Butterfly Innerforce Layer ALC
Blade description:
The Innerforce Layer ALC is a 5+2 construction composite blade designed to offer a balance between the feel of a wooden blade and the stability of artificial fibers. By positioning the Arylate/Carbon layers closer to the core rather than directly beneath the top veneer, the blade maintains a significant level of woody sensation, dwell time, and ball feedback during touch shots and short play.
Playing Characteristics
- Feel and Dwell: The blade features a soft, “woody” feel, making it highly suitable for players who prioritize touch and spin. The extended dwell time allows for controlled open-ups and spin-heavy looping.
- Speed and Power: While categorized as an offensive blade, it operates with a dual-stage performance profile. It remains controlled and relatively passive during light strokes, but it provides a distinct “turbo” acceleration and increased power when the player engages the composite layers with more aggressive, high-velocity swings.
- Control and Stability: Compared to outer-carbon blades like the Viscaria or Timo Boll ALC, this blade is slightly slower, providing higher control and placement precision. The placement of the ALC layers increases the sweet spot and provides stability during blocks and flat hits, though users note that passive blocking requires careful angle adjustment to ensure the ball trajectory remains low.
- Flex and Stiffness: It possesses a degree of flexibility that aids in loop production, yet it remains stable enough to prevent unwanted vibrations.
This blade is well-regarded for varied offensive styles, particularly for those transitioning from all-wood blades who desire more stability without sacrificing ball feeling. It performs effectively across all distances, though its increased dwell makes it a standout choice for players who favor high-spin, looping-oriented games.
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Recent Reviews
#1 — March 2024
One of the thicker Butterfly woods, the [blade name] feels softer due to its inner layers. However, it is surprisingly stiff and stable, providing excellent control while being fast enough for offensive gameplay. It is slightly faster than the Apolonia ZLC, with a softer feel. The [blade name] is highly recommended for versatile attacking play. Harder rubbers perform well with it, making it one of the best blades I have ever used. My backhand rubber of choice is the Dignics 09 °C.
#2 — March 2024
Innerforce Layer ALC blade, 2023 model, 5+2 layers, 95 mm x 25 mm FL handle, 90 gr. Paired with Vega X Max forehand and Hexer Duro 1.9 backhand rubbers.
This combination excels in close to medium distances from the table, providing excellent control for soft rotations as well as ample power for more forceful shots. Highly recommended for players seeking a well-balanced blade with impressive versatility.
#3 — March 2024
This is my first ever review. Once I got this blade and played a few practice sessions with it, I wanted to share my unforgettable experience. Overall, it’s a perfect fit for my playstyle.
My Innerforce Layer ALC weighs 89 grams. The FL handle is perfect for my small hand. I use Xiom Vega Pro for my forehand and Donic Acuda S2 for my backhand.
Before this purchase, I played with the Xiom Ice Cream AZX. I lacked ball feel and disliked the “glassy” feeling. Now I’ve found what I’ve been looking for: very good touch, great dwell (compared to any outer carbon blade), and exceptional spin on slow openings. The blade also allows for controlled active blocking.
Overall, the speed of topspins is slightly slower than Viscaria, but with better control and ball placement. The only drawback is that it requires more effort to hit through-ball style winners.
In summary, it’s not a cheap blade, but I believe it’s worth the investment.
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