Verdict: Viscaria suits an experienced attacker who wants an Arylate-Carbon blade. A slower blade may be a better choice while you learn the basic strokes.
The Viscaria is one of the best attacking blades ever made and it has held that position for three decades, which in table tennis equipment is close to unheard of. It's fast, it has genuine feel over the table, and it does not lose energy when you hit hard.
It is also ₹13,799 before you've bought a single sheet of rubber, and the honest finding of this review is that most people who want one shouldn't buy one yet. The section on who it's not for is the most useful part of this page.
| Price | ₹13,799 |
| Construction | 5 ply wood + 2 Arylate-Carbon (7 total) |
| Speed | Very high (OFF) |
| Control | High, for its speed class |
| Weight | ~85–90g |
| Level | Advanced |
What it is
Five plies of wood with two Arylate-Carbon layers pressed in on either side of the core. The ALC weave combines carbon fibre — stiff, fast, energy-preserving — with arylate, which damps the harshness carbon produces on its own.
That combination is the entire point. Cheap carbon blades are fast and feel like hitting with a plank; every soft touch shot flies long because the blade returns energy you didn't intend to give it. Pure wood blades have beautiful feel and run out of speed. The Viscaria's ALC layer gets you a blade that's genuinely fast at full swing and still readable at 10% effort.
That's the expensive part. Speed is cheap to manufacture. Speed with feel is not.
How it plays
Attacking
This is where the money is. The Viscaria doesn't compress much on contact, so the energy you put in comes back out as ball speed rather than being absorbed. On a committed loop the ball is fast and heavy and it arrives sooner than the opponent expects.
The stiffness also means it's consistent. Hit the same stroke twice and you get the same ball twice — which sounds obvious until you've played with a softer blade that behaves differently depending on where on the face you caught it.
The short game
The thing that separates the Viscaria from every fast blade that isn't as good. Push it short, and it stays short. Touch a spinny serve over the net and you can feel what the ball is doing through the handle.
Most blades this fast make the short game a liability. The arylate is why this one doesn't.
Blocking
Solid, and it wants active hands. A passive block with a stiff blade tends to sit up — you need to absorb a little, and the Viscaria gives you enough feel to know when you have. Players coming from a softer, slower blade go through a fortnight of blocking balls long before it clicks.
The backhand
The one genuine criticism. The Viscaria is stiff, backhand strokes are short, and some players find it harsh on the backhand block in particular. It's the main reason people choose the Timo Boll ALC instead — full comparison here.
What we didn't like
It doesn't hide anything. A blade this direct transmits your technique straight into the ball, mistakes included. A softer blade smooths over a slightly late contact; the Viscaria sends it long. This is a feature at the top level and a problem below it.
The price before rubbers is misleading. ₹13,799 is the blade. A playable racket is ₹21,699 at sensible rubbers and ₹25,997 at Tenergy. Nobody quotes that number and everybody pays it.
Weight varies between individual blades. Normal for wood construction, but at this price it's worth asking us to weigh the specific one before dispatch. We'll do that.
Who it's for
Buy the Viscaria if:
- You're an advanced attacking player looping at full commitment
- Your short game is developed enough that you'll benefit from the feel
- You've outgrown a blade and can articulate what about it is limiting you
- You intend to keep it for years — this blade will outlast a decade of rubbers
Don't buy it if:
- You're intermediate. It will make you less consistent, not more. This is the single most common expensive mistake in table tennis.
- Your rubbers are older than six months. Fix that first — it will change your game more than a new blade will, for a tenth of the cost. See the rubber options.
- You want a racket rather than a project. Powerkraft Carbon Warrior at ₹5,599 is ready to play.
- ₹13,799 is a stretch. Xiom Zeta Offensive+ at ₹3,699 gets you most of the way — here's the honest comparison.
What to put on it
The Viscaria is fast enough that it doesn't need fast rubber on both sides.
| Setup | Rubbers | Total | Who for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensible | 2 × Rakza 7 | ₹21,699 | Most buyers. Excellent racket, money left for replacements. |
| Balanced | Tenergy 05 FH + Vega Pro BH | ₹22,697 | Spin ceiling on the forehand, block stability on the backhand |
| Premium | 2 × Tenergy 05 | ₹25,997 | Advanced players who use the ceiling |
Add our gluing service (₹400–₹700 for one or two rubbers) and we'll glue and trim it before dispatch.
Frequently asked
Is the Butterfly Viscaria worth it? For an advanced attacking player, yes — it's been a benchmark for thirty years for good reason. For an intermediate player, no; it will reduce your consistency.
What's the Viscaria's price in India? ₹13,799 for the blade. A complete racket is ₹21,699–₹25,997 depending on rubbers.
Viscaria or Timo Boll ALC? Viscaria if you play close to the table and drive through the ball; Timo Boll ALC if you brush-loop from a step back or find stiff blades harsh on the backhand. Full comparison.
Is the Viscaria good for beginners? No. It's an advanced blade that punishes developing technique. Start with the Rakshak at ₹2,199 or the Zeta Offensive+ at ₹3,699.
What rubbers should I use? Rakza 7 on both sides at ₹7,900 is the value answer. Tenergy 05 forehand, Vega Pro backhand is the thinking answer.