Butterfly Zhang Jike ZLC

Blade Review

Blade: Yinhe T-11 Plies: 5 Weight: 85g Thickness: 6.0mm Speed: Medium Control: High Feel: Soft

Review:

The Yinhe T-11 is a great blade for all-around play. It has a medium speed that makes it suitable for both offensive and defensive shots. The high control of the blade allows for precise placement of shots. The soft feel of the blade provides good feedback and makes it comfortable to play with. Overall, the Yinhe T-11 is a great choice for players of all levels who are looking for a blade that offers a good balance of speed, control, and feel.

I greatly appreciate the Zhang Jike ZLC blade. In fact, I own three of them. Before switching to the ZJ ZLC, I utilized the Mizutani Jun ZLC. The MJ ZLC provided a gripping sensation; however, as the plastic ball became more rigid, I found it easier to generate spin with the MJ ZLC, but the height of the spin was limited. After transitioning to the ZJ ZLC, the exceptionally hard and stiff blade enabled me to produce balls with the highest degree of spin, particularly in the form of topspin shots. Although the MJ ZLC facilitates faster ball and drives, the ZJ ZLC consistently generates more spin and exceptional height due to its thinner blade with a thickness of 5.5 mm, achieving an optimal balance between spin and speed.

It is a stiff but flexible blade. It is easy to generate spin and fast enough for hitting.

ZJ ZLC is very stiff! I would recommend this blade for hitters. It does not have enough dwell for a looping type of game, though it does favor a spinny drive stroke.

I own the straight handle version and found it too big. It was never comfortable in my hands. It’s a good blade, but the price is too high.

Many users are unqualified to rate blades and rubbers, even beginners. They lack the experience necessary to provide meaningful assessments.

The ZJK ZLC exhibits a medium-high arc attack on both the forehand and backhand when paired with TGY05 and TGY 05 Hard rubbers. It excels in slow, tricky topspins due to its central sweet spot. Exploiting this characteristic allows for fast and slow attack-defense variations in speed. Pushes are close to the net, and drives are fast with the center blade.

The TB-ALC is slightly faster than the ZJK-ZLC, as indicated in Butterfly’s comparison chart.

There are many very good blades available, but it’s important to choose carefully to match your personal preferences. Many variables exist, such as high arc versus medium arc, head-heavy versus not head-heavy, and tacky versus non-tacky rubbers.

In my opinion, a blade with 5.5 mm hinoki outer plies would not have a 3.9 hardness rating. Beginners may have difficulty understanding this aspect of blade construction.