Butterfly Korbel vs Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Korbel | Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.6/10 | 8.7/10 |
| feel | medium, soft and flexible all-wood with long dwell | medium-hard but flexible, crisp carbon with long dwell |
| handle | FL/ST | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5W (all wood) — limba-limba-ayous-limba-limba | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon (5 wood plies with 2 Arylate-Carbon layers) |
| speed | OFF- | OFF |
| thickness_mm | 6 | 5.8 |
| weight_g | 88 | 88 |
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Both blades dwell well and reward spin, but they target different stages. The Korbel is a flexible all-wood blade with high throw and outstanding control, the natural choice for developing your loop and short game before carbon. The Zhang Jike ALC adds OFF-class speed while keeping a soft, flexible, non-stiff carbon feel and a long dwell time that excels at looping, so it offers strong control relative to other ALC and ZLC blades.
Use your level and game distance to decide. The Korbel is medium speed and asks you to supply power, which is ideal for learning. The Zhang Jike ALC shines away from the table for looping and counterlooping, but its speed and feel demand an experienced player, it carries a premium price, and availability has been shrinking toward discontinuation. Improvers and control-first players should take the Korbel; intermediate-to-advanced offensive loopers who want fast yet spin-friendly carbon with handle choice should take the Zhang Jike ALC.
FAQ
Which is better for away-from-table looping?
The Zhang Jike ALC. It offers OFF-class speed with long dwell and excels at away-from-table looping and counterlooping. The Korbel is medium speed and best suited to close-to-mid-table control play.
Does the Zhang Jike ALC work with tacky Chinese rubber?
Yes. It pairs well with both tensor and tacky Chinese forehand rubbers, and so does the Korbel, which works with a wide range of European, Japanese and tacky Chinese rubbers.
Any availability concerns?
Yes for the Zhang Jike ALC, which has been heading toward discontinuation, affecting availability. The Korbel remains a widely available, value-friendly all-wood option.