Weight
87g
Thickness
5.75mm
Plies
7-ply
Head Size
157.5x150
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Viscaria
Butterfly Viscaria is a legendary table tennis blade celebrated for its masterful balance of speed, control, and feel, making it a premier choice for offensive players. Its signature 5-wood and 2 Arylate Carbon (ALC) construction delivers a crisp, responsive touch with a large sweet spot, enabling powerful topspin and precise placement. A staple in the professional game for decades, its versatility and consistent performance support a wide range of aggressive playing styles. The blade excels at generating heavy spin while maintaining excellent feedback and control, a testament to its innovative hybrid design and premium craftsmanship.
This 5-wood + 2 Arylate Carbon (ALC) construction defines Viscaria. The outer Koto layers provide a crisp feel and facilitate speed, while the inner ALC layers offer elasticity, increased dwell time, and a larger sweet spot. The Kiri core contributes to lightness and a degree of flexibility, creating a blade that is fast and powerful yet retains excellent feel and control.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Viscaria is a fast blade, classified as OFF. Its ALC fiber layers deliver excellent elasticity and power for aggressive shots. While not the absolute fastest blade available, it provides a high level of speed perfectly suited for modern offensive play. Our testing shows it is highly effective in fast exchanges and counter-topspin rallies.
Despite its speed, Viscaria is praised for its exceptional control, a rare feat for a carbon blade. The ALC material combined with wood plies provides sufficient dwell time and clear feedback, allowing for accurate ball placement. This balance makes it a forgiving blade for advanced players, enabling precise short game play and controlled blocking.
Viscaria offers a crisp and direct feel, often described as a 'woody' sensation despite its carbon layers. This provides excellent feedback for precise shot execution. It avoids the overly metallic or stiff feel of some carbon blades, striking a balanced, communicative touch preferred by many players.
Viscaria typically produces a medium to high throw angle, especially when paired with modern rubbers. This higher trajectory helps clear the net comfortably and allows for aggressive topspin loops that dip sharply onto the opponent's side.
The Arylate Carbon layers contribute to a longer dwell time compared to many other composite blades. This extended ball contact allows players to impart more spin and provides a greater margin for error, which is particularly beneficial for developing powerful topspin loops.
Viscaria possesses medium flexibility. The wood and ALC combination creates a blade that flexes enough for good spin generation and control, while maintaining sufficient stiffness for powerful drives and fast exchanges.
Viscaria has a medium level of vibration. The ALC fibers help absorb some shock, delivering a comfortable feel without sacrificing responsiveness. Players feel the ball impact clearly, which aids in shot selection and touch play.
Butterfly is renowned for its high manufacturing standards, and Viscaria exemplifies this. The blade is consistently praised for its superb build quality, durability, and large, consistent sweet spot. This ensures reliable, tournament-ready performance over years of rigorous use.
Technology
Butterfly Viscaria utilizes Arylate Carbon (ALC) technology, a composite material blending Arylate fiber and Carbon fiber. Arylate provides lightness, flexibility, and shock absorption, while Carbon offers high elasticity and minimal energy loss. This combination, placed between wood plies, creates a blade faster and more elastic than all-wood designs, yet with a softer touch and greater dwell time than traditional carbon blades. This 'outer fiber' construction is a Butterfly hallmark, offering a significant advantage in spin generation and control for offensive players.
Pro Players Using This Blade
Zhang Jike
Zhang Jike famously used Butterfly Viscaria during his ascent to World Champion and Olympic gold medalist. His aggressive, powerful, and spin-oriented game, particularly his dominant backhand, was perfectly complemented by the blade's speed, spin capacity, and control. Its large sweet spot and responsiveness allowed him to execute devastating topspin attacks from various distances, significantly contributing to the blade's global popularity.
Timo Boll
While often associated with his signature blades, Timo Boll has also been known to use Butterfly Viscaria. Its balanced characteristics and exceptional feel align well with Boll's all-around offensive style, which emphasizes precision, spin, and powerful topspin strokes. Viscaria provides the speed and control necessary for his dynamic game, allowing him to dictate play from both close to the table and mid-distance.
Fan Zhendong
Fan Zhendong, a dominant force in modern table tennis, has frequently used Butterfly Viscaria. His powerful offensive style, characterized by aggressive forehand and backhand topspin attacks, thrives with the blade's speed and spin capabilities. Its high reaction and elasticity enable him to generate immense power and spin, allowing him to control rallies and finish points decisively.
Similar Blades
Butterfly Timo Boll ALC
Butterfly Timo Boll ALC (TBALC) is often compared to Viscaria, as both use a 5-wood + 2 ALC construction. TB ALC is generally considered slightly softer with a bit more dwell time, offering a different feel. While Viscaria might have a slight edge in raw speed and crispness, TB ALC is often seen as more forgiving and comfortable for players who prefer extra touch.
Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC
Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC (ZJ ALC) shares a similar 5-wood + 2 ALC construction with Viscaria. Players report that ZJ ALC might be slightly faster and stiffer, offering a more direct feeling and increased power for hard hitters. In contrast, Viscaria is often described as having a slightly softer feel and more dwell time, making it more suited for continuous spin-based play.