If you’re looking for a 7-ply composite blade, then Butterfly’s Viscaria and Timo Boll ranges are great options to consider. But which blade is best? In this article I’ll directly compare Viscaria and Timo Boll table tennis blades so you can choose the best one for your playing style.
I’ll start by doing an in-depth comparison between the ALC blades and then look at some of the other TB/ Viscaria options later in this article.
Butterfly Viscaria vs Timo Boll ALC Blades
The Butterfly Viscaria blade weighs around 5 g more than the Timo Boll ALC blade on average and is also 0.1 mm thicker. Both blades have the same composition (Koto, ALC, Limba, Kiri, Limba, ALC, Koto). According to Butterfly both blades have the same vibration and reaction properties.
Butterfly Viscaria and Timo Boll ALC blades are very similar and it really depends which exact blade you get. However, as a general rule, Viscaria blades feel a bit softer and more flexible compared to Timo Boll ALC blades. This means Viscaria blades feel slightly slower but make it slightly easier to generate more spin.
The Viscaria blade has a slightly larger handle than the Timo Boll ALC when comparing the straight-handle models, however the handle dimensions are the same for the flared-handle models. Only the Timo Boll ALC blade is available with an anatomic-handle option.
Comparing the Full Ranges
Now let’s compare the rest of the Timo Boll and Viscaria blades in the range. We’ll be looking at:
- Weight
- Thickness
- Handle Size
- Composition
- Reaction
- Vibration
Blade Weight
The lightest blade in the range is the Timo Boll CAF, whilst the heaviest is the Viscaria ALC. Lighter blades allow the player to react more quickly and suit players who position themselves close to the table. Heavier blades are more powerful and hence make the ball travel faster.
Check out my guide to blade weight for more info.
| Blade | Weight |
| Timo Boll CAF | 82 g |
| Timo Boll ALC | 85 g |
| Timo Boll ZLC | 86 g |
| Timo Boll ZLF | 87 g |
| Timo Boll Spirit | 89 g |
| Timo Boll T5000 | 90 g |
| Viscaria | 90 g |
| Viscaria Super ALC | 91 g |
Blade Thickness
The thinnest blade in the range is the Timo Boll ZLF and the thickest blade is the Viscaria Super ALC. Thicker blades are less flexible which makes them feel more stable and more powerful. Thinner blades tend to have more flex which makes them great at adding spin.
Here’s a guide to blade thickness for more info.
| Blade | Thickness |
| Timo Boll ZLF | 5.4 mm |
| Timo Boll ZLC | 5.5 mm |
| Timo Boll T5000 | 5.5 mm |
| Timo Boll CAF | 5.7 mm |
| Viscaria Super ALC | 5.7 mm |
| Timo Boll ALC | 5.8 mm |
| Timo Boll Spirit | 5.8 mm |
| Viscaria | 5.8 mm |
Handle Size
When comparing straight-handle blades, the Timo Boll blades have a slightly smaller handle compared to the Viscaria and Super ALC Viscaria blades. The flared-handle blades have the same dimensions. Only, Timo Boll blades are available with anatomic handles. Viscaria blades are only available with straight and flared handles.
| Handle Type | Timo Boll | Viscaria/ Super ALC Viscaria |
| Flared | 100 x 25 x 34 mm | 100 x 25 x 34 mm |
| Straight | 100 x 22 x 27.5 mm | 100×23×28 mm |
| Anatomic | 100 x 24 x 34 mm | Not Available |
Composition
All Timo Boll and Viscaria blades have layers of carbon and wood. All blades except the Timo Boll CAF have a 7-ply structure (5+2 ply).
Here is a table showing the composition of each blade.
| Blade | Composition |
| Viscaria Super ALC | 5-ply wood + 2 Super Acrylate-Carbon |
| Timo Boll ALC/ Spirit and Viscaria | 5-ply wood + 2 Acrylate-Carbon |
| Timo Boll ZLF | 5-ply wood + 2 ZL-Fiber |
| Timo Boll ZLC | 5-ply wood + 2 ZL-Carbon |
| Timo Boll CAF | 3-ply wood + 2 CA-Fiber |
| Timo Boll T5000 | 5-ply wood + 2 TAMCA 5000 Carbon Fiber |
Reaction Properties
The “reaction” score of a table tennis blade refers to how powerful it is. A blade with a higher reaction score will produce more power, meaning the ball will travel more quickly when hit with the same stroke compared to when using a blade with a lower reaction score.
The Timo Boll T5000 blade has the highest reaction score whereas the Timo Boll ZLF blade has the lowest reaction score. The Timo Boll ALC and Viscaria blades have the same reaction scores. The Viscaria Super ALC blade has a higher reaction score compared to the standard ALC composite blades.
| Blade | Reaction |
| Timo Boll T5000 | 12.6 |
| Viscaria Super ALC | 12.1 |
| Timo Boll Spirit | 11.8 |
| Timo Boll ALC | 11.8 |
| Viscaria | 11.8 |
| Timo Boll ZLC | 11.7 |
| Timo Boll CAF | 10.6 |
| Timo Boll ZLF | 10.5 |
Vibration Properties
The vibration score is used to measure how much “feeling” the blade offers. A blade with a high vibration score will have a harder feel whereas a blade with a low vibration score will have a softer feel.
The Timo Boll T5000 blade has the highest vibration score meaning it offers the hardest feel. The Viscaria Super ALC blade has the lowest vibration score. The Timo Boll ALC and Viscaria blades have the same vibration score.
| Blade | Vibration |
| Timo Boll T5000 | 11.3 |
| Timo Boll ZLC | 10.8 |
| Timo Boll CAF | 10.4 |
| Timo Boll Spirit | 10.3 |
| Timo Boll ALC | 10.3 |
| Viscaria | 10.3 |
| Viscaria Super ALC | 10.1 |
Here are some more blade comparisons you might find useful: