Butterfly Garaydia ALC vs Butterfly Timo Boll ALC: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Garaydia ALC | Butterfly Timo Boll ALC | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.5/10 | 9.0/10 |
| control | — | — |
| feel | Crisp, hard and stiff with a direct, low-vibration touch and a notably low throw arc | medium |
| handle | FL | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5-ply total: 3 wood + 2 Arylate-Carbon (ALC) layers, with an outer carbon construction under a Japanese hinoki surface ply | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon |
| speed | OFF | OFF |
| spin | — | — |
| thickness_mm | 6.9 | 5.8 |
| type | OFF | — |
| weight_g | 83 | 86 |
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Both are OFF outer arylate-carbon blades from Butterfly, but they are tuned differently. Garaydia ALC has a soft hinoki surface ply and plays crisp, hard and stiff with a very low throw arc that excels at blocking, flicking and counter-topspins. It is exceptionally stable near the table at around 83 grams, though its low arc demands precise technique, it can feel weak away from the table, and it is discontinued.
Timo Boll ALC is celebrated for an exceptional balance of spin, speed and control, with class-leading spin on both wings, a large sweet spot and long dwell so the whole face plays like one big sweet spot. It is superb from mid-distance to away from the table and a famous match with Tenergy 05, but it carries premium pricing and rewards a developed, active stroke.
Choose Garaydia ALC if you are a close-to-mid attacker who relies on blocking, flicking and counter-topspin and wants a low-throw, stiff blade with near-table stability. Choose Timo Boll ALC if you want a balanced, high-spin main blade that performs from mid-distance to away from the table. With ratings around 8.5 against 9, Garaydia leans toward near-table control while Timo Boll ALC leans toward all-distance balance.
FAQ
Which blade has more spin and dwell?
Timo Boll ALC, with class-leading spin on both wings and long dwell at contact. Garaydia ALC has a low throw and direct feel better suited to blocking and counters.
Which is better away from the table?
Timo Boll ALC, which is superb from mid-distance to away from the table. Garaydia ALC can feel weak away from the table without strong footwork.
Which is best near the table?
Garaydia ALC. Its low throw and stiff feel give outstanding stability for blocking, flicking and counter-topspins close to the table.
Are they easy to buy?
Timo Boll ALC is a current premium blade. Garaydia ALC is discontinued, so new copies are hard to source.