Butterfly Tenergy 80 vs Yinhe Big Dipper: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Tenergy 80 | Yinhe Big Dipper | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.8/10 | 8.4/10 |
| best_side | both | forehand |
| control | medium-high | high |
| speed | 13.5/14 | medium (offensive) |
| spin | 11.2/12 | extreme |
| sponge_hardness | 36° | 38/39/40 degrees (provincial-style blue sponge; 39 measures roughly 51 ESN) |
| type | tensor inverted (Spring Sponge) | hybrid tacky (blue sponge) |
| weight_uncut_g | 67 | 68 |
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Tenergy 80 is the easy-to-use option: a spring-sponge tensor with a medium-low throw, forgiving blocks, and balanced offense on both wings at mid-distance. Yinhe Big Dipper is a modern porous blue-sponge hybrid with extreme spin on serves, brushed loops, and pushes, plus outstanding stability and almost no slippage, at a budget price that rivals Hurricane 3-NEO.
The difference is demand and feel. Tenergy carries springy passive speed and lower spin sensitivity, so it stays usable whether you swing hard or not. Big Dipper is slow and demanding at lower power, its stiff sponge needs break-in and may benefit from boosting, it is weak for flat hitting on softer versions, and it is not beginner friendly, but its tacky spin and control are excellent for a Chinese rubber and the National-style ceiling is high.
For a two-winged player who wants forgiveness and easy blocking, Tenergy 80 is the pick. For an intermediate-to-advanced spin attacker who plays full, active forehand strokes and wants Chinese tacky spin on a budget, Big Dipper delivers most of the spin for far less, ideally paired with a fast blade.
FAQ
Is Big Dipper hard to break in?
Somewhat. Its stiff sponge needs break-in time and may benefit from boosting, and it rewards hard active hitting. Tenergy 80 plays at its level immediately and is more forgiving of a passive swing.
Which is better close to the table for flat hits?
Tenergy 80. Big Dipper is weak for flat hitting on its softer versions and slow at lower power, while Tenergy’s springy sponge handles drives and blocks more easily.
What hardness of Big Dipper should I get?
It comes in 38, 39, and 40 degree options. Harder grades suit stronger, more active forehand loopers, while a softer grade is more manageable, though still demanding compared to Tenergy 80.