Butterfly Primorac vs Stiga Carbonado 290: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Primorac | Stiga Carbonado 290 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 |
| feel | medium, classic all-wood, long dwell and high control | very stiff, hard, crisp and direct carbon feel with a high-pitched sound; fast and linear with a low throw |
| handle | FL/ST | FL |
| plies | 5W (all wood) — Limba/Limba/Ayous/Limba/Limba | 5 wood + 2 carbon (7-ply), TeXtreme carbon |
| speed | OFF- | OFF+ |
| thickness_mm | 6 | 6.2 |
| type | — | OFF+ |
| weight_g | 85 | 95 |
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This pairing splits cleanly into control and power. The Primorac is a flexible all-wood OFF- blade with excellent control, long dwell and outstanding durability, forgiving and easy to play and ideal as a first serious or control-first setup. The Carbonado 290 is a true OFF+ blade with doubled 200 gram TeXtreme carbon, delivering extreme power, a crisp carbon feel and a low, linear trajectory rated on par with a Jun Mizutani ZLC class blade.
The feel and trajectory diverge sharply. The Primorac is a medium, classic all-wood blade with high control. The Carbonado 290 is very stiff, hard and direct with a high-pitched sound and a very low throw that can cause netting until you adapt your bat angle, and at 95 grams it is heavier than the Primorac’s 85. The Carbonado excels at blocking and counter-blocking but is less forgiving over long rallies and sits at the high end of the market on price.
Choose the Primorac if you value feel, dwell and spin over outright speed and want a durable, forgiving blade for building your first serious custom setup. Choose the Carbonado 290 if you are an advanced, aggressive attacker who finishes points fast with hard drives, smashes and blocking and already has the technique for a very stiff, very fast carbon blade with a low throw. Both rate 8.3 in our scoring.
FAQ
Which blade is faster?
The Carbonado 290 by far. It is a true OFF+ carbon blade with extreme power, while the Primorac is an OFF- all-wood blade with limited top-end speed that can feel underpowered with the plastic ball.
Which is the better first serious blade?
The Primorac, which is forgiving and easy to play and ideal for control-first all-rounders building their first custom setup. The Carbonado 290 is demanding and suited to advanced aggressive attackers.
Why does the Carbonado 290 have a low throw issue?
Its very low throw can cause netting until you adapt your bat angle. The Primorac’s long dwell and higher control make it more forgiving over the net.
How do they differ in weight and stiffness?
The Carbonado 290 is stiff, hard and on the heavier side at 95 grams, while the Primorac is a flexible all-wood blade at 85 grams with a softer, more forgiving feel.