Butterfly 2025 New Blades: Outer Force ALC, CAF, ZLC

[doppelmoral]

According to Butterfly‘s R&D Team (feb. 2025), the OuterALC is lighter than Freitas ALC despite being thicker.

OuterALC: 6.2mm thickness, 86g avg weight
Freitas: 6.0mm thickness, 89g avg weight

So the structure must be different? what could they have changed?

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

I am still waiting for a pink and fuchsia handle Miwa Hello Kitty Innerforce Super ZLC....

 

[ThePongCommenter]

As in BTY website, these new blades (including ZLC outer) are for beginners/intermediate players!!!

View attachment 34633

Not for us We can easily tame a ZLC-outer beast!


Also they wont be cheap. The ALC will be at 3/4 pf Viscaria price, the ZLC just a bit more than Viscaria, and the CAF will be double the price of Korbel, see https://www.butterfly.shop/category/SHAKE/

That is market rate nowadays. Not cheap, not expensive either.

 

[haggisv]

Sounds like a lot more clever marketing to me. The only reason 'innerforce' blades were created was because most composite blades had the composite layers near the surface, i.e. they were 'outerforce', so they could see a demand for blades where the composite layers were closer to the core. Now suddenly there is a need for 'outerforce' blades?

 

[K.K]

Sounds like a lot more clever marketing to me. The only reason 'innerforce' blades were created was because most composite blades had the composite layers near the surface, i.e. they were 'outerforce', so they could see a demand for blades where the composite layers were closer to the core. Now suddenly there is a need for 'outerforce' blades?

good point! but what i think the difference lies more in the playing style. outercarbon blades is a different style of play and when you wanna find a blade that suits that style then you only have two options: 7ply or outercarbon. but outercarbon are hard to control and fast rebound while 7ply blade are soft and easy but hard to manouver due to their thickness. so a blade inbetween this like my blade xiom Hugo HAL or even butterflys timo boll zlf are a good idea from my point of view.

 

[Blade collector]

Looks like pure marketing...

 

[ThePongCommenter]

These aren't "pure marketing" more than other new blade releases which are the same fundamental blade as something that was released 10+ years ago, with slight handle size, core layer, and thickness changes.

 

[kindof99]

These aren't "pure marketing" more than other new blade releases which are the same fundamental blade as something that was released 10+ years ago, with slight handle size, core layer, and thickness changes.

Innerforce sounds fun and creative. Outerforce? weird, not interesting, and...

 

[kindof99]

I actually hope BTY can create a blade with four or three layers of carbons. It would be much more interesting to see than outerforce.

 

[kfsyg21]

According to the published thickness and reaction property, they made these blades thicker yet slower than their previous koto + alc/zlc blades. All 3 blades look like koto outer layer and kiri core to me. Weight is within normal range as well. So no idea how they achieved this. These blades are actually interesting to me.

 

[Creek]

They Said it… the Wood veneers are selected light weight.
Even though they are thicker, they are lighter according to their table

 

[SDC]

The outer layer is Ayous, not koto, and the core seems to be slightly thicker. That's why these blades are thicker but slower and lighter.

 

[doppelmoral]

The outer layer is Ayous, not koto, and the core seems to be slightly thicker. That's why these blades are thicker but slower and lighter

Isn‘t Ayous rather uncommon as an outer layer?

 

[P1ngP0ng3r]

Isn‘t Ayous rather uncommon as an outer layer?

It is very uncommon, but there are a few blades with ayous outerlayer and carbon right beneath it. (I believe Vodak has/had one) I have my doubts that ayous is outerlayer as it is very soft. (Janka rating: Koto 920, Limba 670 & Ayous 430). My guess would be Limba.

Edit: on the flip side, ayous is lighter than limba and a thick outerlayer ayous would make the blade thicker but not heavier. 🤔

I don't understand BTY's claim "moderate speed" and consider this as a beginner/intermediate blade, when looking at the Reaction Property numbers. The picture they show on the Outer Layer webpage gives an unrealistic view as the Y-axis range is only from 10 to 12. So any difference is number looks significant.
For example: Viscaria is 11.8 and Outerforce ALC 11.4. Personally, I don't think I would even notice the speed difference between both blades in a blind test. As Outerforce is thicker, it has less flex and could feel more solid and less dynamic/explosive versus Viscaria.

Let's hope the handle is not as thin as the Innerforce series. Bit more chunky and a SQST (Like Boll) would be perfect

 

[SDC]

Well, you may have your doubts, but it's still Ayous 😅.

Ayous is uncommon as an outer layer but not unheard of. DHS uses such a soft Limba that it might as well be Ayous, and Butterfly has an history of using Ayous too, like the Viscaria Light for example. I have built some blades with Ayous outer as well, and it's a nice option in some cases, for example a 3+2 configuration with a thick outer.

A number only is not capable of describing the performance of a blade, these blades won't be that much slower in lower gears compared to their counterparts, but the top end speed will be lower.

 

[FZD999]

Smart marketing ploy...they are set to make a killing off of these overpriced redundant blades

 

[jonyer80]

How came they might be faster but easier to control for amateurs? I don't get it. Inner series are actually rather slow for advanced players and outer are so demanding for any non pro player. Only Lin Gaoyuan (discontinued), Kong Linghui Special (discontinued) or Maze&Freitas ( on the verge of being discontinued) were a bit more user friendly for amateurs.

It's a no wonder why so many people are turning back to Tenergy variants because of considering Dignics very hard. The thing it's highly demanding despite being a cutting edge tech top sheet!

Wouldn't have been better to release a revised version on Innerforce with thicker super ALC/SZLC?
Why they don't trust on hinoki anymore as an outer layer mixed with fibers? Did they run out of any wittiness?

 

[zeio]

The supply of quality Hinoki is drying up. Those over 300 years old in Japan can't be chopped down. It's not sustainable.

And the Innerforce Layer series, with a smaller headsize, can be considered a faster version of the original Innerforce series.

 

[nemezis]

long time or never made butterly limba and outcarbon so was needed

 

[Double_Trouble]

So, when are these coming to the Euro market?