Butterfly vs Mizuno shoes

[Spinsanity]

To me LiNings are far better than Mizuno Wave Drive or Wave medal. I have used multiple Mizunos (Medal 5, Drive 9) and LiNing is way better in terms of comfort, support, performance and grip.

The only thing better in Mizuno is durability. To me Mizunos are just plain uncomfortable and not that performant. I have no idea why so many professionals wear Mizuno Wave Drive.

 

[Fshtt]

To me LiNings are far better than Mizuno Wave Drive or Wave medal. I have used multiple Mizunos (Medal 5, Drive 9) and LiNing is way better in terms of comfort, support, performance and grip.

The only thing better in Mizuno is durability. To me Mizunos are just plain uncomfortable and not that performant. I have no idea why so many professionals wear Mizuno Wave Drive.

I am deciding between either Li-Ning or butterfly levalis, I think I’m leaning towards the levalis due to availability as if I want li nings I would need to get it shipped from li Ning in China or tt11 and I live in Australia

 

[TheLimpUnicorn98]

Do you know how the levalis compares to the rifones?

They have a harder soles, are more rigid and have more support but also have less cushioning and are slightly less comfortable for the above reasons.

 

[Fshtt]

They have a harder soles, are more rigid and have more support but also have less cushioning and are slightly less comfortable for the above reasons.

My feet are slightly wide but I also need good cushioning coming from Mizuno wave drive 9 because it gave my knees a beating. I was thinking of the levalis because I’ve read that it is wider than the rifones

 

[TheLimpUnicorn98]

My feet are slightly wide but I also need good cushioning coming from Mizuno wave drive 9 because it gave my knees a beating. I was thinking of the levalis because I’ve read that it is wider than the rifones

Levalis cushioning is definitely better than the Mizuno Wave Drive but not a lot better and I definitely wouldn’t say that they’re wider than the Riffones. If you want a nice shoe with a lot of cushioning for bigger feat then I would recommend the Mizuno Wave Medal SP5 or the Butterfly Lezoline Riffones.

 

[Fshtt]

Levalis cushioning is definitely better than the Mizuno Wave Drive but not a lot better and I definitely wouldn’t say that they’re wider than the Riffones. If you want a nice shoe with a lot of cushioning for bigger feat then I would recommend the Mizuno Wave Medal SP5 or the Butterfly Lezoline Riffones.

Okay thanks, so would you say the rifones is more cushioned then levalis?

 

[Fshtt]

Levalis cushioning is definitely better than the Mizuno Wave Drive but not a lot better and I definitely wouldn’t say that they’re wider than the Riffones. If you want a nice shoe with a lot of cushioning for bigger feat then I would recommend the Mizuno Wave Medal SP5 or the Butterfly Lezoline Riffones.

Do you have all of these shoes that you have tried?

 

[TheLimpUnicorn98]

Okay thanks, so would you say the rifones is more cushioned then levalis?

Yes definitely.

 

[TheLimpUnicorn98]

Do you have all of these shoes that you have tried?

I have all of them apart from the wave medal SP5, one of my friends has also tried all of the aforementioned and mains his SP5s because they have the most grip, comfort and and cushioning and suit his wider feet but they’re also heavier and have a softer feeling which is why I won’t get them.

 

[kapahoo]

Are any of the Butterflies thinner and less cushioned than Wave Drive 9?

 

[Chrono]

I've used levalis, rifones, and some wave medal models. They are all great shoes. I prefer the levalis over the rifones just because they feel better for wider feet. I had to use a special insole with the wave medals but those shoes last for many years. Overall, i dont think you can really go wrong with mizuno or top of the line butterfly as long as they fit you.

 

[Zezima]

It's very much a personal preference, comments and reviews can only assume what works for majority. On the other note, seems like you are overcomplicating this heavily - it's really not that difficult picking table tennis shoes, they barely make a difference anyways comparing to any other indoor or even outdoor sports shoes

I got blister problems. I kind of have to blame the shoes/socks whatever. Blister on the front foot part closer to the toes and between toes aswell

 

[JHB]

I'm on my second pair of Wave Drives - the first pair lasted 8 years. Wave Drives are good on proper sports flooring, but if you play somewhere where the underlying floor is hard, e.g. concrete under vinyl, you'll probably prefer a shoe with more cushioning on the sole.

 

[tzifos]

No Rifones from me, maybe NO BTY shoes also from now on.
These are BTY Rifones bought 14 months ago, used for 12 months about 8-10 hours per week, the sole is like new as you can see.

The right shoe:

The left shoe has marks of wear in the same position but it is not torn yet. Seems that the "stiff/hard" BTY logo at this place did this tearing.

 

[GhostBackhand]

Butterfly only outsources their shoes manufacturing to other brands based on their own designs and then puts their logo on them.
Their shoes can’t be as good as Mizuno’s. I remember that most professional players used Mizuno — even the Chinese national team. They only switched to Li-Ning when they were sponsored.

 

[tzifos]

Some years ago, Asics made the BTY shoes and they where very good and the only way to get them as Asics was/is selling its TT-shoes only in Asia, not in Europe or USA.

Today BTY shoes are made from ...... who knows

 

[amitmnagarwal]

I really like the Crossmatch! The Wave Drives are described as light and agile, but they feel clumsy compared to the Crossmatch. "

so you mean , we need to avoid wave drives ? and go for crossmatch ?

 

[tzifos]

Be aware there are two kind of Crossmatch shoes; the Sword and the Smash (see https://www.mizuno.com/sg/en-us/crossmatch+smash+unisex-81GA2530.html)
The Crossmatch Sword are very light and have minimum cushioning (like barefoot), less cushioning than Wave Drive, while the Smash are heavier and the cushioning is in between Wave Drive and Wave Medal. Both Crossmatch models are "entry - level" shoes as Mizuno states.

@kapahoo

 

[kapahoo]

so you mean , we need to avoid wave drives ? and go for crossmatch ?

Well... I liked the old Crossmatch Plio. They sort of had the upper of the Wave Drives but a very thin and flexible sole.
I find the sole, or at least the heal part of the Wave Drives to be very stiff and it gives the shoes a more cloggy feeling.
The Wave Drives are also quite wide in the front part. Might suit some but not my long, but not so wide feet.

@tzifos Thanks. Didn't know about the Smash. They look almost like sneakers! 😄

 

[Robo345]

I'm on my second pair of Wave Drives - the first pair lasted 8 years. Wave Drives are good on proper sports flooring, but if you play somewhere where the underlying floor is hard, e.g. concrete under vinyl, you'll probably prefer a shoe with more cushioning on the sole.

I don’t believe it is that simple. I got a lot of bruised heels, bad knees and plantar fasciitis from multiple sports and the best shoes in the end are always the ones that are most low to the ground, supportive and stable rather than cushioned. There are some instances when cushioning is good but those are more short term instances like towards the end of a long training session. In the long term your feet need to be conditioned to be strong to work together with the shoe so you’re actually better off getting a more solid feeling shoe because at least it then gets rid of the wobbles and twisting in the knees and hips (an important thing to protect for when you get older). The levalis look good in the sense they are solid. Don’t be put off by the fact they are not plush ! Best thing I ever did was lose a lot of body weight but I get that’s easier said than done. If you are overweight (like I was a couple years ago), you should get some plush recovery /running shoes for when you’re going between the table tennis sessions. ASICS gel kayanos (for recovery are fantastic)