I immediately noticed it was noticeably less powerful, and also lacked pop. I don’t have a camera to do spin tests, but using the same techniques for my slice serve, I could easily tell my other paddles got more spin. This may be great for some people, but it was definitely not for me and I, sold it after two days

Grit is not the only factor for amount of spin, dwell time from core also effects spin.

hey chris, great work as always but i found myself disagree with somethings u stated here. i would like to say that i am 3-zero at best so... =P also, mr olsen also had significantly more time w the three paddles. i've had a very limited amount of time with all three paddles referenced here (5 hrs w the ruby, and 2 games with the other two), but from my three zero brain i would put the control and spin order 1)ruby 2)energy s 3)DBD-pro weighted version. the kevlar paddles seemed to 'grab' or 'hold' the ball milliseconds longer and had a 'tossing' feeling while the DBD was more of a bouncing off feel. for pop, 1)DBD 2)energy s 3)ruby - although the ruby was more gritty (and newer), and could b y it had less pop. power 1)ruby 2)energy s 3)DBD - i normally never get a 'whoa' reaction but i got a few w the ruby. drives felt similar with ruby n energy s. didnt feel too much power off the DBD, felt a lot like my nova r1 before i added lead to it. cant really speak on hand speed n sweet spot cuz my coordination is sh*t. def need to work on nvz net play and paddle control/hold. i agree with your iphone example, the ruby is a very nice iterative upgrade that i think would benefit lower lvl player vs more experienced. well theres my 3.0 2 cents. great work as always and love watching ur vids. sad ur taking a break but u deserve it!! on a side note i had the pleasure to run into pickleball will yesterday at a local court, was super nervous but got a selfie haha, made my day. wish a couldve hit some balls with him but i had to run.

Update on my Ruby. Played maybe less than 10 hrs and there are abrasions on the face. Scratch marks that you can see ripped fibers. Definitely no impressed especially with all the kevlar hype about durability

I saw my first Ruby "in the wild" today and the guy let me hit it a bit. One thing that surprised me is that the face looked like it had some wear already. Sort of like a pick on a sweater. The color looked deeper red in a few spots as well. Have you seen any wear on yours yet?

Thanks for review. MUVN-16H from Gruvn just got USAP pass, could you review several MUVN-16H (and other MUVNs if possible)? Looks like power paddle but not sure.

@PickleballStudio i played with my Ruby today and the face kept getting dirt on it that my DBD never did. Obviously the texture is different. How can i lightly clean it between points without rubbing off the texture? By the way i bought my DBD after your review. I felt like my dbd after 6 months had a dead spot at the tip of the paddle. It didn't bother me that much since most paddles don't have that big a sweet spot anyway. 6 zero was nice enough to give me a 50% off on my new paddle even though I was out of warrenty.

Chris, please do a review on the new 6.0 Diamond Infinity.

I love the ruby 🤷🏼‍♂️

I have a Pro Line Energy S. Is the Ruby a step up …should I buy ? Thanks for the excellent compare.

Do you, use Edge tape around the entire paddle or just the top half and some to cover the lead tape

Loving my Ruby, but i have noticed that the grit texture is different on each side. I spoke with another Ruby owner who has high grit on both sides, but his buddies Ruby has almost no grit to the touch.

How would you say this compares to the Perseus? I currently have the power air invikta I love the spin. But I generate way too much power and am not yet skilled enough to use it. So I’m looking for something softer

Hey Chris! When is the CRBN concept paddle(that got very good reviews from Will) releasing?

How is spin determined? Great review comparisons, I received my Ruby a week ago and have maybe 3 hours of play. This paddle is a big change from my Head pro gravity, but I already appreciate the increase in control, especially on finesse shots. The paddle is also more stable in my hand. When I serve hard the ball doesn't travel as deep into the court (spinnier paddle?). But most of all I love the way it looks!

When we getting the electrum stealth review

after using the Ruby since it came out, it is my everyday paddle even after trying the Gear Box pro, the Mark Kinetic Kevlar paddle and even went back to try out my 14mm DBD and the Ruby is the CLEAR winner....no doubt about it...power, pop, control and spin are the best for my game...I didn't add any weight and use it stock all the time....I now have 4 in my rotation as the spin does decrease after months of use so now i get a gradual decrease using all 4 in rotation and there won't be much variation when switching from each paddle

When are they putting the grittier texture on the dbd???

Have you heard any info on if there will be a 14mm ruby in the future? I like a lighter paddle.

My Ruby weighted in at 7.8 out of the box!

still loving my DBD. I am just curious on my DBD surface fade.Chris, could you do an all around performance update on the DBD after a year of use? thanks sean fr: Montreal

I love my Selkirk halo control.. thoughts on a switch to ruby?

In my experience with the Ruby over the last month, it feels so incredibly balanced compared to other premium paddles. It’s a true all court paddle. Everyone who has demoed mine has loved it and I’ve sold 4-5. That said, I still use my DBD or Infinity DBD when playing with indoor balls and I use my JMV BD when playing with outdoor balls.

Where would you rank the Ronbus R3 Nova compared to DBD?

i thought the "peel-ply" texture was itself the kevlar weave, not any underneath layer.

when you and the other reviewers do your tests, have you guys coordinated a standard ball to use?

