Balsa Carbo X5 (Butterfly)

The BalsaCarbo X5 is the first Balsa blade to be made by Butterfly. The X5 features light weight and great touch, produced by the Balsa center core. Its two Carbon Layers ensure that there is always more than enough point-winning power. Unique to the X5 is its soft feel, which makes over the table play, especially blocking, effortless and very effective. While designed for close to the table attacking play, the X5 has enough power to execute strong topspins from mid-distance as well. Balsa blades are growing increasing popular worldwide and one rally with the BalsaCarbo X5 will show you why!

Speed: 82
Control: 80
Weight: 80g
Feel: Soft
Ply: 5 (3W/2C)

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Average user rating from: 3 users

Overall rating		4.3
Speed (3 ratings)		4.2
Control (3 ratings)		4.2
Hardness (3 ratings)		3.8
Weight (3 ratings)		4.5
Build quality (3 ratings)		4.5
Value for money (3 ratings)		4.2

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Written by Spidy - Top 50 reviewer - View all my reviews

Overall rating		4.7
Speed		3.5
Control		5.0
Hardness		2.5
Weight		5.0
Build quality		4.5
Value for money		4.5

A top seller, and for very good reasons! I only wish I had this blade 25 years ago.
Not the fastest blade out there, but reasonable enough for a junior player or an allround player. BTY's rated this blade way too fast, it's more like an ALL+ or OFF-. The feel is soft, there is lots and lots of dwell-time so with the right rubbers, you will get all the control you could ever wish for. After briefly switching from my old medium-hard blade to this one, I was amazed at just what I could do with the ball! Nothing seemed impossible to do, countering topspins with over-the-table topspins were easy, as were even bh-chop-blocks in amazing angles to devastate the opposition. It didn't matter what my opponent threw at me, I could place the ball anywhere I wanted on the table, with almost any kind of spin I wanted. I felt like a ping-pong wizard. The blade is also very lightweight, rated at 70g but my specimen is 80g, still very light. The flared handle is very good as expected from BTY. The blade is perfect for loopers as you can generate loads of spin with this blade. Smashers beware, you might be disappointed, but with the right (i.e. very fast/hard) rubbers, why not give it a try? It just might work.

Pros:
-lightweight at 80g, rated 70g doesn't really apply
-excellent speed/control ratio
-excellent value at 50 EUR
-excellent dwell-time for looping
-very good handle (flared)
-factory sealed

Cons:
-balsa is very fragile quality in this blade, needs edge tape
-speed is over-rated by BTY, ALL+ is pretty close

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0 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Saturday, 03 January 2009

Written by elmo51 - Top 5 reviewer - View all my reviews

Overall rating		3.7
Speed		4.5
Control		3.0
Hardness		4.5
Weight		4.0
Build quality		4.5
Value for money		3.5

I bought the x5 to get more power, i tried it for some evenings but it did not fit my game at all, the x5 is very lively and springy, its is also a fast frame , maybe if you give it more time then its more controllable but to me it was to springy,almy FH flew over the table and the speed was way to fast in combination with controll for me.
If you have better teqnique and like fast blades this is probably a blade for you. when you are a player who likes to controll the rally then i think this will be a dificult blade to do that with

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Sunday, 23 November 2008

Written by Anonymous

Overall rating		4.5
Speed		4.5
Control		4.5
Hardness		4.5
Weight		4.5
Build quality		4.5
Value for money		4.5

A Blade(OFF)is a good control ,soft feeling and (no more) fast but easy fracgile.

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