Butterfly Innerforce Layer ALC vs Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon: Which Should You Buy?
| Butterfly Innerforce Layer ALC | Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8.8/10 | 8.4/10 |
| feel | medium, high feel/dwell | medium-hard carbon, controllable, excellent value |
| handle | FL/ST/AN | FL |
| plies | 5W+2 Inner Arylate-Carbon | 5 ply wood + 2 ply Carbon (limba/ayous with a carbon layer) |
| speed | OFF | OFF- |
| thickness_mm | 5.9 | 6 |
| weight_g | 86 | 88 |
Butterfly Innerforce Layer ALC
Check price on AmazonWe may earn a commission from links on this page. Learn more.
These are both inner-carbon blades that keep a woody feel up close and only kick on hard swings, so the real split is price and ceiling. The Innerforce Layer ALC is the more refined OFF blade, with more feel, a bigger stable sweet spot and plenty of flex for heavy spin on loops and serves. The Ma Lin Carbon delivers a surprising amount of that controllable carbon character for a fraction of the cost, but its handle quality and unit weight vary, and it can be picky about rubbers.
Neither is fast at light impact, so both ask you to drive the ball with a full stroke rather than borrow pace. If you have a developed shakehand loop and want a lasting main blade with medium-hard inverted rubber, the Innerforce is worth the spend. If you are an improving intermediate or penhold all-round attacker on a budget, the Ma Lin Carbon is the smart-money pick that you can drive hard and grow into.
FAQ
Which is better value?
The Yasaka Ma Lin Carbon, by a wide margin. It is routinely praised as very cheap for its class, while the Innerforce Layer ALC is a premium OFF blade that you pay more for in exchange for more feel, control and a more refined, stable build.
Are either of these good for light, passive hitters?
No. Both are inner-carbon blades that are not fast at light impact, so you must supply your own power with a full swing. They reward a developed stroke rather than a passive one.
Which suits a penholder better?
The Ma Lin Carbon. Its thin, light build makes forehand-to-backhand transitions easy and it is aimed at improving all-round attackers and penholders, while the Innerforce is geared toward shakehand players.