Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit vs Sanwei V5 Pro: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit | Sanwei V5 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 9.0/10 | 8.5/10 |
| feel | Medium and offensive with notable flex and long dwell, crisp but forgiving for a carbon blade | hard, fast, crisp all-wood with strong vibration and a high-pitched ping |
| handle | FL / ST / AN | FL/ST |
| plies | 5 wood plies plus 2 arylate-carbon outer layers (5W and 2 ALC) | 7W (all wood) — ash outer plies over an ayous core |
| speed | OFF | OFF |
| thickness_mm | 5.7 | 6.3 |
| weight_g | 87 | 90 |
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Both are fast offensive blades, but one is premium carbon and the other budget all-wood. The Spirit is a 5-wood plus 2 arylate-carbon OFF blade, soft and forgiving with long dwell and outstanding ball feel. The V5 Pro is a 7-ply all-wood blade with hard ash outer plies, fast and crisp with a high-pitched ping, lively vibration and outstanding value often compared to blades costing several times more.
Choose the Timo Boll Spirit if you want the softer, more refined feel, more forgiving touch and the proven versatility of a premium ALC blade.
Pick the Sanwei V5 Pro if you want fast, spinny all-wood pace with strong feedback and surprisingly good control on a tight budget, and you already have reliable stroke technique. It demands solid technique, punishes imprecise strokes, plays closer to OFF than its advertised OFF+, and its copy-to-copy weight and ply consistency can vary. The hard ash surface is also not for limba-surface fans. The Spirit carries the higher rating and softer, more consistent feel; the V5 Pro is the value choice for technically sound attackers who like a crisp, lively wood.
FAQ
Which is better value?
The Sanwei V5 Pro, often compared to blades costing several times more, while the Timo Boll Spirit is a premium-priced ALC blade.
Which has the softer feel?
The Timo Boll Spirit is soft and forgiving with long dwell, while the V5 Pro is a hard, fast all-wood blade with strong vibration and a high-pitched ping.
Does the V5 Pro need good technique?
Yes. It demands solid technique and punishes imprecise strokes, suiting improving intermediate to advanced attackers with reliable strokes.
Is the V5 Pro really OFF+ as advertised?
It tends to play closer to OFF than its advertised OFF+ rating, though it is still a genuinely fast all-wood blade.