Weight
88g
Thickness
5.75mm
Plies
7-ply
Head Size
157x150
Handles
FL / ST
Material
Hybrid
Head Shape
Standard
Balance
Balanced
Zhang Jike ALC
Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC expertly blends speed and control for aggressive, all-round attackers. Its innovative Arylate-Carbon construction provides a larger sweet spot and enhanced vibration dampening, offering a softer feel that promotes superior ball grip and increased spin potential. This blade excels at looping and heavy topspin shots, with an excellent balance that suits both close-to-the-table action and powerful mid-distance play. Its consistent performance and satisfying feel have made it a favorite among intermediate to advanced players seeking a versatile offensive weapon.
This 7-ply construction features an outer Limba layer for a soft touch and good spin, followed by an Arylate-Carbon layer to enhance speed and sweet spot. The inner Ayous and Kiri wood plies provide flexibility and control, with the Kiri typically forming the core. This combination creates a blade that is fast yet offers good dwell time and feel.
TT Sensei Ratings
✦Our expert analysis of this blade's performance characteristics
Zhang Jike ALC is categorized as an offensive blade, offering significant speed for powerful attacks. Its Arylate-Carbon layers contribute to a fast response, making it suitable for aggressive play. While it's fast, it's not overwhelmingly so, allowing for controlled speed application, especially with the right rubber pairings.
Despite its speed, Zhang Jike ALC is praised for its excellent control, attributed to its softer feel and good dwell time. This allows players to place shots accurately, manage incoming spin effectively, and execute delicate touches like short pushes and serves with confidence.
Zhang Jike ALC has a softer feel compared to other ALC blades. This softer touch enhances ball feedback, allows for better ball gripping, and contributes to its excellent spin-generating capabilities.
Reviews indicate a medium-high throw angle, especially when paired with certain rubbers. This characteristic is beneficial for generating steep, looping shots that are difficult for opponents to return.
The blade offers a commendable dwell time, allowing the ball to sink into the wood and ALC composite. This extended contact time is crucial for generating heavy spin on serves and loops, and it also contributes to the blade's controlled feel.
Zhang Jike ALC exhibits a good degree of flexibility, which complements its softer feel and dwell time. This flexibility allows for a more pronounced bending of the blade during powerful shots, further enhancing spin and control.
The Arylate-Carbon layers effectively manage vibration, providing a crisp yet not overly harsh feel. Players receive good feedback without excessive jarring, which aids in shot execution and comfort during long playing sessions.
Butterfly is known for its superior craftsmanship, and the Zhang Jike ALC is no exception. The blade is consistently reported to be well-constructed with high-quality materials, ensuring durability and a premium feel that justifies its price point.
Technology
Butterfly Zhang Jike ALC utilizes Butterfly's advanced Arylate-Carbon (ALC) composite material. This technology involves weaving Arylate fibers with Carbon fibers, strategically placed between wood plies. The ALC layer is designed to provide the hardness and large sweet spot characteristic of carbon, while also imparting the flexibility, vibration control, and soft feel of Arylate. This fusion results in a blade that offers a potent blend of speed, control, and spin. The specific placement of the ALC plies, closer to the outer wood layers, contributes to its responsiveness and distinct feel.
Pro Players Using This Blade
Zhang Jike
Zhang Jike, a legendary Chinese table tennis player and former World Champion and Olympic gold medalist, is famously associated with this blade. The blade is named after him, reflecting its design and performance characteristics that align with his powerful, spin-oriented, and aggressive playing style. He utilized this blade during a significant portion of his career, leveraging its speed, spin potential, and control to execute his signature offensive strategies, including powerful forehand and backhand loops.
Fan Zhendong
While Fan Zhendong is more famously associated with other Butterfly blades, he has been seen using or testing the Zhang Jike ALC in various capacities, particularly during his ascent. The Zhang Jike ALC's characteristics—its balance of speed, control, and spin—align well with Fan Zhendong's dynamic and all-around attacking game. He has often used blades that offer a slightly softer feel and good dwell time, which this blade provides.
Similar Blades
Butterfly Viscaria
Butterfly Viscaria is often cited as being very similar to the Zhang Jike ALC. Both blades utilize an outer Arylate-Carbon construction with a 5-wood + 2 ALC ply setup and share similar wood materials. Our testing shows Zhang Jike ALC offers a slightly softer feel and potentially more dwell time compared to the Viscaria, making it a touch more forgiving and spin-oriented. The Viscaria is generally perceived as being slightly faster and stiffer.
Butterfly Timo Boll ALC
Timo Boll ALC is another popular Butterfly blade sharing the same 5-wood + 2 ALC construction. While all three are designed for offensive play and feature ALC technology, subtle differences exist. Timo Boll ALC is often described as having a slightly harder feel and a faster response than the Zhang Jike ALC. Zhang Jike ALC tends to offer more dwell time and a softer touch, which can be advantageous for players focusing on heavy topspin and control.