Butterfly Lin Gaoyuan ALC vs Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Lin Gaoyuan ALC | Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.7/10 | 8.5/10 |
| feel | Soft — flexible ALC gives a more wood-like feel than other carbon blades; high dwell time | hard outer + soft core, linear |
| handle | Shakehand (FL, AN, ST options); shorter anatomic handle than Viscaria | FL/ST/AN/CS |
| plies | 5 wood + 2 arylate-carbon (ALC) — 7-ply construction with koto outer layers and inner arylate-carbon fiber | 5W (all wood) |
| speed | OFF (Butterfly rates Reaction 118, mid-fast; equivalent to OFF/OFF+ class) | OFF |
| thickness_mm | 5.7mm | 5.7 |
| weight_g | 84-87g typical (Butterfly spec approx 87g) | 88 |
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Lin Gaoyuan ALC brings carbon catapult and soft arylate-carbon feel to the off-speed table, excelling at mid-distance power loops and topspin. Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive is a purely all-wood linear blade with a hard outer / soft core, unbeatable for close-to-mid short-game precision and placement at superb value.
Pick Lin Gaoyuan if you want speed scaling that grows with your power and need carbon consistency. Choose Ma Lin Extra if you’re an offensive/control player with a developed stroke who plays tight to the table and values short-game feel over far-table reach.
FAQ
Why would an off-speed player choose Ma Lin Extra over carbon?
If they rely on technique rather than borrowed pace, love the short game, and play close-to-mid table, Ma Lin Extra’s linear, no-catapult design rewards aggressive strokes.
Which generates more spin?
Lin Gaoyuan, thanks to its longer dwell and carbon flexibility; Ma Lin Extra is linear with no extra catapult.
Can both be used far from the table?
Lin Gaoyuan scales better; Ma Lin Extra loses effectiveness, playing effortful beyond mid-distance.
Which suits traditional Chinese penhold?
Ma Lin Extra is designed for penholder attacking and blocking; Lin Gaoyuan is shakehand-first but works with any grip.