Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC vs Stiga Clipper Wood: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Stiga Clipper Wood | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.8/10 | 8.4/10 |
| feel | Crisp and direct with noticeable dwell on contact; slightly softer arc than Viscaria Super ALC | solid, medium-stiff, hard fast all-wood with a big sweetspot |
| handle | Flared (FL), Straight (ST), Anatomic (AN) — notably thicker grip than Viscaria | FL/ST/AN/PEN |
| plies | 5 wood plus 2 arylate-carbon (ALC) — Koto / ALC / Limba / Kiri / Limba / ALC / Koto | 7W (all wood) - limba outer plies over an ayous core, no carbon or synthetic layers |
| speed | OFF | OFF |
| thickness_mm | approx 5.7mm | 6.3 |
| weight_g | 87-92g typical | 90 |
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Fan Zhendong (8.8, ALC, true OFF) is premium outer-ALC for aggressive loopers; Stiga Clipper Wood (8.4, 7-ply, true OFF) is a legendary all-wood all-round classic with big sweetspot and rock-solid blocking. Both rate OFF speed, but Clipper’s actual speed lags its reputation—it demands good technique to generate power.
Clipper suits close-to-mid-table all-rounders and looper-blockers from improving intermediates to advanced players. It pairs superbly with faster European or Japanese rubbers and is famous for forgiving blocking and pushing. Fan Zhendong is the pure attacker’s choice, with crisper feel and genuine forgiveness at full power. Clipper is heavier (around 90g), older design, and known for splintering (owners seal it).
FAQ
Is Clipper as fast as its OFF rating suggests?
No. Fan Zhendong’s true OFF feels noticeably faster. Clipper’s all-wood core limits inherent pace.
Which is better for mid-distance looping?
Fan Zhendong—more direct, crisper, better for away-from-table topspin.
Do I need to seal Clipper Wood?
Stiga’s known splintering means many owners apply sealant. Fan Zhendong needs no maintenance.