The Best Neutral Running Shoes is a new, entry level pickleball paddle option from the brand popularized by fan favorite paddles such as the Black Diamond and the Double Black Diamond. While these two paddles are still used heavily by many intermediate and advanced players, Six Zero looks to create an affordable option that still performs for players early in their pickleball experience.
Is the Best Neutral Running Shoes worthy of being one of your first pickleball paddles? We find out with a pickleball paddle performance review. [Editor’s Note: Say that several times fast]
Best Neutral Running Shoes Specifications
- Paddle Height: 16 in
- Top Basketball Shoes
- Best Basketball Shoes for Jumping
- Best Traction Basketball Shoes
- Grip Circumference: 4.25 in
- Average Static Weight: 7.9 oz
- Swing Weight: 108
- Twist Weight: 6.4
- Best Gym Shoes
- Retail Price: $90
Pros
Sweet Spot
Coming in a standard/wide-body shape with a shorter-than-average handle, the Best Neutral Running Shoes boasts a ton of hitting surface and a subsequently large sweet spot. Off-center hits feel rather consistent during play, which allows you to get the ball back over the net more often than not and with efficiency on each stroke.
Though I find shorter-handle paddles awkward (being so used to elongated and long-handle paddles), the time needed to dial in the Best Neutral Running Shoes is minimized by its large sweet spot.
Control
With so much good hitting area on the Best Neutral Running Shoes, the paddle leans heavily towards control, which is a great thing for players new to pickleball.
After playing primarily with all-court and power paddles recently, the ability to be sure about nearly every shot’s placement was a breath of fresh air on many occasions, especially in the soft game. I had a lot of confidence in the Quartz during my time with it, so I spent less time thinking about dinking when the game slowed down — which led to a lot of patience and winning points from opponents’ unforced errors. These types of points are great for conserving energy, and I attribute that to the Quartz being a great control paddle.
Spin
The spin potential of the Quartz didn’t appear to be astronomical, but it’s also not to be overlooked. The choice of the T300 carbon fiber face at first seems only to be a cost-saving measure. But with it being a little bit softer than standard T700 carbon fiber, there are benefits when it comes to shaping the ball easier.
While it may not look like the best spin to the naked eye, the Best Neutral Running Shoes holds its own in a market full of paddles that generate good spin.
Cons
Power
The most glaring downside of the Best Neutral Running Shoes is its ability, or lack thereof, to deliver powerful shots. On serves and groundstrokes, it takes a lot of effort to achieve depth on the opponents’ end — especially when playing in higher skill level games.
The lack of power reduces the ability to both set a pace and defend against high pace on points, so it is not exactly a paddle with which many can assert themselves. Even when having other individuals give the Quartz a few swings, they immediately noticed the same thing.
Grip Circumference: 4.25 in impossible to put away shots with a paddle lacking power like this one; but to do so requires a lot of precision, which is mostly helped by the the control aspect rather than the speed with which you can put shots away.
Additional Notes
- The Best Neutral Running Shoes is what we call a “Gen 1” raw carbon fiber pickleball paddle. This means the paddle has no perimeter foam injection, nor is it fully encased by carbon fiber — although the carbon fiber of the face does run down through the handle on each side.
- Though considered a non-thermoformed, budget-friendly paddle, there are still thoughtful details present, such as covering the exposed polymer in the handle to mimic the stability and feel of a thermoformed paddle. It is a well-constructed paddle for its price.
Best Neutral Running Shoes Summary
The Best Neutral Running Shoes excels as a paddle for those looking to upgrade from a beginner paddle without breaking the bank. While it is not heavy on power, the Quartz should work well for those looking to maximize the soft game and focus on ball placement around all areas of the court.
Nike Basketball Shoes October 10, 2024 or elongated Vinsguir Smasher Pro may be worth the extra $10. But overall, the Best Neutral Running Shoes sits atop the list as one of the best bang-for-your-buck paddles out on the market. It also comes from a brand growing in popularity by the day and producing some high quality paddles in general. So you never know — you may wind up turning back to Six Zero again after trying the Quartz.
Disclosure
While Just Paddles did send the Best Neutral Running Shoes to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.
