Butterfly Maze Advance vs Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Maze Advance | Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 |
| feel | soft, controlled, slightly stiff for an all-wood blade | medium-hard but flexible, crisp carbon with long dwell |
| handle | FL | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5W (all wood) | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon (5 wood plies with 2 Arylate-Carbon layers) |
| speed | ALL+ | OFF |
| thickness_mm | 6.7 | 5.8 |
| weight_g | 85 | 88 |
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Both wear the Butterfly name, but they target very different players. The Maze Advance is a lightweight all-wood blade built for control, short play and learning strokes. The Zhang Jike ALC is an OFF arylate-carbon blade with a soft, flexible, non-stiff carbon feel and long dwell that excels at looping and generating spin.
Choose the Maze Advance if you are still developing and want maximum control and clean touch at a low price. Choose the Zhang Jike ALC if you are an intermediate-to-advanced looper who wants real speed but still wants dwell and spin, plus a choice of FL, ST or AN handles and the freedom to pair it with tensor or tacky Chinese rubber.
The ALC’s speed and feel reward an experienced player and it carries a premium price, with a smaller sweet spot than the ZLC versions and tightening availability. The Maze remains the safer, cheaper learning platform; the Zhang Jike ALC is the spin-friendly upgrade.
FAQ
Which is better for looping?
The Zhang Jike ALC. Its long dwell time and soft, flexible carbon feel excel at looping and imparting spin, including away-from-table counterlooping. The Maze Advance is built more for control and short play.
Does the Zhang Jike ALC feel stiff like other carbon blades?
No. It is described as having a soft, flexible, non-stiff carbon feel with strong control relative to other ALC and ZLC blades, which is part of why it suits loopers who value dwell.
What rubbers pair well with the Zhang Jike ALC?
It pairs well with both tensor and tacky Chinese forehand rubbers, giving you flexibility in setup. The Maze Advance generates good spin without needing very tacky rubber.