Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC vs Nittaku Acoustic: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC | Nittaku Acoustic | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.7/10 | 8.7/10 |
| feel | medium-hard but flexible, crisp carbon with long dwell | Crisp all-wood feel with a large sweet spot, long dwell and a signature acoustic sound |
| handle | FL/ST/AN | FL/ST |
| plies | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon (5 wood plies with 2 Arylate-Carbon layers) | 5-ply all wood (Limba outer veneers over a tung and ayous core) |
| speed | OFF | OFF- |
| thickness_mm | 5.8 | 5.7 |
| weight_g | 88 | 88 |
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These two blades carry the same headline rating but split along carbon versus all-wood lines. The Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC combines 5 wood plies with 2 arylate-carbon layers for OFF speed with a soft, flexible feel and long dwell that excels at looping and spin. The Nittaku Acoustic is a 5-ply all-wood blade with class-leading control and feedback, a large sweet spot, long dwell and a signature acoustic sound.
Choose the Zhang Jike ALC if you are an intermediate-to-advanced looper who wants a fast but spin-friendly carbon blade with plenty of dwell, handle choice and the option of tensor or tacky Chinese rubbers. Choose the Acoustic if you value all-wood control, feel and short-game touch over raw carbon speed, especially as a mid-distance looper.
Both weigh 88g, with the Zhang Jike ALC at 5.8mm and the Acoustic at 5.7mm. The ALC gives more inherent OFF speed and away-from-table power, while the Acoustic offers superior all-wood feedback but tapers off under maximum flat hits. Both share the same strong rating, so the choice comes down to carbon spring versus all-wood touch.
FAQ
Which blade is faster?
The Zhang Jike ALC, rated OFF with arylate-carbon layers, offers more inherent speed and away-from-table power. The Acoustic is an OFF- all-wood blade with enough pace to finish points.
Which has better control and feel?
The Acoustic leads on all-wood control and feedback, with the ball seeming to stay on the wood. The Zhang Jike ALC has strong control for a carbon blade with long dwell.
Do both pair with tacky Chinese rubbers?
Yes. The Zhang Jike ALC pairs well with both tensor and tacky Chinese forehand rubbers, and the Acoustic flatters a wide range, both grippy European and tacky Chinese.