Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC vs Stiga Allround Evolution: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Stiga Allround Evolution | |
|---|---|---|
| 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, high feedback |
| handle | Flared (FL), Straight (ST), Anatomic (AN) — notably thicker grip than Viscaria | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5 wood plus 2 arylate-carbon (ALC) — Koto / ALC / Limba / Kiri / Limba / ALC / Koto | 5W (all wood) |
| speed | OFF | ALL+ |
| thickness_mm | approx 5.7mm | 5.4 |
| weight_g | 87-92g typical | 80 |
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Fan Zhendong (8.8, outer-ALC, competitive) is for attacking players; Stiga Allround Evolution (8.2, all-wood, beginner+) is a modest speed bump from Allround Classic for developing players. Evolution offers control and feedback—same soft dwell, slightly more pace suited to 40mm ball, but still slow by modern standards.
Evolution suits beginners who want their first speed upgrade without committing to carbon—staying all-wood preserves feel and feedback. Players outgrow Evolution in 100-200 hours of hard looping; Fan Zhendong is the natural next step. Fan Zhendong skips the intermediate all-wood phase entirely for players ready to commit to aggression.
FAQ
Is Evolution noticeably faster than Allround Classic?
Yes, measurable step up for 40mm ball. Still far slower than carbon.
Should intermediate players skip Evolution and go straight to Fan Zhendong?
If you already loop decently, yes. Evolution is for players stepping up from Classic within 200 hours.
Which keeps better long-term value?
Both. Evolution is a teaching/backup blade after upgrade; Fan Zhendong stays primary for years.