Butterfly Maze Passion
Blade description:
This all-wood blade is designed as an all-around to all-around plus performer, despite being marketed as an OFF- blade. It is highly regarded by players prioritizing touch and precision over raw power. The blade offers a medium to medium-soft feel, providing significant feedback that helps users develop their technique, making it particularly suitable for beginners or transitioning players who value consistent ball placement.
Playing Characteristics
- Feel and Feedback: The blade exhibits a reassuring resonance that provides clear feedback upon contact. This vibration can be dampened by pairing the blade with harder, high-tension rubbers.
- Speed and Control: While the blade is capable of offensive play when matched with faster, attacking rubbers, it retains a slower, controlled nature. It is most effective in close-to-the-table and mid-distance play.
- Versatility: It excels in spin generation, performing well for looping and service execution. The balance of the blade is manageable, with reported weights around 84 grams, contributing to its ease of use during repetitive strokes.
Handle and Setup Considerations
- Handle Geometry: The flared (FL) handle is slim and comfortable, though the narrow neck can increase blade vibration. The straight (ST) handle provides a thicker neck, which adds a slight increase in stiffness and reduces resonance, making it a better match for harder rubber sponges.
- Rubber Pairing: Because the blade is relatively slow, it pairs best with faster, attacking rubbers to achieve an balanced offensive setup. Symmetrical rubber configurations are recommended to maintain stability and prevent excessive vibration during impact.
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Recent Reviews
#1 — November 2016
At a beginning, I was looking for something that would suit my style and technique. I tried many blades and there were always something that I didn’t like…until Maze Passion.
This blade is awesome, especially for a beginners. So much control with it and speed which is great for a beginners. I would say it is very like Primorac off-, but I like Maze more.
Pair it with fast rubbers and you will have great feeling with acceptable speed and spin. After a year and a half, I’m still using it and not planning to change it soon.
#2 — January 2016
It is rated OFF-, but I disagree. As an all-round player, I sought an OFF-/ALL+ blade with good control. I’ve tried several woods prior to this blade, including the Butterfly TB ALL, Schlager Precision, Zhang Jike, and Donic Ovthcharov Soft Carbon Senso V1.
This blade is slower than regular OFF- blades and is an ALL+(+) blade. It’s highly effective in close and mid-range, making it ideal for those still learning or transitioning from wood to composite while seeking an all-rounder blade with an offensive edge.
Note that the FL handle, with its slim and comfortable flares, has a narrow neck. This makes the ST handle preferable, as it’s thicker in the neck, resulting in a stiffer blade that allows you to use harder rubbers. The Tenergy 05 was the most challenging setup for this blade, and I experienced a numbing resonance in the blade (T05 dampens the resonance). When I used an ST handle, I felt almost nothing.
However, with a similar sponge hardness (M2), the blade vibrated (M2 does not absorb vibrations). Thus, the FL handle is suitable for softer attacking rubbers, while the ST handle should be used for harder ones.
Despite its slow character, this blade excels in looping and attacking. As its name suggests, “Passion,” you’ll find joy in using this blade.
#3 — July 2012
Probada con gomas Sriver Combinada muy bien, bien para realizar Top Spins de lejos de la mesa adquiriendo mucho efecto y con buena velocidad. Buen toque de pelota, yendo bien también de cerca. Muy efectiva en los saques, cogiendo mucho efecto. Buena madera y no muy cara como otras de Butterfly.
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