Butterfly Timo Boll ALC Proline was inspired by three times European champion Timo Boll who used it with Tenergy 05. The paddle with this rubber is a classic hailed as the most spin-generating set-up, enabling an offensive power play.
With Timo Boll ALC, Butterfly popularized ALC technology where the power and speed of carbon together with the vibration-reducing Arylate resulted in one of the best table tennis paddles.
Butterfly Tenergy 05 is used and praised by many world champions as it gives an ability to generate spin without losing control. This blade truly belongs to champions and is supposed to give a professional feel.
Let’s dive into the specs to see what is so great about this blade.
Butterfly Timo Boll ALC Proline w/Tenergy 05 Product Specifications
Overview
Price: $$$
Rating: 4.8/5.0
Grip Type: Shakehand (flared, anatomic, straight)
Play Rating
Speed: 9.5/10
Spin: 9.0/10
Control: 9.0/10
Durability: 9.0/10
Materials
Type: OFF
Weight: 86g (approximately)
Dimensions: 157 x 150 mm
Thickness: 6.3mm
Material: Wood + ALC (Arylate Carbon)
Plies: 7
Rubber: Tenergy 05 (black and red)
Handle: Flared, Concave
Sponge Thickness: 2.1 mm
What to Expect?
We have a lot to expect from Timo Boll ALC as it was inspired by Timo Boll, who also helped develop this blade. It is supposed to be faster than the previous model with a massive ability to produce heavy topspin, which is exactly what Timo is known for.
Timo used Butterfly’s Tenergy rubber on both sides of this blade, which resulted in a winning combination.
Butterfly is already a brand preferred by champions and world-class players, and as this blade and rubber helped Timo win, we expect it to deliver quality, performance, and unmatched speed and spin. Let’s see if this product meets our expectations.
Construction
This 7-ply blade has different kinds of veneers, all of which give varying winning properties to this blade. 2 plies of Arylate Carbon give destructive speed while decreasing vibration feedback and 2 piles of Limba and Koto each increase dwell time.
Kiri has been used as the core veneer as it gives stiffness to the blade.
This combination of wood with Arylate fiber adds lightness and flexibility while increasing shock absorption.
Carbon also promotes elasticity and helps with energy reservation and speed. The blade’s slightly elongated head makes it suitable for a fast topspin game.
Tenergy 05 was the first rubber from Butterfly which featured “Spring Sponge” technology.
This makes your paddles firm, yet flexible and tacky. The surface grip further increases with a tensioned top sheet, increasing dwell time which results in more spin. This rubber is also famous for its explosive speed.
Pros
Spin
Timo Boll Proline ALC has a softer touch, which together with a large sweet spot helps the player perform topspin techniques with ease. With the support of Tenergy 05, this paddle is magnificent for topspin play.
It also allows one to execute a higher throw angle and lift heavy backspin with ease. You can further generate various levels of topspin from medium to heavy loop.
Control
Even though this setup doesn’t have the speed and power of the latest offensive blades, it offers controllability and precision, which might be extremely destructive with the right spin technique.
Your hits will be calculated, stable, and sharp with this combination. It also allows you to alter your position between attacks to block with ease. Additionally, with precise direction and controlled power, you can perform counter-attacks like a pro.
Excellent Craftsmanship
Butterfly Timo Boll ALC Proline and Tenergy 05 both are a marvel of great engineering. Not only does each feature enhance the quality of overall play, but this combination is also very durable.
With care, this blade will last you years even if it is supposed to be used in an offensive environment.
Tournament-level Game
This is a high-end blade crafted for professionals and serious players who have already mastered various shots and techniques and can hit with precision.
Although this blade is expensive, we consider it a true investment as it is the weapon of table tennis champions.
Cons
Comparatively Slower Speed
Although this setup is better than average blades in terms of power or speed, it is still not at the same level as advanced upmarket offensive paddles such as Butterfly Schlager or Butterfly Primorac Carbon.
So, to execute killer hurricane shots you will have to push a little bit extra. If you are looking for extremely power-packed shots, then this setup is not for you. Moreover, as this blade is less potent as compared to the blades mentioned before, it is suitable for short to mid-distance play styles.
No Vibration Feedback
Since this blade provides little to no vibration feedback, it is not suitable for beginners or intermediate players as it becomes difficult to control the blade in the absence of vibrations.
Moreover, some players prefer vibrations as they help assess the trajectory of the ball and assist in the execution of the right shot. If you are looking for a blade with decent vibration feedback then you should go for all-wood 5-ply blades.
Our Rating: 4.8/5.0
We highly recommend the setup of Butterfly Timo Boll ALC Proline with Tenergy 05 for a well-balanced game with killer spin and control. It offers great dwell time and is perfect for professional players looking forward to refining their craft or simply beating an opponent.
This is an expensive, high-end product and should only be preferred by serious players. The only problems are lack of vibration feedback and killer speed and power.
Conclusion
If you are an offensive table tennis player, looking for a ping pong paddle with massive amounts of spin-generation capabilities then we highly recommend Butterfly Timo Boll ALC Proline with Tenergy 05.
This blade gives you the control and precision which is hard to find and features phenomenal craftsmanship. It is also among the most popular offensive blades that have the spin ability.
If you are looking for killer speed like some latest high-end offensive blades, such as Butterfly Schlager, then this setup is not for you. Moreover, we also do not recommend it for beginners as the lack of vibrations might make it difficult to control the paddle.
