Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC Review

Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC is one of the butterfly company’s innovative Arylate carbon designs and is considered a next-generation blade. The design is an upgrade of the Butterfly Timo Boll ALC but is still different in many ways.

Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade comes in a blend of wood Arylate carbon material. This blade is similar to the Timo Boll ALC but an added upgrade, it combines speed and control for improved performance.

The butterfly company designed this blade with a more wooden component than its other Arylate carbon blades. This aim was to give the blade better control while at the same time keeping its high-speed Carbon properties.

Property: Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC vs TIMO BOLL ALC vs Viscaria

PROPERTY	Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC	TIMO BOLL ALC	Viscaria
Class	OFF	OFF	OFF
Weight	90 g	88 g	90 g
Thickness	6.2 mm	5.8 mm	5.8 mm
Style	ALL-ROUND	ATTACK	ATTACK
Plies	5W+2ALC (Innerfiber)	5W+2ALC	5W+2ALC
Speed	8.5	9.0	8.2
Control	9.0	8.8	8.0
Spin	7.5	7.0	7.8
Stiffness	8.5	6.0	8.1
Hardness	6.0	6.2	7.0
Consistency	7.5	8.0	7.0
Reaction	11.7	11.8	11.8
Vibration	10.5	10.3	10.5
Head Dimensions	158×152 mm	157×150 mm	157×150 mm
FL Handle Dimensions	100×25 mm	100x24 mm	100×25 mm
Price	See More Details	See More Details	See More Details
Manufacturer	Butterfly	Butterfly	Butterfly
Made in	Japan	Japan	Japan

Features of Butterfly Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC

Composition

Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade by Butterfly comes in a powerful design. The arylate carbon layers of the blade can be found close to the inner core to give it better control. The blade is great for dynamic play and has a large sweet spot.

Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade comes in a blend of wood Arylate carbon material. It comprises 7 wood plies and its two outer layers are made out of Limbs.

The blade has a thickness of 6.2mm and because of its has more flexible outer layers, it has a longer dwell time.

The wooden outer layer is made from limbs, unlike the Timo Boll ALC which is made from Koto wood. The Limba gives the blade a softer feel and more dwell time when making slower strokes like flicks and brushes. Making spins with the Innerforce ALC blade is much easier because of its structure.

Handle

Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC‘s handle is very different from the Timo Boll series blades. If you look at the Timo Boll ALC and Timo Boll Spirit blade, you will see they both have thick handles which make them comfortable.

However, Butterfly company did something different for the Innerforce ALC blade.  They are quite thin and not as chunky as the handles of the Timo Boll series.

You can easily pair this blade with your preferred rubber type. If you love playing loops, you can pair the Innerforce ALC blade with super spin rubbers like the Dignics 05 or Tenergy 05.

Hardness & Feel

The butterfly Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade has two soft limba layers that make the blade produce a fair amount of flexibility. It is the softness that accounts for the reduced speed and even though some athletes might consider it too soft, it will depend on your preference.

The blade does not feel in any way crisp like most blades with outer layer carbon. The nature of the blade is soft and not hard, so you don’t get much feedback when you make a shot.

If you prefer a blade with no vibration, you will love this Innerforce ALC blade. The carbon dampens the vibrations.

Speed

Looking at the speed of this blade, it is very similar to the Timo Boll series. However, the speed has been reduced to give more room for control. The inner carbon layer slows down the speed a little bit and you will need to exert a sufficient amount of power to activate the carbon component.

The butterfly Ovtcharov blade has a balanced delivery but still, its speed can be closely compared to the Timo Boll ALC blade. Even though it is a bit slower, the Innerforce blade has a surprisingly soft feel, unlike other blades that have their carbon structure close to the surface.

The blade feels a little bouncy and not in any way catapult. The inner carbon reduces the speed so players can have more control and make accurate shots.

This blade works well for serves and touches play because of its balance. It can be easy making both short and fast shots with this blade because of its adaptability.

Overall, you will get great performance even at its moderate speed. The butterfly Innerforce ALC blade is faster than the Tibhar Carbon blade but a little slower than the DHS Hurricane Long 5 blade.

Control

Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade has more control than other carbon blades. The inner carbon layers give the blade a softer touch and so you feel the large sweet spot when the ball makes contact. Like we mentioned earlier, it is not very bouncy and even when playing short strokes, you can still get a good amount of speed.

The Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade has more control than the Timo Boll ALC bat because its two soft limba layers help to suppress the hardness of the carbon. The blade has an elastic feel and this blade is precision equipment that helps you gain more control without losing power.

The balance of the blade is one of its strong points and allows you to play softer strokes. You can always increase your speed by exerting more power on your arm.

