Butterfly Primorac vs Sanwei V5 Pro: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Primorac | Sanwei V5 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.3/10 | 8.5/10 |
| feel | medium, classic all-wood, long dwell and high control | hard, fast, crisp all-wood with strong vibration and a high-pitched ping |
| handle | FL/ST | FL/ST |
| plies | 5W (all wood) — Limba/Limba/Ayous/Limba/Limba | 7W (all wood) — ash outer plies over an ayous core |
| speed | OFF- | OFF |
| thickness_mm | 6 | 6.3 |
| weight_g | 85 | 90 |
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This is feel versus pace. The Primorac is a soft, classic all-wood blade with long dwell and high control, forgiving and easy for a developing or control-first player. The Sanwei V5 Pro is a faster 7-ply with a hard, crisp ash surface, lively vibration for clear feedback, and surprisingly good control for its speed, but it punishes imprecise strokes.
Choose the Primorac if you value feel, dwell and forgiveness over outright speed and want a durable Butterfly keeper. Choose the Sanwei V5 Pro if you already have reliable technique and want a fast, spinny all-wood blade with strong feedback on a tight budget.
Note the ash surface on the V5 Pro is not for Limba-surface fans, and copy-to-copy weight and ply consistency can vary. The Primorac is the softer, more consistent and more forgiving of the two, while the V5 Pro rewards a player who can drive it.
FAQ
Which blade is faster?
The Sanwei V5 Pro is the faster blade, a 7-ply ash build that plays around OFF. The Primorac is a softer OFF- control blade with long dwell.
Which is more forgiving?
The Primorac is forgiving and easy to play. The V5 Pro demands solid technique and punishes imprecise strokes.
Is the ash surface a big difference?
Yes. The V5 Pro has a hard, high-pitched ash impact that is not for Limba-surface fans, while the Primorac offers the softer classic Limba feel.