Weight
87g
Thickness
5.9mm
Plies
7-ply
Head Size
157x150
Handles
FL
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Effort 70th Anniversary
Butterfly Effort 70th Anniversary is a limited edition blade celebrating Tamasu Co., Ltd.'s 70th anniversary and founder Hikosuke Tamasu's 100th birthday. It masterfully blends heritage with modern performance, featuring a premium Kiso Hinoki outer ply and Arylate Carbon (ALC) fiber layers, all anchored by a rare millennium cedar grip. This commemorative piece reflects Japanese craftsmanship at its finest, designed to offer a unique blend of precision and spin for versatile offensive play, making it a true collector's item and a serious playing tool.
The 7-ply, 5+2 construction sandwiches two layers of Arylate Carbon fiber between five wood layers. It starts with a premium Kiso Hinoki outer for feel, followed by ALC for stability and kick. A Limba-Kiri-Limba core provides the foundational feel, followed by another ALC layer and finished with a millennium cedar inner ply that extends into the unique handle.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Effort 70th Anniversary delivers significant speed, particularly on offensive drives and smashes, thanks to its Arylate Carbon layers. This speed potential is high, but players note it can feel 'bouncy' and requires skilled stroke management to control effectively, making it more suited to advanced techniques.
Control is this blade's most debated aspect. While it provides clear vibrational feedback, many players find it challenging, with reports of the ball feeling 'uncontrollable' or dropping short. The described 'stuffy' sensation can hinder fine touch on short game shots, demanding a high level of player precision and refined technique.
The feel is characterized as medium-hard with a distinct 'stuffy' or dampened sensation upon ball contact. This creates a less direct, almost cushioned feedback that some players find unique while others find it less crisp compared to other ALC blades.
It produces a medium-high throw angle, which is excellent for generating heavy topspin and lifting backspin balls with ease. This characteristic supports an aggressive, looping style of play when paired with modern tensor rubbers.
Dwell time is estimated to be moderate. The ALC layers help create good ball grip for spin generation, but some player feedback suggests it doesn't have an exceptionally long dwell, which can make absorbing heavy incoming spin a technical challenge.
The blade leans toward the stiffer side of medium. The Arylate Carbon layers provide structural rigidity that aids in powerful, direct energy transfer for fast attacks, though it retains some give from the wood plies.
Vibration feedback is very high, providing players with intense sensory information on every shot. This enhances the feeling of connection with the ball but can also be pronounced and potentially distracting during powerful strokes for those who prefer a more muted feel.
Craftsmanship and material selection are exceptional. The use of premium Kiso Hinoki, rare millennium cedar, and Arylate Carbon reflects a commitment to excellence befitting its limited edition status. This high quality is evident in its durable construction and beautiful finish, making it a highly desirable piece for any collection.
Technology
Butterfly Effort 70th Anniversary employs a sophisticated 5+2 ply construction. The key technology is the integration of Arylate Carbon (ALC) fibers between wood layers to enhance speed and spin potential while maintaining feel. The outer ply uses select Kiso Hinoki, a prized Japanese cypress known for its unique playing properties. The handle is crafted from rare millennium cedar, a traditional material in Butterfly's heritage blades. This fusion of historic woodcraft and modern composite engineering aims to deliver a playing experience that honors legacy while providing contemporary offensive capabilities.
Similar Blades
Butterfly Viscaria
Viscaria is a classic benchmark for 5+2 ALC blades. It shares the core performance concept but typically uses a different outer wood (like Koto) leading to a crisper, more direct feel and widely proven control at the highest level, making it a more consistent choice for many advanced players.
Butterfly Harimoto ALC
Harimoto ALC is another modern offensive ALC blade that often features Kiso Hinoki. It's designed for powerful, spin-oriented play and shares a similar aggressive DNA. The differences lie in its specific ply arrangement and feel, which players report as being more direct and linear compared to the Effort's unique character.