Butterfly Garaydia ALC vs Donic Appelgren Allplay: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Garaydia ALC | Donic Appelgren Allplay | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.5/10 | 8.3/10 |
| control | — | — |
| feel | Crisp, hard and stiff with a direct, low-vibration touch and a notably low throw arc | medium, controlled |
| handle | FL | FL/ST/AN |
| plies | 5-ply total: 3 wood + 2 Arylate-Carbon (ALC) layers, with an outer carbon construction under a Japanese hinoki surface ply | 5W (abachi core + limba) |
| speed | OFF | ALL |
| spin | — | — |
| thickness_mm | 6.9 | 5.8 |
| type | OFF | — |
| weight_g | 83 | 85 |
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Learn more.
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, but its low arc demands precise technique, it can feel weak away from the table, and it is discontinued.
Appelgren Allplay is an ALL-rated all-wood blade built around an abachi core with limba, offering outstanding control and feedback on every stroke from looping to blocking to the short game. It is genuinely do-everything for offense and defense, highly forgiving, and an ideal first blade, with excellent value alongside non-tension rubbers like DHS Hurricane 3 or Yasaka Mark V. Its speed is adequate rather than high, so out-and-out attackers want something faster as they improve.
Pick Garaydia ALC if you are an upper-intermediate-to-advanced attacker who blocks, flicks and counters near the table and wants stiff carbon stability. Pick Appelgren Allplay if you are a beginner or all-round or modern-defensive player wanting one controllable do-everything blade to learn every stroke. With ratings around 8.5 against 8.3, Garaydia leans toward attacking carbon while Appelgren leans toward control and learning.
FAQ
Which blade is better for beginners?
Appelgren Allplay. It is highly forgiving, do-everything and an ideal first blade, while Garaydia ALC is aimed at upper-intermediate and advanced attackers.
Which is faster?
Garaydia ALC, rated OFF with carbon. Appelgren Allplay is rated ALL with adequate rather than high speed.
Which has more control across all strokes?
Appelgren Allplay, with outstanding control and feedback from looping to blocking to the short game. Garaydia ALC is stiff and low-throw, needing precise technique.
What rubbers suit the Appelgren?
It pairs best with quality non-tension rubbers such as Yasaka Mark V or DHS Hurricane 3, while high-tension rubber trims its control. Garaydia ALC suits Tenergy 05 and medium-hard tensors.