Weight
92g
Plies
5-ply
Handles
ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Custom
Balance
Balanced
Aeolus S
Butterfly Aeolus S is a Japanese penhold blade crafted for explosive, close-to-the-table offense. Its hybrid construction pairs premium Hinoki outer plies with carbon layers, delivering immense speed for powerful smashes, loops, and drive attacks. Designed for advanced attackers, this blade offers a hard, fast feel that rewards precise technique with decisive finishing power. Its rarity also makes it a notable piece for collectors seeking specialized equipment.
The construction features thin Hinoki outer plies, carbon inner plies, and a Kiri core. This hybrid structure is designed to maximize speed and power, characteristic of modern offensive blades. The carbon layers contribute to stiffness and a fast ball response, while the wood plies offer a degree of feel and dwell time.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Aeolus S delivers exceptional speed, positioning it at the higher end of offensive blades. The combination of Hinoki and carbon plies generates significant power, making it ideal for aggressive drives, smashes, and fast counter-attacks. It excels in delivering quick, decisive shots close to the table.
While fast, the control is rated as good but not exceptional, reflecting its aggressive nature. The blade's speed can make precise control challenging, especially for players not accustomed to its power. Expert players can manage its control with appropriate rubber choices, such as softer or control-oriented inverted rubbers.
Aeolus S delivers a hard feel due to its carbon layers and fast nature. This contributes to its speed but can make it difficult to feel the ball for some players, especially when paired with harder rubbers.
The fast nature and stiff construction of Aeolus S suggest a medium-high to high throw angle, which is beneficial for generating steep attacking shots and powerful loops, especially when paired with suitable rubbers.
While the carbon layers reduce dwell time for extreme speed, the wood plies (Hinoki and Kiri) provide a moderate amount of dwell time, allowing for some spin generation and ball feeling. This balances the hard, fast response of carbon with the softer touch of wood.
The presence of carbon plies and the overall hard feel indicate that Aeolus S is a stiff blade. This stiffness is crucial for its high speed and direct power transfer, minimizing flex during powerful strokes.
The combination of hard wood and carbon layers results in noticeable vibration, contributing to its feedback and speed. While not excessively high, it transmits more vibration than an all-wood blade, aiding in player feedback during strokes.
Butterfly blades are generally regarded for their high build quality and attention to detail. Aeolus S, using premium materials like Hinoki and carbon, upholds this standard. Its status as a sought-after, potentially discontinued item further implies good craftsmanship and desirability.
Technology
Butterfly Aeolus S employs a classic hybrid construction, integrating traditional Hinoki wood with modern carbon fiber layers. Hinoki is known for its excellent feel and lightness, while carbon provides increased stiffness, speed, and a larger sweet spot. This combination aims to create a blade that is both powerful and responsive, suitable for aggressive players. The Japanese craftsmanship ensures precision in the layering and gluing process, contributing to the blade's consistent performance and durability.
Similar Blades
Butterfly Viscaria
Viscaria is another popular Butterfly blade that combines Hinoki outer plies with Arylate-Carbon inner plies. It shares the characteristic of being a fast, offensive blade suitable for aggressive play, though its ALC composition offers a slightly different feel and dwell time compared to Aeolus S's pure carbon. Both are favored by players seeking speed and power.
Butterfly Innerforce Series (e.g., Innerforce ALC, Innerforce ZLC)
While Aeolus S is an outer carbon blade, Butterfly's Innerforce series places the carbon layers closer to the core. This construction generally offers more dwell time and a softer feel while still providing significant speed, making them an alternative for players who like the speed of Aeolus S but desire more control or a different tactile response.