Butterfly Primorac vs Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Primorac | Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.3/10 | 8.7/10 |
| feel | medium, classic all-wood, long dwell and high control | 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 | 85 | 88 |
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The Primorac is an OFF-minus all-wood blade with long dwell and excellent control, prized for forgiveness and rubber versatility. The Zhang Jike ALC adds two arylate-carbon plies for OFF-class speed, but keeps a soft, flexible, non-stiff carbon feel and long dwell, giving strong control relative to other ALC and ZLC blades.
Both blades emphasize dwell and spin, so they feel related, but the ceiling differs. The Primorac has limited top-end speed and can feel underpowered with the plastic ball, while the ZJ ALC delivers away-from-table looping and counterlooping that demands an experienced player to exploit, at a premium price and with a sweet spot smaller than the ZLC versions.
Developing intermediates and control-first all-rounders should take the Primorac for feel and forgiveness. Intermediate-to-advanced loopers who want a fast but spin-friendly carbon blade with dwell, handle choice and the option to run tensor or tacky Chinese forehand rubbers should take the Zhang Jike ALC.
FAQ
Which is better for away-from-table looping?
The Zhang Jike ALC. Its arylate-carbon build excels at away-from-table looping and counterlooping, while the Primorac is OFF-minus and can feel underpowered with the modern plastic ball at distance.
Does the Zhang Jike ALC still feel controllable?
Yes, relatively. It offers a soft, flexible, non-stiff carbon feel and long dwell with strong control for an ALC blade, though its speed and feel demand an experienced player. The Primorac remains the more forgiving choice.
Which works with tacky Chinese rubbers?
Both. The Primorac is very versatile from European tensors to tacky Chinese rubbers, and the Zhang Jike ALC pairs well with both tensor and tacky Chinese forehand rubbers.