Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC vs DHS Hurricane Long 5: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC | DHS Hurricane Long 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.7/10 | 8.6/10 |
| feel | medium-hard but flexible, crisp carbon with long dwell | hard, powerful |
| handle | FL/ST/AN | FL/ST |
| plies | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon (5 wood plies with 2 Arylate-Carbon layers) | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon |
| speed | OFF | OFF+ |
| thickness_mm | 5.8 | 5.9 |
| weight_g | 88 | 89 |
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Both blades are built for a heavy looping game, but they get there differently. The Zhang Jike ALC puts its Arylate-Carbon on the outside for a crisp, flexible OFF feel with long dwell, and it happily takes either a tensor or a tacky Chinese rubber. The Hurricane Long 5 buries the carbon inside, so it feels woody and controllable on touches and only wakes up on hard hits, returning a high, safe arc.
If you want versatility and lighter handling with handle choice in FL, ST or AN, the Zhang Jike is the pick. If you commit to tacky Chinese rubber on the forehand and play close to mid-table, the Long 5 rewards you with a bigger sweet spot and a deeper catapult.
Weight matters here too. The Long 5 runs around 89 to 93 grams and the Zhang Jike sits near 88, so the Butterfly is the easier blade to swing all match. Ratings are nearly identical at 8.7 versus 8.6, so this is a feel-and-rubber decision, not a quality one.
FAQ
Which is more controllable for blocks and pushes?
The Hurricane Long 5. Its inner carbon keeps soft touches, blocks and pushes predictable and gives close-to-chopping control when passive, while the Zhang Jike trades a little of that for crisper OFF speed.
Can I use a tensor rubber on either blade?
The Zhang Jike ALC pairs well with both tensor and tacky Chinese rubbers. The Long 5 strongly favors tacky Chinese rubber on the forehand and can feel slow if you prefer tensors.
Which suits playing away from the table?
The Zhang Jike ALC excels at away-from-table looping and counterlooping. The Long 5 is happiest from close to mid-table topspin.