Butterfly Fan Zhendong series announced in September 2022 is Butterfly’s new top blade family named after new leader of Chinese Men’s National Team – Fan Zhendong. It consists of five models whose constructions are 5+2 ply outer fiber constructions with five different fibers – ALC, Super ALC, ZLC, Super ZLC and CNF. The shape is based on Butterfly Viscaria or Butterfly Zhang Jike series. TTGearLab could take pictures of three models – Super ALC, ALC and ZLC – among these five. TTGearLab will post a report on the Performance Indices of Fan Zhendong series soon.
Fan Zhendong Super ALC (left), Fan Zhendong ALC (middle) and Fan Zhendong ZLC (right).
Handle shape is similar to that of current Viscaria. Hexagolal shape of Aluminum panel is new shape made for Fan Zhendong series.
Fan Zhendong Super ALC provides more power than Fan Zhendong ALC.
The construction of Fan Zhendong Super ALC isn’t different from that of Viscaria Super ALC. ALC of Viscaria (or Fan Zhendong ALC) is replaced by Super ALC. Top layer is Koto. Super ALC is placed directly under the top layer.
Blue is theme color of Butterfly’s ALC models. In Fan Zhendong series, light blue is expressing Super ALC while sky blue are expressing regular ALC.
Fan Zhendong ALC is a redesigned model of Viscaria. This is the most important model in Fan Zhendong series because this blade (or Viscaria) is being used by Fan Zhendong.
This construction hasn’t been fundamentally changed from autumn 1993 that Viscaria first announced. Viscaria, Timo Boll Spirit, Timo Boll ALC, Zhang Jike, Zhang Jike ALC and Lin Gaoyuan ALC shared this construction. Top layer is Koto, and ALC is placed directly under the top layer. However, Butterfly is writing its thickness and the thickness of new Viscaria as 5.8mm on Butterfly home page, and the measured thickness is also 5.8mm, while the measured thickness of old Viscaria is 5.7mm.
Blue is the theme color of Butterfly ALC models. Dark blue of head printing and sky blue of handle express that this model is Fan Zhendong ALC. Contrast color of handle is dark gray.
Fan Zhendong ZLC is the redesigned model of Zhang Jike ZLC. The theme color of ZLC model is white and gray.
The construction of Fan Zhendong ZLC is identical to that of Zhang Jike ZLC and Timo Boll ZLC. Top layer is Koto, and ZLC is placed directly under the top layer. Overall thickness is average 5.5mm.
White and gray are the theme color of handle.
Small rounded hologram lense is inserted on the backside of handle. In the Zhang Jike series the hologram lens doesn’t harmonize with the handle design because small rounded lens wasn’t considered when Zhang Jike series was designed. However, the hologram lens harmonizes well with the handle design in Fan Zhendong series.
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I have been using Fan Zhendong ALC for 3 months now. Fast blade. Good control and power. Costed 170 Euro. I play with Yasaka Rakza Z max black on FH and Tibhar Hybrid K3 max red on BH. I like this combination.
Thank you for comment. I think that both of those two rubbers fit for Fan Zhendong ALC very well. Especially Fan Zhendong ALC is a very good blade to combine with Hybrid K3. (Please refer to the article https://ttgearlab.com/2023/06/10/tibhar-hybrid-k3-field-test/)
BTW, your combination is somewhat similar to the current combination of Kenta Matsudaira. He is also using Hybrid K3 on his backhand side. 🙂
In fact there isn’t right answer fot the question. Further, one problem is that I don’t know your current equipment, your preference, and your evaluation on current equipment. The answer will be more accurate if we have those additional information.
If there isn’t any preference, FZD ALC + Hybrid K3 + Dignics 05 will be very good combination for modern topspin. But, I think that it may be somewhat faster than optimum, although it will provide more than sufficient power. It may be all right because you are a skilled player. But, if I need a blade for counter at close-to-table area, I will select the blade with lower elasticity, for example Tibhar Zodiac Libra ZAC which has just been reviewed.
I currently use a Schalger OFF+, I would like a wood that allows me more control in the reception and doesn’t lose so much of the attack. which wood and set of rubbers would be good.
Schlager OFF+ is an extremely fast blade. It is a kind of ‘Hinoki Carbon’. And, it is especially thick and especially fast among Hinoki Carbon blades. Regarding Performance Indices, its Ep is very high, and its Ec/Ep is also very high. And, very high Ec/Ep will be more important than very high Ep.
In this case Tibhar Fortino Pro (without subname DC Inside) is considerable. It is a moderately fast blade in primary elasticity. However, it is a thick blade, and its Ec/Ep is very high. And, of course it provides better controllability than Schlager OFF+, and its overall feeling is also softer.
TTGearLab 
I have been using Fan Zhendong ALC for 3 months now. Fast blade. Good control and power. Costed 170 Euro. I play with Yasaka Rakza Z max black on FH and Tibhar Hybrid K3 max red on BH. I like this combination.
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Thank you for comment. I think that both of those two rubbers fit for Fan Zhendong ALC very well. Especially Fan Zhendong ALC is a very good blade to combine with Hybrid K3. (Please refer to the article https://ttgearlab.com/2023/06/10/tibhar-hybrid-k3-field-test/)
BTW, your combination is somewhat similar to the current combination of Kenta Matsudaira. He is also using Hybrid K3 on his backhand side. 🙂
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Hi,i would like you to recommend a blade for me🙂
My playstyle is close to the table and focus on counters and overall strategy is aggression
(Im trying to play modern playstyle)
i was thinking about fan zhendong alc with k3 on fh and dignics 05 on bh
(worth to mention that my level is second league in Romania)
thx!
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In fact there isn’t right answer fot the question. Further, one problem is that I don’t know your current equipment, your preference, and your evaluation on current equipment. The answer will be more accurate if we have those additional information.
If there isn’t any preference, FZD ALC + Hybrid K3 + Dignics 05 will be very good combination for modern topspin. But, I think that it may be somewhat faster than optimum, although it will provide more than sufficient power. It may be all right because you are a skilled player. But, if I need a blade for counter at close-to-table area, I will select the blade with lower elasticity, for example Tibhar Zodiac Libra ZAC which has just been reviewed.
LikeLike
I currently use a Schalger OFF+, I would like a wood that allows me more control in the reception and doesn’t lose so much of the attack. which wood and set of rubbers would be good.
LikeLike
Schlager OFF+ is an extremely fast blade. It is a kind of ‘Hinoki Carbon’. And, it is especially thick and especially fast among Hinoki Carbon blades. Regarding Performance Indices, its Ep is very high, and its Ec/Ep is also very high. And, very high Ec/Ep will be more important than very high Ep.
In this case Tibhar Fortino Pro (without subname DC Inside) is considerable. It is a moderately fast blade in primary elasticity. However, it is a thick blade, and its Ec/Ep is very high. And, of course it provides better controllability than Schlager OFF+, and its overall feeling is also softer.
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