Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC vs Stiga Carbonado 145: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Stiga Carbonado 145 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.8/10 | 8.4/10 |
| feel | Crisp and direct with noticeable dwell on contact; slightly softer arc than Viscaria Super ALC | stiff, direct and rather linear with a large sweet spot, but the very thin TeXtreme layers keep the vibration close to a 5-ply all-wood blade |
| handle | Flared (FL), Straight (ST), Anatomic (AN) — notably thicker grip than Viscaria | FL/ST (also offered as Legend and penhold) |
| plies | 5 wood plus 2 arylate-carbon (ALC) — Koto / ALC / Limba / Kiri / Limba / ALC / Koto | 5 wood plus 2 TeXtreme carbon (5+2 composite) with the carbon fibers laid at a 45 degree angle for torsional bendability |
| speed | OFF | OFF+ |
| thickness_mm | approx 5.7mm | 5.7 |
| weight_g | 87-92g typical | 85 |
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Fan Zhendong (8.8) is outer-ALC with managed stiffness and generous dwell; Stiga Carbonado 145 (8.4) is stiff, fast low-OFF carbon with lab-confirmed wood-like vibration. Both suit intermediate-to-advanced attackers, but 145 is demanding and unforgiving—excellent, communicative feedback but not for technique-builders.
Carbonado 145 delivers aggressive blocking and mid-distance power with consistent sweet spot; Fan Zhendong is more forgiving and looping-focused. 145’s TeXtreme layers thin down carbon stiffness to near all-wood vibration, making it feel woody rather than plasticky. Fan Zhendong’s outer-ALC is easier to control. Both are discontinued, but Fan Zhendong remains in production.
FAQ
Is Carbonado 145 faster than Fan Zhendong?
Comparable (both low-OFF to OFF), but 145 feels faster due to stiffness and flat trajectory.
Which is better for looping?
Fan Zhendong—longer dwell and softer ALC feel. 145 is better for blocking and hitting.
Why is 145 discontinued?
Likely low sales vs. Carbonado 45 and 290 variants. Availability is increasingly difficult.