Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC vs Sanwei V5 Pro: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Sanwei V5 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| feel | Crisp and direct with noticeable dwell on contact; slightly softer arc than Viscaria Super ALC | hard, fast, crisp all-wood with strong vibration and a high-pitched ping |
| handle | Flared (FL), Straight (ST), Anatomic (AN) — notably thicker grip than Viscaria | FL/ST |
| plies | 5 wood plus 2 arylate-carbon (ALC) — Koto / ALC / Limba / Kiri / Limba / ALC / Koto | 7W (all wood) — ash outer plies over an ayous core |
| speed | OFF | OFF |
| thickness_mm | approx 5.7mm | 6.3 |
| weight_g | 87-92g typical | 90 |
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Fan Zhendong (8.8, ALC, forgiving) is a premium attacker’s tool; Sanwei V5 Pro (8.5, 7-ply all-wood, spinny) delivers fast all-wood pace with strong feedback at a fraction of the price. V5 Pro is exceptional value for improving intermediates: ash surface, lively vibration, good control, and fast pace without demanding the precision of pure ALC blades.
Fan Zhendong forgives variable technique and tempo; V5 Pro punishes imprecision and demands solid looping stroke. V5 Pro’s all-wood feedback suits technique-conscious players; Fan Zhendong’s crisp, forgiving response is for attackers ready to loop hard. Both are offensive blades, but V5 Pro’s all-wood core and vibration appeal to players moving from slower blades, while Fan Zhendong is the destination blade.
FAQ
Is V5 Pro really ‘OF+’ or is it closer to OFF?
Closer to OFF. Fan Zhendong is true OFF; V5 Pro demands technique to reach +.
Which has better spin generation?
V5 Pro—all-wood with Ayous core spins lively. Fan Zhendong is spin-friendly but crisper.
Which should beginners avoid?
V5 Pro. It punishes weak technique. Fan Zhendong is more forgiving for players still learning.