Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC vs Stiga Carbonado 145: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC | Stiga Carbonado 145 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.7/10 | 8.4/10 |
| feel | medium-hard but flexible, crisp carbon with long dwell | stiff, direct and rather linear with a large sweet spot, but the very thin TeXtreme layers keep the vibration close to a 5-ply all-wood blade |
| handle | FL/ST/AN | FL/ST (also offered as Legend and penhold) |
| plies | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon (5 wood plies with 2 Arylate-Carbon layers) | 5 wood plus 2 TeXtreme carbon (5+2 composite) with the carbon fibers laid at a 45 degree angle for torsional bendability |
| speed | OFF | OFF+ |
| thickness_mm | 5.8 | 5.7 |
| weight_g | 88 | 85 |
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Both are carbon blades for attackers, but they differ sharply in stiffness. The Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC pairs 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 Stiga Carbonado 145 is a 5-wood-plus-2-TeXtreme-carbon blade rated OFF+, stiffer and faster, with lab-confirmed wood-like vibration and very strong aggressive blocking.
Go with the Zhang Jike ALC if you want a spin-friendly carbon blade with plenty of dwell and control, handle choice, and the option of tensor or tacky Chinese rubbers. Go with the Carbonado 145 if you are an intermediate-to-advanced two-wing attacker who wants a stiff, fast blade with wood-like feedback for close-to-mid offense and aggressive blocking.
The Carbonado 145 is thinner at 5.7mm and lighter at 85g than the 5.8mm, 88g Zhang Jike ALC, but it is demanding and unforgiving, gives less loop spin than its softer sibling, and is now discontinued and hard to source. The Zhang Jike ALC rates higher and is the more spin-oriented, available pick.
FAQ
Which blade is more spin-friendly?
The Zhang Jike ALC, with its soft, flexible feel and long dwell that excels at looping. The Carbonado 145 leans toward stiff, direct speed and gives lower loop spin than its softer sibling.
Is the Carbonado 145 still available?
It is now discontinued and hard to source new. The Zhang Jike ALC has also been heading toward discontinuation, so availability of both can vary.
Which blocks better?
The Carbonado 145 offers very strong, aggressive blocking on both wings thanks to its stiffness. The Zhang Jike ALC blocks well too, with strong control relative to other ALC and ZLC blades.