Weight
93.5g
Thickness
7.4mm
Plies
5-ply
Head Size
157x150
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Schlager Carbon
Butterfly Schlager Carbon is an offensive table tennis blade engineered for power and speed, developed in collaboration with the legendary Werner Schlager. Renowned for its stiff and fast nature, it serves as a formidable weapon for players who excel at aggressive topspin and powerful blocking. The construction prioritizes delivering immense offensive capabilities, allowing players to generate significant pace and spin with less effort. While its speed is a primary attribute, it demands a high level of skill and technique to maximize potential and maintain control, making it best suited for advanced players seeking to dominate the game with aggressive strokes from mid to far distances.
This 3-wood plus 2-carbon fiber composite construction, featuring Hinoki outer plies and a Balsa core, is engineered for maximum stiffness and speed. The carbon layers enhance power and reduce vibration, while the Balsa core contributes to the blade's stiff feel and fast energy transfer.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Schlager Carbon is widely regarded as one of Butterfly's fastest blades. Its construction with carbon fiber layers and stiff wood plies results in exceptional speed, allowing for powerful drives and smashes. It excels in mid to far-distance play where players can fully utilize its speed potential.
While rated highly for speed, control is a trade-off. The blade's stiffness and speed mean it has a short dwell time, making it less forgiving for beginners. Advanced players can manage control with precise technique and appropriate rubber pairings, but it's consistently described as demanding.
Schlager Carbon is characterized by a very hard and stiff feel due to its carbon construction and wood selection. It offers minimal vibration, providing a direct connection to the ball for powerful shots, but lacks the softer touch and feedback found in all-wood blades.
The combination of speed and stiffness typically results in a medium-high to high throw angle, particularly when executing powerful topspin shots. This allows the ball to clear the net with sufficient arc for aggressive play.
Due to its stiff nature and fast energy transfer, Schlager Carbon has a relatively short dwell time. This means the ball spends less time on the blade surface, contributing to its speed but requiring players to time their shots accurately.
The blade is extremely stiff, contributing to its high speed and direct feel. This lack of flexibility is essential for its offensive capabilities but also means it's less forgiving for players who rely on blade flex for spin.
A key characteristic of Schlager Carbon is its near-zero vibration. The stiff construction and carbon layers effectively absorb or eliminate unwanted vibrations, providing a solid and direct feel for the ball.
Butterfly is known for its high-quality manufacturing, and Schlager Carbon is no exception. The materials and construction are robust, contributing to consistent performance and durability. Players often praise the blade's build quality and feel.
Technology
Butterfly Schlager Carbon blade features a 3-wood and 2-carbon fiber composite construction. This design integrates carbon layers with specific wood plies, aiming to enhance speed and stiffness while minimizing vibration. The outer plies are typically Hinoki, known for its hardness and speed, sandwiching a Balsa core which further contributes to the blade's stiffness and direct feel. This combination is engineered to provide aggressive players with maximum power and a crisp, direct response off the blade.
Pro Players Using This Blade
Werner Schlager
Werner Schlager, the 2003 World Champion, was instrumental in the development of this blade. He used it during his peak competitive years, leveraging its exceptional speed and stiffness for his aggressive, power-based playing style. Schlager's game revolved around powerful topspin from mid-distance and decisive blocking, for which Schlager Carbon provided the necessary arsenal to execute these high-speed, aggressive shots.
Similar Blades
Butterfly Primorac Carbon
Primorac Carbon is often mentioned as a blade with similar composition (3 wood + 2 carbon) and a high-speed profile. Our testing shows it may be a slightly less stiff version or have a thinner core, potentially offering a bit more elasticity and dwell time compared to Schlager Carbon, while still retaining significant speed.
Butterfly Viscaria
Viscaria is another popular Butterfly blade with a similar 5-ply (3 wood + 2 ALC) construction, known for its speed and offensive capabilities. While not a direct carbon composite like Schlager Carbon, Viscaria offers a blend of speed and control that many aggressive players favor, often being compared in terms of overall offensive performance, though Schlager Carbon is generally considered stiffer and faster.