Butterfly Garaydia ALC vs Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Garaydia ALC | Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.5/10 | 8.7/10 |
| control | — | — |
| feel | Crisp, hard and stiff with a direct, low-vibration touch and a notably low throw arc | medium-hard but flexible, crisp carbon with long dwell |
| 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 (5 wood plies with 2 Arylate-Carbon layers) |
| speed | OFF | OFF |
| spin | — | — |
| thickness_mm | 6.9 | 5.8 |
| type | OFF | — |
| weight_g | 83 | 88 |
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Learn more.
Both are OFF outer arylate-carbon blades from Butterfly. 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, with outstanding near-table stability at around 83 grams. Its low arc demands precise technique and it is discontinued.
Zhang Jike ALC pairs OFF-class speed with a soft, flexible, non-stiff carbon feel and a long dwell time that excels at looping and imparting spin. It has strong control relative to other ALC and ZLC blades, comes in FL, ST and AN handles, and is excellent for away-from-table looping and counterlooping, though it is premium-priced, has a smaller sweet spot than ZLC versions, and has been heading toward discontinuation.
Choose Garaydia ALC if you are a close-to-mid attacker who relies on blocking, flicking and counter-topspin and wants a stiff, low-throw blade with near-table stability. Choose Zhang Jike ALC if you are an offensive looper who wants a fast but spin-friendly blade with plenty of dwell, handle choice, and away-from-table looping. With ratings around 8.5 against 8.7, Garaydia leans toward stiff near-table control while Zhang Jike ALC leans toward dwell and looping.
FAQ
Which blade has more dwell for looping?
Zhang Jike ALC, with a soft, flexible feel and long dwell that excel at looping and imparting spin. Garaydia ALC is stiffer with a low throw suited to blocking and counters.
Which is better away from the table?
Zhang Jike ALC, which is excellent for away-from-table looping and counterlooping. Garaydia ALC can feel weak away from the table without strong footwork.
Which offers handle choices?
Zhang Jike ALC comes in FL, ST and AN shapes, while Garaydia ALC is listed in FL only.
Are they easy to buy?
Both face availability issues. Garaydia ALC is discontinued, and Zhang Jike ALC has been heading toward discontinuation, affecting supply.