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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The Timo Boll Allround (8.3) is designed as a stepping stone for players learning fundamentals, prioritizing consistency and reducing fatigue through its lightweight, medium-soft build. The Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive (8.5) is an all-wood OFF blade explicitly built for close-to-mid-table attacking and blocking, offering hard outer over soft core for superb short game and easy ball placement.
Both are 5-ply all-wood blades, but Extra Offensive brings a significantly higher skill ceiling. It is noted as essentially unbeatable value for an all-wood OFF blade and demands an aggressive, technically sound stroke—not a beginner blade. Timo Boll explicitly suits beginners transitioning from pre-made paddles; Extra Offensive is for offensive and control loopers with established technique, including traditional Chinese penhold players. Both deliver many gears and large sweet spots, but Extra Offensive’s hard outer/soft core pairing and slightly faster OFF speed (vs Timo Boll’s ALL+) make it a precision placement blade for close-range attacking, while Timo Boll is a training tool that reduces fatigue with its lightweight construction.
Choose Timo Boll if you are a beginner building fundamentals. Choose Extra Offensive if you are technically sound and want an all-wood blade optimized for aggressive close-to-table play at remarkable value.
FAQ
Which is better for beginners?
Timo Boll Allround is explicitly designed for beginners. Extra Offensive demands an aggressive, technically sound stroke and is not beginner-friendly.
Which is better for placement and short game?
Extra Offensive excels with hard outer over soft core, giving a superb short game and easy ball placement. Timo Boll provides control but lacks Extra Offensive’s placement precision.
Which is lighter?
Timo Boll at approximately 85g is lighter than Extra Offensive at 88g, reducing fatigue during long practice.
Which is faster?
Both are OFF/ALL+ speed all-wood blades without raw pace. Extra Offensive (OFF) is slightly faster than Timo Boll (ALL+).