Having been around since the 60’s, Butterfly is one of the most trusted table tennis equipment brands currently available. The company focuses on manufacturing and distributing a variety of essentials, and caters to players of all skill levels and playing styles. For the most part, Butterfly is most popular for their premium table tennis rackets and blades, backed by extensive research and science to guarantee optimal performance on the playing surface.
One of their most prominent blades is the Butterfly Primorac Carbon Table Tennis Blade. Fast, fierce, and formidable, this cutting-edge blade makes the perfect competition companion for aggressive, offensive players who prefer a speedy tempo and powerful performance.
Thinking about buying Primorac table tennis blade? Make sure you read up on our comprehensive Butterfly Primorac Carbon review first to find out just what this blade brings to the table.
The Primorac Carbon Construction
The first thing you’ll notice about the Primorac Carbon is that it uses 3-ply construction. The inner layers are made from carbon which lend stiffness, and the outer plies are made from hanoki which lends responsiveness. This ultralight blade is exceptionally comfortable and effortless to hold, minimizing fatigue for long hours of play, which can be beneficial for aggressive offensive players who like to dominate the playing surface.
The blade showcases a flared handle, which is slightly thicker than what you’d find on typical blades. This was incorporated into the design to limit the clenching force needed to hold on to the blade, thus keeping it properly and securely in hand even without maximum effort to keep it there.
What makes some buyers feel iffy about buying the Primorac Carbon is that it’s a lightweight carbon blade. So while it does offer explosive speed, it might also have lackluster control. In the wrong hands, this blade could easily make a ball go ballistic, causing unpredictable patterns for both the player and his opponent.
So how exactly has the Primorac Carbon Blade been rated in terms of speed, consistency, control, and hardness?
Speed rating: ★★★★★
If there’s anything we can guarantee, it’s that the Butterfly Primorac is fast. That’s a quality you can rely on if you’re buying a carbon. These lightweight blades are essentially designed for high flying play, and they’re best utilized by professional players who know how to manage a blade that’s built for explosive, lightning performance.
Despite being pretty fast though, the Primorac offers reasonable dwell time especially if you use the right rubbers. Those that offer maximum spin can easily help you achieve a longer dwell time so the blade doesn’t feel too unpredictable.
That said, the blade would be best for professionals and advanced players who know how to manage something so incredibly speedy. In fact, even some long time table tennis players have found that the Primorac might actually be too fast for comfort, but then again, it’s all a matter of getting used to its unique performance.
Consistency rating: ★★★★★
Consistency pertains to the capability of the blade to produce similar shots given similar circumstances. This helps users learn how to use their blade, allowing players to anticipate ball behavior so shots land as intended. For both beginners and advanced players, this can be highly important because it helps guarantee consistent performance.
What makes the Butterfly Primorac a consistent blade is its even racket face. The material is uniformly stiff, focusing energy on the impact zone no matter where it might land on the blade. This ensures that no matter the hit, the same outcomes are produced, letting you enjoy predictable play that makes it easier to determine which stroke will work best for the specific situation.
Control rating: ★★★☆☆
One thing you’ll notice about carbon blades is that they’re not the easiest to control. So with 3 out of 5 stars for its control rating, the Butterfly Primorac Carbon actually ranks relatively better compared to many other high speed carbons available.
The blade owes this higher control rating to its Hinoki outer plies. The material helps increase dwell, which basically keeps the ball on your blade longer after impact. This split second of longer dwell might not seem like such a big deal to most amateurs and intermediate players, but it could make a world’s worth of difference for seasoned professionals.
The Hinoki outer plies are rubbery and responsive, so despite the rest of the blade being rather stiff, the Hinoki helps cushion the ball, and improves the performance of the rubbers. Keep in mind though that it pays to manage your expectations. While the Primorac does have better control compared to many other carbons available, it still only has three stars. So without comparison, it’s still pretty tricky to get the hang of, requiring a few sessions of practice before it starts to feel comfortable to use.
Hardness rating: ★★★★☆
What we like about the Primorac is that it offers just the right hardness to achieve explosive speed without totally sacrificing control. Again, this is thanks to the Hanoki outer layers that lend some rebound to the overall construction of the blade. Even then, the solid carbon inserts are strong enough to maintain hardness throughout the surface area of the head. This results to a high hardness rating that leaves a little room for dwell, so each strike produces maximum speed, all while giving you a little time to fine-tune your swing for the perfect stroke.
Stiffness rating: ★★★☆☆
Probably the only problem we’ve found with the Primorac is that it isn’t as stiff as it could be. The 3 star stiffness rating means that the blade will vibrate quite a little upon impact which could either dampen your strength or reduce feedback. Either way, this can take a toll on your game and deliver results slightly less than what’s considered optimal.
Strangely enough, carbon blades are considered the stiffest on the market. So we can attribute this substandard stiffness to the fact that the Primorac uses softer plies of wood for its external surface, which reduces the carbon’s capacity to dampen the reverberations of impact.
Who is the Primorac Blade from Butterfly For?
Given everything we’ve discussed about the Primorac, it’s easy to see that this blade was specifically designed for professionals. Explosive speed, superb consistency, and tournament-worthy performance put this blade at the top of the market for pro rackets, guaranteed to help you on your way up the ranks towards that championship.
For intermediate players looking to transition into professional play, can we recommend the Primorac Blade? The short answer is no. Keep in mind that this blade can be exceptionally difficult to control, and may not be suitable for less skilled players. Even professionals have said that the Butterfly Primorac tends to be too fast, so it really is a challenge to make the most of, even in professional hands.
Pros of the Primorac Blade
l Explosive speed make it perfect for looping and smashing which appeals mostly to offensive players.
l Lightweight construction reduces fatigue over time and helps players leverage the most of their swing to deliver more power.
l Consistent performance makes it easier for players to anticipate ball behavior given the blade will produce the same results given similar circumstances.
l Fairly reasonable control rating for a carbon blade.
l Reasonable dwell time lets users fine-tune their stroke to meet desired outcomes.
l Relatively cheaper than other Butterfly blades in the same segment.
Cons of the Primorac Blade
l Might be too unpredictable for beginners and intermediate players.
l Stiffness is relatively low, especially if you consider that this is a carbon blade.
l Using harder rubbers could make the blade significantly more challenging to use.
Overall rating: ★★★★☆
At just over $100 USD a piece, the Butterfly Primorac Blade is one of the most affordable professional blades from the Butterfly brand. This premium piece of table tennis equipment boasts one of the fastest speed ratings on the market, and promises to push your performance to the next level to help you bag your next championship gold.
While it’s not a perfect blade, there’s definitely a lot to like about the Primorac. Keep in mind though that it might not be the right blade for you if you’re coming from an intermediate skill level, and you might benefit more from a transition blade that won’t be too fast or hard to control.
We hope you learned a thing or two from our Butterfly Primorac Carbon review. If you’re interested in learning more about other leading blades, rackets, and table tennis equipment on the market, feel free to browse our other review articles to help you land the perfect tools to help you bring your best to the table.