Butterfly Korbel vs Stiga Carbonado 290: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Korbel | Stiga Carbonado 290 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.6/10 | 8.3/10 |
| feel | medium, soft and flexible all-wood with long dwell | very stiff, hard, crisp and direct carbon feel with a high-pitched sound; fast and linear with a low throw |
| handle | FL/ST | FL |
| plies | 5W (all wood) — limba-limba-ayous-limba-limba | 5 wood + 2 carbon (7-ply), TeXtreme carbon |
| speed | OFF- | OFF+ |
| thickness_mm | 6 | 6.2 |
| type | — | OFF+ |
| weight_g | 88 | 95 |
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This is a classic control-versus-power matchup. The Korbel is a flexible all-wood OFF- blade with long dwell, high throw and outstanding feel, built to forgive and to help you learn looping and the short game. The Carbonado 290 is a true OFF+ blade with doubled 200 gram TeXtreme carbon, delivering extreme power, a crisp carbon feel and a low, linear trajectory rated on par with a Jun Mizutani ZLC class blade.
The feel and trajectory could hardly be more different. The Korbel is soft, flexible and high-throw, generous over the net. The Carbonado 290 is very stiff, hard and direct with a very low throw that can cause netting until you adapt your bat angle, plus it is heavier at 95 grams against the Korbel’s 88. It rewards committed technique and excels at blocking and counter-blocking, but it is less forgiving over long rallies and carries a premium price.
Choose the Korbel if you are a control-first or developing player who wants feel, forgiveness and spin and intends to supply your own power for far-table attack. Choose the Carbonado 290 if you are an advanced, aggressive attacker who finishes points fast with hard drives, smashes and blocking and already has the technique to handle a very stiff, very fast carbon blade. The Korbel rates 8.6 to the Carbonado’s 8.3.
FAQ
Which blade is faster, the Korbel or the Carbonado 290?
The Carbonado 290 by a wide margin. It is a true OFF+ carbon blade with extreme power, while the Korbel is an OFF- all-wood blade where you must supply your own power for far-table attack.
Why does the Carbonado 290 cause netting?
It has a very low throw, which can cause netting until you adapt your bat angle. The Korbel, by contrast, has a high throw that gives more margin over the net.
Is the Carbonado 290 a good first custom blade?
No. It is stiff, heavy and unforgiving, best for advanced aggressive attackers with the technique to handle it. The Korbel is the better choice for beginners and improvers learning to loop before considering carbon.
How much heavier is the Carbonado 290?
The Carbonado 290 is listed at 95 grams versus the Korbel’s 88 grams, and it is described as stiff and on the heavier side, so the head feels more demanding once rubbers are mounted.