Butterfly Lin Gaoyuan ALC vs Donic Appelgren Allplay: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Lin Gaoyuan ALC | Donic Appelgren Allplay | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.7/10 | 8.3/10 |
| feel | Soft — flexible ALC gives a more wood-like feel than other carbon blades; high dwell time | medium, controlled |
| handle | Shakehand (FL, AN, ST options); shorter anatomic handle than Viscaria | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5 wood + 2 arylate-carbon (ALC) — 7-ply construction with koto outer layers and inner arylate-carbon fiber | 5W (abachi core + limba) |
| speed | OFF (Butterfly rates Reaction 118, mid-fast; equivalent to OFF/OFF+ class) | ALL |
| thickness_mm | 5.7mm | 5.8 |
| weight_g | 84-87g typical (Butterfly spec approx 87g) | 85 |
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Learn more.
The Lin Gaoyuan (8.7) is a soft-carbon powerhouse for advanced attackers seeking a large sweet spot, impressive spin, and control at OFF speed. The Appelgren Allplay (8.3) is a pure all-wood design built for technique development, offering outstanding feel and forgiveness at an all-round pace.
Choose Lin Gaoyuan if you’re an experienced player ready to exploit carbon speed and soft dwell, and value versatility across rubber pairings. Choose Appelgren Allplay if you’re building technique, want maximum feedback on every stroke, and value do-everything versatility and budget-friendly pricing over inherent power.
FAQ
Which is better for beginners?
Appelgren Allplay—it prioritizes control, feedback, and forgiveness. Lin Gaoyuan demands stroke technique to exploit its carbon speed and would frustrate beginners.
How much faster is Lin Gaoyuan?
Lin Gaoyuan is OFF speed with carbon kick. Appelgren is ALL-class all-wood; the gap is significant. Lin Gaoyuan finishes points from distance; Appelgren requires good placement.
What rubbers pair best with each?
Lin Gaoyuan pairs with any modern rubber. Appelgren pairs best with non-tension rubbers like Yasaka Mark V or DHS Hurricane 3 to maintain its control character.
Which gives better feedback?
Appelgren Allplay is famous for genuine touch feedback that teaches proper form. Lin Gaoyuan gives less feedback due to its ALC construction, though it still provides good dwell and feel.