Butterfly Lin Gaoyuan ALC vs Stiga Carbonado 145: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Lin Gaoyuan ALC | Stiga Carbonado 145 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.7/10 | 8.4/10 |
| feel | Soft — flexible ALC gives a more wood-like feel than other carbon blades; high dwell time | 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 | Shakehand (FL, AN, ST options); shorter anatomic handle than Viscaria | FL/ST (also offered as Legend and penhold) |
| plies | 5 wood + 2 arylate-carbon (ALC) — 7-ply construction with koto outer layers and inner arylate-carbon fiber | 5 wood plus 2 TeXtreme carbon (5+2 composite) with the carbon fibers laid at a 45 degree angle for torsional bendability |
| speed | OFF (Butterfly rates Reaction 118, mid-fast; equivalent to OFF/OFF+ class) | OFF+ |
| thickness_mm | 5.7mm | 5.7 |
| weight_g | 84-87g typical (Butterfly spec approx 87g) | 85 |
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Learn more.
The Lin Gaoyuan (8.7) is a soft, flexible ALC blade favoring dwell and spin across all distances. The Carbonado 145 (8.4) is a stiff, fast TeXtreme-carbon blade optimized for blocking, aggressive counter-blocking, and two-wing attacking close-to-mid table.
Choose Lin Gaoyuan if you loop and counter-loop with flexible dwell, want a large forgiving sweet spot, and value spin generation. Choose Carbonado 145 if you’re a two-wing attacker who blocks aggressively, wants stiff feedback and consistent mid-distance power, and doesn’t need looping dwell—though be aware it is now discontinued.
FAQ
Which is more forgiving?
Lin Gaoyuan by far. Its large sweet spot forgives off-center contact. Carbonado 145 is demanding and unforgiving on mishits.
What about spin vs power?
Lin Gaoyuan emphasizes spin generation. Carbonado 145 emphasizes power and aggressive blocking. Lin Gaoyuan suits loopers; Carbonado 145 suits hard hitters.
How different is the vibration?
Carbonado 145’s TeXtreme layers keep vibration close to wood despite stiffness, which some advanced players love. Lin Gaoyuan is naturally softer and less communicative.
Why is Carbonado 145 discontinued?
Market shift away from ultra-stiff blades. It remains beloved by aggressive attackers but newer Carbonado versions replaced it.