Butterfly Garaydia ALC vs Nittaku Acoustic Carbon: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Garaydia ALC | Nittaku Acoustic Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.5/10 | 8.8/10 |
| control | — | — |
| feel | Crisp, hard and stiff with a direct, low-vibration touch and a notably low throw arc | Medium-hard outer carbon with surprising wood-like dwell and ball retention; crisp sound on contact |
| handle | FL | FL, ST (also Large Handle and Chinese Penhold variants available) |
| plies | 5-ply total: 3 wood + 2 Arylate-Carbon (ALC) layers, with an outer carbon construction under a Japanese hinoki surface ply | 7 plies — 5 wood + 2 FE carbon (Limba - FE Carbon - Limba - Tung - Limba - FE Carbon - Limba) |
| speed | OFF | OFF |
| spin | — | — |
| thickness_mm | 6.9 | 5.5mm |
| type | OFF | — |
| weight_g | 83 | approx 90g |
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The Butterfly Garaydia ALC (8.5 rating) is a precise specialist: stiff, damped, and low-throw for advanced close-table topspin attackers who block and counter-topspin. The Nittaku Acoustic Carbon (8.8 rating) is the more rounded option with remarkable wood-like dwell despite outer-carbon, large sweet spot, high speed comparable to top-tier ALC blades, and exceptional short-game precision—more versatile and heavier, demanding careful rubber selection. The Garaydia excels at specialized blocking and flicking; the Acoustic balances speed, feel, and control across all distances. The Acoustic suits more playing styles; the Garaydia suits close-table defensive specialists. Most players prefer the Acoustic’s versatility, though the Garaydia appeals to purists.
FAQ
How much heavier is the Acoustic Carbon?
Notably: the Acoustic typically weighs around 90g, whereas the Garaydia weighs about 83g. The extra weight creates a head-heavy feel that demands rubber choice care.
Which generates more speed?
The Acoustic Carbon. Its speed rivals TBALC and outpaces the Garaydia, making it faster. The Garaydia prioritizes control over speed.
Which has better feel and dwell?
The Acoustic Carbon remarkably retains wood-like dwell and feel despite outer-carbon construction. The Garaydia is more damped and direct, with minimal vibration feedback.