GEAR
REVIEWS
by JACK BANDEL
SIX ZERO CORAL PRO HYBRID PADDLE
Look / Cosmetics: 4 / 5 Black carbon paddle face with splashes of green lettering on the face, edge guard and handle. Very nice-feeling grip with a tennis-like beveled shape. The hybrid shape is 16.3 " x 7.5 " and 16mm thick. The handle is 5.5 " long, which may or may not accommodate two hands( depending on your hand size). Comes with a very nice soft zippered cover in the same color scheme. The newly redesigned and upgraded surface feels very rough and promises to be very durable.
Serves / Returns / Groundstrokes: 4.5 / 5 The Coral Pro is touted as an“ all court” do-it-all paddle— and so far, so good! Serves and groundstrokes felt crisp and controlled with a good amount of pop coming from the paddle, without being overwhelming. To me, the combination of control and power was perfect. The gritty surface really allowed me to hit dipping drives into the backcourt without fear of going long. Slices were low and biting, and had some nice motion to them. Really liking this paddle so far! Let’ s move up into the kitchen and see how it fares.
Touch / Feel / Spin: 4.5 / 5 Spin for days! If you are an all-court type of player who uses spin as a weapon, stop reading and order this paddle now! Seriously, the amount of spin you can generate here feels illegal. The feel off the paddle face is a little soft and crisp, and slightly muted, but not overly any of those. The foam-injected perimeter and handle make this paddle very gentle on your elbow. Maneuverability is also very high, allowing you to react quickly in fast hand battles at the net. Very balanced feel on short, quick swings and it was easy to keep dinks low and consistent.
Sound / Sweet Spot / Playability: 4.5 / 5 Sweet spot felt larger than average, and mishits around the edges felt minimal. This paddle can be equally effective in the hands of a competent 3.0 player all the way up to advanced levels. It’ s very easy to use, provided you are good with a hybrid, elongated shape. The 8oz.- ish stock weight also lends itself to customization with some lead tape if you prefer heavier. The contact sound was slightly muted, which was a nice bonus.
Summary: 4.4 / 5 This one is a winner! Six Zero took the base model of the original and made a huge improvement to the surface, which added a lot more spin, durability and a little extra pop. This is an all-court player’ s dream paddle. Really, zero weaknesses to be found anywhere. Only thing was the handle might be a bit short for men who sometime use two hands. The enhanced diamond grit surface
gives you the spin potential you’ ve been craving, and the balance of power and control is close to perfection. This is one of my highest scores ever, and the paddle might find a permanent spot in my bag!
Current Price: $ 220 To purchase, visit sixzeropickleball. com / products / coral-pro( use code: PBMAG).
For more info, go to the Pickleball Paddle Reviews group page on Facebook. Paddle Manufacturers: Contact Jack Bandel at jackbandel @ gmail. com if you’ d like your products to be reviewed.
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