Are you going to revive the ALW-C paddles?

Where would you add weight on the dbd16 to make it more ruby like? I tried the ruby and really liked it

I returned the Ruby. Hit balls with it and noticed it doesn't have the nice dense plusher feel of the DBD. The Ruby felt stiffer and more hollow than my DBD. I ordered another DBD :) My Ruby came in at 8.1 oz. I added .2 oz and it still didn't feel as solid as much DBD. The DBD is just an awesome paddle.

My ruby core is crushed/broken after 5 weeks of use so Kevlar and revised manufacturing hasn’t solved the issue. This is likely more common when it is cold…

Any cleaning recommendations for the Ruby?

Curious on your experiences with Six Zero Warranty? I was denied because of lead weights, which id assume is normal in pickleball.

I think the best thing about Kevlar is the shock absorption. I have shoulder issues, and have not been able to afford a Ruby yet, but I've been playing with a couple second-hand Apes Proline Energy and Proline Energy S. I do have shoulder pain after playing because of the relatively high swing weight, BUT the pain does not last into the next day as it does with other carbon fiber, thermoformed, high swing weight paddles.

How would you say the ruby compared to halo control?

Coming from someone who is only hitting on a backboard currently, I feel the Ruby grabs the ball better for topspin. My DBD doesn't beat it in this regard.

I like my DBD but always liked the more plush feel of my Vatic Prsim Flash. I also wished the DBD had a bit more power. This is why I can't wait to try out my newly ordered Ruby. It should have all the characterisitics of the excellent DBD but with more power and a more plush feel.

How about the Infinity Edgeless DBD just out by 6.0?

Great video. You helped me from getting fomo. I just got the DBD. I had a chance to get the Ruby but not at the discount price and now its sold out. Lol

Anyone here like the Gearbox pro? I played with it and wasn't very impressed. It's hard to put shape on the ball. And the spin seems average. Curious to know what others think.

kevlar is probably noticeably less expensive that cf?

How does the B&B Loco compare to these paddles?

The iPhone comparison was weak. The question not answered was are the Kevlar claims accurate? If they’re accurate then it is a game changer.

There seems to be little reason to not make a good paddle now. We know the materials that work, how to do weight distribution for enhanced sweet spots and power and we know people want access to decent spin. For now we seem to be in refinement territory. I’m curios to see what 2024 brings.

Been playing with the single Black Diamond and just purchased the Ruby. First impressions of the differences is that it does appear to provide more spin, similar power and better control than the SBD. I weight my paddles to approx. 9.5 ounces and did not notice much difference in power, maneuverability, or hand speed. I feel it was worth the upgrade.

Bought a DBD and I love it. Thank god for reviews like this because the six Zero site does a horrible job at it. There product descriptions are overly complicated, tech jargon that try to make it sound cool but just ends up being confusing and meaningless. On the marketing side, I'm a bit sad I didn't know they were designed/engendered in Australia.

Of the 3 which face wears less?

The DBD your your comparing the ruby too, is it the 14mm?

Once again great review. Us paddle nerds look forward to them. Curious about your thoughts regarding Kevlar as a core component. My Dymon Mayhem is my new fave. Just sayin

Just FYI - John Kew had the DBD and the Proline Energy S in his year end review, both were in top 3 for "all court" category. It's good the quality is there if the prices remain around the average of 180.00. Chris said "subtle differences" so to me, where are the differences going to show? A: Only at the highest levels of play. Also - proline energy S spin stat confirmed - Chris was just having an off day measuring spin (LOL JK) Chris - Nice dinks in the B-roll.

Have you tried Ultra X by The Best Paddle??

As to durability, I’ve never heard of any law-enforcement or military personnel wearing a raw carbon fiber vest for body armor. On the issue of toughness, I think I’m going to go with Kevlar.

Whats the difference between the Proline original and the S version?

0:44 I thought the average weight was 8.2 oz and the average swing weight was 117 according to the 6.0 website.

So for all you reviewers who reviewed the Ruby and claimed the pop was lacking put lead strips 10, 2,7,5 and 4,8. It's a total beast, with massive pop and a soft touch.

Does lower the swing weight translate to little chance of tennis elbow ?

Can I get a discord link?

In the wild these are taking over, there's a reason theyre sold out all the time/on pre-order - I have the DBD as well, and after a week with the Ruby the DBD seems forgettable already...

Which double black Diamond is he reviewing? 14 or 16?

How much more different is the Ruby vs Pro line energy power wise? You ranked them by most to least but you didn’t explain how big of a gap in power between both paddles have relative to other paddles….. Also, I noticed you didn’t really finish your review of the Pro line energy S, which is kinda sus…..

You usually make a comment about the look of paddles, especially if there different from the run of the mill black. Not one comment about how it may be the nicest looking paddle out now.

ive heard from most reviewers say it has more control then DBD. what?!

Is there a Discord link?

Thankfully my Ruby came in at 8.1 oz

Long wait for MARK Kinetic...2026!!! Seems to be a clone??

Hope your six zero paddle don’t fail because they’re customer support is terrible

first

Juat get a vatic pro flash guys.