Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit vs Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit | Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 9.0/10 | 8.4/10 |
| feel | Medium and offensive with notable flex and long dwell, crisp but forgiving for a carbon blade | medium-hard carbon, controllable, excellent value |
| handle | FL / ST / AN | FL |
| plies | 5 wood plies plus 2 arylate-carbon outer layers (5W and 2 ALC) | 5 ply wood + 2 ply Carbon (limba/ayous with a carbon layer) |
| speed | OFF | OFF- |
| thickness_mm | 5.7 | 6 |
| weight_g | 87 | 88 |
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Both are carbon blades, but they sit far apart on price and character. The Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit uses 5 wood plies plus 2 arylate-carbon layers for OFF speed with long dwell and forgiving control. The Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon is a 5-wood-plus-2-carbon blade celebrated for outstanding value, excellent control, a large sweet spot and a thin, light feel that makes forehand-to-backhand transitions fast.
Go with the Spirit if you want premium ball feel, more inherent pace and a versatile looping blade with handle choice. Go with the Ma Lin Carbon if you are an improving all-round attacker or penholder who wants a controllable, forgiving carbon blade on a budget and is willing to drive the ball with a full stroke.
The Ma Lin Carbon is thicker at 6mm versus 5.7mm and only comes in a flared handle, and its weight varies widely between units. The Spirit rates higher and feels more consistent, but the Ma Lin Carbon delivers most of the control benefits for a fraction of the cost.
FAQ
Is the Ma Lin Carbon fast?
It is not fast at light impact, so you must supply your own power with a full swing. Speed climbs higher than expected on strong contact, but the Spirit offers more inherent OFF pace.
Which blade is better value?
The Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon is the clear value pick, sometimes found at a small fraction of the Spirit’s price while still offering forgiving carbon control and a large sweet spot.
Are there handle options on the Ma Lin Carbon?
The Ma Lin Carbon is offered in a flared handle only, and grip quality can vary. The Spirit comes in FL, ST and AN, though straight and anatomic shapes can be hard to source.