Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC vs Donic Waldner Allplay: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Donic Waldner Allplay | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.8/10 | 8.2/10 |
| feel | Crisp and direct with noticeable dwell on contact; slightly softer arc than Viscaria Super ALC | Soft and forgiving with good dwell time, slight stiffness at sweet spot |
| handle | Flared (FL), Straight (ST), Anatomic (AN) — notably thicker grip than Viscaria | FL (flared), classic dark-brown wood |
| plies | 5 wood plus 2 arylate-carbon (ALC) — Koto / ALC / Limba / Kiri / Limba / ALC / Koto | 5-ply all wood (Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba) |
| speed | OFF | ALL |
| thickness_mm | approx 5.7mm | 5.4-5.6 mm |
| weight_g | 87-92g typical | approx 85-87 g |
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Fan Zhendong (8.8) is outer-ALC aggression; Donic Waldner Allplay (8.2) is soft, forgiving 5-ply all-wood for technique building. Waldner is slower and prioritizes close-table control and blocking feel; Fan Zhendong is fast, direct, and made for topspin loops away from the table.
Waldner is the ideal first custom blade for beginners and developing players learning allround strokes—soft limba top, forgiving sweet spot, works with pimples and tacky rubber alike. Fan Zhendong is for intermediate-to-advanced loopers who have settled into an aggressive gameplan. They address entirely different skill levels.
FAQ
Can Waldner keep up with fast play?
No. Limited speed means you must supply pace with good technique. Fan Zhendong does much of the work.
Which is better for learning correct strokes?
Waldner—soft, forgiving feedback teaches you what good contact feels like without punishing mishits.
Which should intermediate loopers choose?
Fan Zhendong. Waldner will feel too slow for meaningful mid-distance offense.