Flexibility

The butterfly Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC Innerforce ALC blade has a 6.0mm thickness and can be considered reasonably flexible. It is a lot thicker than the Timo Boll ALC.

This structure of the blade makes it better for defense than an attacking blade. The softness and flexibility of the blade together make it a bit difficult to use it as an attacking blade but it can be well suited for players with slower swings.

Besides that, the Innerforce ALC blade has a very long dwell time.

Shots

When making service, the blade is consistent and will give better performance. The Limba layer absorbs the impact of the ball and gives it an added spin. This way, you don’t get any catapults or bouncy effects when making the service. The blade also keeps your shot very short.

The quality of the shots made with the Innerforce ALC blade is amazing and this blade is also perfect for loopers. When playing a loop, it is consistent and very easy to play.

The blade won’t slow down the pace of the ball. Even though it is not as fast as other Butterfly carbon blades, the Innerforce ALC blade can still give a little added spin to the ball.

You can also use it to play a drive, better than the Timo Boll ALC. This blade makes better drive shots and it is easy executing them because of its outer wood layer. The carbon layer also helps to increase the top-end speed.

One of the weaknesses of this blade will be noticed when attempting smashes. The blade tends to absorb the ball for too long and won’t give the desired result. It works well for blocks because of its balance and can match the speed of the incoming ball.

However, the block may fail for incoming spin shots because of the very long dwell time. The Innerforce ALC blade makes good return shots also because of its consistency and balance.

The blade is very easy to control but is a bit difficult when it receives a spin. You can easily make flatter shots with this blade. Generally, it has a better performance for shots like drives, blocks and counter shots.

Playing Style of Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC

If you are thinking of getting this blade, one thing you should know is that the Innerforce ALC blade is targeted at players who want a blade with more control.

If you are gearing towards speed, this blade is not for you.

The other alternative of Butterfly’s fast carbon blades is the Timo Boll ALC.  However, the Innerforce ALC blade is perfect for players who are transitioning from a fast wooden blade to a carbon blade. It makes it easy to adapt to the change and this blade is well suited for an all-round player.

Also, players who are more attuned to softer carbon blades, will not have any problem using this blade. You can easily control it for a passive or even aggressive playing style.

The Butterfly Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade can be used by all levels of players whether beginners or advanced players.  The blade will be useful for players that are all-rounders especially for drives and counter shots. Its major attributes are accuracy, balance and control.

Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC vs Viscaria

The choice between the two blades will depend on the preference of the players.

Both blades are made from Butterfly’s Arylate carbon fibre. The difference, however, is in the placement of the carbon in the blades. The Viscaria blade has its carbon placement next to the surface wood. However, the Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade is placed after the second and center wood layer.

When comparing the speed of both blades, the Innerforce ALC blade is a winner. It may not be as fast as the fast carbon blades but is still faster than the Viscaria. Also, the Innerforce ALC blade has better control than the Viscaria. Beginners can not attempt using the Viscaria because it doesn’t have balance and tends to be more catapulty. Even skilled players tend to struggle with this blade.

The Viscaria has the softness found in most carbon blades but cannot be considered too soft like the Innerforce ALC blade. The Viscaria still has a good amount of stiffness making it easy to produce spins. The Innerforce ALC blade mostly gives flatter shots and struggles with incoming spins.

The two blades are of the best quality and from the reputable Butterfly brand. They both produce good performance and choices will depend on the player’s style or preference.

Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC vs Timo Boll ALC

The butterfly Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade is very similar to the Timo Boll ALC.

This is because the company made it as an upgrade with the intention of building a fast speed blade with equal control.

The Innerforce ALC blade has more improved control and dwell time when compared to the Timo Boll ALC because of the placement of the carbon. They are very similar in speed but the Timo Boll ALC blade is still slightly faster.

The Timo Boll ALC blade has a stronger carbon feel and a little bounce. Players who prefer more softness in their blade will go for the Innerforce ALC blade but the Timo Boll has a little more stiffness.

The butterfly Ovtcharov ALC blade has a more wooden feel compared to the Timo Boll ALC blade. It would be easier for players who are used to wooden blades to adapt to it.

Timo Boll ALC blade is great for blocking and smashing because of its solid feel. However, the Innerforce ALC blade tends to struggle in this area. It is difficult getting smashes with this blade and blocking may end up falling short.

Both blades are good for looping and making serves. The Timo Boll ALC blade is, however, better for making powerful shots with little effort.

The Innerforce ALC blade is less flexible than the Timo Boll ALC but they are also both consistent blades. If you are looking to play a fast-paced game, the Timo Boll will be better but the Innerforce has better control, so it all depends on the player’s preference.