Butterfly Garaydia ALC vs DHS Hurricane Long 5: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Garaydia ALC | DHS Hurricane Long 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.5/10 | 8.6/10 |
| control | — | — |
| feel | Crisp, hard and stiff with a direct, low-vibration touch and a notably low throw arc | hard, powerful |
| handle | FL | FL/ST |
| plies | 5-ply total: 3 wood + 2 Arylate-Carbon (ALC) layers, with an outer carbon construction under a Japanese hinoki surface ply | 5W+2 Arylate-Carbon |
| speed | OFF | OFF+ |
| spin | — | — |
| thickness_mm | 6.9 | 5.9 |
| type | OFF | — |
| weight_g | 83 | 89 |
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Garaydia ALC is an OFF outer arylate-carbon blade with a soft hinoki surface ply, crisp and stiff with a very low throw arc that excels at blocking, flicking and counter-topspins. It offers outstanding near-table stability at around 83 grams and pairs well with Tenergy 05 and medium-hard tensors, but its low arc demands precise technique, it is poorly matched to tacky hard Chinese rubbers, and it is discontinued.
Hurricane Long 5 is a hard, powerful OFF-plus inner-carbon blade with outstanding control for its class, a large sweet spot, and a deep, consistent catapult that returns a high, safe arc. It comes alive with tacky Chinese rubber for an elite looping and serve-receive game, with a woody feel and carbon only stepping in on hard hits. It is not actually faster than outer-carbon blades, strongly favors Chinese rubber, and is heavy at around 89 to 93 grams.
Choose Garaydia ALC if you play close to mid distance with tensor rubbers, rely on blocking, flicking and counters, and want a stiff, low-throw blade. Choose Hurricane Long 5 if you loop with tacky Chinese rubber on the forehand and want a controllable, high-arc inner-carbon blade for a close-to-mid topspin game. With ratings around 8.5 against 8.6, Garaydia leans toward low-throw tensor control while Long 5 leans toward high-arc tacky-rubber looping.
FAQ
Which blade suits tacky Chinese rubber?
Hurricane Long 5. It comes alive with tacky Chinese rubber and returns a high, safe arc, whereas Garaydia ALC is poorly matched to tacky hard Chinese rubbers because of its low throw.
Which has the higher arc?
Hurricane Long 5, with a deep catapult and high, safe arc on nearly every stroke. Garaydia ALC has a notably low throw arc.
Which is heavier?
Hurricane Long 5, at around 89 to 93 grams. Garaydia ALC is a more manageable around 83 grams.
Which is easier to buy?
Hurricane Long 5 is current, though the commercial version is pricey. Garaydia ALC is discontinued and hard to source new.