Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC vs Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC | Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.7/10 | 8.1/10 |
| feel | medium-hard but flexible, crisp carbon with long dwell | medium-soft and flexible for a carbon blade, with clear feedback and a large sweet spot |
| handle | FL/ST/AN | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon (5 wood plies with 2 Arylate-Carbon layers) | 7-ply (5 wood plus 2 very thin carbon layers) — same outer veneer as the Yasaka Extra |
| speed | OFF | OFF- |
| thickness_mm | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| weight_g | 88 | 87 |
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Both blades are carbon constructions built for offensive players, but they sit at different points on the speed-control line. The Zhang Jike ALC is an OFF-class 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon blade with long dwell, excellent looping and counterlooping, and the option to run tensor or tacky Chinese rubbers. The Ma Lin Soft Carbon is a 7-ply blade with thin carbon layers, an outstanding short game, linear predictable power and unusually clear ball feel for a carbon blade.
The ALC blade favours away-from-table looping and offers handle choice in FL, ST and AN, but its speed demands an experienced hand and the sweet spot is smaller than the ZLC versions. The Ma Lin Soft Carbon is medium-soft, forgiving and a natural step up from premade bats, with a large sweet spot and strong value, though its shorter dwell makes heavy spin harder and it can feel sluggish off-center.
Choose the Zhang Jike ALC if you are an intermediate-to-advanced looper wanting fast, spin-friendly carbon with real far-table speed. Choose the Ma Lin Soft Carbon if you are improving from a premade bat and prize a soft, controllable blade with a top short game and blocking.
FAQ
Which blade suits a player upgrading from a premade bat?
The Yasaka Ma Lin Soft Carbon is described as a natural, controllable upgrade from premade bats, with a soft, forgiving feel and a large sweet spot. The Zhang Jike ALC is aimed more at experienced offensive players.
Which is faster?
The Zhang Jike ALC is rated OFF, while the Ma Lin Soft Carbon is OFF-. The ALC blade also excels at away-from-table looping, whereas the Yasaka leans toward control rather than raw far-table speed.
Which has the better short game?
The Ma Lin Soft Carbon stands out for its short game, with very decent control on pushes, touches and serves, plus excellent blocking. The ALC blade is strong on control too but is built around looping.
Is generating heavy spin easy on both?
The Zhang Jike ALC has long dwell that excels at imparting spin. The Ma Lin Soft Carbon has a shorter dwell, so generating heavy spin is harder without solid technique.