Butterfly Innerforce ZLC vs Yasaka Sweden EK Carbon: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Innerforce ZLC | Yasaka Sweden EK Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.5/10 | 8.0/10 |
| feel | Soft-medium; woody feel with ZLC carbon layers near the core | stiff outer oak veneer, medium throw, solid dwell, consistent blocking |
| handle | AN / FL / ST | Flared, Straight, Anatomic |
| plies | 5 wood + 2 ZLC carbon (inner ZLC construction) | carbon composite (oak outer + carbon fleece CFNW inner, 5+2 layers) |
| speed | OFF | OFF |
| thickness_mm | 5.7 | 5.5-5.6 |
| weight_g | 84 | 87-90 |
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The Innerforce ZLC is discontinued, soft-medium woody inner-carbon for advanced topspin specialists. The Yasaka Sweden EK Carbon is modern Swedish-made outer-carbon with CFNW forgiving construction, offering genuine carbon speed at accessible price, excellent blocking, consistent near-table play.
Choose the ZLC if you’re advanced, locate stock, and want rare woody feel rewarding refined technique and heavy spin. Pick Sweden EK if you’re intermediate stepping up to carbon, seek accessible speed, prioritize blocking consistency, and enjoy medium throw angle suiting various rubbers. ZLC is specialized dwell; EK is practical carbon introduction.
FAQ
Which is easier for beginners to carbon?
Sweden EK: its forgiving CFNW carbon fleece and wide handle suit carbon newcomers. ZLC demands technique already developed.
How does blocking differ?
Sweden EK excellent blocking and near-table consistency by design. ZLC good at blocking but optimized for aggressive loops.
Which generates more topspin?
ZLC: exceptional dwell time directly supports heavy spin. Sweden EK: medium throw angle suits topspin, but early release limits heavy brush potential.
Is weight a factor?
Sweden EK around 87-90g; ZLC at 84g is notably lighter. ZLC favors quick hand transitions; EK builds power through weight.