Butterfly Timo Boll Allround vs Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Timo Boll Allround | Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.3/10 | 8.5/10 |
| feel | Medium-soft, classic all-wood dwell with good tactile feedback | hard outer + soft core, linear |
| handle | FL/ST/AN/XXS | FL/ST/AN/CS |
| plies | 5-ply all wood (koto outer) | 5W (all wood) |
| speed | ALL+ | OFF |
| thickness_mm | 5.5 | 5.7 |
| weight_g | ~85 | 88 |
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Butterfly Timo Boll Allround and Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive both use all-wood construction and both aim at control-first players, but the axis data shows Yasaka pulling ahead on nearly every measure except the one that matters most for shot placement.
The axis that’s a genuine tie
Control is essentially identical: 8.7 for Allround versus 8.6 for Ma Lin Extra Offensive, a 0.1 point gap. This is worth stating plainly because it’s easy to assume the blade with the higher overall rating (8.5 vs 8.3) wins across the board — it doesn’t. If precise placement is your top priority, these two blades are functionally tied, and neither has a real edge over the other there.
Where the real gaps show up
Consistency is the widest split: 5.0 for Allround versus 8.7 for Ma Lin Extra Offensive, a 3.7 point gap. Revspin, Megaspin and Tabletennis11 all rate the Yasaka highly here, and its own pros list backs it up directly — “outstanding consistency and control — precise placement on every stroke.”
Hardness is the second real gap: 5.2 versus 6.8, a 1.6 point difference, which tracks with the blade’s build — a “hard outer over soft core,” per its own pros list, that specifically gives it “a superb short game and easy ball placement.” Speed also separates meaningfully: 7.5 versus 8.6, a 1.1 point gap, consistent with Allround’s own cons list calling out a “speed ceiling too low for players ready to move into offensive play” and Ma Lin Extra Offensive’s classification as a full OFF blade versus Allround’s ALL+.
Stiffness shows a smaller but real gap too: 5.0 versus 5.7, a 0.7 point difference, in line with Ma Lin Extra Offensive’s linear, no-catapult feel described in its own cons — “no carbon catapult — you supply the power.”
What “no carbon catapult” means for you
This is a meaningful distinction beyond the numbers: Ma Lin Extra Offensive’s own cons list is explicit that it has no catapult effect and that you “supply the power” yourself, and that it “loses out a touch far from the table.” Combined with its bestFor line calling out “traditional Chinese penhold players” specifically, this is a blade built around a close-to-table, all-wood attacking game rather than a big-swing looping game from mid-distance.
Fit and level
Allround’s bestFor: beginners and lower-intermediate players building technique before a faster blade. Ma Lin Extra Offensive’s bestFor: “offensive and control loopers, including traditional Chinese penhold players, who want an all-wood OFF blade with a superb short game, pinpoint placement and unbeatable value for a close-to-mid-table attacking and blocking game.” Both are control-oriented and both are explicitly praised for value, but Ma Lin Extra Offensive sits a clear step up in classification (OFF vs ALL+) and is aimed at players already playing offensively rather than still building toward it.
Why this comparison matters for Allround owners
Since Allround’s own cons list confirms it’s discontinued and needs secondary-market sourcing, Ma Lin Extra Offensive is a credible next step for someone who liked the tied control score but has hit the speed ceiling Allround’s cons explicitly name. Unlike moving to a carbon blade like Viscaria, this keeps you in an all-wood, feedback-rich family — you keep the tactile, linear feel and simply gain more actual pace, short-game precision and match-to-match consistency.
Switching from Allround to Ma Lin Extra Offensive
Because control barely moves (0.1 point) and the blade stays all-wood, this is a gentler jump than switching to a carbon or high-stiffness blade — you are not relearning your fundamental stroke, you are stepping into a faster, harder, more consistent version of a similar feel. The main adjustment is Ma Lin Extra Offensive’s linear power delivery: without a carbon catapult, its own cons list is clear that “you supply the power,” so players relying on Allround’s more forgiving pace will need to swing more actively to get the same result.
Bottom line
Control is a genuine tie between these two blades — don’t let the overall rating gap fool you into thinking otherwise. The real differences are speed, hardness and especially consistency, all of which favor Ma Lin Extra Offensive, and all of which line up with its own listed pros around short-game precision and value. For an Allround owner who has outgrown its speed ceiling but wants to stay in an all-wood, technique-rewarding family, this is one of the more natural upgrade paths in the dataset.
Frequently asked questions
Is Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive better than Butterfly Timo Boll Allround for control?
Not really — control is essentially tied (8.7 vs 8.6, a 0.1 point gap). The real gaps are in speed, hardness and consistency, all favoring the Yasaka.
Does Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive have a carbon catapult effect?
No — its own cons list states it has no carbon catapult and that you supply the power yourself, which also means it loses a bit of pop far from the table.
Is this a good upgrade path from a discontinued Butterfly Timo Boll Allround?
Yes, and a gentler one than switching to a carbon blade — control barely changes, so you keep a similar all-wood feel while gaining real speed and consistency.
Is Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive good for penhold players?
Yes, its own bestFor description specifically calls out traditional Chinese penhold players as a strong fit, alongside offensive and control loopers generally.